Southwire Boosts Offerings in Tool Category by Acquiring Assets of Seatek Co.

Southwire Co., Carrollton, Ga., has purchased substantially all the assets of Stamford, Conn.-based Seatek Co. Inc., a manufacturer of hand tools and motorized equipment designed to cut metal-clad and armored cables.  The acquisition includes substantially all of Seatek’s manufacturing assets as well as Seatek’s patents, trademarks, and brand names such as Roto-Split and Roto-Flex.

“Market demand for armored cable is expected to grow over the next several years,” said Brandon Moss, president of Southwire’s Tools & Assembled Products Division, in a press release. “Integrating Seatek’s category-leading products into our portfolio allows us to offer our end users the best products to safely and efficiently prepare the cable for installation.”

Seatek founder Lucien Ducret said in that press release, “This acquisition is a perfect pairing of two U.S.-based industry leaders.  Southwire is the leading manufacturer of armor-clad cables.  Seatek is the leader in making the tools that are used to cut and prepare armored cables on the jobsite.  I am confident that these two family-owned companies will continue their long-standing traditions of creating innovative products that will benefit the professional tradesman and improve their safety and efficiency installing armored cables.”

The collaboration between Southwire and Seatek actually goes back several years.  “When Southwire launched its innovative MCAP Type MC cable in 2004, we turned to Seatek to help develop a new version of its industry leading Roto-Split cable armor stripper,” said Dan Irvin, Southwire director of hand tools, in the press release. “This resulted in the RS-101AC, a product that safely and easily cuts the metal jacket without damaging the bonding conductor.”

The acquisition brings a variety of products in the armor cable cutter, cable stripper, motorized cutter and labor-saving tools category to the Southwire hand tool product line.

“This acquisition both strengthens our product portfolio and marks a significant investment in our manufacturing capabilities,” he said.

Southwire’s tool business initially grew from its acquisitions of Maxis tools and its cable pullers and wire handling equipment, and then made a substantial leap with the introduction of a complete line of electricians hand tools ranging from wire cutters to multimeters to tool bags bearing the Southwire brand.