MCE Acquires Swanson Flo

Zelienople, PA

With its second acquisition in the last month, MCE today announced that it has acquired Swanson Flo, Co. (“Swanson Flo”), a regional distributor of process instrumentation, flow control valves, actuators, and related equipment. Swanson Flo also provides critical value-added services including actuated valve assemblies, field services and shop repairs.

Based in Plymouth, MN, Swanson Flo employs 92 associates, servicing industrial and municipal markets in 13 states in the upper Midwest and beyond. The company has four warehouse locations in Plymouth, MN; Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN. As a division of MCE, Swanson Flo will continue to operate under the Swanson Flo name with the same leadership team, employees, and suppliers.

“The addition of Swanson Flo extends our offering of highly-engineered, technical solutions by providing leading flow control products and services”, said Charles Hale, Chairman & CEO of MCE. “Swanson Flo brings longstanding customer relationships and supplier partnerships, plus a highly regarded team of flow control experts. We welcome the Swanson Flo team to MCE and are looking forward to accelerated growth and continuing to bring innovative solutions to our customers.”

“The Swanson Flo team is excited to join with MCE”, said Tom Howe, CEO, and majority owner of Swanson Flo. “Our teams share a similar philosophy of providing the customer with a wide range of technical products, services and solutions. Together, we will be even better positioned to meet the ever-increasing needs of our customers and principals. With Swanson Flo’s leadership, locations and team members remaining intact, we look forward to a seamless transition.”

About MCE

Founded in 1951, MCE is a leading supplier of technical fluid power and lubrication solutions that solve customer problems across fluid connector, hydraulic, pneumatic, filtration, compressed air and lubrication technologies. The company services more than 15,000 MRO and OEM customers from 9 distribution centers and 16 retail locations across PA, MI, IN, IL, OH and WI. For more information, please visit www.mceautomation.com.

About Frontenac

Frontenac is a Chicago-based private equity firm. The firm focuses on investing in lower middle market buyout transactions in the consumer, industrial, and services industries. Frontenac works in partnership with established operating leaders, through an executive-centric approach called CEO1ST, which seeks to identify, acquire, and build market-leading companies through transformational acquisitions and operational excellence. Over the last 50 years, Frontenac has built a leading franchise working with over 275 owners of mid-sized businesses as they address complex transition issues of liquidity, management enhancement, and growth planning. For more information, please visit www.frontenac.com.