Buhler Industries has purchased Ezee-On Manufacturing, a builder of tillage and seeding equipment in Vegreville, Alta., for $14.5 million.
The deal will push Buhler toward its goal of manufacturing a full-line of agricultural equipment, said Dmitry Lyubimov, Buhler president, in a news release.
“Our goal is to be able to offer a complete line of equipment to large acre growers in North America and around the world. Tillage and seeding equipment is essential for that growth.”
Ezee-On makes air carts, air drills, tandem and offset discs, cultivators, plows, front-end loaders and post drivers, employing 70 people at its Vegreville plant.
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Buhler bought Ezee-On Manufacturing from TerraVest Income Fund, which owns oil and gas service companies and a home furnishing company and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Ezee-On sells its machinery to Canadian, U.S. and Australian producers.
“We’ve been in the Australian market for 15 years,” said Trevor Jubinville, Ezee-On sales manager.
Adam Reid, Buhler Industries marketing manager, said the company was looking to acquire, or partner with, a seeding and tillage manufacturer for more than a year.
“We met many companies … and it turned out this was the one that was the best fit.”
Ezee-On, which has manufactured agricultural equipment for more than 50 years, had a previous association with Buhler’s best-known brand, Versatile.
In the 1970s, Ezee-On and Versatile Farm Equipment formed a partnership to market a line of discs.
Buhler said it intends to further develop the machinery built at the plant in Vegreville.
Reid said Buhler’s Versatile and Farm King brands will replace the Ezee-On name.
