The small Saskatchewan town of Englefeld has had the Schulte name in its business directory since 1923. It will remain there, but for the first time in 78 years a Schulte will not own the company.
On Nov. 6, Earl Schulte, Jim Carnago and their families sold Schulte Industries Ltd. to Alamo Group Inc. of Seguin, Texas.
Schulte said the decision to sell was driven by a need to expand.
“Expansion is expensive and requires a lot of investment. We had to decide how to make those capital investments. Selling and letting someone else make the investment was the option we chose.”
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He said he and Carnago had run the company for 35 years and felt it was time for a change.
“We’ve taken three-year management contracts with Alamo to continue running the company,” he said.
“So far (Carnago and I) have been busier than we were when we owned it. But maybe in a few years we can slow down a bit. These are always tough decisions when it comes to a family business.”
The tomato green rotary mowers, snow blowers and rock pickers bearing the black Schulte nameplate have become commonplace in Western Canada, and for years the company has been carving a niche in the American municipal maintenance marketplace.
With almost half of Schulte’s estimated $18 million in annual sales being made in the United States, the company attracted a lot of attention from American competitors and businesses, including Alamo.
The U.S. firm produces mowers, municipal maintenance and agricultural equipment, and over the years has acquired a group of smaller companies that make similar products.
Schulte said Alamo has agreed to expand production in Englefeld and is committed to the community and employees.
Alamo chief executive officer Ron Robinson said the Schulte name will continue to appear on machinery.
He hopes the Schulte operation will increase Alamo product line market penetration in Canada.
Alamo was founded in 1969, has 1,400 employees, and operates 11 plants in North America and Europe.
