Kurt Manufacturing Acquires Bellatex Industries
Bellatex Industries is the owner of the Carvesmart dovetailed quick-change vise jaw system. Kurt has acquired the associated patents and inventory.
Kurt Manufacturing has acquired Bellatex Industries LLC, owner of the Carvesmart dovetailed quick-change vise jaw system. Kurt has acquired all Carvesmart patents and inventory.
Kurt Workholding will carry a full inventory of current Carvesmart products along with the new Kurt TriLock Vise with Carvesmart jaws. Precut machinable jaws and jaw extrusions will be available to new and existing Carvesmart customers.
“This is a really exciting addition to the Kurt Workholding product lineup,” says Ted Kuhlmann, president and CEO of Kurt Manufacturing. “Carvesmart’s innovative design and Kurt’s scale are a perfect match to bring the quick-change system to a wider customer base and a complete product lineup, including machine-ready vises.”
Carvesmart founder, Bill Ehnstrom, will join Kurt Workholding’s sales and product teams to ensure a seamless transition and continue developing products that meet the needs of an automation-focused marketplace. “The Carvesmart dovetailed jaw system was created to help shops manage high-variability jobs with multiple parts running on a handful of machines,” Ehnstrom says.
Kurt Workholding plans to sell the Carvesmart system directly online and through its existing distribution network, as well as provide customer service to new and existing Carvesmart customers. Carvesmart products will also remain available for purchase at Carvesmart.com during the changeover.
“Carvesmart is an incredible addition to the Kurt Workholding product lineup,” says Jeff Lenz, executive vice president, proprietary products, Kurt Manufacturing. “Already a successful business on its own, Carvesmart will flourish with new products and wider distribution. Kurt’s production and warehousing scale will facilitate fast delivery times and greater on-hand inventory for Carvesmart customers.”
Kurt Workholding’s new TriLock Vise with Carvesmart features a vise design that be used as a traditional 6-inch double-station vise, a single station vise or a large single station vise. The vise comes equipped with Carvesmart jaws with standard hard jaw plates installed and a second set of machinable aluminum jaw plates.
