The Weir Group PLC completed the acquisition of ESCO Corp., a leading provider of ground engaging tools for surface mining and infrastructure markets, for an enterprise value of $1,285 million. It follows regulatory clearance for the transaction, which was first announced in April.
“We are delighted to formally welcome ESCO to Weir,” said Weir Group Chief Executive Jon Stanton. “It is a great brand that is respected throughout the world for its quality, performance and reliability. ESCO’s strength in extraction complements our leadership in the mill circuit, meaning that together we will have a comprehensive offering for mining companies around the world.”
Current ESCO President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Owens will continue to lead the business as it becomes a division of the Weir Group. He will also join Weir’s Group Executive committee with immediate effect.
“This is an exciting day for ESCO and all our people” Owens said. “As part of Weir we can create something that is genuinely unique that will help more customers improve their productivity and safety. No other mining equipment provider will be able to offer customers market-leading solutions from extraction to concentration supported by a service center network that covers every major mining region in the world.”
ESCO has surface mining’s most extensive installed base of lip systems that house short-cycle consumables, such as teeth, shrouds, adaptors, blades and locking systems, with aftermarket sales representing about 90 percent of ESCO revenues, the company said.
ESCO’s extraction products sit upstream from Weir’s traditional strength in slurry handling equipment with market leading brands including both Warman and GEHO pumps, Cavex hydrocyclones and Linatex rubber products.
ESCO was founded in Portland, Ore., in 1913 and currently employs around 2,600 people with operations in 19 countries. In 2017 it generated revenues of $632 million.
“It is great to welcome ESCO to Weir,” said Ricardo Garib, division president of Weir Minerals. “They are a business we have admired for some time. By working together we’ll be able to give customers easier access to more market-leading products and services. With our global network of over 100 service centers, that means customers will have more of the superior solutions they require, where and when they need them.”
Joe Weber, vice president of global sales for Weir’s ESCO division agreed. “As mining markets grow customers are looking for partners they can trust to help them increase productivity and safety while also lowering their total cost of ownership, he said. “That requires a relentless focus on innovation, quality and close customer proximity, which are the hallmarks of the ESCO brand. As part of Weir we’ll benefit from combining some of the world’s leading materials scientists, applications engineers and developing digital technology to deliver increased innovation in the future, ensuring ESCO remains surface mining’s preferred provider of ground engaging solutions.”