Henderson, Colo.-based food safety solutions company Birko Corp. has acquired Marshfield-based Espy Technologies Inc.
Finalized Nov. 30 for an undisclosed amount, ETI has become part of the Birko service division, specializing in providing maintenance of carcass washing and pasteurizing cabinets manufactured by Birko’s equipment division, Olathe, Kan.-based Chad Equipment LLC, according to a news release.
“Espy is well known for its important expertise in servicing Chad’s washing and pasteurizing cabinets, a critical part of keeping protein processing safe and pathogen free,” Birko CEO Mark Swanson said in the release.
Jenny Herring, a spokeswoman for Birko through Creative Alliance, said the cabinets serviced by ETI are a one-stop shop for meat processing.
“They are sort of like an automatic carwash for meat packing plants, where the carcass enters one side and goes through a series of steps inside the cabinet,” she said. “These cabinets are used by plants like Tyson Foods and Cargill.”
Under the terms of the acquisition, Birko purchased all assets and proprietary intellectual property from ETI, and co-owners Tom Espy and Mitch Espy have become employees of Chad Equipment. The father and son, who founded ETI in 2001, were the company’s only employees.
Birko provides food safety solutions to the protein processing, food and beverage industries, manufacturing sanitation, antimicrobial intervention and process chemical formulations. The acquisition brings three components of the process under one roof – Birko’s chemical sanitation and processing, Chad's carcass washing and pasteurizing equipment, and now Espy's servicing capabilities – offering integrated food safety solutions.
“Having all the resources – chemistry, equipment and servicing – under one brand name will make it easier for our customers," Mitch Espy said in the release. "This will alleviate worry about breakdowns during shifts and give customers a higher degree of assurance regarding food safety.”
ETI customers will continue to receive scheduled maintenance through the new service division, with additional technical support, troubleshooting, training, expanded chemical analysis, enhanced legal defensibility and food safety data, the release said.[[In-content Ad]]
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