Kele Inc acquires A-tech

Kele Inc, a portfolio company of The Stephens Group, has acquired A-tech Inc, a provider of industrial automation products. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

MEMPHIS, Tenn. & TULSA, Okla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Kele, Inc., a portfolio company of The Stephens Group, LLC, today announced that it acquired A-tech, Inc., a distributor of industrial automation products. The acquisition expands Kele’s breadth of products and services in the industrial automation market. The new entity will become an add-on to Lesman Instrument Company, which was purchased by Kele in December 2020.

Kele President and CEO Richard Campbell said, “A-tech is a well-established, authorized distributor and manufacturers’ representative for process measurement and control instrumentation. We’re excited about adding another well-respected brand in the industrial automation space to the Kele Companies.”

“The opportunity to join forces with Kele and Lesman will greatly enhance A-tech’s offerings. Our customers and employees will benefit from enhanced support and efficiency, while also strengthening our channel partners and supplier relationships. I am excited for A-tech with this newly formed partnership,” said A-tech President Clay Hodgens.

Grant Jones, Managing Director at The Stephens Group, added, “Since partnering with Kele in 2020, we have been focused on building the leading distributor of process and automation solutions. We are thrilled to add A-tech to this platform and expand our capabilities in the industrial automation space.”

A-tech Inc. distributes products used to measure, analyze, control, and automate a wide range of factory and industrial processes. The company serves customers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, and Wyoming. This marks Kele’s fifth acquisition in the last five years.

Campbell will serve as president and CEO of the combined company. Clay Hodgens will remain president of A-tech and report to Mike DeLacluyse, president of Lesman.

About Kele, Inc.
Kele, Inc. is a leading distributor of Commercial and Industrial Automation products and controls solutions globally. Kele serves the $275+ billion Commercial and Industrial Automation markets with more than 300 brands and 1.8 million parts in stock, including sensors, transmitters, switches, gauges, valves, actuators, relays, and more. Value-added services include custom panel assembly, specialized sourcing, and technical support. Strategically headquartered in America’s logistics hub, Memphis, Tenn., and with regional locations organized under the Kele Companies umbrella in Boston, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas, Austin, Texas, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Okla., Chicago and Milwaukee, Kele provides building automation and industrial customers with fast and reliable services. Kele is a portfolio company of The Stephens Group, LLC of Little Rock, Ark. To learn more about Kele, visit kele.com.