Business news : ACR Electronics announces acquisition by J.F. Lehman & Company

ACR Electronics, Inc., the global leader in safety and survival technologies, today confirmed the 56-year-old company has been acquired by an investment fund managed by J.F. Lehman & Company, a leading middle-market private equity firm focused on defense, aerospace and maritime sectors.

ACR Electronics most recently was a business unit of Cobham Commercial Systems. The acquisition by J.F. Lehman & Company follows a year-long effort by ACR/Cobham Commercial Systems to consolidate additional business units—Tracking and Locating military radios and Artex Emergency Locator Transmitter Products (ELTs)— into the ACR operation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

ACR Electronics, founded in 1956, designs and manufactures a complete line of safety and survival products and sold through the ACR and Artex brand names. The product line includes ELTs, EPIRBs, PLBs, SART, strobe lights, life jacket lights, searchlights and safety accessories. The company’s Fort Lauderdale facility, which employs 180, has been registered by TUV to the AS9100c Quality Standard.

'This marks a new chapter in the long and proud history of ACR Electronics,' stated Michael Wilkerson, who will continue on as General Manager. 'ACR and Artex earn its customers’ trust and continued business by building the world's most reliable products. Knowing that our products must work without failure, we employ rigorous quality management systems second to none.'

ACR and Artex products are responsible for assisting in the rescue of thousands of individuals around the world.

J.F. Lehman & Company is a leading middle-market private equity firm focused primarily on the maritime, defense and aerospace sectors. The firm has offices in New York and Washington D.C. For more information about J.F. Lehman & Company, please visit www.jflpartners.com <http://www.jflpartners.com>

ACR Electronics, Inc. designs and manufactures a complete line of safety and survival products under the ARTEX and ACR brand names including ELTs, EPIRBs, PLBs, SART, Strobe Lights, Life Jacket Lights, Search Lights and safety accessories. The quality systems of this facility have been registered by TUV to AS9100c. Recognized as the world leader in safety and survival technologies, ACR and Artex have provided safety equipment to the aviation and marine industries as well as to the military since 1956. The company is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and employs 180 at its manufacturing facility. For more information about ACR Electronics, Inc., please go to www.acrartex.com .

by John Bell ( source : marinebusiness-world.com )