Dallas, Texas-based The Crosby Group LLC, the largest lifting, rigging, and material handling hardware company in the world, has completed the acquisition of Straightpoint UK (SP), a manufacturer of load cells and force measurement equipment. The value of the transaction is not disclosed.
The acquisition, effective Jan. 2 2019, includes the manufacturing facility and headquarters, co-located in Hampshire, UK that will become Crosby's center for load monitoring and measurement, in addition to key personnel based in the U.S.
David Ayling, formerly CEO at SP, will step into a new role overseeing sales, marketing, and product development functions for all load monitoring equipment. He will report to Robert Desel, Chief Commercial Officer at Crosby.
"We've had a close relationship with SP for quite a while-its load shackles are based on the industry standard Crosby G2130 shackle, and we use SP products on our Safe Rigging trucks, Desel said in a statement. "SP's position as a leader and innovator in load measurement and monitoring, and the opportunity to integrate its technology into our portfolio, made this a compelling addition to Crosby. Safe lifting is in Crosby's DNA and load monitoring is a critical part of that equation. Monitored lifts are inherently safer and we can now increase adoption of this best practice on a global scale."