Daifuku Group completes acquisition of Elite Line Services

Daifuku Webb Holding Company, a subsidiary of Daifuku Co., Ltd., completed the purchase of all equity of Elite Line Services, LLC (ELS) from G&T Conveyor Company, Inc. G&T is majority owned by Brynwood Partners IV L.P., a private equity fund. ELS will operate as a subsidiary of Daifuku Webb within the Daifuku Group. ELS has more than 800 employees who will continue to provide operations and maintenance support for baggage handling systems, passenger boarding bridges, vehicle fleet and ground support equipment at airports.

“ELS will continue to offer the same high-quality service it always has to airports across North America,” said Brian Stewart, President & Co-CEO of Daifuku Webb Holding Company. “The only change is it now has the support of a $2 billion organization and one of the largest airport baggage handling system providers in the world.”

“We are thrilled to be part of the Daifuku Webb team, who has worked hard over the years to earn a solid reputation in the airport baggage handling industry,” said Mike Conner, Vice President General Manager of ELS. “We are looking forward to sharing resources and improving our service to customers.”

The management team for ELS remains in place, and it will continue to be headquartered in Carrollton, Texas.

“Daifuku Webb is committed to supporting ELS employees and customers, as well as to growing all of its maintenance business segments,” said Ken Hamel, Sr. Vice President of Airport Systems for Jervis B. Webb Company. “We hope to leverage the skills, knowledge and relationships of all Daifuku Group Companies to provide the best baggage handling systems and service in the industry.”

In April 2010, Daifuku Co., Ltd. launched a three-year business plan called “Material Handling and Beyond,” where it expressed a commitment to position the airport baggage handling business as one of its core businesses. Jervis B. Webb Company, a subsidiary of Daifuku Webb, provides airport baggage handling systems primarily in North America. In 2011, the Group completed the purchase of Logan Teleflex, another leading baggage handling company with locations in the United Kingdom, France and the U.S.