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[July 2004]
Richland Moulded Brick Acquired
Pro-Services USA LLC (Augusta, GA, USA) has acquired certain assets of Richland Moulded Brick Company (Mansfield, OH, USA). The company will now trade under the name Artisan Moulded Brick LLC. The company produces moulded bricks and pavers for commercial and residential use and sells them through a network of distributors in Ohio, the eastern states, the Mid-West and in Canada.
There has been a brick plant on the Richland site since the early 1900s. The company was acquired in 1986 by Dudley Frame of Anniston, AL, USA and operated successfully until recent years. Lately, it had operated at reduced capacity, producing 8 million bricks per year and closing the plant in the winter months. Richland was considering closing the plant due to the substantial investment required to upgrade the plant to modern standards.
Funded with Pro-Services equity and with additional funds from the Ohio Department of Economic Development and the Richland County Regional Planning Commission, Artisan plans to add new machinery and equipment to boost production to 27 million bricks per year. When the equipment upgrades are complete in early 2005, Artisan plans to operate year round by producing both moulded and hand-made brick. As a result, 26 new jobs will be created and 42 existing jobs saved. The company also plans to expand its paving brick range.
ENDS