ELK GROVE VILLAGE – SigmaTron International Inc., an electronic manufacturing services
company, reported Friday that it has acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Spitfire Control Inc.
Spitfire Control is a privately held Illinois corporation headquartered in Carpentersville, with captive manufacturing sites in Chihuahua, Mexico, and suburban Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Both manufacturing sites are among the assets acquired by SigmaTron International.
Spitfire is an original equipment manufacturer of electronic controls, with a focus on the major appliance industry. Currently its primary market is North America and it has applications that can be used worldwide. SigmaTron has provided manufacturing solutions for Spitfire since 1994 and has been a strategic partner as Spitfire developed its OEM electronic controls business.
Spitfire’s strength has been providing cost-effective designs as control solutions for its customers, primarily in high volume applications of domestic cooking ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators, and portable appliances. Spitfire is a member of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, as well as other industry related trade associations and is ISO 9001-2008 certified.
The major appliance electronic controls industry is segmented into three areas, referred to as Black, White and Gray Box business. Spitfire has an excellent reputation as a Black Box designer, providing full product custom designs using its own proprietary technology.
White Box, where the OEM controls the design or technology and seeks contract
manufacturers to produce their design efficiently, is where SigmaTron has excelled, according to Linda K. Frauendorfer, a spokeswoman for SigmaTron. Gray Box, where the customer begins a design and seeks a specialist to complete it, is also a forte of Spitfire. The combination of Spitfire and SigmaTron will allow a comprehensive approach to solving major appliance producers' issues with integrating electronics into their platforms.
Commenting on the acquisition, Gary R. Fairhead, SigmaTron's president and CEO said, "We have a long-term relationship with Spitfire and this was the next logical step. With this acquisition, SigmaTron will add two excellent manufacturing operations in locations
that will augment our international footprint. We believe that Mexico will continue to grow as the manufacturing location of choice in North America and Vietnam will continue to be a relatively low cost manufacturing location in Asia.
“Furthermore, the addition of Spitfire’s design capabilities will allow SigmaTron to offer design services for the first time in specific markets. SigmaTron plans to continue to use the name Spitfire Controls in its service to the appliance industry,” Fairhead said.
Jay Ramsey, president of Spitfire, added, "We believe that this combination will allow both companies to take advantage of growth opportunities that we both see in the major appliance market as well as allowing SigmaTron to grow its electronic manufacturing services
business. Ultimately, we believe customers of SigmaTron and Spitfire will benefit from the companies' combined strengths."
Headquartered in Elk Grove Village, SigmaTron International is an electronic manufacturing services company that provides printed circuit board assemblies and completely assembled electronic products. SigmaTron operates manufacturing facilities in Elk Grove Village; Acuna, Chihuahua, and Tijuana Mexico; Union City, Calif.; Suzhou-Wujiang, China; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
SigmaTron maintains engineering and materials sourcing offices in Carpentersville and Taipei, Taiwan.