A Missouri maker of brass and wind musical instruments hopes its purchase of a California rival will enable significant expansion of its domestic manufacturing.
The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City this week detailed Best American Craftsmen’s (B.A.C) acquisition of Kanstul Musical Instruments, which officially closed in the spring.
B.A.C. officials said the deal enabled the company to bolster its product line by adding Kanstul’s offerings, which range from piccolos to tubas.
The company hopes to expand to incorporate Kanstul’s international reach and distributor network. An expanded manufacturing footprint and new equipment are expected to increase production capacity by 200%, and officials said its workforce should grow by more than 50% in the coming years.
“We’ve wanted to expand our international distribution in a controlled way to meet the demand without compromising our products’ quality,” B.A.C. founder and president Mike Corrigan said in a statement. “With the additional tooling and some efficiencies that it will facilitate, we’ll be able to scale to that level.”
The deal included Kanstul’s existing tooling, fixtures, and spare parts inventory. Other details, including financial terms, were not disclosed. Missouri and Kansas City officials offered tax incentives, recruiting assistance, and other resources to the company provided it meets job and investment targets.
