Whitepath Fab Tech Acquired by ECI

A recent press release from Whitepath Fab Tech has confirmed the acquisition of the company by St. Louis company Electrical Components International, Inc.

Whitepath Fab Tech, Inc. announced today it will be acquired by Electrical Components International, Inc. ECI is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, employs 15,000 people worldwide, and has 13 manufacturing facilities across seven countries. ECI will continue to operate Whitepath under its current name and at its current locations. Whitepath and its employees will play a strategic role within ECI as it looks to grow the Whitepath business with both current customers of ECI and Whitepath.

Randy Durden, owner of Whitepath states, “Finding an owner who shared my vision and culture related to employees and customer service was critical in this decision. Since Ellijay is truly my hometown, I wanted to find a new owner that was committed to keeping jobs in our community. I believe the transaction with ECI will be what is best for our community”. Whitepath will continue to supply control boxes, wire harnesses, and value added assembly services to the HVAC industry.

“It’s really exciting to bring the expertise of a global manufacturer to our area. ECI desire to grow Whitepath both locally and internationally will give Whitepath employees much greater opportunities,” Durden said. Durden will remain involved for a period of time as a consultant to help ensure current customers and partners are supported during the transition. Dave Webster, CEO of ECI, will work directly with Randy to ensure a proper and orderly transition.

ECI CEO Dave Webster, who has been with ECI for 20 years, said, “We are very impressed by Whitepath’s unique product capabilities, technical resources and strong relationships with its customers. Most importantly, Whitepath’s customer satisfaction culture and “can do” attitude mirrors the ECI culture. ECI intends to invest additional capital and resources into Whitepath to continue the impressive growth trend of Whitepath.” ECI has entered into long-term facility lease agreements proving their commitment to the local community. Additionally, there are no plans to alter Whitepath’s management structure. The current Whitepath management team of 6 has a combined 116 years of experience at Whitepath.

“The timing for placing Whitepath under new ownership feels right,” Durden said. “Although it’s been greatly satisfying to build Whitepath up to this point, the best path for Whitepath’s continued growth is with ECI. They have the resources and expertise to help Whitepath become even more competitive within an evolving, global marketplace.”

Whitepath opened its first facility on Boardtown Road, in Ellijay, in November of 1989. Whitepath began with 3 employees and now employs approximately 400 people worldwide, including 250 in Georgia.

Durden is confident about Whitepath’s future, stating, “Dave is very capable and will do anything to get the job done. I’m confident Dave and the ECI team will steer the ship well and will make great decisions for Whitepath going forward”.