The purchase of UK-based BPT Skerman is part of the company's plan to target its PDX Sonic processing system toward food and drink companies.
"The directors believe that adding a process design, fabrication and distribution capability will create additional benefits for Pursuit and will accelerate the penetration of the PDX Sonic products into the market place," the company stated.
PDX uses sonic wave propulsion to mix, cook, pump, emulsify and homogenize liquid foods and drinks. Pursuit Dynamics claims the system can result in substantial cost and energy savings for processors. The system works by accelerating steam to three times the speed of sound. The acceleration transfers heat and moving energy to soups, sauces, jellies, drinks and other liquids.
BPT Skerman is a distributor and integrator of capital equipment and systems into the food manufacturing and beverage industries. Its customer base includes some of the sector's best-known companies.
BPT Skerman was already one of Pursuit's UK distributors and has already proved itself capable of successfully converting customers to the PDX technology, the company stated.
In the year to 31 March 2005, BPT Skerman generated turnover of £2.9 million and had an operating profit of £232,000.
"This acquisition will allow us to get closer to our end-user customers and to work alongside our existing distributors in a more pro-active way," stated John Heathcote, Pursuit's chief executive. "In particular, we will have greater control over our pricing model, which will protect the margins of both our distributors and ourselves."
BPT Skerman will form part of Pursuit Processing Equipment, a division of Pursuit Dynamics. The company will insert its brewing, dairy and beverage operations into the division as it grows.