With the recent news regarding tariffs affecting trade between Mexico, Canada, China, and the U.S., and the indication of tariffs being imposed on the U.S. by Canada and Mexico, we want to take a moment to share the steps Convergix is taking to minimize any potential impact on our customers.
As a global supplier with locations in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and India, Convergix has a sophisticated supply chain and an extensive supplier network that enables us to navigate these challenges effectively. Our global footprint allows us to serve customers worldwide while optimizing production locations to mitigate tariff-related disruptions.
Actions we have taken:
Optimized Production Locations: We are in the process of proactively working with customers to ensure that orders and production occur in locations that minimize tariff exposure.
Strategic Sourcing: Our supply chain team continuously monitors all quotes and proposals, sourcing materials as efficiently as possible to mitigate cost increases.
Workforce Mobility: We have proactively invested in visas and work permits to enable employees with specific expertise to work across North America.
Duty Drawback Preparedness: We are ready to implement duty drawback procedures if required to optimize cross-border trade costs.
We remain committed to closely monitoring the situation and adjusting our strategy as needed. Thank you for your continued trust in Convergix—we look forward to growing together.
Best regards,
Frank Lazowski, VP, Global Supply Chain Daniel Lyrek, Chief Commercial Officer
Kirk Benson and Darryl King Named Chief Executive Officers of Convergix Automation Solutions, a Crestview Partners Backed Investment
AUBURN HILLS, MI, October 1, 2024 – Convergix Automation Solutions (“Convergix”), an automation solutions company backed by leading private equity firm Crestview Partners (“Crestview”), announced today that Kirk Benson and Darryl King have been promoted to be Chief Executive Officers. Mr. Benson and Mr. King assume the leadership role from within the company having recently served as Chief Financial & Administrative Officer and Chief Operating Officer, respectively. They join Executive Chairman Mike DuBose in steering Convergix towards its strategic vision to build a global leader in automation solutions with differentiated technical capabilities and a worldclass management system.
Mr. Benson and Mr. King have complementary areas of expertise, and together they cover a wide range of experience from technology, operations, and sales to financial management, strategy, and acquisitions. Mr. Benson originally joined Convergix in October 2022 from Crestview Partners where he was on the investment team with a focus on industrial technology. Mr. King has spent more than 20 years with JMP Solutions (acquired by Crestview in 2021), holding various roles in engineering, operations, and sales and serving as President since 2022.
Mr. DuBose said, “Darryl and Kirk have both been intimately involved in the build-up of the Convergix platform since its inception in August 2021. The three of us have built a strong team relationship marked by a shared commitment to driving performance and creating value for our customers, employees and stakeholders. I look forward to continue working closely with Kirk and Darryl in their new roles as we take Convergix into its next phase of growth.”
Mr. King said, “Convergix is at an exciting inflection point. Over the past three years, we have established the platform by acquiring four high potential automation companies and stitching them together to create a differentiated player in the market. We have invested significantly in the management architecture and capabilities of the company to form a strong foundation for growth. Looking ahead, we will be leveraging this foundation to scale with our customers and meet the ever-evolving market demand for innovative automation solutions.”
Mr. Benson added, “Darryl and I are fortunate to work with a talented team of over 900 people globally that work collaboratively to solve challenges and create opportunities for our customers and our company. We are inspired by the way our people embody Convergix’s common values of integrity, excellence, and passion through action on a daily basis. Together, we are confident we can build a truly unique leader in automation.”
New Headquarters Opened in Auburn Hills, MI
Convergix Automation Solutions is also thrilled to announce the opening of our new global headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. This state-of-the-art facility spans over 125,000 square feet of integration floor space, designed to support our growing global operations and continue delivering world-class automation solutions. This expansion reflects our commitment to innovation and providing top-notch service to our clients around the world. We look forward to driving the future of automation from our new home.
About Convergix Automation Solutions
Convergix Automation Solutions designs, engineers and integrates hardware and software to automate its customers’ operations. Convergix specializes in creative, custom solutions and serves customers in a broad range of industries. With over 900 employees and 25+ locations worldwide, Convergix is a leading global diversified automation provider. Our vision is to become the ultimate trusted partner, capable of solving any industrial automation challenge with our passionate people, world-renowned processes and diverse experience.
About Crestview Partners
Founded in 2004, Crestview is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with approximately $10 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and distinguished backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: industrials, media and financial services. For more information, please visit www.crestview.com.
We are excited to announce that the JMP Solutions, Eagle Technologies, AGR Automation, and Classic Design brands are now CONVERGIX Automation Solutions. This brand migration marks a significant milestone in our journey to become your ultimate trusted partner. With our passionate team, world-renowned processes, and diverse expertise, we are ready to tackle any industrial automation challenge.
We are undertaking this change for four primary reasons:
Unify Our Business
We will be able to combine all of our previously separate business units in order to foster greater collaboration, consistency, and alignment.
Elevate Our Brand
As a unified company, we are one of the most substantial providers of custom engineered automation solutions in the world, and through a common elevated brand, we can set a consistently high bar of excellence.
Leverage Our Global Expertise
We will bring our broad capability set to customers and provide more value, as our combined capabilities can allow for comprehensive solutions and demonstrate that we are more than the sum-of-the-parts.
Satisfy Our Customers
We will be able to provide a cohesive customer experience across the board, no matter how narrow or broad the scope may be.
For our customers, this brand migration will provide many benefits, including:
Provide a cohesive customer experience.
Leverage broad capability set to provide more comprehensive solutions.
Allow a global pool of talent to provide more creative solutions.
Elevate brand recognition and standards, including our bar of excellence.
This migration process will occur over the next few months. Eventually, the other websites will be redirected to here, with fully merged and updated content.
Please contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about this migration, and what it might mean for you as our valued customer.
About CONVERGIX Automation Solutions
The origins of Convergix began when a leading private equity firm, Crestview Partners, acquired JMP Solutions in August 2021 as the starting point of building a new global leader in automation. In mid-2022, the platform was branded Convergix Automation Solutions with a plan to become a single source automation solutions provider that leverages the geography, technology, industry expertise and capacity of the entire CONVERGIX portfolio across the entire value stream for our customers.
Since its formation, Convergix has acquired four automation companies. All of them are being merged under one united brand: CONVERGIX Automation Solutions.
Mission
Translating the unique experience and capabilities of our global team into awe-inspiring automation solutions for our customers.
Vision
To become the ultimate trusted partner, capable of solving any industrial automation challenge with our passionate people, world renowned processes and diverse experience.
Values
Integrity
Do the right thing, even if no one is watching. Act with uncompromising respect in everything we do. We are committed and act in good faith. Communication is transparent and encourages others to express opinions.
Excellence
Continuously improve and innovate. Strive for flawless execution and quality. Engage in the acquisition of new skills. Establish high expectations for self and others. Thinks and works across boundaries.
Passion
Approach role with conviction. Bring out the best in others. Connects personal goals and objectives to overall company goals. Understand company’s impact on customers. Do not let failures stand in the way of achieving results.
CONVERGIX Automation Solutions is proud to have been showcased in a feature article in BOSS Magazine. It covers the history of the company and its business units, and a full scope of what we have to offer interested customers.
Here is a snippet of the profile:
“Launched in 2021 to meet the needs of the $500 billion-plus global automation solutions market, a powerful new player is poised to change the way companies automate processes and systems. In two years, CONVERGIX has established 25 locations in North America, Europe, and Asia, and has assembled a team of roughly 900 experts in automation and integration. They serve a variety of end markets, including food and beverage, life sciences, consumer products, emerging renewable energy solutions, automotive, defense, logistics, and traditional energy companies, to name a few.“
Take an in-depth look into our story and vision to be the world’s best-in-class diversified global industrial automation integration leader. Click here for the full feature article in November issue of Boss Magazine.
–Transaction Represents Convergix’s Fourth Acquisition in Plan to Build a Market Leading Automation Solutions Provider Targeting a $500 Billion+ Global Market–
DETROIT, MI and BRIDGMAN, MI April 3, 2023 – Convergix Automation Solutions (“Convergix”), an automation solutions company backed by leading private equity firm Crestview Partners (“Crestview”), has completed the acquisition of Eagle Technologies (“Eagle”), a Bridgman, Michigan-based systems integrator specializing in turnkey automated production and testing solutions. Following Convergix’s acquisitions of JMP Solutions in August 2021, Classic Design in February 2022, and AGR Automation in August 2022, Eagle marks the fourth acquisition in Crestview’s strategy to build Convergix into a diversified automation solutions provider targeting the global $500+ billion market, with a particular focus on the $70 billion global systems integration and connectivity segments. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
With operations dating back to 1953, Eagle is a leading designer, developer, and integrator of innovative and high-value automated systems to multinational customers across a variety of sectors, including electric vehicle & battery, life sciences, and consumer products. With end-to-end systems integration capabilities and advanced product testing capabilities, Eagle’s nearly 300 employees work across three locations in southwest Michigan. Eagle’s President Emeritus Mike Koziel will remain in an advisory role, and its President Brandon Fuller will continue in his current leadership role.
“The acquisition of Eagle accelerates Convergix’s growth and adds significant scale and capabilities to the platform, bringing Convergix’s pro forma revenue to approximately $250 million,” said Mike DuBose, Executive Chairman of Convergix. “Eagle brings longstanding customer relationships and market-leading technical capabilities serving a variety of strategic end markets. We are excited to partner with the Eagle team to continue building a world-class provider of custom automation solutions and services to global customers, and we look forward to leveraging our existing operations across North America, Europe, and Asia to create more opportunities for Eagle to continue delivering exceptional customer solutions.”
Mike Koziel noted, “I am immensely proud of the innovative capabilities, quality solutions, exceptional customer relationships, and most importantly the outstanding team and culture that we have built and nurtured every day at Eagle. The Eagle team is thrilled to join Convergix and to leverage its operational expertise, systems and experience to accelerate Eagle’s growth and enhance our ability to serve our valued customers.”
Following the acquisition of Eagle, Convergix has over 900 employees in 25 locations globally serving a broad range of end markets. Convergix has extensive experience delivering innovative solutions to customers in sectors including food and beverage, electric vehicles, renewable energy, life sciences, consumer products, automotive, general industry and more.
About Convergix Automation Solutions
Convergix Automation Solutions elevates the automation industry through comprehensive products, technology and services that improve productivity and maximize talent. By closing gaps in automation and through earned trust, Convergix leverages creative and solutions-oriented engineering and technology to allow its customers to reach their complete potential to develop, create and drive industries forward.
About Crestview Partners
Founded in 2004, Crestview is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with approximately $10 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: industrials, media and financial services. For more information, please visit www.crestview.com.
About Eagle Technologies
Originally founded in 1953, Eagle Technologies is a leading provider of engineering and factory automation solutions to diverse customers across the globe with extensive expertise in assembly, test, and process applications, industry 4.0 solutions, and robotics. Headquartered in Bridgman, MI with over 1,000 installations worldwide and a focus on developing and training local engineers, Eagle is an established integrator providing automated manufacturing services to some of the world’s most dynamic businesses. For more information, please visit eagletechnologies.com/.
–Transaction Represents Convergix’s Third Acquisition in Plan to Build a Market Leading Automation Solutions Provider Targeting a $500 Billion+ Global Market–
DETROIT, MI and ARBROATH, SCOTLAND August 31, 2022 – Convergix Automation Solutions (“Convergix”), an automation solutions company backed by leading private equity firm Crestview Partners (“Crestview”), has completed the acquisition of AGR Automation (“AGR”), a UK-based provider of custom, high-performance automation design and systems integration primarily to the life sciences industry. Following Convergix’s acquisitions of JMP Solutions in August 2021 and Classic Design in February 2022, AGR marks the third investment in Crestview’s strategy to build Convergix into a diversified automation solutions provider targeting the global $500+ billion market, with a particular focus on the $70 billion global systems integration and connectivity segments. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1970, AGR is a leading designer, developer, and integrator of innovative and high-value automated systems to multinational customers across a variety of sectors, including life sciences and consumer goods. With end-to-end systems integration capabilities and a focus on precision applications, AGR’s approximately 130 employees work across three locations in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland. AGR’s Managing Director Derek Gaston will remain in an advisory role, and its senior managers will continue in their current leadership roles.
“The acquisition of AGR and its subsidiary company Aylesbury Automation accelerates Convergix’s planned global expansion and marks our first foray into Europe,” said Mike DuBose, Executive Chairman of Convergix. “AGR brings market-leading technical capabilities and exposure to strategic end markets such as life sciences and consumer goods, while expanding Convergix’s capacity for growth. We are excited to partner with the AGR team to continue building a world-class provider of custom automation solutions to global customers. AGR’s focus on engineering quality and commitment to customer satisfaction are well aligned with Convergix’s culture and strategy. We look forward to leveraging our existing operations across North America and India to create more opportunities for AGR to deliver exceptional customer solutions.”
Derek Gaston noted, “I am honored to have been part of building an innovative and high-quality provider of automated systems, which would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of our exceptional team members and the loyalty of our customers. The AGR team is excited to join Convergix and to leverage its operational expertise to accelerate AGR’s growth and enhance our ability to serve our valued customers.”
About Crestview Partners
Founded in 2004, Crestview is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with approximately $10 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: industrials, media and financial services. For more information, please visit www.crestview.com.
About Convergix Automation Solutions
Convergix Automation Solutions elevates the automation industry through comprehensive products, technology and services that improve productivity and maximize talent. By closing gaps in automation and through earned trust, Convergix leverages creative and solutions-oriented engineering and technology to allow its customers to reach their complete potential to develop, create and drive industries forward. For more information, please visit www.convergixautomation.com.
About AGR Automation
Founded in 1970, AGR is a leading automation integrator with extensive expertise in vibratory and centrifugal technologies, vision recognition, and robotics. Headquartered in Arbroath, Scotland with three locations across the U.K. and a strong commitment to innovation, AGR is an established partner capable of delivering highly specialized solutions across diverse systems and applications. For more information, please visit www.agr-automation.com.
