Ceratizit acquires aerospace tooling specialist

Ceratizit SA, part of the Plansee Group, acquired all shares of Xceliron Corp., a Chatsworth, California-based round tool manufacturer that provides solid-carbide tools for the aerospace and automotive industries in the U.S. Details of the transaction were not released.

“With its high-quality specialty products, the Xceliron portfolio is an ideal complement to the standard products from our Sacramento site and an important building block for our global growth strategy,” said Mirko Merlo, president Americas at Ceratizit. “Xceliron’s strong foothold in the aerospace industry not only provides Ceratizit with a launch pad to tap into new customer groups, the company’s expertise in the field of special tools also opens new opportunities to offer Ceratizit customers in North America an even more comprehensive range of tooling solutions in the future."

The company’s founders will remain on board. “We are very pleased that Randy Jones and Ric DiOrio will continue in the successful management of Xceliron and act as Co-Managing Directors,” said Andreas Lackner, Ceratizit's executive board spokesman.
 
In a joint statement, DiOrio and Jones said, “We are thrilled to have found the right partner in Ceratizit to take Xceliron to the next level and build on our heritage. Long-term thinking and creativity are two of the values that have also been at the core of our business over the past thirty-three years.”

According to the company, Xceliron’s reputation for excellence in the aerospace sector perfectly complements Ceratizit’s commitment to quality and innovation.
 
“This acquisition strategically positions us to better serve our customers with an expanded range of custom tooling solutions, specifically tailored to meet the demanding requirements of the aerospace industry," said Merlo. “We are eager to leverage Xceliron’s expertise and reputation for precision to drive innovation and excellence in round tools.”