Jackson Safety, Wilson Industries Come Together at NSC
Jackson Safety, a global manufacturer and distributor of safety products, including welding, personal protective equipment, and traffic control products, recently announced that it has acquired the assets of Wilson Industries, a manufacturer of welding curtains and other accoutrements. Based in Pomona, Calif., Wilson originated the concept of transparent welding curtains and other welding products that protect welders from optical radiation while creating safe visibility within the welding workspace. At NSC, we sat down with Wilson CEO Dean Wilson and Jackson President/CEO Tom Burns to ask about the recent combination of their forces.
"Our products have a certain generational quality to them, whether it’s the hard hats or welding helmets or other products, with fathers handing them down to sons and so on," Burns said. "But we're also always looking ahead, developing the next generation of complementary products, and we see that same business model in Wilson, which is the leader in the industry for welding curtains."
Burns said Wilson's products will be "a natural adjunct" for Jackson in the automotive aftermarket, an area the company has not previously explored. "We're looking at Jackson potentially dovetailing into offering an automotive kit and expanding our presence in, say, body shops and other opportunities to bring our product mixes into the marketplace," he said.
Wilson said, "Both Jackson Safety and Wilson Industries are passionate about providing our customers value-added safety solutions and excellent service. I am thrilled to have the Wilson family brand be part of Jackson Safety, as both cultures share the belief that success is driven by investing in our people."
Burns said there are no plans to move either of the companies' operations. Wilson remains based in Pomona, Calif., and Jackson Safety in St. Louis.