James Hebe, investors acquire Seagrave
May 1, 2003 12:00 PM
Seagrave Fire Apparatus, has been acquired by automotive and fire service industry leader James Hebe of Portland OR and a group of private investors managed through Ballamor Capital Management Inc of Wayne, PA.
A division of FWD Corp based in Clintonville WI, Seagrave manufactures commercial and custom pumpers, rescue trucks, aerial ladders, tractor-drawn aerials, and platforms for fire departments in North America. Among its customers are the largest fire departments in the nation, including New York City NY, Los Angeles CA, and Washington DC.
Hebe and Ballamor have acquired the assets of FWD Corp, Seagrave Fire Apparatus, and its affiliates: Almonte Fire Trucks of Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada; Aerialscope Inc of Richmond VA; Seagrave Sales & Service of South Plainfield NJ; and Seagrave West of Rancho Dominguez CA. The businesses were acquired from the former owner, Corsta Corp.
Jim Green, former president, chief executive officer, and part owner, has agreed to serve on a consulting basis with the new company for a short time.
Founded in 1881, Seagrave is the oldest continuous manufacturer of fire apparatus in North America. The company employs 422 through its manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada. Seagrave products are distributed and serviced by a dealer network throughout the two nations.
A 28-year veteran of the truck industry, Hebe started as a fire truck salesman for American LaFrance in 1971. Since then he has owned and operated a Kenworth truck dealership, including a full-service leasing company. He had senior sales and marketing responsibility for Kenworth Truck Co, a Paccar division. In 1989, he joined Freightliner LLC as executive vice-president of sales and marketing. He was promoted in 1992 to chairman, president, and chief executive officer of the firm.
