Apache Inc. purchases Oregon company

Apache Inc. has purchased an Oregon company, the latest in a series of acquisitions designed to enhance the Cedar Rapids company's ability to serve customers.

Tom Pientok, Apache president and CEO, said Pacific Belting of Portland, Ore., will extend the reach of employee-owned Apache west of the Rockies to serve customers in the western United States, Canada and Mexico.

'Every step our company has taken in our growth strategy is geared toward getting our customers what they need,” Pientok said. 'Over the past several years Apache has made very intentional, targeted moves to continually improve the level of support we provide our customers.”

Pientok, who was in Portland on Wednesday, said Pacific Belting offers some different capabilities to complement Apache's existing expertise. He said Ken Crain, who was president and owner of Pacific Belting, is recognized for his knowledge and expertise in the belting industry.

'Ken is known as one of the pioneers of the hot-bonded vulcanization technique that is frequently used in sidewall belt construction,” Pientok said. 'We were in the throes of developing a hot-bonded vulcanization process, which is becoming a common practice in the industry. This will give it to us full force.”

In a news release, Crain said he explored a number of scenarios for the future of Pacific Belting before agreeing to sell the company to Apache.

'It was very apparent that Apache's vision, culture and strategy were well aligned with where we need to be for our customers,” Crain said.

In August 2015, Apache, with 315 full-time employees, opened a new location in Dallas. That followed a groundbreaking in May for a 90,000-square-foot addition to the company's primary distribution facility at 4805 Bowling St. SW in Cedar Rapids.

Pientok said production is expected to begin in March inside the new addition. He said a realignment of manufacturing operations to improve flow, efficiency and shorten lead times will occur at that time.