Jim Young retains ownership of ENTEK Manufacturing

ENTEK International's long-time senior management team has purchased the company from founder Jim Young. The announcement was made Nov. 8 by Rob Keith, ENTEK's president and head of the acquisition team.

Keith said the acquisition means “continuity in management, values and vision.”

“Everyone on the senior management team has a long tenure with ENTEK, and everyone has a strong commitment to ENTEK's employees, communities and customers. That won't change,” he said.

For a number of years, founder Young has increasingly delegated day-to-day operations to his management team.

“During that time the company has thrived, and Jim is comfortable that the company he founded is in good hands,” Keith said. “It was natural evolution and an ideal fit.”

In addition to Keith, the new owners include Dan Powell, chief financial officer; Joel Kuntz, vice president and general counsel; Rick Pekala, Ph.D., vice president, research and development; Graeme Fraser-Bell, Ph.D., vice president, international sales; Dan Weerts, vice president, sales and marketing; Chris Staats, vice president, information technology; and Martin Lee, managing director, United Kingdom. They have tenures with ENTEK ranging up to 20 years. All will continue in their current positions.

ENTEK's story began in 1984, when Young developed a new battery separator for the automotive battery market. The company's headquarters and first manufacturing plant opened in Lebanon in 1987. Since its first year, the company's revenues have increased 15-fold, and the number of employees has grown from 34 to 322.

In addition to the Lebanon operation, ENTEK has operations in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The company's products, which have increased from one to several comprehensive product lines, are sold worldwide.

Today, ENTEK's separator products for automotive batteries are used in six out of every ten cars in North America. ENTEK also produces battery separator material for lithium-ion batteries and is rapidly gaining a sizeable market share in applications including cell phones, cameras, computers and a broad range of other mobile electronic devices.  

In addition to the battery separator lines, ENTEK's research and development group has just commercialized its new range of breathable membranes. These membranes are intended for use in a wide variety of outdoor applications such as breathable, waterproof clothing and camping gear.

For many years, the ENTEK group of companies has been producing its own manufacturing equipment.

In 1996, ENTEK Manufacturing Inc. (EMI) began producing manufacturing equipment for other companies in the plastic industries. EMI now serves many different markets and different customers from ENTEK International, and EMI is not part of the sale. EMI will continue to be owned by Young. ENTEK International will continue to purchase its manufacturing equipment from EMI.