Foodservice equipment producer Middleby will acquire high speed slicing business unit of the UK-based Marel.
The acquisition, which includes Marel High Speed Slicing business unit's assets and the manufacturing facility, is expected to be completed by the end of first quarter of 2015.
Upon completion of the acquisition, Marel's products would be rebranded under the original trademark Thurne. Middleby will continue to manufacture the range of high speed slicers and integrated slicing systems.
Middleby chairman and CEO Selim Bassoul said: "We are excited to add Thurne to our Food Processing portfolio of leading brands.
"This acquisition continues our strategy of adding integrated systems to complete total line solutions that we offer to the food processing industries, and enables us to better serve our customers."
Middleby claims that the Thurne slicing technology includes automated bacon, deli-meat and cheese slicing equipment. With the new equipment in place, customers will be able to cut down labor, increase production throughput, and save on food costs.
The deal is in line with Marel′s strategy to increase focus on its core product offering.
Marel will retain the frozen portioning and robotics product families.
