The Entwistle Company Announces Acquisition of The Hales Group

HUDSON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Entwistle Company (“Entwistle”) today announced it has acquired The Hales Group of companies (“Hales”) from its founders, Ray and Trudy Hales. The transaction expands Entwistle’s manufacturing capacity and enhances its ability to support large-scale defense and infrastructure programs.

Headquartered in Clayton, North Carolina, Hales is a provider of coating, storage, transportation, and structural steel services supporting Newport News Shipbuilding (“NNS”) and U.S. Navy programs, including submarines and aircraft carriers. Founded in 1981, Hales also provides structural steel fabrication, protective coatings, and specialized logistics services for Department of Transportation infrastructure projects across the eastern United States.

Hales includes Structural Coatings Hertford, LLC; Structural Steel Products Corporation; Structural Coatings, Inc.; and The Hales Company. The business operates from facilities in Clayton, NC and Cofield in Hertford County, North Carolina, comprising more than 150,000 square feet of fabrication space, a 55,000-square-foot coatings facility, and a 50,000-square-foot enclosed facility situated on a 68-acre site with secure indoor and outdoor storage capabilities.

Following the acquisition, Hales will operate as a standalone subsidiary of Entwistle. The existing management team will continue to lead the business and execute its current operating strategy, with an ongoing focus on operational performance, customer service, and product quality.

“Hales marks our first acquisition since Entwistle’s ownership transition in 2020 and we would like to extend a warm welcome to Hales’ employees, customers and suppliers as we enter this next chapter,” said Taran Bakker, Chairman of The Entwistle Company. “We are pleased to partner with an organization of Hales’ caliber and to build upon the foundation established by Ray and Trudy over the past 45 years. We look forward to supporting the company’s continued growth and its role in serving U.S. military and government customers.”

“We are proud of the business we have built and confident that Entwistle is the right partner for Hales’ next phase,” said Ray and Trudy Hales. “Entwistle’s commitment to quality, customer service, and the defense industry aligns closely with our own, and we believe the company is well positioned for continued success.”

“Hales is highly complementary to Entwistle, adding capacity, capabilities, and strategic locations that enhance our ability to serve key commercial and government customers,” said Wade Knudson, President of The Entwistle Company. “The combination positions us to pursue larger programs and support future growth through expanded capabilities and operational alignment.”

About The Entwistle Company

Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Hudson, Massachusetts, The Entwistle Company is a designer and manufacturer of components and machinery systems for the U.S. military and its allies. The company supports more than 25 programs across the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Army, providing components and systems in areas including aircraft launch and recovery, fueling systems, ordnance, ground support equipment, shipboard machinery, and military spares. Entwistle operates facilities in Hudson, Massachusetts and Danville, Virginia, with more than 300,000 square feet of production capacity.