COLUMBUS, NEB. — Behlen Mfg. Co. has signed an agreement to acquire Sweet Manufacturing Co., based in Springfield, Ohio, with closing expected by the end of January 2025.

Sweet Manufacturing, specializing in agricultural and industrial bulk material handling equipment, has been a family-owned business for more than 69 years. Behlen has been in business since 1936 and has been family-owned for more than 40 years.

“As I prepare for a transition toward retirement, I cannot think of a better partner than Behlen to carry on the legacy of Sweet Manufacturing,” said Alicia Sweet Hupp, president, chief executive officer and principal owner of Sweet. “Together, Sweet and Behlen are well positioned to offer a broader range of solutions for the grain, feed, and industrial storage and handling industry.”

Tony Raimondo Jr., chairman of Behlen’s board, said the relationship forged between Behlen and Sweet over the past several years shows the foundational beliefs, culture and commitment to meeting the needs of customers aligns perfectly.

“We are excited to welcome Sweet into the Behlen family of businesses and look forward to a bright future together as we work on solutions and serve our customers around the world,” he said.

Behlen Mfg. Co., based in Columbus, Neb., has diverse business units, including Behlen Country (farm and ranch equipment), Behlen Building Systems (metal building systems), Behlen Grain Systems (grain storage solutions), Behlen Custom Fab, Behlen Joiners (strip joining presses), and Hilton International Industries Co. (precision winding machines). Its in-house trucking system, BMC Transportation, delivers Behlen products throughout the United States and Canada using a fleet of owner-operators. Behlen has additional US locations in Baker City, Ore.; McGregor, Texas; and Sarasota, Fla.