Amtech LLC (Wapato, WA), a Blackford Capital portfolio company and diverse manufacturer of composite-based products and parts, announced a joint manufacturing agreement with Astoria Industries (Osceola, IA).

Amtech has been recognized as one of the fastest growing and most innovative small businesses in Washington. The company manufactures custom parts and assemblies in the transportation, recreational vehicle, cooling tower, wind energy components and construction equipment markets. Additionally, Amtech has several lines of proprietary products, including the Mobile Advantage Meal Delivery Vehicles, Military Helmet Hardtop Shelters, Trailer Tops and Short Cargo Bed Covers.

Astoria Industries has two facilities in Iowa, totaling more than 200,000 square feet, which have space available to support the new Midwest production that Amtech is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2010.  

Bob Wolf, owner and president of Astoria, said: “The partnering with Amtech has presented itself at a time when our Osceola and Chariton facilities can support Amtech in the Midwest as well as create benefits for our customers by the sharing of technologies that our companies will bring to the relationship. It will be business as usual for Astoria Industries and that they will continue manufacturing their proprietary product line of composite service truck and utility bodies from the Osceola facility and that Astoria’s production and customers will not be affected by the additional work Amtech will bring into the Astoria plants.”
 
Doug Christie, president and CEO of Amtech, said: "This manufacturing alliance will allow us to expand our Midwest presence and utilize some excess capacity in the Astoria Industries facilities. The Amtech sales group has been working in the Midwest region over the past several months and has opportunities which are closing in the near future and have more to come. Having the availability of a Midwest location that is set up, operating and ready to accept new work is a win-win for the needs of both Amtech and Astoria Industries. We look at the manufacturing marriage of our two companies as the first step toward a strategic business relationship for the future.”

To learn more about Amtech, LLC and Astoria Industries of Iowa visit their Web sites: www.amtechcorp.com and www.astoriainc.com.