Linamar Corp. makes deal to buy Bourgault Industries

By Alice McFarlane

Bourgault Industries, of St. Brieux, Sask., will soon be under new ownership.

Linamar Corporation announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Bourgault for $640 million.

Bourgault president Gerry Bourgault said the Bourgault family is incredibly proud of the legacy created both in St. Brieux and around the world.

“We are excited to have our team of over 900 people in Saskatchewan, and over one thousand worldwide, join the Linamar family. Linamar has a proven track record for not only successfully integrating acquired companies, but also for their manufacturing expertise and business execution overall,” Bourgault said.

Linamar executive chair and CEO Linda Hasenfratz said Bourgault is a Canadian manufacturing success story that draws many similarities to Linamar’s history of entrepreneurism and technical innovation.

“The Bourgault name is synonymous with broad acre agricultural seeding innovation and offers a tremendous opportunity for Linamar to further diversify and grow our agriculture platform, as well as our Industrial segment overall,” Hasenfratz said. “Together our business model provides an excellent formula for consistent, sustainable growth with strong margins and excellent balance sheet strength.”

Bourgault will become part of a new Linamar agriculture division within the broader industrial segment. This includes Skyjack, a manufacturer of aerial work platforms. This new agriculture group will continue to operate the brands of MacDon, Salford, and Bourgault independently.

The acquisition includes Bourgault’s highline manufacturing division, which produces hay handling and livestock feeding equipment, as well as roto-moulding producer Free Form Plastics.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024.