Kurt Manufacturing Acquires Vise Jaw Maker Bellatex Industries

On April 11, Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Kurt Manufacturing announced its acquisition of Bellatex Ind. LLC, owner of the CARVESMART dovetailed quick-change vise jaw system.

Kurt has acquired all CARVESMART patents and inventory as part of the agreement, according to a news release. Financial details were not disclosed.

Kurt Workholding said it will carry a full inventory of current CARVESMART products, along with the new Kurt TriLock Vise with CARVESMART jaws. Kurt added that it is transitioning all CARVESMART website assets to kurtworkholding.com to “maintain continuity for all customers.”

“This is a really exciting addition to the Kurt Workholding product lineup,” said Ted Kuhlmann, President and CEO of Kurt Manufacturing. “CARVESMART’s innovative design and Kurt’s scale are a perfect match to bring the quick-change system to a wider customer base and a complete product lineup including machine-ready vises.”

CARVESMART founder Bill Ehnstrom is expected to join Kurt Workholding’s sales and product team.

“The CARVESMART dovetailed jaw system was created to help shops manage high-variability jobs with multiple parts running on a handful of machines,” said Ehnstrom. “The dream was always to produce not only great accessory jaw plates, but to bring a complete CARVESMART vise to market. The new Kurt TriLock with CARVESMART is the realization of that dream.”