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Starboard Sun's acquisition may create jobs in N. Tonawanda
(Buffalo News, The (NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 12--Audubon Machinery Corp. in North Tonawanda has acquired Starboard Sun Corp., a deal that could lead to additional local jobs.
Audubon generates about $10 million a year in sales, and Starboard will add about $2 million a year to that total, said Joe McMahon, a partner in Audubon Machinery. McMahon said he sees even greater potential for the new acquisition.
Starboard, a four-person operation in Amherst, was especially appealing to Audubon because it has an exclusive distribution agreement with Superwind, a Germany-based wind turbine manufacturer.
McMahon said he is hopeful that relationship will lead to more local jobs. He envisions performing final assembly of Superwind turbines in North Tonawanda, using components supplied by other companies upstate.
If that plan comes to fruition, McMahon said it could lead to an additional 35 local jobs over the next three years. He said he is talking with the Lumber City Development Corp. in North Tonawanda about possible financial assistance to support the idea.
Starboard Sun Corp.'s two divisions will continue to operate independently under Audubon. One division, known as Starboard Sun, sells micro wind turbines and solar panels, as well as hybrid combination wind-solar systems for off-grid, renewable energy power generation.
Audubon said the division has a "strong presence" in offshore marine applications, but plans to expand its marketing efforts into other commercial and industrial markets. "We see many, many other applications," McMahon said.
The second division, IMT Solar, sells sun simulators, solar flares and calibration equipment used in the test, installation and setup of photo voltaic solar panels.
Both Audubon and Starboard Sun Corp. have connections to County Executive Chris Collins. He is a partner in Audubon, which was formed in 2004, and became an investor in Starboard Sun Corp. in early 2007.
Since Audubon's formation, it has grown to 47 employees.
mglynn@buffnews.com
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