Oct. 19—RANTOUL — Eagle Wings Industries will be acquired by Urbana-based Flex-N-Gate and renamed Flex-N-Gate Rantoul, officials at Flex-N-Gate announced Thursday.
Eagle Wings employees will be offered jobs at the renamed Rantoul plant when the sale closes later this year, according to Flex-N-Gate.
"We are proud to expand our operations in Central Illinois, as we welcome new colleagues to Flex-N-Gate," said Shahid Khan, owner of Flex-N-Gate Group.
"This acquisition is the result of strategic discussions we've had with Eagle Wing, a company we've admired for some time," Khan said. "With today's news, we are better positioned than ever to serve existing and new customers while keeping coveted, quality jobs here in our backyard."
The announcement says Eagle Wings' expertise in welding, stamping and e-coat paint processes will complement Flex-N-Gate's major products, which include complete bumper assemblies, mechanical assemblies, exterior plastic trim, stamped body-in-white and chassis assemblies, forward and signal lighting and plastic tailgate assemblies, and complex welded structural assemblies for the light vehicle market.
Eagle Wings Industries President Joji Gotoh said the company is proud of its growth and achievements over the past 37 years.
"We are confident that this arrangement with Flex-N-gate will produce the best possible outcome for both its dedicated employees and valued customers in the future," he said.
Flex-N-Gate Group employs nearly 26,000 people at 77 manufacturing sites and five advanced product development centers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Argentina and China.