Columbus McKinnon completes Kito Crosby acquisition, targets $70M synergies and margin expansion

Charlotte closing crowns lifting-solutions push

Integration plan after Kito Crosby deal focuses on scale and margins

Columbus McKinnon completes the acquisition of Kito Crosby from funds managed by KKR on Feb. 4 in Charlotte, N.C., creating a broader global provider of lifting solutions within its intelligent motion portfolio. The company frames the deal as transformational, combining Kito Crosby’s specialized hoists and lifting gear with Columbus McKinnon’s material-handling systems to serve a wider set of end markets and geographies. Management says the combination strengthens technical capabilities and customer-focused offerings across industrial, infrastructure and construction segments.

The company outlines an integration program that prioritises operating efficiencies across manufacturing, sourcing, distribution and research and development to drive margin expansion. An Executive Leadership Team is appointed to lead the integration, pursue cross-selling opportunities and scale go-to-market efforts by leveraging complementary product lines and geographic footprints. Columbus McKinnon says it will monitor integration progress against clear metrics and timelines to sustainably expand Adjusted EBITDA margins and reduce net leverage.

Columbus McKinnon targets $70 million of net annual run-rate cost synergies from the combination and anticipates additional upside from revenue synergies as product portfolios are combined in key markets. The company expects the business combination to scale the enterprise and improve Adjusted EBITDA margin over a multi-year period, with execution focused on capturing run-rate savings and improving operational performance. The transaction follows a Feb. 10, 2025 definitive agreement and clears 14 regulatory review processes, including the U.S. Department of Justice under Hart-Scott-Rodino rules.

Safety and performance are central to the company’s messaging, with President and CEO David J. Wilson saying the merger pairs two innovative, customer-centric businesses with industry-leading technical expertise. Columbus McKinnon emphasises that integrated offerings aim to raise safety, reliability and performance for customers worldwide through combined engineering and service capabilities.

The deal, bought from KKR-managed funds, is positioned as a strategic move to deliver improved margins and long-term shareholder returns. Management lays out a three-year horizon for realising the targeted synergies and steadily reducing leverage while capturing potential cross-selling and market-share gains.