CUDAHY, Wis. - Vilter Manufacturing Corp. has announced the purchase of the company by the private equity firm of J. P. Kotts & Company. According to the companies, the transaction is designed to enable Vilter to build on its existing growth in the refrigeration and process industries.

The combination will allow Vilter to pursue business opportunities, accelerate the development of new products, and make strategic acquisitions as they arise, say the companies. In addition, with the experience of J. P. Kotts & Company, especially in the oil and gas industry, a major new marketplace will be opened to Vilter to use its compression technology outside of its traditional industrial refrigeration market.

The existing management team, led by Ron Prebish, president and CEO, will continue to operate Vilter. Prebish commented, "Vilter is one of the few companies in the U.S. that has the ability to design and manufacture innovative, world-class industrial compressors and related products. We have a team of exceptionally talented people in place, and we have spent - and will continue to spend - heavily on new products and new technologies to strengthen Vilter's position as a technology leader in the industry. The continuity in management at Vilter will result in continued support to its customers, with no change in personnel or philosophy. I, and the whole team here at Vilter, look forward to the future with renewed confidence."