Bonnell Industries in Dixon acquires assets of Streator snow plow company Flink

DIXON — Truck and road equipment supplier Bonnell Industries of Dixon announced it is acquiring the assets of a competitor, Flink Co. of Streator.

“Really, I think the products are all similar with both companies,” said Bill Hintzsche, chief operating officer of Bonnell. “What it brings to us is a new group of dealers and distributors from the Flink family.”

Operations for the Flink line of plows and ice-removal equipment will be at Bonnell’s Dixon headquarters, Hintzsche said.

Bonnell is a family-owned company under the direction of Joe Bonnell, whose grandfather started a welding service in 1960. It occupies a 4.5-acre location on Franklin Grove Road.

Bonnell is a leading supplier of ice removal equipment, such as snow plows and spreaders. Hintzsche said the company has 93 employees and is retaining a national sales manager from Flink.

Flink started as a farm implement dealer in Streator in 1929. It began producing spreaders in 1941 in response to the need for ice-removal equipment at military installations. It has been manufacturing the Baker/Flink snow plows since 1955.

Flink President Michael Supergan said the company will be winding down operations into next year and will be changing its name to MCP Liquidation Corp.

Supergan said he wanted to thank Flink’s customers for their service and support.

Bonnell Industries closed on this acquisition on Monday and plans are in place to begin production of Flink products in Dixon by January.

Hintzsche did not disclose the purchase price but said Flink had $5 million in annual sales.

In a news release, Bonnell Industries said it plans to continue to support and service all Flink dealers and partners in the same manner that Flink has always serviced their customers.

In particular, Hintzsche cited Flink’s existing dealer network structure in the eastern, central and southern parts of Illinois as a strong addition to the company. “The intent is better coverage with a larger breadth of product,” Hintzche said.

In addition to plows and scrapers, Bonnell sells road maintenance trucks and equipment, a line of Titan Leaf Solutions and attachments and other brands of rotary mowers and shredders.