Brady Corporation Acquires Mecco

Rhea-AI Summary

Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) has announced the acquisition of Mecco Partners, LLC for approximately $20 million, funded through cash on hand. Mecco specializes in industrial product marking and identification systems, featuring laser and pin marking technologies with custom software solutions.

The acquisition complements Brady's existing direct part marking solutions portfolio, previously enhanced by the Gravotech acquisition in fiscal 2025. For the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026, Brady expects Mecco to generate revenue of approximately $20 million. Brady's fiscal 2024 sales were $1.34 billion, with approximately 5,700 employees worldwide as of July 31, 2024.

Positive

• Strategic expansion of direct part marking solutions portfolio through $20M acquisition
• Complementary integration with previous Gravotech acquisition enhances product offerings
• Acquisition funded through cash on hand, indicating strong financial position
• Expected revenue contribution of $20M for FY 2026 from Mecco

Negative

• Integration risks and uncertainties in achieving expected synergies
• Potential challenges from increased costs, material shortages, and supply chain disruptions
• Exposure to foreign currency fluctuations and regulatory compliance risks

Insights

Corporate Strategy Analyst

Brady's $20M Mecco acquisition strengthens direct part marking capabilities, complementing their previous Gravotech purchase to enhance industrial identification solutions.

Brady Corporation has acquired Mecco Partners for $20 million, a strategic move that strengthens their position in the industrial product marking and identification systems market. This acquisition is perfectly aligned with Brady's long-term strategy of providing comprehensive end-to-end direct part marking and specialty identification products. The expected revenue contribution from Mecco is projected at $20 million for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026.

The acquisition of Mecco builds upon Brady's previous acquisition of Gravotech in fiscal year 2025, creating significant synergistic opportunities. Mecco's specialized laser marking and pin marking technologies—which include custom-designed software, laser marking systems, workstations, and configured solutions—complement Brady's existing offerings. This expanded product portfolio allows Brady to better serve customers who need to improve manufacturing visibility and component tracking capabilities.

What makes this acquisition particularly valuable is Mecco's consultative business approach and ability to develop customized solutions for clients. This customer-centric methodology aligns with value-added business models that typically command higher margins and create stronger customer relationships. By combining Mecco's capabilities with Gravotech's technology, Brady is positioning itself as a more comprehensive provider in the industrial identification space while creating a platform for future growth through the integration of these complementary businesses.

In context, this $20 million acquisition represents a relatively small transaction for Brady, which reported fiscal 2024 sales of approximately $1.34 billion. However, the strategic value likely exceeds the immediate financial impact, as it strengthens Brady's competitive positioning in a specialized market segment focused on industrial traceability and component lifecycle management.

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) (“Brady,” “our,” “we”) announced today that it has acquired Mecco Partners, LLC (“Mecco”) for approximately $20 million, and for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026, Brady expects revenue of approximately $20 million. Brady funded the acquisition with cash on hand.  

Mecco specializes in industrial product marking and identification systems designed for a variety of applications and industries. Its laser marking and pin marking technologies are custom designed and incorporate software for laser marking systems, laser marking workstations and custom and configured laser marking solutions. The acquisition of Mecco complements Brady’s existing offering of direct part marking solutions acquired with Gravotech in fiscal year 2025, and advances Brady’s strategy to provide customers with a variety of end-to-end direct part marking and specialty identification products. Direct part marking enables our customers to improve visibility into their own manufacturing processes, while enhancing their customers’ ability to track components from manufacturing inception through disposal.

“Mecco applies a consultative strategy as they partner with customers to develop innovative and customized products, resulting in a unique solution for each of their customers,” said Brady’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Russell R. Shaller. “Mecco’s product offering and its customized approach to serving its customers enhances our existing direct part marking technology we acquired last year with Gravotech, and we’re looking forward to future growth through the combination of both businesses.”

Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect people, products and places. Brady’s products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software. Founded in 1914, Brady has a diverse customer base in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, medical, aerospace and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and as of July 31, 2024, employed approximately 5,700 people in its worldwide businesses. Brady’s fiscal 2024 sales were approximately $1.34 billion. Brady stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRC. More information is available on the Internet at www.bradyid.com.

In this news release, statements that are not reported financial results or other historic information are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company's future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations including the integration of Mecco.

The use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project,” “plan” or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain and are subject to risks, assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond Brady’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For Brady, uncertainties arise from: the possibility that Brady may be unable to achieve expected benefits, synergies and operating efficiencies in connection with the Mecco acquisition within the expected timeframes, or at all, or to successfully integrate Mecco; increased cost of materials, labor, material shortages and supply chain disruptions, including as a result of tariffs or other impacts of the global trade environment; decreased demand for our products; our ability to compete effectively or to successfully execute our strategy; our ability to develop technologically advanced products that meet customer demands; Brady’s ability to identify, integrate and grow acquired companies, and to manage contingent liabilities from divested businesses; difficulties in protecting our websites, networks, and systems against security breaches; risks associated with the loss of key employees; extensive regulations by U.S. and non-U.S. governmental and self-regulatory entities; global climate change and environmental regulations; litigation, including product liability claims; foreign currency fluctuations; changes in tax legislation and tax rates; potential write-offs of goodwill and other intangible assets; differing interests of voting and non-voting shareholders and changes in the regulatory and business environment around dual-class voting structures; numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including major public health crises and government responses thereto and those of a political, economic, business, competitive, and regulatory nature contained from time to time in Brady’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, those factors listed in the “Risk Factors” section within Item 1A of Part I of Brady’s Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2024.

These uncertainties may cause Brady's actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in its forward-looking statements. Brady does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements except as required by law.

For More Information:
Investor contact: Ann Thornton 414-438-6887
Media contact: Kate Venne 414-358-5176

FAQ

How much did Brady Corporation (BRC) pay for Mecco acquisition?

Brady Corporation acquired Mecco for approximately $20 million, funded through cash on hand.

What is Mecco's expected revenue contribution to Brady Corporation?

Mecco is expected to generate revenue of approximately $20 million for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026.

What are Mecco's main products and services?

Mecco specializes in industrial product marking and identification systems, offering laser marking and pin marking technologies with custom software solutions for various applications and industries.

How does the Mecco acquisition fit into Brady's strategy?

The acquisition complements Brady's existing direct part marking solutions acquired with Gravotech in 2025, advancing their strategy to provide end-to-end direct part marking and specialty identification products.

What were Brady Corporation's fiscal 2024 financial results?

Brady Corporation reported sales of approximately $1.34 billion for fiscal 2024 and employed about 5,700 people worldwide as of July 31, 2024.