Carlson & Stewart Refrigeration, with headquarters in Marshall, MN, and a branch office in Sioux Falls, SD, has acquired Central Minnesota Refrigeration, Inc., Sauk Rapids, MN.

The new company, now operating solely as Carlson & Stewart, maintains the Sauk Rapids location and its 15 service technicians and customer service employees. Both companies provide industrial and commercial refrigeration systems to the meat packing, poultry, dairy, beverage, bakery and cold storage industries as well as refrigeration equipment for supermarkets and other merchandisers.

"Our expansion affords the opportunity to enhance [our service and engineering] offering for our existing customers and those who are looking for new ways to grow their businesses."
— Mike Martin, president, Carlson & Stewart

The acquisition of Central Minnesota Refrigeration, following the passing of its owner John Ballard, adds a loyal customer base in and around St. Cloud, MN, to Carlson & Stewart's existing service area of Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

A 'New Era' is Proclaimed as Strengths are Combined
Sources report that the integration of the two businesses includes capitalizing on the strength of Carlson & Stewart's system engineering, design leadership and industry experience to better meet the needs of clients operating in central Minnesota. Current and new customers can now easily take advantage of Carlson & Stewart's industry best practices and leading edge, energy-efficient systems that can provide cost savings and positive return on investment in a short period of time.

"This isn't just about bringing together two companies, it's about combining strengths," says Mike Martin, president, Carlson & Stewart. "We already have a very loyal client base that depends on us for service and engineering. Our expansion affords the opportunity to enhance that offering for our existing customers and those who are looking for new ways to grow their businesses."

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Carlson & Stewart Carlson & Stewart Refrigeration, Inc. was founded in 1938. It offers refrigeration system design, equipment sales, complete installation, and service for industrial and commercial customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin and currently has 52 employees.

Central Minnesota Refrigeration was founded in1974. Its refrigeration expertise includes large, industrial, multistage ammonia systems, and commercial HVAC.