What started in 1982 as a small, family-owned, kiddie ride manufacturing

company in Dawsonville sold yesterday for $30.5 million cash to a company based in Minnesota.

BTD Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Otter Tail Corporation, acquired Impulse Manufacturing yesterday with plans to grow the company locally.

It will be a highly strategic growth plan in Dawsonville, said BTDs President Paul Gintner. I told groups yesterday well be methodic about growth because we could outsell this place if we wanted to.

Gintner said BTD plans to add new technologies and jobs in Dawsonville.

Specifically, the technology includes machinery for high volume stamping and for bending metal tubing, among others.

Once we have those in place, were going to have to start hiring at some point, Gintner said. Impulse is one of the best metal fabricators in the southeast.

What caught BTDs attention was Impulses corporate culture.

They changed as the market changed, Gintner said. And that comes from the top down. Some people would be unhappy if this or that got moved around, but at Impulse theyve got things on wheels and their people easily adapt to change. That was a big deal for us. Change is in their culture. This is an exceptional company.

That culture was passed down from Founder and President Ron Baysden to his sons Karl Jon and Clay. The elder Baysden retired after the acquisition was completed, but his sons will continue in their leadership roles.

Karl Baysden said his team makes the difference.

Weve assembled an incredibly talented work force, he said Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Impulse has grown rapidly and our customer base still wanted more. BTD provides us with a better backbone.

BTD is a publicly traded company. Its largest customers include Polaris and Honda. Polaris manufacturesoff-roadvehicles and recently announced a new site in Huntsville, Ala.

We want to be within a three to four hour drive from some of our major customers, Gintner said. Dawsonville is a great strategic location for us.

Impulse plant manager and part owner Clay Reiser focused on the benefit to customers.

The strength BTD and Otter Tail bring to our company will allow us to grow and improve our overall service to customers, Reiser said. BTD is well respected in our industry, and we welcome the opportunity to become part of their organizaton.

Referring to the acquistion, Gintner noted that Impulse had to be happy with BTD.

Wechose eachother, he said. There was a lot of respect on both sides, and we had to be a good fit for them too.

Impulse is currently updating its signage and website to reflect its new name.

BTD owners, however, will not be relocating to Dawsonville or bringing in new management.

Karl and Clay were driving this location giving us that management team, Gintner said. We didnt have to bring in new leadership. We bought something we felt like we could grow.

According to an trade publication, Impulse was consistently ranked in the top 40 in the metal fabrication industry.

Weve been watching them for years, Gintner noted.

Almost immediately after opening its doors in 1982, companies asked Impulse for assistance in supply them with metal and fabricated parts. They never manufactured a single kiddie ride, according to its website.