THOMASVILLE, Georgia, and HAYWARD, California — Cleaver-Brooks has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire R.F. MacDonald Co., a long-standing sales and service representative serving customers throughout California and Nevada.

Cleaver-Brooks announced the agreement Aug. 25. The transaction remains subject to U.S. regulatory approval, which typically takes a minimum of 30 days, according to the company.

Founded in 1956, R.F. MacDonald has just under 300 employee-owners and provides sales and service support across the boiler and thermal solutions industries.

Following the acquisition, R.F. MacDonald will operate as a subsidiary of Cleaver-Brooks under its existing name. The company will retain its current leadership team and territory.

Cleaver-Brooks said customers will continue to have access to existing sales contracts, technical support and ongoing projects during the transition.

The combined organization is expected to provide expanded technical sales and application engineering support. It will also provide direct access to Cleaver-Brooks factory resources and product expertise.

The companies also plan to improve coordination among sales, engineering and customer service. Additional areas of investment include inventory, training and customer responsiveness.

“For 70 years, R.F. MacDonald has represented our products with professionalism, technical expertise, and a customer-first approach,” said Bart Aitken, president and CEO of Cleaver-Brooks.

Jim Lowell, CEO of R.F. MacDonald, said the combination will provide additional resources as the company begins its eighth decade in business.

The acquisition is part of Cleaver-Brooks’ strategy to strengthen customer engagement, accelerate innovation and expand its capabilities across its markets.