The acquisition of Northeast Spring closed on September 15, 2023, and expands Iowa Spring’s growing presence as the premier supplier of precision-made springs for the overhead door, construction, agriculture, and recreational equipment industries across the globe.   

“Our team has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to build a highly respected company that is focused on family values, quality and integrity,” said founder John O’Leary. “With so many spring companies being acquired by large private equity groups, it was essential to me to find a like-minded buyer that could be trusted to keep our team intact and who could uphold our company’s legacy and reputation. Iowa Spring is a perfect match, and I am confident in knowing that Northeast Spring will be in good, capable hands moving forward.”

Following the acquisition, Iowa Spring President & CEO Tim Bianco will oversee operations of Northeast Spring in addition to its three existing facilities: the original Iowa Spring facility, its recent 55,000 square foot nearby expansion facility, and its sister company Southern Atlantic Spring of Granite Quarry, North Carolina.

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The store manager, Jim Martin, said he and his employees couldn’t access the store at all on Tuesday because the search perimeter for the escaped convict was locked down. Wednesday morning, they were able to get in, but the area was still swarming with police in camouflage and a helicopter was circling ahead.

Martin said he knew Cavalcante could be near when he got a text message from his neighbor. 

“The neighbor behind the property here, her property was searched between 1:30 and 2:30 this morning. Thermal cameras supposedly picked up a heat signal somewhere on her property. So they did a sweep of her house,” Martin said. “And I guess that’s where they started to narrow him in to an area, but it’s literally right behind the stream.”

“Everybody started to congregate back by the shed, and here they were already bringing him out,” Martin said. “And then we watched them basically walk him up, one camouflaged trooper had [Cavalcante’s] gun, his rifle…EMS kind of working on him in the parking lot.”

Martin said he wasn’t expecting the manhunt to be right behind his business, but he had a feeling it could happen.

“It was unbelievable. It was exciting at the same time, but how does anybody expect to watch it and be right there when it happens? That was just pure luck to be at the scene,” Martin said. 

With Cavalcante in custody, Martin commends law enforcement on a job well done. 

“They did their job. They did exactly what they needed to do. Anybody feels it took too long, tough,” he added, “If you don’t know what it’s like growing up in the woods, you shouldn’t expect to know how easy this was.” 

While Martin said the business took a hit during the manhunt, he’s glad his life will finally be getting back to normal now that Cavalcante is once again locked up.

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