North Berwick-based Hussey Seating Co. has acquired Clarin Seating of Lake Bluff, Ill., for an undisclosed amount, and will likely create more jobs in Maine.

Hussey CEO Tim Hussey said in a press release that his company will continue to operate Clarin’s plant through this summer, but will move Clarin’s operations “to our facility in Maine as soon as possible.”

Chris Robinson, Hussey spokesman, said the two companies will have a “significant amount of overlap in manufacturing.”

Still, he said, Hussey will add workers to handle increased production. Some Clarin employees will likely come to Maine.

“At the end of the day, there will be significant net job gain in North Berwick,” he said.

Hussey, a 175-year-old company, makes grandstands, bleachers and auditorium seats. In 2010, Hussey had 190 staffers. It sold $60 million worth of seating systems in 2009.

Clarin makes a variety of folding chairs and stadium seating products. The company has 80 to 90 employees, including 20 to 30 administrative staffers, said Robinson.

Hussey’s press release called the deal a good match between the companies, which both make seating with similar manufacturing requirements for schools and sports arenas.

“Clarin, a company with very strong brand equity in its markets, offers Hussey the potential for significant growth in and beyond its core markets,” said the release.

“This is good news for Hussey, for Maine, and for the seating industry,” said Hussey CEO Tim Hussey in the release. “While our short-term plan is to continue manufacturing Clarin products in the Chicago area, at least through the end of the summer, we will be moving this operation to our facility in Maine as soon as possible.”

Jonathan Hemmerdinger can be reached at 791-6316 or at:

jhemmerdinger@mainetoday.com