Rio Grande, an Albuquerque, N.M.-based company founded in 1944 by Saul Bell, is an international distributor of jewelry making equipment, jewelry packaging and displays, and other jewelry related products for jewelry designers, manufacturers and retailers. It remained family owned and operated under the Bell Group, Inc. Meanwhile, Richline Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is a multi-national holdings company of jewelry manufacturers and distributors.
Under the new corporate structure, Alan Bell and Molly Bell will remain to run the company as president and executive VP, respectively, Richline said in a statement. Eddie Bell will continue to oversee the Santa Fe Symposium and Neutec. The Santa Fe Symposium is an annual gathering of jewelry industry professionals involved in cutting-edge technology in jewelry making who share their insights with in-depth papers. Neutec, also included in the acquisition, is a manufacturer of lost-wax jewelry casting equipment (grain-making and casting machines), laser-welding machines, as well as the accessories and supplies that support them.
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