Alwin Manufacturing acquires LaCrosse Brush
Alwin Manufacturing, Green Bay, has announced its acquisition of LaCrosse Brush and says it plans to merge the brands Palmer Fixture and LaCrosse Brush. LaCrosse Brush was established in 1926 to manufacture industrial brooms and brushes used in many industrial, janitorial and food processing settings. Palmer Fixture, founded in 1907, offers a wide range of products including towel and tissue dispensers, hand dryers and other essential items that help maintain cleanliness in the workplace.
“This merger is about more than just expanding our product line, it’s about continuing our tradition of quality and service in the state we call home,” said Alwin Manufacturing President Siggi Witt.
Chilton maker begins 58,000-square-foot expansion
Worthington Enterprises, Inc. has begun a 58,000-square-foot building and equipment modernization project at the Chilton campus where it manufactures Bernzomatic and Mag-Torch hand torches and fuel cylinders. Worthington Enterprises is the only U.S. manufacturer of hand torches and small format propane and propylene cylinders, which are used worldwide. In 2023, cylinders made in Chilton reached customers and retailers in more than 40 countries. Worthington President and CEO Andy Rose said the latest expansion project will ensure quality and safety standards continue to be met, as well as allow for the Ohio-based company to grow in Wisconsin for the future.
“This is an investment in U.S. manufacturing, Chilton, our employees and our company’s future,” Rose said. “Consumers and professionals around the world trust the brands made here because of the quality products they represent.”
Vyper Industrial breaks ground for new facility
Vyper Industrial broke ground last month on a 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Wrightstown. Officials say the state-of-the-art facility will allow Vyper to expand its current 43,000-square-foot facility in Green Bay. The new plant is expected to be complete in September 2025.
Vyper, which was founded in 2020, makes industrial shop equipment for customers ranging from individual shop owners to federal agencies and large corporations.
Marine Travelift receives $5.2 million military contract
The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a $5.2 million contract to Sturgeon Bay-based Marine Travelift to create the U.S. military’s largest-ever boat hoist, officials announced last month. The contract, which complies with the federal Build America, Buy America Act, is expected to support more than 50 jobs, according to a press release issued by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Marine Travelift, which specializes in manufacturing boat hoists and other boat handling equipment, won the competitive bid to build the 620-ton mobile hoist, which will have the largest lift capacity of any such unit any U.S. federal agency ever has acquired and will be used to support maintenance and repairs of the Coast Guard fleet.
“Marine Travelift is honored to be selected for this critical task to support the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard,” Marine Travelift President and CEO Erich Pfeifer said in the news release. “They deserve the best U.S.-built equipment to help accomplish their life-saving missions, and supplier opportunities like this are a direct result of Sen. Baldwin’s relentless push to ensure fairness for Wisconsin manufacturers in federal agency purchasing.”
Oshkosh Corp secures order for 100 electric refuse trucks
Oshkosh Corporation has received an order for 100 McNeilus Volterra ZSL electric refuse and recycling collection vehicles from Republic Services. Building on a longstanding partnership, Republic Services first ordered 50 Volterra ZSL electric refuse and recycling collection vehicles from Oshkosh in 2023.
“Republic Services has been a valued partner for many years, and we are thrilled to support their sustainability initiatives with our McNeilus Volterra electric refuse and recycling collection vehicles,” said John Pfeifer, president and chief executive officer of Oshkosh Corporation. “This order is a testament to our shared vision of advancing environmental sustainability while delivering high-performance solutions for waste and recycling management.”
Kohler Energy rebrands
Kohler Energy has officially rebranded under its new corporate name, Rehlko. Rehlko will continue operating as an independent enterprise. The company became a stand-alone entity in May 2024 when Platinum Equity completed a transaction with Kohler Company to establish Kohler Energy. Platinum Equity is the majority owner of Rehlko, with Kohler Company remaining an investment partner.
“We are embracing our future as an independent company with the new Rehlko brand and celebrating our legacy and our commitment for tackling the most complex energy challenges, and the values that guide everything we do and stand for,” said Rehlko CEO Brian Melka. “Our company’s new name is derived from the six letters of Kohler and reflects the reliability, resolve, reinvention and resilience that have been — and will remain — the hallmarks of this organization in addressing the ever-evolving distributed energy needs of the marketplace.”
Mayville Engineering to close Wautoma plant
Mayville Engineering Company, Inc. will permanently close its plant in Wautoma, laying off all 43 employees. A letter to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development states that 26 positions will be eliminated Nov. 16, with another 16 to follow on Nov. 22. A production manager’s last day is Jan. 31.
Mayville Engineering became a publicly owned company five years ago and moved its headquarters to Milwaukee in 2023. The company acquired privately held Mid-States Aluminum Corp. for $96 million in 2023. In its second quarter report for 2024, the company forecast net sales between $520 million and $640 million.
Johnsonville reverses plans to close plant
Johnsonville announced Sept. 27 it no longer plans to close its Meadowside facility in Sheboygan Falls. The company had announced the planned closure, which would have affected 390 workers, earlier this year following its acquisition of Salm Partners and that company’s two production plants in Denmark, Wisconsin. Salm Partners is the largest manufacturer of fully‑cooked sausage and hot dogs in the U.S.
A company spokeswoman said that after re-evaluating current and future growth plans for Johnsonville’s and Salm Partners’ businesses, the Meadowside facility will remain open. Since the Salm Partners acquisition, Johnsonville has added approximately 140 new Wisconsin jobs across its locations in Sheboygan Falls, Denmark and Watertown.
CNH to lay off 52 workers in Manitowoc this month
CNH Industrial America LLC said in a letter to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development that it would lay off 52 employees who make precision spraying equipment at its St. Nazianz facility in Manitowoc County. The permanent layoffs are effective Nov. 14.
CNH Industrial, which has a number of facilities in and around Racine and reorganized its leadership team in July under new CEO Gerrit Marx, also announced that it would lay off more than 200 workers in Racine earlier this year. It is the manufacturer of the Case, Case IH and New Holland brands of farm and construction equipment. The company reported in July that second quarter earnings were down 16% as a result of softening demand and that cost saving initiatives were being pursued.
Great Northern CFO to receive lifetime achievement award
Registration is now open for Insight Publications’ second annual CFO of the Year Awards, which will be presented Dec. 3 at Lambeau Field. In addition to recognizing top financial professionals from across the 18-county New North region, the event will include the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to veteran financial expert Mark Radue, who is set to retire from Great Northern Corporation after a 36-year career in finance and accounting that also included a stint as executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Oshkosh Corporation.
Winners will be announced live on stage at the event in the following categories: growth, community service, mentor and risk management. Green Bay Packaging and Eagle Performance Plastics are among the manufacturing firms represented as finalists. Registration is available online at insightonbusiness.com/cfo.
Manufacturer of the Year nominations due Dec. 6
Nominations are due Dec. 6 for the 36th annual Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Awards, which will be presented Feb. 20 at Milwaukee’s historic Pfister Hotel. The event, which is hosted by Baker Tilly, Michael Best and Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, is designed to honor businesses for their commitment to excellence, their employees and the state. Get more information and submit nominations online at wimoty.com.
