The Great Lakes Towing Company (“Great Lakes”) is proud to announce that it has purchased The Wm. Plotz Machine & Forge Company (“Plotz Machine”). The acquisition includes all Plotz Machine’s assets and real estate.

The acquisition of Plotz Machine will increase the services provided by Great Lakes, allowing the company to now offer marine and industrial machine shop services to all types of customers, including its shipyard new construction and ship repair customers. Great Lakes has retained all employees of Plotz Machine and will supplement the enterprise with administrative and financial support to help grow Plotz Machine’s current book of business.

Plotz Machine is a jobbing machine shop, specializing in remanufactured replacement parts for commercial, municipal, marine, and industrial operations. Services include repair and overhaul work on shafts, bearings, pumps, motors, valves, cooling towers, and ventilation systems, as well as fabrication of a wide range of precision machined products. Plotz Machine’s services have been utilized by both commercial and government customers in the greater Cleveland area and throughout the Midwest.

Both companies have been in continuous business since the late 1800s and have rich histories in the City of Cleveland. “We see many similarities between our two 120+ year old, family owned, Cleveland based businesses, and we look forward to leveraging synergies to create long-term value for the collective benefit of both businesses, our customers, and our city,” says Joe Starck, President, The Great Lakes Towing Company.

“Our mission has always been to go above and beyond for our customers, and continually improve on-time deliveries and service, at a competitive cost, with the same high quality our customers expect. We believe this transition will help us continue to do just that.” – Tom Plotz, President, The Wm. Plotz Machine & Forge Company.

The transaction closed on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.