KALAMAZOO, Mich. – HECO Inc. announced Wednesday that Warwood Armature Repair Company and its sales division, WARCO Sales Inc., have joined its existing electric motor sales and service centers and hubs in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
The newly acquired Wheeling, West Virginia-based location offers electric motor repair, sales, and field services similar to HECO’s but with a specialized focus on coal, steel, shale, and industrial customers in the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia tri-state area.
Warwood also offers substantial gearbox repair for units up to 25 tons in weight. These services will continue at Warwood and be available to all HECO customers.
Effective Nov. 15, the new partnership offers a combined 162 years of experience in the reliable and efficient use of electric motors and rotating equipment to additional industries and geographic areas and creates a unique wealth of DC motor knowledge and capabilities.
Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, HECO was founded in 1959 by Terrell Hatfield. Today, it specializes in serving the power generation, steel and other metals, chemical processing, pharmaceutical, paper and pulp, wastewater and freshwater, aggregate and cement, original equipment manufacturers, and manufacturing industries.
Warwood was established in 1927 by Raymond V. Thalman and Lawrence J. Schmitt, who built a business rewinding armatures for local coal mines in Wheeling. In 1974, a new division known as WARCO Sales Inc. was created to focus on new motor sales. Prior to becoming part of the HECO umbrella, Warwood was family-owned and managed by the Thalman family for four generations.
Justin Hatfield, grandson of HECO’s founder and the company’s current president, said, “As a third-generation, family-owned company, HECO is very honored to be trusted with carrying Warwood Armature forward. We are happy to welcome the Warwood team to the HECO family and excited to bring a bit of HECO to the Wheeling and greater Pittsburgh community.”
Warwood President William Thalman will serve as operations manager and all current employees will continue in similar roles and capacities, respectively.
HECO will continue Warwood’s long-standing relationship with the IBEW Local #141, which represents the Wheeling workforce, and is committed to maintaining a strong, productive relationship with its newly acquired union workforce.
“Joining HECO was the best decision possible for the Warwood team,” William Thalman said. “Much like our family and company, the Hatfield family and HECO care about their employees, take pride in doing a job right the first time, and bring an immense amount of integrity and skill to the maintenance, repair, and sale of electric motors and rotating equipment.”
Hatfield added, “HECO as well as Warwood customers can expect the same level of service and knowledge from familiar faces going forward. Together, we will also share our respective areas of expertise throughout our combined footprint and capabilities.”
For the time being, the new service center will retain its original name and operate as a division of HECO.
