WHEELING, W.V. – After four generations of ownership and management by the Thalman family, Warwood Armature Repair Company and its sales division, WARCO Sales, have been acquired by HECO, Inc. The Wheeling-based company and all of its employees will continue operations as a division of HECO.
Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, HECO is an electric motor sales and service provider with centers and hubs in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky.
Effective Nov. 15, 2024, 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 repair capabilities.
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, West Virginia. In 1974, a new division known as WARCO Sales, Inc. was created to focus on new motor sales.
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 (OEMs), and manufacturing industries.
Warwood President William Thalman will serve as Operations Manager of the newly created division and all current employees will continue in similar roles and capacities, respectively.
“Finding the right company and family to carry Warwood Armature forward was not about money,” Thalman said. “Both companies have similar approaches to business, customer service, and share core values.
“We trust the people at HECO and we are excited to take this step,” he added. “With this move, we are able to add stability for our employees and their families while providing the same expertise and services we’ve developed for nearly a century.”
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.”
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 more information about HECO visit www.hecoinc.com.