 Wolter Material Handling's Eau Claire service centre |
A 2006 recipient of Cat Lift Trucks' gold dealer of excellence award has changed the name of one of its operations to reflect the family's heritage in materials handling.
Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp - Western Region announced last Friday its new name is Wolter Material Handling.
Otto Wolter established Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp in 1962 in a two-car garage, supplying forklift parts and service.
Over the years, the dealership has won awards and has been named in Arthur Andersen's list of top Wisconsin private companies.
The newly named operation will be led by John O Wolter as president while his father, Otto, will be CEO.
Wisconsin Lift Truck has served western Wisconsin for over 25 years. The Wolter Material Handling operation evolved from Wisconsin Lift Truck's Eau Claire service centre started in 2001. In 2003, John Wolter was promoted to vice president and general manager of the operation and established it as a separate division.
 John Wolter |
John Wolter says: "In 2003, we expanded our operation to a full-service branch to support our rapidly expanding business."
In 2006, Wisconsin Lift Truck bought one of its competitors and now has a service centre in La Crosse.
"We are the only materials handling company in the western region that has a full-service branch in Eau Claire, and a service centre in La Crosse," says Wolter, adding that it offers the largest forklift rental fleet in the area.
Wolter Material Handling has 10 road technicians, each with an average of 10 years' experience, extending from Vernon County to Bayfield County in western Wisconsin. The in-house technicians have an average of 15 years' experience.
The company has also changed the names of other divisions to reflect the family name. SW Engines is now Wolter Power Systems and ACV is Wolter Hydraulic Systems.
Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp celebrated its 45th anniversary in March. Today, it supplies, among others, forklifts from Komatsu, Taylor and Linde, Power Boss sweepers and scrubbers, Genie and JLG boom and scissor lifts, Steel King racking, E-Z-Go personnel carriers and Trackmobile railcar movers.