For 32 years, Dawn and Art Hahn led and grew Slinger, WI-base Weld-Fab Manufacturing into a thriving business. In a win for the Hahns, the Washington County community and the employees of Weld-Fab, they recently sold their business to fellow locals with extensive roots in manufacturing. With the help of financing from EDWC’s Impact Loan Fund, Kelly Wendorff and Kale Wenzel closed on a deal at the end of 2021 to become the new owners of Weld-Fab.
Wendorff now serves as president, while Wenzel serves as vice president. It was a case of perfect timing as the Hahns were ready to move on to the next chapter and Wendorff and Wenzel were searching for the right opportunity to capitalize on.
Company Details
Weld-Fab is a service that manufactures high quality metal fabrications, weldments and machined parts ranging in size from parts that will fit in your hand to weldments that will fill a conference room. Established in 1990, Weld-Fab started small, doing mostly minor weldments. Over the next decade, they grew tremendously in scope and quality of services by investing in both equipment and employees. In 2002, Weld-Fab made its largest expansion to date, adding fabrication of sheet metal products to their offerings along with welding and tube processing. This expansion led to unprecedented growth and allowed them to double the size of the facility and workforce, take on more complex projects, and secure lasting business partnerships.
New Owners
For their part, Wendorff and Wenzel have years of experience working in manufacturing, beginning in their teens. They most recently worked for Steel Craft Corporation together. After Steel Craft was purchased by a private equity firm, the two partners began their search for a new opportunity where they could leverage their experience in manufacturing and management.
Future Growth Plans for Weld-Fab
The new leadership at Weld-Fab is very optimistic about the growth potential of the company. The partners hope to double the size of the business over the next several years. Growth plans include expanding Weld-Fab’s offerings and ultimately expanding the size of the existing facility. They have a passion for the local community and look forward to continuing to contribute to the economic growth of Washington County.
