A Tradition of Excellence
From humble beginnings, Wolter has grown into one of the regions’ largest and most respected operational productivity solutions providers. This business success story is grounded in dedication to customer satisfaction, future-forward thinking and family.
Through hard work, great customer service and acquisitions, we’ve grown into an extensive suite of operational productivity solutions including material handling, automation & robotics, cranes & hoists, industrial storage & handling, railcar movers, workplace storage, dock & door equipment, as well as service, parts & accessories, rentals and training.
This exceptional range of products, services and expertise, enables our team of experts to address your operational productivity challenges more holistically. We’re confident that by seeing the bigger productivity picture, we can help you transform today’s operational expenses into tomorrow’s new revenue streams.
History Highlights
1962
LPM Parts & Service founded (later renamed Wisconsin Lift Truck)
1970
📍 Green Bay, WI branch added
1975
Wolter Power Systems division formed
1976
📍 Janesville, WI branch added
1980
📍 Wausau, WI branch added
1984
📍 Eau Claire, WI branch added
1980
📍 Wausau, WI branch added
1985
📍 Rockford, IL branch added, forming Illinois Lift Truck (later renamed Illinois Material Handling)
1990
Training division formed
1995
➕ Acquired Fiorenza Material Handling
1998
➕ Acquired AmGen
Fleet Services division formed
2000
📍 Brookfield, WI headquarters built
2001
📍 Eau Claire, WI branch added
2006
➕ Acquired Material Handling Services
2010
➕ Acquired WITCO Systems
2011
➕ Acquired Global Products
Wolter Group LLC brand introduced to unify family of companies across a growing footprint & expanding portfolio
2012
➕ Acquired Scott Lift Truck and YDR
2014
➕ Acquired Chicago Lift Truck
2015
➕ Acquired Servicemax and Fleet Lift Truck Service
2016
➕ Acquired Ellis Systems
2017
➕ Acquired Stephan Forklift Repair
2018
📍 West Salem, WI branch built
2019
➕ Acquired Kensar Equipment & Bohnert Equipment, expanding territory into Indiana, Ohio & Kentucky
2020
Acquired Integrity Industrial Equipment, A D Lift Truck and K & L Equipment, expanding into Missouri & Southern IL
2021
➕ Acquired Power Products Plus and Advantage Materials Handling Group
Company announces it’s unifying all brands under the Wolter name
2022
➕ Acquired Valley Industrial Crane
Wolter celebrates its 60th anniversary & is awarded the BizTimes Future 50 Award
➕ Acquired Ohio Valley Maintenance, expanding dock & door product and service offerings
2024
Wolter secured strategic growth investment from BBH Capital Partners to fuel expansion
📍 New De Pere, WI and Janesville, WI branches built
➕ Acquired Cincinnati Crane & Hoists, adding Wolter-manufactured cranes & hoists to our product & service offerings
➕ Acquired Dedicated Material Handling Solutions – expanded into Georgia
2025
➕ Acquired Midway Industrial Equipment, further supporting the greater Chicago area
➕ Acquired Certified Door & Dock Services, further expanding our Dock and Door service offerings into Tennessee
➕ Acquired Carson Industries, branching out into the Carolinas & connecting Wolter to the East Coast
2026
Acquired CSI Materials Handling in Chicago, IL to enhance Industrial storage & handling offerings
🏢 Wolter Power Systems was sold to Energy Systems, marking the next chapter for the power generation business
Acquired Delta Materials Handling, expanding into Tennessee, Arkansas, & Mississippi for the first time
Our Legacy Brands
Over the years, Wolter has remained focused on finding new and better ways to serve our customers. Organic growth and the addition of respected industry brands have expanded our reach, strengthened our expertise and brought together generations of experience under one organization.
The Wolter story began in a two-car garage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Otto J. Wolter founded LPM Parts & Service in 1962. What began as an aftermarket forklift parts business grew by responding to customers’ changing needs and building lasting relationships. That practical, customer-first approach established the foundation for Wisconsin Lift Truck and continues to guide Wolter today.
The legacy brands highlighted below each contributed unique capabilities, talented people and strong customer relationships to the Wolter story. Together, they helped transform a small Milwaukee business into the comprehensive operational productivity solutions provider Wolter is today.
An Eye Toward the Future
Wolter wouldn’t be what it is today without the expertise and experience of our component brands. Each acquisition and expansion puts us in a better position to serve you, our customers.
As your operations continue to grow, you can trust that Wolter will do everything it can to provide the technology, equipment and support to keep your business ahead of the competition.
