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C. A. Litzler acquires Western Advanced Engineering company

30 Mar '11

2 min read

C. A. Litzler Co., Inc. announced on the 28 of March 2011 that it has acquired the technical assets of Western Advanced Engineering Company (WAECO) of Orange, California. WAECO is a worldwide supplier of custom hot-melt prepreg machines. WAECO prepreg machines are used by companies to produce high quality unidirectional and woven prepregs.

Litzler has supplied solution style prepreg machines since 1959 as well as Carbon Fiber Oxidation Ovens and complete Carbon Fiber systems. “The acquisition of WAECO is the next logical step for Litzler to continue to supply to all market stations in the composites industry” says Matt Litzler, President of C. A. Litzler Co., Inc. “We have long admired the technology that Steve Velleman developed over the years at WAECO, we have known Steve for many years in the industry and we are very pleased that Steve has entrusted Litzler with carrying on the WAECO name.” Steve Velleman founded WAECO in 1986 and will continue to work with Litzler in the selling and engineering of the prepreg machines.

WAECO machines include systems for development and production situations from 12” to 60” wide machines including on-line and off-line filmers as well as a unique and patent pending Thermoplastic prepreg machine.

WAECO is the originator of the "S-wrap"™ prepreg process. This process has advanced the prepreg process to a reliable and repeatable process and has removed it from the "black art" arena. The "S-wrap"™ machine can increase production up to 100 fpm on a standard machine. Typical competing designs are only useful up to 15 fpm.

Litzler was founded in 1953 in Cleveland, OH and brings WAECO into the family of companies and products that include: Litzler, Quickdraft , PSC, Inc., Litzler Automation, MCT (Molding and Coating Technologies), Thermovation, and Litzler Shanghai.

Litzler includes an organization with a large staff of mechanical and electrical engineers, multiple manufacturing facilities, full-time service staff in US and China as well as an experienced sales staff. Litzler looks forward to serving the existing WAECO customers with continued high quality along with increased capacity and reduced lead times due to our resources and multi-project capabilities.

C. A. Litzler Co., Inc.