Adkev Acquires Winzeler Gear

Adkev of Goodland, IN has acquired Winzeler Gear of Harwood Heights, IL. Winzeler Gear was founded in 1940 in Chicago as a producer of stamped metal gears. In the 1960s and 1970s, the company shifted its focus to plastic gears and is now recognized internationally as a leading manufacturer of precision injection molded gears for the automotive industry. Winzeler Gear has over 40 full-time employees, 42 injection molding machines, and a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Harwood Heights, IL capable of molding more than 150 million plastic gears each year. Retiring president/CEO John Winzeler ran Winzeler Gear for nearly four decades. Adkev is a family-owned injection molding company that was started in 1987 by Gary Rheude, who is still the acting president/CEO. Adkev primarily manufactures precision injection molded parts for automotive, industrial, and appliance end-markets. It has two production molding plants in Indiana, one in Kentucky, and a tooling operation in Elkhart, IN. Total manufacturing space is nearly 600,000 square feet, and the company ranks 85th on the Plastics News list of North American injection molding companies. Winzeler Gear and Adkev operate in adjacent segments of the automotive space. The transaction will allow the combined entity to leverage an expanded set of capabilities and offer complete manufacturing solutions for actuator systems in seating, HVAC, steering, door handle, sunroof, and mirror applications. The company will pursue similar opportunities in non-automotive markets as well. This deal is the first business acquisition for Adkev. All of the Winzeler employees will remain with the organization and Adkev will continue operating Winzeler's plant in Harwood Heights over the long term. All active Winzeler Gear customers will continue to be served by Adkev.