Sterling radiator manufacturer bought by Wisconsin-based company

STERLING – Menk USA, a cooling radiator manufacturer in Sterling, was bought by a Wisconsin-based power transformer manufacturer after being a supplier for the company for more than 20 years, according to a news release from the company.

Prolec GE in Waukesha, a business unit of Prolec GE, made the announcement in a news release Sept. 3. On Sept. 4, the company celebrated the change in ownership by hosting a barbecue for all the Menk employees in Sterling and “a number of Prolec executives, who warmly welcomed the Menk USA team to the Prolec family,” according to a Sept. 6 Facebook post by Prolec GE Waukesha.

The company was a partial owner of Menk since 2002. By acquiring complete ownership from Germany-based Menk-Schmehmann Group, Menk will become fully integrated into the company’s components portfolio, according to the release.

This bolsters Prolec GE’s supply chain resiliency, enhances its strategic capabilities and is part of its ongoing effort to increase the availability of transformer components in the U.S. market, according to the release.

“We have had a productive and successful relationship with Prolec GE for over 20 years,” Menk CEO Chip Donahue said in the release. “Now, by integrating into the Prolec GE business, Menk USA is in an optimal position to better serve our existing customers while exploring new opportunities for expansion and development. We look forward to continuing our mission of providing the highest quality radiators in the market under the guidance and resources of Prolec GE.”