Kevin Watje and Mark Watje have announced their acquisition of the assets of Wayne Industrial Holdings LLC, parent company to Wayne Engineering and Wayne Sweepers. The father and son team, backed by a group of strategic investors, expects to acquire the assets of Wayne as part of a new company named Curbtender, Inc.
“Wayne’s customers and employees will benefit greatly from this new direction,” says Mark Watje, President of Curbtender. “We expect our brand to only strengthen, as we will build upon the legacy of Wayne. In addition to continuing the Wayne product line, we will be soon announcing new products and services that provide even more value to our customers.”
Discussions with Wayne’s workforce regarding the transition have been ongoing since early October, and operations are expected to continue as normal through the transition. Representatives from Curbtender and UAW Local 838 expect the collective bargaining agreement with Wayne Industrial Holdings to be assumed by the new company. Curbtender, Inc. will have the proud distinction of being the only US based refuse truck manufacturer represented by the United Automobile Workers.
The “Wayne” name has been used in conjunction with manufacturing refuse trucks for over 50 years. Today, the Wayne brand is best known for having pioneered the automated side loader market with the introduction of the Curbtender product in the 1970s. The Curbtender’s evolution over the past several decades has resulted in industry leading performance, the introduction of advanced controls systems, and integration with alternative fuel platforms. Recently, the product became the first in the industry to receive a 5-year standard warranty for body structure, arm structure, and operational controls systems.
“The name Curbtender represents the quality and innovation we expect to bring into all of our future products,” says Kevin Watje, CEO of Curbtender. As a result of the new company’s name, the Curbtender product will be rebranded the “PowerPak” automated side loading refuse truck.