WOOSTER, Ohio – Wooster-based Tahoma Enterprises has made its second acquisition, purchasing Wayne Machine Shop.

“We are pleased with the acquisition of a company that has the reputation and history of excellence in its niche markets that Wayne Machine has had over the last 40 years,” Chief Executive Officer Michael said through a press release. “We believe the outstanding effort that President Jim Kirchhofer and the team at Wayne have made over the last several years has prepared the company to move up to the next level.”

The company was founded in 1966. In 1984, Kirchhofer, along with Thomas Nickle, now deceased, went from employees to owners when they bought the company.  Kirchhofer said the timing was right to sell the company.  “Tahoma made me an attractive offer, not only for myself, but for my employees,” Kirchhofer said. One of his prerequisites was he wanted to maintain the quality of workplace and the structure of the benefits as unchanged as possible.

“I was looking to cut back my time investment in the business, and they offered me an opportunity to work for them part-time,” he said. Over the next five years, Kirchhofer will work part-time and spend more time trying to grow the business.

Wayne Machine Shop’s forte is manufacturing precision, quality parts through a process known as CNC machining, computer numerical control. Computer controllers guide machine tools to fabricate parts for the firefighting equipment, hydraulic and air actuators and oil field production industries. The shop’s workers deal with all kinds of materials and metals.

“We are excited to have closed on the second acquisition by Tahoma Enterprises and are especially pleased to have a local investor group maintaining local ownership of a long-standing area employer,” said J. Douglas Drushal, an attorney who worked on the deal. “The investor group hopes to not only maintain and grow local business, but to expand its reach throughout Northeast Ohio with its base right here in Wayne County.”

Tahoma Enterprises is a holding company formed for the purpose of finding, acquiring, and enhancing the value of companies through stronger financial and strategic management support.