RELAM Expanding Hi-Rail Truck Business

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor, Railway Age
(Wiskerchen Grapple Truck, Courtesy of RELAM)
(Wiskerchen Grapple Truck, Courtesy of RELAM)

Railway Equipment Leasing And Maintenance (RELAM) Inc. on Jan. 5 reported its acquisition of Wiskerchen Truck & Equipment, LLC and Wiskerchen Rental & Leasing, LLC, (Wiskerchen), which specialize in the sale, service, rental and leasing of hi-rail trucks and truck equipment.

The move, RELAM said, is part of its goal to expand the hi-rail vehicle portion of its railroad maintenance-of-way equipment leasing business, and will make the Glenwillow, Ohio-based company “a leading provider of hi-rail truck rentals in the North American market.”

According to RELAM, over the past two years, it has purchased more than 50 hi-rail trucks, several of which are from Wiskerchen, which was established in Spencer, Wis., in 2014.

“Strong demand for Wiskerchen’s hi-rail trucks and truck equipment coupled with their current manufacturing capacity will help RELAM fuel further growth within the facilities out of which both companies already operate,” RELAM said. “Additionally, both companies will be able to leverage facility space in Glenwillow, Ohio; Granite City, Ill.; and Spencer, Wis., to build out a service network to support third-party aftermarket parts and services and hi-rail inspections.”

Wiskerchen founder Robert (“Rob”) J. Wiskerchen will stay with the company for an extended period post-close to assist with the transition and will continue to be responsible for the daily operations of the business during the transition, according to RELAM.

“As the first client to work with Rob when he founded the company, RELAM has been a long-standing supporter of Wiskerchen,” RELAM CEO John Roberts said. “We’ve recognized the robust demand for Wiskerchen’s products and feel it validates RELAM’s goals to expand our presence in the hi-rail truck market. We’re thrilled to bring this partnership full circle.”

“RELAM provides a great arena for the continued growth of Wiskerchen’s products and services,” Rob Wiskerchen said. “Its large sales force and growing customer demands for hi-rail products will instantly provide Wiskerchen with tangible cross-sell opportunities while unlocking exciting new market opportunities for RELAM.”

In related developments, RELAM in February 2022 added a new facility near Sacramento, Calif., to better serve railroad, railway contractor and transit authority customers in the western United States and Canada’s British Columbia.

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