Great Lakes Friction owners acquire assets of Indiana firm

Chris and Joey Butzen, the owners of Milwaukee based Great Lakes Friction Products, have purchased the assets of Carlisle Industrial Brake & Friction Inc., which had closed its doors in Logansport, Ind., late in 2010.
The Butzens will use the assets to form a new company named NF Friction Composites Inc., which will make friction products used in brake and clutch applications for non-automotive markets, such as lawn and garden equipment, cranes, hoists and agriculture.
Chris Butzen, president of Great Lakes Friction Products, said, “The closure left a hole in the supply chain for many companies, especially Great Lakes Friction Products who used to purchase the majority of its friction material from Carlisle. By purchasing the real estate, along with the building and its contents, we saw this as an opportunity to add options to the current marketplace. NF Friction Composites Incorporated, while starting from scratch, should be up and running by Oct. 3, 2011.”
The new company has hired three employees with more than 80 years of combined industry experience.
Great Lakes Friction Products is a contract manufacturer of non-asbestos friction components.