YOUNGSTOWN — A small manufacturing firm specializing in induction heating equipment has changed hands in an asset purchase that preserves jobs and positions the company for growth in this former steel hub.

Induction Professionals LLC, located at 1058 Ohio Works Drive in an industrial section of Youngstown, was recently acquired by Extrutec North America, a U.S. subsidiary of a German supplier focused on heating technologies for metal processing.

The deal retains all employees and keeps founder Tom Kearney on board during a transition period.

Michael Werner, key account manager for Extrutec North America, described the acquisition as a natural fit. He first connected with Kearney late last year while seeking specialized materials for an installation project.

“Tom (Kearney) was kind enough to do that, and we started talking, and it led to what it is now that we’re taking over the business from Tom,” Werner said.

The purchase gives Extrutec a U.S. manufacturing base, which was something Werner said they had initially lacked at its Michigan sales office. Werner said the asset purchase now positions the German-based company’s expansion of service offerings for American customers.

“We will have that manufacturing base here in the U.S.,” Werner said. “Furthermore, we have the goal to build out the service side of the business so that we can provide service to our U.S. customers.”

All current staff will stay on, with Kearney remaining for at least six months full time, followed by reduced hours and consulting availability. The company is currently hiring additional workers as it grows.

Kearney, who has been in the industry since 1974, said the timing aligned with his retirement plans. His wife has already retired, and the couple intend to remain in the area.

“It’s time to join her now,” Kearney said.

For Kearney, job security was a priority when selecting a buyer.

“I wanted to be sure that everybody here kept their jobs,” Kearney said, adding that he did not want new ownership to cut wages, benefits or staff.

“Some of the people in this building are, although they are also employees, they’re people I’ve known for decades,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if I’ve known them for decades or I’ve known them for days, they’re still human beings and deserve to be treated as human beings with respect and with dignity.”

Both men explained that the transaction structured as an asset purchase avoids inheriting prior liabilities.

Extrutec brings advanced technologies, including modern IGBT converters for power supplies that improve efficiency and reduce utility penalties related to power factor.

Werner highlighted the potential for growth, noting complementary products and stronger financial backing.

“There are certain complementary technologies,” he said. “We certainly have a little bit more financial backing through the other businesses that we have, and technology, therefore that we can bring to the table that are beneficial to the market.”

Kearney said the location on the site of the former U.S. Steel Ohio Works benefits from a concentration of potential customers in the Rust Belt region spanning Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana.

“There’s a significant concentration just in this area,” Werner said.

Kearney founded the company after his previous employer abruptly closed in 2002. Starting operations from his kitchen table, he later built the current facility with assistance from local and state economic incentives on a brownfield site.

The new ownership sees the acquisition as a step toward making Induction Professional Solutions “a growing, vibrant company,” as Kearney put it.