Great Lakes Power

What Great Lakes Power does

Great Lakes Power (legal entity GL Power, Inc.) is a privately held industrial distribution, manufacturing, and service company founded in 1973 and headquartered in Madison, Ohio. The company specializes in power transmission products and drivetrain components for heavy-duty marine and off-highway applications, serving two primary verticals: commercial and recreational marine (transmissions, propulsion, waterjets, steering, thrusters, surface drives, Z drives) and off-highway industrial markets including construction, agriculture, mining, and material handling (transmissions, axles, drivelines, PTOs, torque converters, pump drives). The company employs 51–100 people and has operated continuously for over 50 years.

The business operates as an authorized distributor and service center for more than 25 leading OEM brands, most notably Twin Disc (over 40 years of partnership), Dana Spicer Clark Hurth (one of only two Dana Spicer Product Centers in the United States), Marine Travelift, AxleTech/Meritor, and HamiltonJet. Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) OEM parts sales under the trademarked PowerPRO™ parts program, offering custom pricing and rapid availability; (2) 24/7 repair and rebuild services delivered through field service and shop repair by authorized trained technicians; and (3) custom manufactured products including the proprietary Yard Bully Straddle Carrier line (20, 35, and 50 metric ton models) and custom-built test stands. The go-to-market is sales-led, driven primarily by phone outreach, the company website, and physical location visits rather than digital marketing.

The competitive position rests on exclusive OEM authorizations, multi-decade customer relationships, specialized technician labor, and the proprietary PowerPRO inventory and parts program. No public ownership, institutional investors, subsidiaries, or acquisitions are disclosed. The company appears to be management- or founder-owned based on the absence of external investment references, with two large financing instruments recorded in 2013 ($42M) and 2014 ($58M) that are anomalous relative to the company's size and most likely represent debt facilities rather than equity capital.

Name

Great Lakes Power

Legal name

GL Power, Inc.

Website

https://glpower.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Power is a 50-year-old authorized distributor, manufacturer, and rebuilder of power transmission products serving heavy-duty marine and off-highway industrial markets across the United States. It is one of only two Dana Spicer Product Centers in the country and offers the proprietary PowerPRO parts program alongside 24/7 repair services and custom Yard Bully Straddle Carriers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mentor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. OEM Parts Sales: Sales of original equipment manufacturer power transmission parts through the PowerPRO program
2. Repair and Rebuild Services: On-demand repair and rebuild services for power transmission equipment with 24/7 availability
3. Custom Products: Manufacturing and remanufacturing of custom products including Yard Bully Straddle Carriers (20, 35, and 50 metric ton models), test stands, and rebuilt equipment

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Great Lakes Power distributes OEM power transmission products, drivetrain components, and related accessories for heavy-duty marine and off-highway applications, and provides authorized repair and rebuild services for these products. It also manufactures custom industrial equipment including Yard Bully Straddle Carriers and test stands. The company's PowerPRO parts program supplies OEM replacement parts with rapid availability, supported by 24/7 service and engineering expertise.

Product overview

Great Lakes Power operates as a specialized distributor and service provider for power transmission products serving the marine and off-highway industrial markets. The company offers a portfolio of marine transmissions, propulsion systems, and marine equipment alongside off-highway transmissions, axles, drivelines, and related drivetrain components. The core product line includes marine transmissions (waterjets, Z drives, thrusters, surface drives), off-highway transmissions and axles, power take-offs, torque converters, pump drives, and filtration systems. Beyond product distribution, the company provides custom-manufactured products including Yard Bully Straddle Carriers and test stands, along with a PowerPRO branded parts program and 24/7 repair/rebuild services. Great Lakes Power represents multiple OEM brands including Twin Disc, Dana Spicer Clark Hurth, and Marine Travelift.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PowerPRO™: The company's parts program offering industry-leading customer support, access to extensive OEM parts inventory, custom pricing and availability for power transmission needs.

Products and services

• OEM Parts Distribution (PowerPRO Program) PowerPRO is a parts procurement program that provides customers with access to an extensive inventory of OEM replacement parts from Twin Disc, Dana Spicer Clark Hurth, HamiltonJet, Funk Manufacturing, and other represented brands, with custom pricing and rapid availability to reduce equipment downtime. Targeted at marine vessel operators and off-highway industrial equipment operators.
• Repair and Rebuild Services Authorized repair and rebuild services for power transmission equipment including Twin Disc, Dana Spicer, and other major OEM products, delivered through field service and shop repair capabilities on a 24/7 basis to reduce equipment downtime. Targeted at marine vessel operators and off-highway industrial equipment operators.
• Yard Bully Straddle Carriers Custom-manufactured industrial straddle carriers designed for lifting and moving steel and heavy items within industrial facilities. Available in 20, 35, and 50 metric ton models with custom frame heights and widths. Targeted at steel mills, metal service centers, and heavy industrial facilities.
• Custom Test Stands Custom-built test stands designed for testing and validating power transmission equipment. Targeted at industrial and marine operators who require in-house diagnostic and validation capabilities for transmission products.
• Rebuilt Equipment Rebuilt and remanufactured power transmission equipment and components, offered to customers as an alternative to new OEM units. Targeted at marine and off-highway operators looking for cost-effective replacement transmissions, gearboxes, and drivetrain components.
• Engineering Support Engineering expertise and technical support services for product selection and application across the marine and off-highway power transmission portfolio. Targeted at operators and project engineers selecting transmission, propulsion, drivetrain, and accessory components.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and standard.

• Twin DisccoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized Twin Disc distributor and service center with extensive inventory of Twin Disc units and genuine replacement parts. Over 40 years of experience selling and servicing Twin Disc products.
• Dana Spicer Clark HurthcoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of only two Dana Spicer Product Centers in the country and authorized Dana Spicer Off-Highway Service Center. Access to engineering, drawings, and technical data from Dana Spicer.
• Marine TraveliftmajorTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for marina boat handling equipment including Travelift and Shuttlelift products.
• AxleTech / MeritormajorTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for AxleTech and Meritor off-highway axle and drivetrain products.
• HamiltonJetmajorTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for HamiltonJet waterjet propulsion systems.
• Funk ManufacturingmajorTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Funk Manufacturing power transmission products.
• TDI Tech DevelopmentstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for TDI Tech Development products.
• RacorstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Racor filtration products for marine and off-highway applications.
• TorqeedostandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Torqeedo electric propulsion systems.
• Carraro Drive TechstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Carraro Drive Tech power transmission products.
• CENTAstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for CENTA coupling and power transmission products.
• Comer IndustriesstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Comer Industries power transmission solutions.
• CottastandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Cotta power transmission products.
• Donaldson Company, Inc.standardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Donaldson filtration systems.
• Durst / Regal BeloitstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Durst/Regal Beloit power transmission products.
• Kongsberg Morse ControlsstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Kongsberg Morse Controls marine control systems.
• Konrad MarinestandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Konrad Marine products.
• Murphy by EnovationstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Murphy gauges and monitoring products by Enovation.
• Parallel Hybrid TransmissionsstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Parallel Hybrid Transmissions products.
• SGFstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for SGF products.
• ShuttleliftmajorTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Shuttlelift industrial lifting equipment.
• Timken Lubrication SystemsstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Timken lubrication systems.
• VETHstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for VETH products.
• VulkanstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Vulkan power transmission products.
• Wichita ClutchstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for Wichita Clutch products.
• WIX FiltersstandardTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized distributor for WIX filtration products.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Motion Industries: Motion Industries is a large U.S. industrial MRO and power transmission distributor with a broad catalog covering bearings, gearboxes, and drivetrain components. Overlaps with GL Power in distribution of power transmission parts and authorized service work, but operates at national scale with a much larger product line.
• Kaman Industrial Technologies: Kaman Industrial Technologies distributes bearings, power transmission, and material handling products with engineering and service support. Overlaps with GL Power in power transmission distribution and authorized service work for industrial customers.
• Twin Disc: Twin Disc is a major OEM manufacturer of marine and off-highway power transmission products and a Core GL Power partner. While Twin Disc is principally an OEM rather than a distributor, it sits in the same marine and industrial drivetrain value chain and is a key supplier — making it a structurally relevant peer/principal.
• Applied Industrial Technologies: Applied Industrial Technologies is a leading U.S. industrial distributor focused on bearings, power transmission, fluid power, and maintenance products. It is a broader incumbent with national coverage, e-commerce procurement, and similar OEM partnerships (including motion control and fluid power), competing for the same end-customers in off-highway and industrial MRO.

Direct peers

• BDI (Bearing Distributors Inc.): BDI is a power transmission and bearings specialist distributor with service and repair capabilities across North America. Closest direct peer to GL Power in terms of product focus (bearings, gearboxes, power transmission), authorized OEM partnerships, and combined parts-plus-service model.
• Power Transmission & Bearing Co. Power Transmission & Bearing Co. is a regional specialist distributor focused on power transmission products, bearings, and related services. Highly comparable to GL Power in vertical specialization, OEM authorization model, and combination of distribution with service and rebuild.

Others

• HamiltonJet: HamiltonJet manufactures waterjet propulsion systems and is a Major GL Power partner in marine propulsion. Relevant adjacent peer/principal — sits in the same marine propulsion value chain and is a key supplier relationship that defines a portion of GL Power's marine offering.
• Roper Pump Company (a Franklin Electric brand): Roper Pump / Franklin Electric industrial fluid handling and power transmission-adjacent products. Adjacent peer in industrial and marine fluid handling and power-related equipment, thematically comparable to GL Power's pump drives and marine propulsion portfolio.
• Marine Travelift: Marine Travelift manufactures boat handling and lifting equipment for marinas and shipyards, distributed by GL Power as a Major partner. Adjacent OEM principal that is structurally linked to GL Power's marina and industrial gantry crane product line.

Regional players

• Dalton Bearing Service: Dalton Bearing is a regional power transmission and bearing distributor with repair and fabrication capabilities. Comparable in size, vertical mix (parts, service, custom), and customer profile to GL Power, though concentrated in different U.S. geographies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-lakes-power-products

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Power