February 18, 2026 — Catalyst Strategic Advisors (“Catalyst”) is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive transaction advisor to Great Lakes Lifting Solutions (“Great Lakes”), a leading provider of specialized glass handling and lifting equipment, in its growth investment partnership with Wareing & Company (“Wareing”), a family office focused on long-term investments in high-quality industrial businesses.
Founded in 2006 by Steven and Don Brooks, Great Lakes serves the glazing industry and the broader industrial construction market, delivering highly specialized mini cranes and vacuum lifting systems engineered to safely lift and install heavy glass, stone, and metal panels in confined or challenging environments. Under their leadership, the Company has grown from a regional rental provider into a multi-state specialty equipment platform, serving customers across Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, and Illinois. Great Lakes’ offerings include rental, sales, service and repair, delivering precise and efficient material and glass handling solutions for demanding applications.
Great Lakes supports high-growth end markets, with exposure to battery manufacturing and advanced industrial facilities, as well as data center and commercial construction projects. In these environments, where safety, precision, and uptime are critical, its equipment enables the installation and handling of glass, stone, and metal panels, offering a safer and more efficient alternative to manual labor. Specialty lifting continues to gain adoption across construction and industrial environments as contractors prioritize safety, precision, and labor efficiency on complex jobsites.
Through its partnership with Wareing & Company, Great Lakes plans to expand geographically, grow its fleet and service capabilities, and increase adoption of specialty lifting solutions nationwide, enabling contractors to replace manual processes with equipment-based methods.
For media inquiries or more information, please contact Nina Jankowski at nina@catalysta.com or 719-636-2222.
About Great Lakes Lifting
Great Lakes Lifting Solutions provides specialty lifting solutions to industrial, manufacturing, construction, and glazing customers. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Peotone, Illinois, the Company serves customers across North America and has expanded its facility footprint to Waco, Texas, and Lakeland, Florida. Please visit https://greatlakeslifting.com/ for more information.
About Wareing & Company
Wareing & Company is a Houston-based single-family office that invests in lower middle-market, founder- and family-owned businesses. Wareing & Company combines a patient capital base with institutional resources and processes to support its partner companies and drive long-term earnings growth and value creation for the benefit of all stakeholders. Please visit https://www.wareing.com/ for more information.
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