Wilkes to carry on DeLuca's legacy

HURON — Two Huron-based companies joined by their specialty in piping jobs welded a newly formed bond to strengthen their local connection. A buyout recently occurred between Wilkes Plumbing & Heating and DeLuca Plumbing. It went into effect on Nov. 1. In short, here's how the partnership plays out going forward: • DeLuca will continue maintaining its own separate entity, such as through branding on trucks and keeping its phone number. • Management on both sides agreed to retain DeLuca's staff, seven employees, who now serve alongside Wilkes' workforce, roughly 50 employees. Financial arrangements of the deal were not publicly disclosed. Frank DeLuca, the former owner of DeLuca Plumbing, negotiated with Wilkes' upper management team, consisting of company president Sam Jeremay and company vice president Nick Diederich. "We spent the last couple of months looking at everything," said DeLuca, who plans on retiring after starting his company in 1984. "DeLuca is a strong asset for Wilkes and a great thing for me. They were looking to expand in my direction, and I have a reputation for doing things right. My people and I both agreed, with Wilkes, it would be a great fit." The two companies tend to focus on different jobs, making this union a good fit, all three said. DeLuca, known as a light commercial company, mostly pursued smaller jobs — like in restaurants, medical offices and shopping plazas — and also concentrated on residential plumbing work for service and repairs. Founded in 1912, Wilkes' services range from larger industrial to light commercial and residential service. It provides a wide range of mechanical contracting specialties from work on large process cooling systems to more basic plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning jobs for places like schools, hospitals and residential customers. By combining both companies, it broadens services these employees can provide for customers in Huron and beyond, Jeremay said. "We've wanted to expand into that market, and Frank had a good reputation that was already established, and it was a good asset to absorb," Jeremay said. "Now we can expand into the market that we have not really tapped into before." No matter if a Wilkes or DeLuca employee arrives for a job, customers can expect the best service at a reasonable rate, Diederich said. "We can offer them so much more now," Diedrich said. Both sides then shared a compliment of the other: • Wilkes on DeLuca: "We will carry on Frank's legacy when it comes to quality work and installation," Jeremay said. • DeLuca on Wilkes: "It makes me proud and happy they are continuing on with my name," DeLuca said. "With (Wilkes) in charge, I know they will have the same work ethic and principles that I carry."