More than a Number: The Meaning Behind This Milestone
June 29, 2026 | Emily Guerra Martucci, President
Five years doesn't define a legacy—but it does reveal the beginning of one.
The first year of any business is about possibility. It's built on vision, optimism, and the belief that an idea can become something meaningful. By year five, that possibility has become proof. Five years is long enough to know who you are. It's enough time to build a culture, earn the trust of customers, overcome challenges, and establish an identity of your own.
For LogistiQ, these first five years represent more than growth. They represent the first chapter of the next legacy, built upon one that began generations ago.
While our company was officially launched in 2021, our foundation was laid decades earlier through the vision, hard work, and values of my grandfather, who founded our family's business, LEWCO (Lake Erie Welding). From day one, we've described ourselves as a "100-year-old startup." We've always been proud of our heritage, but these first five years have been about proving that we could build on that legacy while creating something uniquely our own.
This weekend also marks 13 years since my grandfather passed away. Milestones like this naturally invite reflection, and what surprises me most is that I feel closer to him today than I ever have.
Growing up, he was simply Grandpa to me. Today, I understand him in an entirely different way. Now that I have the privilege of leading our family business alongside my father and sister, I find myself recognizing pieces of him in the decisions we make every day. I often wonder what he would think of the opportunities we've pursued, the challenges we've faced, and the company we've become. I like to think he'd be proud—not simply because of our growth, but because we've remained committed to the values that mattered most to him.
His presence is still woven into this company. I see it in the employees who worked alongside him and continue to share stories that remind us where we came from. I see it in the relationships our family has built throughout this community over generations. And I feel it every time we're faced with a difficult decision and choose to lead with integrity, hard work, and genuine commitment to our customers and our people.
They say a person's legacy lives on through the people they impact. I've come to realize that's exactly what my Grandpa built. His legacy isn't confined to our history—it's alive in our culture, our people, and the standards we hold ourselves to every day. As time passes, I don't feel further away from him. In many ways, I feel closer than ever because I now understand the responsibility he carried and the foundation he left for us to build upon.
Our journey to LogistiQ began long before 2021. LEWCO began researching opportunities in the Retail, E-commerce & Distribution (R.E.D.) market in 2012. By 2020, that business tripled in size from the previous year. We knew we had found something special. Customer demand was accelerating, and we recognized an opportunity to build a company dedicated entirely to the rapidly evolving world of retail, e-commerce, and distribution.
LogistiQ officially launched in 2021 as a division of LEWCO. Soon after, we acquired what would become our home—a 750,000-square-foot former World War II depot in Port Clinton, Ohio. Today, that facility serves as the center of our engineering, manufacturing, integration, and operational capabilities. It stands as a reminder that the strongest foundations are often built by honoring the past while investing boldly in the future.
Built Through Growth, Strengthened by Challenges
If our first five years were about proving who we are, they've also been about proving what we're capable of.
Growth has never been our goal for growth's sake. Every investment we've made has been driven by one question: How can we better serve our customers? That mindset has shaped every decision—from expanding our manufacturing capabilities and strengthening our engineering expertise to growing our field execution teams and enhancing the support we provide long after a system goes live.
In January 2024, LogistiQ was established as its own legal entity, marking an important step in our continued evolution as an independent company. A few months later, in April 2024, we completed the second phase of renovations to our Port Clinton facility, adding manufacturing capacity, product testing capabilities, and office space to support our growth. Together, these milestones represented more than expansion—they reflected the foundation we were building for LogistiQ’s future while remaining grounded in the values that shaped us.
Today, LogistiQ is a vertically integrated material handling solutions provider purpose-built for the retail, e-commerce, and distribution industries. Our capabilities span the entire lifecycle of a project—from consulting, system design, engineering, controls, software, and simulation to manufacturing, installation, commissioning, and long-term lifecycle support. Whether a customer needs a fully integrated turnkey automation system or equipment designed to solve a specific operational challenge, we have the expertise, flexibility, and resources to deliver solutions tailored to their business.
Our partnership doesn't end when installation is complete. Our Field Execution team, now more than 150 professionals strong, brings our solutions to life in facilities across North America. Through comprehensive aftermarket support, technical service, warranty programs, spare parts, preventive maintenance, and system optimization, we remain committed to helping our customers maximize performance long after startup. That end-to-end approach has become one of the defining characteristics of who we are.
Looking Ahead
Year five has brought no signs of slowing down. By the end of this year, we will have added approximately 170 new positions across engineering, manufacturing, operations, and support functions, growing our team to more than 550 employees. This investment in our people strengthens our vertically integrated model and expands our ability to serve customers at every stage of their automation journey.
