Industry Veteran Matt McCabe, 43, Dies in ATV Accident Near Fremont, Ohio

Matt McCabe, a seasoned machinery sales executive and long‑time Wittmann Battenfeld colleague, tragically passed away on Jan. 20 after an ATV accident near his Fremont, Ohio, home. He was 43.

McCabe built an 18‑year career in plastics machinery sales. He earned a B.Sc. in Industrial Technology from Ohio University – Russ College of Engineering & Technology before launching his career with The Turner Group on the West Coast. In 2003 he joined Wittmann as a regional sales manager in California, and by 2004 he had moved to the company’s U.S. headquarters in Torrington, Connecticut, where he was promoted to national sales manager.

He later became the first international key account manager for Wittmann, working directly with founder Michael Wittmann and traveling worldwide to support injection‑mold manufacturers.

In 2015 McCabe returned to Ohio and co‑founded Great Lakes Machinery & Automation LLC with Mike Paeth. The firm continues to represent Wittmann Battenfeld and several other manufacturers throughout the Great Lakes region.

McCabe was a passenger on an ATV when the driver lost control and the vehicle plunged through ice on a frozen pond. The driver escaped, but rescue crews could not reach McCabe in time.

“The news of this tragic accident was very difficult to process, and we are all grieving the loss of our good friend and colleague,” said David Preusse, president of Wittmann Battenfeld Inc.

He is survived by his wife, Abby, and their children, Isla and Michael.

More information on the services can be found here.