============================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of
                    the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 18, 2001
                                                ------------------------
                           Heartland Technology, Inc.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    Delaware
         --------------------------------------------------------------
         (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

         1-11956                                     36-1487580
 ------------------------             ------------------------------------
 (Commission File Number)             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

330 N. Jefferson Court, Chicago, Illinois                60661
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code   (312) 575-0400
                                                  ------------------
============================================================================







                                       1
<PAGE>

                           HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.


Item 4.   Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountants

     (a) At a meeting held on December  18, 2001,  the Board of Directors of the
Company approved the engagement of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as its independent
auditors  for the fiscal  year ending  December  31, 2001 to replace the firm of
Ernst & Young LLP,  who were  dismissed  as auditors  of the  Company  effective
December 18, 2001.  The audit  committee of the Board of Directors  approved the
change in auditors on December 18, 2001.

     The reports of Ernst & Young LLP on the Company's financial  statements for
the past two fiscal years did not contain an adverse  opinion or a disclaimer of
opinion and were not  qualified  or  modified  as to audit  scope or  accounting
principles,  however  the report was  modified  to  indicate  substantial  doubt
regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.

     In connection  with the audits of the Company's  financial  statements  for
each of the two fiscal  years ended  December 31,  2000,  and in the  subsequent
interim  period,  there  were no  disagreements  with  Ernst & Young  LLP on any
matters of accounting  principles or practices,  financial statement disclosure,
or auditing scope and procedures  which, if not resolved to the  satisfaction of
Ernst & Young LLP would have caused  Ernst & Young LLP to make  reference to the
matter in their report.  The Company has requested  Ernst & Young LLP to furnish
it a letter addressed to the Commission stating whether it agrees with the above
statements.  A copy of that letter,  dated December 18, 2001 is filed as Exhibit
16 to this Form 8-K.

     (b) The Company engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers,  LLP as its new independent
accountants as of December 18, 2001. During the two most recent fiscal years and
through    December   17,   2001,   the   Company   has   not   consulted   with
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP regarding either (i) the application of accounting
principals to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type
of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company's  financial  statements,
and neither a written  report nor oral advice was  provided to the Company  that
was an important  factor  considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to
the accounting,  auditing or financial  reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that
was  either  the  subject  of a  disagreement,  as that term is  defined in Item
304(a)(1)(iv)  of  Regulation  S-K and the related  instructions  to Item 304 of
regulation  S-K,  or a  reportable  event,  as  that  term  is  defined  in Item
304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)    Exhibits

Exhibit No.        Description
-----------        -----------
16                 Letter regarding change in certifying accountants









                                       2
<PAGE>

                           HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                           HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Date:   December 21, 2001                  By: /s/ Richard P. Brandstatter
      -----------------------              ----------------------------------
                                           Richard P. Brandstatter
                                           Vice President - Finance, Secretary,
                                           and Treasurer






                                       3
<PAGE>

                           HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX




Exhibit No.        Description
----------         -----------
16                 Letter regarding change in certifying accountants








                                       4
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============================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of
                    the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 18, 2001
                                                ------------------------
                           Heartland Technology, Inc.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    Delaware
         --------------------------------------------------------------
         (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

         1-11956                                     36-1487580
 ------------------------             ------------------------------------
 (Commission File Number)             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

330 N. Jefferson Court, Chicago, Illinois                60661
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code   (312) 575-0400
                                                  ------------------
============================================================================

                                       1
HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Item 4.   Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountants

     (a) At a meeting held on December  18, 2001,  the Board of Directors of the
Company approved the engagement of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as its independent
auditors  for the fiscal  year ending  December  31, 2001 to replace the firm of
Ernst & Young LLP,  who were  dismissed  as auditors  of the  Company  effective
December 18, 2001.  The audit  committee of the Board of Directors  approved the
change in auditors on December 18, 2001.

     The reports of Ernst & Young LLP on the Company's financial  statements for
the past two fiscal years did not contain an adverse  opinion or a disclaimer of
opinion and were not  qualified  or  modified  as to audit  scope or  accounting
principles,  however  the report was  modified  to  indicate  substantial  doubt
regarding the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.

     In connection  with the audits of the Company's  financial  statements  for
each of the two fiscal  years ended  December 31,  2000,  and in the  subsequent
interim  period,  there  were no  disagreements  with  Ernst & Young  LLP on any
matters of accounting  principles or practices,  financial statement disclosure,
or auditing scope and procedures  which, if not resolved to the  satisfaction of
Ernst & Young LLP would have caused  Ernst & Young LLP to make  reference to the
matter in their report.  The Company has requested  Ernst & Young LLP to furnish
it a letter addressed to the Commission stating whether it agrees with the above
statements.  A copy of that letter,  dated December 18, 2001 is filed as Exhibit
16 to this Form 8-K.

     (b) The Company engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers,  LLP as its new independent
accountants as of December 18, 2001. During the two most recent fiscal years and
through    December   17,   2001,   the   Company   has   not   consulted   with
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP regarding either (i) the application of accounting
principals to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type
of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company's  financial  statements,
and neither a written  report nor oral advice was  provided to the Company  that
was an important  factor  considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to
the accounting,  auditing or financial  reporting issue; or (ii) any matter that
was  either  the  subject  of a  disagreement,  as that term is  defined in Item
304(a)(1)(iv)  of  Regulation  S-K and the related  instructions  to Item 304 of
regulation  S-K,  or a  reportable  event,  as  that  term  is  defined  in Item
304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)    Exhibits

Exhibit No.        Description
-----------        -----------
16                 Letter regarding change in certifying accountants

                                       2
HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                           HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Date:   December 21, 2001                  By: /s/ Richard P. Brandstatter
      -----------------------              ----------------------------------
                                           Richard P. Brandstatter
                                           Vice President - Finance, Secretary,
                                           and Treasurer

                                       3
HEARTLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC.

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.        Description
----------         -----------
16                 Letter regarding change in certifying accountants

                                       4