2Written by Jen Hocken Ace Industries, a family business based in Atlanta, Georgia, has a rich history that can be traced back to 1932. The focus on solving customer problems, instead of simply selling a product, has held true for three genera- tions and this culture will be passed on to the next. The company manufactures overhead bridge cranes, gantry cranes, jib cranes, monorail systems, hoists, and custom lifting equipment. This overhead lifting expert has grown to become the largest indepen- dent crane and hoist company in the United States, providing manufacturing, distribution, and full cus- tomer-centric service. Ace Industries Final.indd 1Ace Industries Final.indd 19/8/21 3:44 PM9/8/21 3:44 PMAce Industries Final.indd 1Ace Industries Final.indd 19/8/21 3:44 PM9/8/21 3:44 PMAce Industries Final.indd 1Ace Industries Final.indd 19/8/21 3:44 PM9/8/21 3:44 PMAce Industries Final.indd 1Ace Industries Final.indd 19/8/21 3:44 PM9/8/21 3:44 PMWhen you have a lifting or motion control challenge, Columbus McKinnon has the solution. Working together with our network of trusted partners, like Ace Industries, we create intelligent motion solutions that move the world forward. Whether you need overhead crane automation or an innovative hand chain hoist, our comprehensive portfolio of products from a family of trusted brands are there to support your application needs. CO L UMBUS McKI NNO N CORPO RATI O N CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 2CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 28/26/21 4:50 PM8/26/21 4:50 PM “We do everything from the design to the engineering, the installation, the inspection and maintenance, and the repairs of overhead cranes and hoists. That makes us very unique because the industry is often fragmented,” says Ace Industries’ Chief Operations Officer Daniel Arwood. The various services offered by Ace Industries are frequently split across separate design engineering firms, steel erectors, inspectors, service providers, and original equipment manufac- turers. “We really bridge the gap for our customers, but we spe- cialize in the niche of overhead lifting with overhead cranes.” Ace Industries provides light-duty ergonomic lifting solutions as well as large overhead cranes with the capacity to lift hundreds of tons. The lighter lifting solutions, which are regularly used for automotive plants and assembly operations, require a deep understanding of ergonomics, since employees are using lifts repeatedly throughout the day. The heavier projects in need of large equipment such as power generation, metals production, and forestry operations call for Ace’s expertise in automation and reliability engineering for process applications. In addition to establishing itself as a quality manufacturer and designer of lifting equipment, Ace is known for providing exceptional customer field support in these demanding envi- ronments. Its equipment goes into heavy industry process- es, so in order to design the equipment efficiently, the team must comprehend its application. Ace has the experience to navigate the safety requirements, physical requirements, and other environmental factors within heavy industries. “We're a technical company at heart, and we really focus on servicing and manufacturing critical equipment. We focus on building reliable equipment, and we try to service that equip- ment with efficiency and speed, and that makes us a unique fit for companies in aerospace, military and defense, paper and forestry, metals production, automotive, oil and gas, energy, and power,” says Arwood. Ace Industries was founded in 1932 under the name Ace Electric Company, by Daniel’s grandfather Harold Arwood, Senior. It began as a motor repair facility with an office on Edgewood Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia, steps away from the Georgia State When you have a lifting or motion control challenge, Columbus McKinnon has the solution. Working together with our network of trusted partners, like Ace Industries, we create intelligent motion solutions that move the world forward. Whether you need overhead crane automation or an innovative hand chain hoist, our comprehensive portfolio of products from a family of trusted brands are there to support your application needs. CO L UMBUS McKI NNO N CORPO RATI O N CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 2CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 28/26/21 4:50 PM8/26/21 4:50 PM 6When you have a lifting or motion control challenge, Columbus McKinnon has the solution. Working together with our network of trusted partners, like Ace Industries, we create intelligent motion solutions that move the world forward. Whether you need overhead crane automation or an innovative hand chain hoist, our comprehensive portfolio of products from a family of trusted brands are there to support your application needs. CO L UMBUS McKI NNO N CORPO RATI O N CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 2CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 28/26/21 4:50 PM8/26/21 4:50 PM When you have a lifting or motion control challenge, Columbus McKinnon has the solution. Working together with our network of trusted partners, like Ace Industries, we create intelligent motion solutions that move the world forward. Whether you need overhead crane automation or an innovative hand chain hoist, our comprehensive portfolio of products from a family of trusted brands are there to support your application needs. CO L UMBUS McKI NNO N CORPO RATI O N CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 2CP2963_Manufacturing in Focus Ace Industries Ad_V3F.indd 28/26/21 4:50 PM8/26/21 4:50 PMCapitol. The intention, from the outset, was to create a family business, and by the 1970s, Harold’s son Bud had taken over and led the expansion into the crane business. Bud’s children Josh Arwood, current CEO, Cheryl Rossborough, CFO and Daniel Arwood, COO comprise the third generation of Ace Industries ownership. With Bud Arwood at the helm of the company in the 1970s and 1980s, Ace transitioned from a small electric motor repair shop to a parts and new equipment distributor for US-based hoist and crane manufacturers. The company had excel- lent inventory controls and the ability to ship the same day, which was rather unique at the time. This quality led Ace to become a master dealer for Coffing, Yale, Budgit, Shaw- Box, Harrington, R&M, Stahl, Duff Norton, and the Columbus McKinnon Corporation. The expansion into manufacturing and services in the nineties was based on a combination of market changes and end user demands. As international equipment manufacturers entered the U.S. market just as domestic suppliers went through a wave of aggregation, customers began to look to Ace to guide product design and selection decisions for increas- ingly complex lifting scenarios. As the company was able to offer both domestic and internationally supplied components for its clients, Ace was able to simplify selection decisions and provide the most effective solution to its clients. “We have developed a reputation in the industry for being ethical, responsible, responsive, and good at what we do.” Harold Arwood Founder Third Generation of Arwood Ownership 8To increase its capacity to manufacture overhead cranes, Ace acquired a new facility just outside of Metro Atlanta and soon began to open regional service centers. The first were in Birmingham, Alabama and Cincinnati, Ohio, and since that time, the company has continued a methodical expansion both organically and through the acquisition of other crane compa- nies. Ace now has over thirty-six offices in the U.S. from Florida to Washington State, and in the future, it hopes to expand further into the Midwest and Northeast. Ace began during a difficult time following the Great Depression, and it has endured a number of economic and political chal- lenges throughout its journey. These have taught the company to be adaptable and pivot when necessary. “There are great legends at Ace about the many changes that have happened, and I do say legends because Ace has been around for a lot of years, and we have developed a reputation in the industry for being ethical, responsible, responsive, customer-centric and good at what we do,” says Arwood. Many companies in the manufacturing industry have expe- rienced a ripple effect in material prices and demand due to the pandemic. Steel has seen significant price fluctuations and caused inflationary pressures for overhead crane manufactur- ing since it is the primary commodity used in a crane. “When you're building a crane project that has 200,000 pounds of steel in it, and the price of steel goes up from $0.85 a pound to $1.35, it's a problem, but I think we can reasonably expect to see that stabilize,” explains Arwood. The company’s services are considered essential since overhead cranes are used to transport products through manufacturing facilities. If it had suspended its services, it would have caused Next >