From Chicago to Global Excellence: 90 Years of Finishing Innovation
For manufacturers, finding a reliable finishing partner often feels like navigating a minefield of uncertainties. Your coating partner might only represent 10% of your product cost, but they control 100% of what your customer sees. Quality inconsistencies, missed deadlines, and communication gaps can cascade into costly delays and customer dissatisfaction.
You need more than just a vendor – you need a partner who understands that every finished part carries your reputation.
Since our founding in 1932, Acme Finishing has been solving these challenges for manufacturers across America. From our earliest days providing finishes for road striping machines in Chicago to our current position as a trusted partner to global brands like Ford, Toyota, and Kohler, we’ve built our expertise through hands-on experience and continuous innovation. Our journey through four generations of family leadership and into modern manufacturing excellence gives us unique insight into what manufacturers need to succeed.
In this article, we’ll share how our nine decades of finishing expertise translate into tangible benefits for today’s manufacturers. You’ll discover how our combination of historical knowledge and modern capabilities creates finishing solutions that meet contemporary demands while maintaining the quality standards that have defined us for nearly a century.
A Legacy Built on Adaptation
When our founder William Walters opened a small finishing shop in Depression-era Chicago, he laid the foundation for what would become a cornerstone of American manufacturing excellence. Starting with road striping machines and office equipment, we learned early on that success in finishing requires more than just technical expertise – it demands an understanding of each customer’s unique needs and challenges.
Through economic cycles and technological revolutions, we’ve continuously evolved our capabilities while maintaining our core commitment to quality. In the 1970s, we made a strategic decision to relocate to Elk Grove Village, positioning ourselves at the heart of Chicago’s manufacturing corridor. This move, along with subsequent expansions including a major facility addition in the 1990s, has enabled us to better serve our growing customer base while maintaining the personal touch that defined our early years.
Today, we operate two facilities with a combined 125,000 square feet of production space, housing eight production areas including three powder coating lines and three liquid coating lines. This capacity allows us to produce hundreds of thousands of parts daily while maintaining the exacting standards our customers expect.
The Human Element
Our success isn’t built on equipment alone – it’s built on people. Many of our team members have been with us for decades, working their way up from entry-level positions to leadership roles. This depth of experience translates directly into better results for our customers.
Consider our long-serving supervisors, who started on the production floor and now manage multiple departments. Their hands-on experience and deep understanding of our processes ensure that every project benefits from decades of accumulated knowledge. This commitment to developing talent from within has created an environment where expertise isn’t just maintained – it’s continuously enhanced and passed on to the next generation.
Modern Capabilities for Modern Demands
Our facilities showcase the perfect blend of historical expertise and modern innovation. We can handle parts up to 40 feet in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds, with our largest powder line processing over 10 tons of material per hour. These capabilities make us an ideal partner for manufacturers across industries, from automotive components to agricultural equipment.
Quality isn’t just a department at Acme – it’s the foundation of everything we do. Our ISO9001:2015, CQI, and AAMA certifications, along with our status as a Tier 2 supplier to major automotive manufacturers, reflect our commitment to excellence. Our fully staffed quality assurance team uses proprietary software systems to ensure every part meets exact specifications, maintaining the high standards that have earned us the trust of global brands.
Environmental Responsibility
As manufacturing evolves, so does our commitment to environmental responsibility. Our ISO 14001:2015 certification reflects our dedication to sustainable practices, including powder reclamation programs and high-efficiency equipment conversion. We understand that responsible manufacturing isn’t just good for the environment – it’s good for business.
Partnering for Success
In 2015, our partnership with Stacker Holdings opened a new chapter in our story while maintaining our family values. This collaboration has enabled significant investments in our facilities, including a new chain on edge production line and expanded storage capabilities, enhancing our ability to serve our customers’ evolving needs.
Today, we serve as the final step in more than 20 global supply chains, providing custom production programs complete with value-added services like screening, assembly, and kitting. Our dedicated customer experience professionals work to create tailored logistics solutions that make us easy to do business with, despite our size and complexity.
Looking Forward
As we continue our journey, our commitment to manufacturing excellence remains unchanged. Whether you’re a global brand requiring high-volume production or a growing manufacturer seeking a reliable finishing partner, our nine decades of experience and continuous innovation position us to meet your needs.
Ready to experience the difference that 90+ years of finishing expertise can make? Contact us today to discuss how we can help enhance your manufacturing process with finishing solutions that meet the demands of modern manufacturing while maintaining the quality standards that have defined us for nearly a century.