Acrotech Reaches Manufacturing Milestone of 500th Roll Bending Machine

Lake City manufacturer Acrotech hit a milestone recently with the production of its 500th machine since the company’s formation in 1984.

Acrotech machines employ a two-roll process, unduplicated in the United States, that has only a couple of competitors offshore. Its advantages over the conventional three roll system include excellent repeatability and quality, along with a quick cycle time and ease of operation. A variety of machine models are cataloged to roll up to six-foot-long cylinders and as thick as 3/16-inch mild steel.

Early requests were primarily for tanks and exhaust components. Acrotech machines have since been used for fan and motor housings, laundry machines, recessed light fixtures, pipe saddles, heating elements, keyhole saws, smoker and grill components, ductwork, cable reels, and a variety of medical and transportation applications.

“The machines are simple, stout, and pretty much bullet proof.” shares Plant Manager, Joe White. “When we are approached with the right application, customers can easily justify a machine.”

Over the years, Acrotech has expanded the machines to include more controls and various levels of automation.  Acrotech partners locally with Automation Services for controls support and ASI Hydraulics for actuation components.  Each machine is custom built for a specific application.

Acrotech is a captive shop, building each machine from the ground up, including machining, fabricating, welding, hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical, and painting, according to the company.  Acrotech also offers customer support with onsite training and service.

Acrotech’s history dates back to 1984 when parent company Houdaille closed the doors of the Di-Acro plant in Lake City. Di-Acro was a prominent local manufacturer supporting the metal fabricating industry. The site was on 7th Street at the current location of Hearth and Home Technologies.

That same year three individuals working at Di-Acro formed a new company, Acrotech Incorporated.  Dale Oliver, Dick Huppert, and Leon Rutz secured an agreement with Di-Acro to transfer segments of the business.  This included urethane manufacturing and a machine tool used to roll sheet metal into cylinders.

The arrangement included molds, equipment, customer lists, patterns, and trademarks. A small staff was established and four years later, in 1987 they shipped the first rolling machine with the Acrotech Inc. label.

The first customer was DriSteem in Eden Prairie, Minn. That original machine is still in operation. They purchased a second machine in 2010.  Fast forward 36 years and the 500th machine has been developed, manufactured and ready to ship.

Jim Schively, Acrotech’s shop manager familiar with the progression of the machines, has been heavily involved over the last 25 years. “They have come a long way since I’ve started,” he said.

Acrotech is excited about the next five hundred machines!

Written by Joe White – Acrotech Plant Manager
Prepared for release by Lake City Graphic