Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
Applied Control Engineering is a privately held industrial automation system integrator delivering PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, MES/MOM, OT cybersecurity, and control system modernization services to enterprise manufacturers across nine US offices and multiple regulated industries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersNewark, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Applied Control Engineering, Inc. does
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. (ACE) is a privately held industrial automation system integrator headquartered in Newark, Delaware. Founded in 1991 by three engineers (Tim Cole, Alex Shields, and Paul Fruehauf) following Tim Cole's 13-year tenure at DuPont, the company has grown to more than 200 engineers and support professionals across nine US offices spanning Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, and Connecticut.
ACE provides vendor-independent process automation and control systems integration services spanning the complete project lifecycle: front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies, detailed design, implementation, commissioning and startup, and ongoing system support. The service portfolio is organized into core lines including Automation & Design (PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, safety instrumented systems, control system modernization, and validation), MES/MOM consulting, industrial networking, OT cybersecurity, robotics and machine vision, batch processing, alarm management, project management, and support and training. The firm holds tier-1 authorizations across competing platforms, including Rockwell Automation (Gold System Integrator), Siemens (Process Automation Solution Provider), ABB, AVEVA, Emerson, and Honeywell, with supporting relationships to Cognex, GE Vernova, Exida, Inductive Automation, Kepware, Schneider Electric, and Yokogawa.
The firm sells professional services on a project-based, quote-driven basis, typically under multi-year contracts, to enterprise customers across life sciences/pharmaceutical, chemicals, oil and gas, power generation, food and beverage, air separation, metals and mining, pulp and paper, and site utilities. Notable customers and engagements include Contract Pharmacal Corp., Oscilla Power (wave energy control systems using Siemens), Charter Steel (multi-phased OT cybersecurity), a global nutritional supplement manufacturer's multi-year cybersecurity transformation, and a greenfield pharmaceutical facility automation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no external funding rounds or institutional investors are referenced, and the company has remained founder- and management-controlled since inception, with leadership successfully transitioning from founder Tim Cole in 2017 to a built internal team.
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
- Legal name
- Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
- Website
- https://ace-net.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Applied Control Engineering is a privately held industrial automation system integrator delivering PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, MES/MOM, OT cybersecurity, and control system modernization services to enterprise manufacturers across nine US offices and multiple regulated industries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Automation Services
- NAICS
- Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM), Process & Batch Control Software (Recipe Management, ISA-88) (IMAGABAH)
Keywords
Where Applied Control Engineering, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newark
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Engineering Services: Professional engineering services for process automation and control systems spanning the complete project lifecycle including FEED studies, design, implementation, commissioning, validation, and ongoing support
- Project Management Services: Project management services for control and automation system projects, acting as owner's representative and coordinating multiple trades and subcontractors
- Cybersecurity Services: OT cybersecurity assessments, implementation, and ongoing security services for manufacturing environments
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Applied Control Engineering (ACE) is an independent system integrator providing comprehensive engineering services for industrial process automation and control systems. The company delivers services across the complete project lifecycle, from front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies through detailed design, implementation, commissioning, startup, and ongoing system support, covering PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, MES/MOM, networking, OT cybersecurity, robotics, machine vision, batch processing, and alarm management.
Product overview
Applied Control Engineering (ACE) is a systems integrator providing comprehensive engineering services for industrial process automation and control systems. The company offers a unified portfolio of services spanning the complete project lifecycle: from front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies, through detailed design, implementation, commissioning/startup, and ongoing system support. The core service lines include Automation & Design (covering PLC/HMI/SCADA, DCS, system modernization, and safety instrumented systems), MES & MOM consulting, Cybersecurity, Networking, Robotics and Machine Vision, Batch Processing, Alarm Management, Project Management, and Support & Training. These services are delivered across multiple industries including life sciences, pharmaceutical, chemical, oil and gas, power generation, food and beverage, and manufacturing, with the company specializing in integrating multiple automation platforms from various vendors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Automation & Design Services
- MES & MOM Services
- Networking Services
- Cybersecurity Services
- Robotics and Machine Vision
- Project Management Services
- Support and Training
- Batch Processing Services
- Alarm Management Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 35 years of industry experience since 1991
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.
- Rockwell AutomationcoreGold System Integrator Partner with Rockwell Automation. Provides PLC, HMI, SCADA, and DCS solutions including FactoryTalk Design Studio integration.
- SiemenscoreSiemens Process Automation Solution Provider with expertise in PCS7 DCS systems, S7 PLCs, and PROFINET integration.
- ABBcoreTechnology partner providing automation solutions and integration services.
- AVEVAcoreSolution Partner providing AVEVA plant and operations management software integration.
- EmersoncoreTechnology partner for DeltaV DCS and process automation solutions.
- HoneywellcoreTechnology partner providing process automation and control solutions.
- CognexsupportingTechnology partner for machine vision and robotics integration solutions.
- GE VernovasupportingTechnology partner for power generation and industrial automation solutions.
- ExidasupportingSafety and automation certification partner for safety instrumented systems.
- ISA DenverstrategicActive involvement in reviving and supporting the ISA Denver chapter serving the Rocky Mountain region. ACE employees hold board positions and coordinate community events.
- Oscilla PowerstrategicCollaboration on wave energy converter control system development using Siemens technologies. Partnership on renewable energy innovation projects.
- Inductive AutomationsupportingTechnology partner for Ignition SCADA platform integration.
- KepwaresupportingTechnology partner for industrial connectivity and OPC solutions.
- Schneider ElectricsupportingTechnology partner for Modicon PLCs, Triconex safety systems, and Wonderware software.
- YokogawasupportingTechnology partner for Centum DCS and process automation solutions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RoviSys: RoviSys is an independent industrial automation and process control system integrator of comparable size offering PLC, DCS, MES, and OT services across similar process verticals. It mirrors ACE's vendor-agnostic, multi-OEM integration model.
- Hargrove Controls & Electric: Hargrove's Controls & Electric division delivers industrial automation, control system integration, and electrical construction services to process manufacturers, directly competing with ACE for plant-floor modernization and DCS projects.
- Matrix Technologies: Matrix Technologies is a control system integration and industrial engineering firm covering process automation, MES, and safety instrumented systems in similar process verticals such as chemicals, food, and pharma.
- E Tech Group: E Tech Group provides industrial automation, control system integration, MES, and OT cybersecurity services to manufacturers, positioning it as a direct competitor in the same multivendor system integrator segment as ACE.
- Interstates Control Systems: Interstates delivers industrial automation, control system integration, and electrical construction for manufacturing and process customers, overlapping with ACE across PLC/SCADA/DCS implementation and OT services.
- Wunderlich-Malec Engineering: Wunderlich-Malec is a national engineering services firm with a strong process automation and control systems integration practice, comparable in scale and multivendor scope to ACE.
- Avanceon: Avanceon provides industrial automation, process control, and OT cybersecurity services across energy, chemicals, and manufacturing, comparable to ACE's lifecycle integration offerings in heavy process industries.
- Barry-Wehmiller Design Group: Barry-Wehmiller Design Group is a process and packaging automation system integrator serving similar process verticals, with multivendor control system expertise that overlaps ACE's core services.
Broad incumbents
- Rockwell Automation: As the largest US automation OEM and ACE's Gold System Integrator partner, Rockwell's own Lifecycle Services arm competes for many of the same large integration projects, while also anchoring ACE's platform access.
- Emerson: Emerson's Process Automation business is a major DCS vendor (DeltaV) and an ACE technology partner whose own Professional Services organization competes in the same process automation integration market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceApplied Control Engineering, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Applied Control Engineering, Inc.
What does Applied Control Engineering, Inc. do?
Applied Control Engineering (ACE) is an independent system integrator providing comprehensive engineering services for industrial process automation and control systems. The company delivers services across the complete project lifecycle, from front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies through detailed design, implementation, commissioning, startup, and ongoing system support, covering PLC, HMI, SCADA, DCS, MES/MOM, networking, OT cybersecurity, robotics, machine vision, batch processing, and alarm management.
Is Applied Control Engineering, Inc. a public or private company?
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Applied Control Engineering, Inc. founded?
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. was founded in 1991. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Applied Control Engineering, Inc. based?
Applied Control Engineering, Inc. is headquartered in Newark, United States, in the North America region.
How does Applied Control Engineering, Inc. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Engineering Services are the primary driver. The others are project Management Services and cybersecurity Services.
Who are Applied Control Engineering, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RoviSys, Hargrove Controls & Electric, Matrix Technologies, E Tech Group, Interstates Control Systems, Wunderlich-Malec Engineering, Avanceon and Barry-Wehmiller Design Group. Broad incumbents are Rockwell Automation and Emerson.
Does Applied Control Engineering, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Applied Control Engineering, Inc..
What industry is Applied Control Engineering, Inc. in?
Applied Control Engineering, Inc.'s product category is Industrial Automation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGABAK, Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits), with a secondary code of BPAHAIAM, Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 334513 and its SIC code is 8711.