Applied Control Engineering, Inc.

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.

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

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

• Process automation services
• Control systems integration
• Industrial automation solutions
• PLC SCADA integration
• OT cybersecurity services

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. 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
2. Project Management Services: Project management services for control and automation system projects, acting as owner's representative and coordinating multiple trades and subcontractors
3. Cybersecurity Services: OT cybersecurity assessments, implementation, and ongoing security services for manufacturing environments

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.

• Rockwell AutomationcoreTechnology or IntegrationGold System Integrator Partner with Rockwell Automation. Provides PLC, HMI, SCADA, and DCS solutions including FactoryTalk Design Studio integration.
• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationSiemens Process Automation Solution Provider with expertise in PCS7 DCS systems, S7 PLCs, and PROFINET integration.
• ABBcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing automation solutions and integration services.
• AVEVAcoreTechnology or IntegrationSolution Partner providing AVEVA plant and operations management software integration.
• EmersoncoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for DeltaV DCS and process automation solutions.
• HoneywellcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing process automation and control solutions.
• CognexsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for machine vision and robotics integration solutions.
• GE VernovasupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for power generation and industrial automation solutions.
• ExidasupportingTechnology or IntegrationSafety and automation certification partner for safety instrumented systems.
• ISA DenverstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive involvement in reviving and supporting the ISA Denver chapter serving the Rocky Mountain region. ACE employees hold board positions and coordinate community events.
• Oscilla PowerstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on wave energy converter control system development using Siemens technologies. Partnership on renewable energy innovation projects.
• Inductive AutomationsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for Ignition SCADA platform integration.
• KepwaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for industrial connectivity and OPC solutions.
• Schneider ElectricsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for Modicon PLCs, Triconex safety systems, and Wonderware software.
• YokogawasupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for Centum DCS and process automation solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/applied-control-engineering-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Applied Control Engineering, Inc.