What Application Engineering Company does

Application Engineering Company (AEC), founded in 1957 and headquartered in New Berlin, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures auxiliary industrial process equipment for plastics processors and adjacent process manufacturers. The portfolio spans five integrated solution categories: material handling (gravimetric and volumetric blenders/feeders, drying hoppers, vacuum conveying, bulk storage), process cooling (packaged, central, and outdoor chillers plus cooling towers and blown film coolers), temperature control (water and oil TCUs), size reduction (beside-the-press, central, heavy-duty, and thermoforming granulators plus shredders), and film reclaim systems. Equipment features programmable HMIs (Allen Bradley Micro850 PLC, 7-10 inch touchscreens), Ethernet and Modbus TCP/IP connectivity, SCADA integration, and energy-saving architectures such as the LHE High Efficiency Central Chiller (claimed up to 60% energy savings with modular scaling to 600 tons).

AEC serves injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, blow molding, and plastics recycling operations as its primary segments, with secondary reach into food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing, chemical processing, rubber and tire manufacturing, metalworking and die casting, and printing and converting. The company's technology backbone has been built through both organic engineering and strategic acquisitions of Nelmor (size reduction), Whitlock (material handling), Walton Stout (drying/PET crystallizers), and HydReclaim (blending/reclaim), with AEC operating today as a division of ACS Group.

Commercial operations are anchored by quote-based capital equipment sales executed through a direct sales force of trained plastics-application representatives, supplemented by a global network of regional reps covering the Americas, Europe, Central America, Asia, and Africa. Revenue mechanics combine three streams: industrial equipment sales (hardware), aftermarket parts and consumables sold via the ACS Group online storefront with same-day shipping, and field service/maintenance delivered by factory-trained technicians in the U.S. and Asia/Pacific. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, marketing relies on technical content (white papers, case studies, engineering calculators, and a WebXR virtual factory tour), and selected customers include Badger Meter, with broader revenue concentrated across a fragmented base of plastics processing OEMs.

Name

Application Engineering Company

Legal name

AEC (Application Engineering Company)

Website

https://aecinternet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Application Engineering Company (AEC), founded 1957 and based in New Berlin, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures auxiliary industrial process equipment including chillers, granulators, blenders, dryers, conveying systems, and temperature control units, primarily serving plastics processors across injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, blow molding, and recycling operations globally as a division of ACS Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plastics Auxiliary Process Equipment Manufacturing

NAICS

Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems (IMAHAOAN)

Keywords

• Industrial process equipment
• Plastics auxiliary equipment
• Process cooling chillers
• Material handling conveying
• Size reduction granulators

Headquarters

HQ city

New Berlin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Equipment Sales: Sale of capital equipment including chillers, granulators, blenders, dryers, conveyors, temperature control units, and material handling systems. Equipment ranges from portable units to large central systems for industrial manufacturing facilities.
2. Aftermarket Parts: Sale of replacement parts, wear parts, consumables including pumps, motors, seals, gaskets, filters, knives, screens, desiccants, heat transfer fluids. Thousands of parts in stock with same-day shipping capability.
3. Service and Maintenance: On-site service, technical support, training, product repair/refurbishment. Factory-trained technicians provide preventive maintenance and emergency service through a service network across the US and international locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AEC designs, manufactures, and services auxiliary industrial process equipment for plastics processors, including chillers, granulators/shredders, gravimetric and volumetric blenders, desiccant and hot air dryers, vacuum conveying systems, and water/oil temperature control units. The company supplements equipment sales with an aftermarket parts e-commerce business and a global technical service network, supporting injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming, and plastics recycling operations.

Product overview

AEC (Application Engineering Company) offers a comprehensive modular portfolio of auxiliary equipment systems for the plastics processing industry. The product ecosystem comprises five integrated solution categories: (1) Material Handling including blending (BD Series, OA Series gravimetric batch blenders, AccuMeter Ovation continuous loss-in-weight blenders, AF/DD volumetric feeders, AF1000 gravimetric feeders), drying (ADC/ADW/ADP desiccant wheel dryers, HA-F hot air dryers, ACD compressed air dryers, drying hoppers), conveying (AVL/PHL/SRL self-contained loaders, vacuum receivers, APC/APD vacuum pumps, filters, VacTrac Plus controls), and bulk storage systems; (2) Process Cooling including portable (GPL, PCA, PS packaged chillers), central (LHE high efficiency, Trident GS, 30RB outdoor chillers), cooling towers (FG, WinterKooler), pump tanks, and blown film coolers (BFC Series); (3) Size Reduction including granulators (FX beside-the-press, T50/GP2400 central, GPH/MB heavy-duty, WG thermoforming, feedrolls) and shredders (V Series); (4) Temperature Control including water TCUs (TrueTemp TC110/TC120/TC130, Mini Series, TDV), oil TCUs (TCO-C compact, TCO midsize, TCO-U upright), and BlendTrac software; and (5) Film Reclaim systems (FD/FV fluff blowers, GR1/GR2 film grinders, VI edge trim). Products are designed to work together as integrated systems with shared controls, Ethernet connectivity, and modular expandability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BD Series Gravimetric Batch Blender Precision gravimetric batch blender with 100–6,000 lbs/hr maximum blending rate, diamond slide gates, proprietary mixing chamber, 7-inch color touchscreen HMI with Allen Bradley Micro850 PLC, and Ethernet connectivity. Designed for plastics processors in injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding applications.
• AccuMeter Ovation AMO Series Continuous Loss-in-Weight Blender Continuous loss-in-weight blender with automatically adjusting feeders matching extruder rate at the exact ratio required, featuring 0.02% analog or 0.0001% digital load cells for precise material flow monitoring and control in plastics processing operations.
• AF Series Volumetric Additive Feeders Precision volumetric feeders for accurate metering of color concentrate, regrind, and other additives with digital dosing system for simple material changeover.
• AF1000 Series Gravimetric Additive Feeders Single-component gravimetric feeder with double-hopper design, floating weigh hopper on single-point load cell, Smart-Clean automatic purging in 10 seconds, 0.3–90 kg/h output range, and Modbus TCP/IP communications for injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding.
• ADC / ADW / ADW Compact / ADP Series Desiccant Wheel Dryers Efficient desiccant dehumidifying dryers uniquely designed for the plastics industry, available in three configurations (ADC, ADW, ADP) ranging from compact portable units with touchscreen controls to large central systems with integrated conveying.
• HA-F Series Hot Air Dryers Hot air dryers with a single blower delivering heated air for non-hygroscopic material drying in plastics processing operations.
• ACD Series Compact Compressed Air Dryers Compact compressed air dryers for 5–15 CFM applications reducing compressed air supply dewpoints up to 50°F.
• AH / WH / SD / MH Series Drying and Machine Hoppers Drying and machine hoppers with unique mass flow design, available in insulated and non-insulated configurations, used to feed dried material into processing equipment.
• VacTrac Plus Conveying Control System Flexible vacuum conveying controller supporting 1–24 pumps and up to 128 loading stations with enhanced graphic displays and touchscreen interface for centralized material conveying configuration and monitoring.
• AVL Series Compressed Air Loaders, PHL Series Powder Hopper Loaders, and SRL/SLC/SRIL Series Hopper Loaders Compressed air loaders, powder hopper loaders, and hopper loaders for filtering material fines and conveying pellet or regrind materials with throughputs from 150 to 1,000 lbs/hr for plastics processors.
• SRC/SRH/SRI and SRC AV-5/AV-10 Series Vacuum Receivers Vacuum receivers for complete conveying systems handling powder and dusty to coarse materials, available in filterless and filter receiver combination designs.
• APC and APD Series Vacuum Pumps Compact and versatile vacuum pumps for short to long distance material conveying up to 500 equivalent feet with efficient motor technology and continuous operation capabilities.
• AFC-SC, AFC-S, and AFC-LP Series Central Vacuum Safety and Pulse Filters Central vacuum safety filters and central pulse filters protecting vacuum pumps from dust and fines damage in central conveying systems, extending equipment life.
• FCO, MDT, and MTO Series Modular Take-Off Boxes Modular take-off boxes for metering and balancing material flow in conveying systems, with expandable designs for future facility expansion preparation.
• Bulk Storage and Material Handling Systems (Bulk Bag Loaders, Bulk Bag Unloaders, Batch Mixers, Corrugated/Welded Silos, Box/Drum Dumpers, Container Tilters, Screw Conveyors, Surge/Day Bins, Bag Break Systems, Material Level Indicators) Bulk storage and material handling equipment including bulk bag loaders and unloaders, vertical auger batch mixers, corrugated and welded silos, box dumpers, container tilters, drum dumpers, screw conveyors, surge and day storage bins, bag break systems, and material level indicators for plastic processing facilities.
• LHE High Efficiency Central Chiller Energy-efficient central chiller offering up to 60% energy savings versus traditional cooling systems with EC brush-less motors, tandem scroll compressors with staging, 10-inch touchscreen control, auto-redundancy, and modular design scaling from 20–120 tons per unit to 600 tons with parallel configuration at 20°F to 80°F process temperatures.
• GPL Series Packaged Chillers Self-contained packaged chillers with 0.5 to 60 tons cooling capacity designed for immediate hook-up and delivery of clean cooling water at constant temperatures.
• Trident GS Series Central Chillers Central chilling system combining smart technology with modular capabilities for reduced downtime and expanding application needs in industrial process cooling.
• 30RB Series Outdoor Central Chillers Outdoor central chillers for freeing valuable floor space while providing efficient process cooling for industrial manufacturing facilities.
• PCA Series 1.5 HP and PS Series 3.5 HP Air-Cooled Packaged Chillers Small-capacity packaged and air-cooled chillers from 0.5 to 3.5 HP for compact demanding industrial cooling applications.
• FG Series Fiberglass Cooling Towers and WinterKooler Series Supplemental Cooling Systems Fiberglass cooling towers controlling water costs, mineral precipitation, and providing corrosion resistance, alongside supplemental cooling systems that maintain process efficiency in cold weather conditions.
• BFC Series Blown Film Coolers Blown film coolers with chilled water coil assemblies delivering air ring cooling at constant temperature, pressure, and volume for consistent high-quality film production.
• Pump Tanks and PF Series Plate and Frame Heat Exchangers Pre-engineered pump tank assemblies for chilled water and cooling tower systems, plus plate and frame heat exchangers for efficient thermal transfer in process cooling applications.
• FX700, FX1000, FX1600, and S10 Series Beside-the-Press Granulators Durable, high-performance beside-the-press granulators integrating into molding or extrusion operations for direct resin reclaim, available in compact screenless to large high-volume models.
• GP2400 and T50 Series Central Granulators Central granulators with flexible cutting chamber configurations for processing large volume parts and higher density materials, producing high-quality regrind output.
• GPH, GPH3200, and MB Series Heavy Duty Granulators Heavy-duty granulators designed for demanding applications from low-density fiber to heavy purgings and recycling operations, including largest-capacity models for high-capacity size reduction.
• WG, WG1200, WG1400 Series Thermoforming Granulators and FRE/FRC/FRV Feedroll Series Thermoforming granulators and feedrolls designed for inline processing of thermoformed scrap from startup through full-speed operation, supporting edge trim, crusher, and versatile materials.
• V Series Shredder Systems Shredder systems for pre-breaking and relieving strain on granulator systems, extending granulator life and increasing uptime while processing higher density parts and purgings.
• TrueTemp TC110, TC130, TC120, Mini, and TDV Series Water Temperature Control Units Water temperature control units with precise automatic temperature control from 32°F to 300°F (positive/negative variants for vacuum applications), serving injection molding, blow molding, and extrusion processors with advanced TS-5 controls and compact footprints.
• TCO-C Compact, TCO Midsize, and TCO-U Upright Series Oil Temperature Control Units Oil temperature control units operating from 100°F to 550°F in compact, midsize, and upright configurations for industrial process temperature management, including space-constrained and high-temperature applications.
• BlendTrac Smart Blending Software Software enabling smart blending with monitoring and control of AEC gravimetric blending systems, with data collection capabilities for smart factory integration.
• FD/FV Series Fluff Blowers, GR1/GR2 Series Film Grinders, and VI Series Edge Trim Conveying Systems Film reclaim systems including fluff blowers for film reclaim, film grinders for processing film scrap and maximizing reclaimed material value, and edge trim conveying systems for trim removal and recycling in film processing operations.
• VacTrac ATLAS Series Central Loading Controls Central loading controls for bulk material handling systems enabling automated material distribution across plastics processing facilities.
• AEC/ACS Group Aftermarket Parts Online Store Online parts store for aftermarket replacement parts and consumables (pumps, motors, seals, gaskets, filters, knives, screens, desiccants, heat transfer fluids) for installed AEC equipment, with thousands of parts in stock and same-day shipping capability.
• AEC Field Service and Technical Support On-site service, technical support, training, product repair, and refurbishment delivered by factory-trained technicians through a service network across the US and Asia/Pacific/Australia, including preventive maintenance and emergency service.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 60% energy savings in central chilling applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ACS GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEC is a division of ACS Group (Application Engineering Company). ACS Group provides global service network with 24/7 technical support and access to broad parts inventory. AEC operates as a brand within the ACS Group portfolio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Piovan Group: Piovan is a publicly listed global competitor in plastics auxiliary equipment, specializing in material handling, drying, conveying, and process cooling — overlapping with nearly all of AEC's core product categories. Both companies serve injection molding and extrusion processors globally.
• Maguire Products: Maguire is a long-standing direct competitor in gravimetric and volumetric blending, and also offers drying and conveying products for plastics processors. Maguire's blenders compete head-to-head with AEC's BD, OA, and AccuMeter Ovation product lines.
• Conair Group: Conair is a leading direct competitor to AEC in plastics auxiliary equipment, offering material handling, drying, conveying, blending, and temperature control products to the same injection molding and extrusion customers. Both companies compete head-to-head in the integrated plastics processing line market.
• Rapid Granulator: Rapid Granulator is a leading direct competitor in size reduction equipment (granulators and shredders) for the plastics industry. It competes directly with AEC's FX, GP, GPH, WG, and V Series granulators and shredders across injection molding, blow molding, and recycling applications.
• Motan (Colortronic): Motan-Colortronic is a direct competitor in plastics material handling, drying, and conveying systems with strong European roots. Its product portfolio closely mirrors AEC's Whitlock-acquired legacy material handling line and competes in the same global customer segments.
• Wittmann Battenfeld: Wittmann is one of the largest global suppliers of plastics processing equipment including robots, material handling, drying, and temperature control. It competes directly with AEC's granulators, dryers, blenders, and material handling systems across injection molding customers worldwide.
• Novatec: Novatec is a direct competitor in plastics material handling, drying, and conveying, with a strong U.S. presence. Novatec's drying and conveying products directly overlap with AEC's AD/ADC/ADW desiccant wheel dryers and VacTrac conveying systems.
• Plastic Process Equipment (PPE): PPE is a U.S.-based distributor and manufacturer of auxiliary plastics processing equipment, including granulators, chillers, dryers, and material handling — offering both off-the-shelf and custom solutions that overlap with AEC's broad product portfolio.
• Sterlco: Sterlco is a direct competitor in process cooling and temperature control units for plastics and industrial applications. Its packaged chillers and water/oil temperature control units compete directly with AEC's GPL, LHE, Trident, and TrueTemp product families.

Emerging players

• Frigel North America: Frigel specializes in intelligent process cooling and temperature control solutions, competing most directly with AEC's TrueTemp TCUs, GPL packaged chillers, and LHE central chillers in plastics processing and adjacent industrial cooling applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aecinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/AECplastics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aecplastics

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Application Engineering Company