ACR

What ACR does

ACR (dba ACR Restores) is a privately held, full-service emergency property restoration company founded in 1986 in the Chicago area by Mike Pohl and Jim O'Callaghan, and headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois, with a second office opened in Tyrone, Georgia in 2023. The firm delivers mitigation, remediation, and reconstruction services for water, fire/smoke/odor, mold, biohazard, and large-loss/catastrophic events, alongside a proprietary restorative dry-in-place hardwood and gym floor drying protocol that has been recognized with two RIA Phoenix Awards for Innovation in Restoration (2014 and 2023) and is the only restoration offering backed by NWFA membership and MFMA standards alignment.

The core service portfolio spans five integrated lines — water damage restoration, fire/smoke/odor mitigation, environmental remediation, construction & insurance repair, and large-loss/CAT project management — and is delivered via 24/7 emergency field response, two physical offices, and cross-country mobilization. ACR's technical stack combines IICRC-, RIA-, and EPA/OSHA-certified field practice with a high-tech documentation suite (Matterport 3D capture, moisture mapping, infrared cameras, and project logs) and specialized equipment including dual 7,500 CFM desiccant dehumidifiers and HEPA air scrubbers. ICRA-certified healthcare remediator capability, delivered through a 2020 joint venture with the Collaborative Healthcare Urgency Group (CHUG), extends the platform into infection-controlled healthcare and assisted-living environments.

The business is a project-based professional services model funded predominantly through property & casualty insurance claims, with engagements scoped after on-site assessment. ACR serves four primary verticals — education (K-12, colleges, universities), residential and commercial property management (including HOAs and condo associations), property & casualty insurance carriers and TPAs, and healthcare & assisted living — and monetizes long-tenured preferred-vendor relationships (FirstService Residential Illinois 15+ years, Gallagher Bassett 13+ years, Sudler, Marc Realty) alongside an approved continuing-education program that operates as a demand-generation channel rather than a direct revenue stream.

Name

ACR

Legal name

ACR

Website

https://acrrestores.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACR (ACR Restores) is a privately held, emergency property restoration company founded in 1986, serving education, residential and commercial property management, property & casualty insurance, and healthcare clients with proprietary hardwood floor drying and ICRA-certified healthcare remediator capabilities across two U.S. offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Property Restoration Services

NAICS

Appliance Repair and Maintenance (811412), Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (8113)

SIC

Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing (MEP) Restoration & Replacement (HSAPAOAJ)

Keywords

• Property restoration services
• Water damage restoration
• Fire smoke remediation
• Mold environmental remediation
• Emergency disaster recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Emergency Restoration Services: Project-based professional services revenue from water, fire/smoke/odor, mold, biohazard, environmental remediation, and large-loss/CAT response. Engagements are initiated on demand via 24/7 emergency response and are predominantly paid through property & casualty insurance claims, with ACR acting as preferred vendor to adjusters and property managers.
2. Construction & Insurance Repair: Reconstruction and capital improvement services bundled with mitigation work for HOAs, healthcare facilities, and education clients, often following large-loss insurance claims.
3. Continuing Education (CE) Programs: Free and approved CE/GREC webinars and in-person classes offered to property managers, facility managers, insurance adjusters, and real estate professionals, functioning primarily as a demand-generation channel rather than a direct revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACR (ACR Restores) is an emergency property restoration company that provides 24/7 mitigation, drying, and remediation services for water, fire/smoke/odor, mold, biohazard, environmental, and large-loss/catastrophic events affecting residential and commercial properties. Its flagship differentiator is a proprietary dry-in-place restorative drying protocol for water-damaged hardwood and gymnasium floors that saves more than 80% versus tear-out and replacement, complemented by Construction & Insurance Repair rebuild services.

Product overview

ACR (ACR Restores) is a single integrated emergency property restoration services company — not a multi-product SaaS platform. Its offering is organized around a core set of restoration service lines (Water Damage Restoration, Fire/Smoke/Odor Damage Mitigation, Environmental Remediation, Construction & Insurance Repair, and Large Loss/CAT) with two flagship specialized service modules (Hardwood Floor Restoration and Gym Floor Restoration) built around its proprietary restorative dry-in-place drying process. These services are delivered across four industry verticals: Education, Residential & Commercial Property Management, Property & Casualty Insurance, and Healthcare & Assisted Living. The portfolio is complemented by a CE Courses (Continuing Education) training program, which delivers approved industry education and serves as a marketing/onboarding channel into ACR's core restoration services. The product suite is unified under ACR's "mitigation-first" operational philosophy and 38+ years of IICRC-, RIA-, EPA-, and OSHA-certified field practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Damage Restoration
• Fire/Smoke/Odor Damage Mitigation
• Environmental Remediation
• Construction & Insurance Repair
• Large Loss / CAT
• Hardwood Floor Restoration
• Gym Floor Restoration
• CE Courses (Continuing Education)

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core strategic alliance, core and minor.

• Collaborative Healthcare Urgency Group (CHUG)flagship / core strategic allianceStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2020ACR and CHUG partnered to form a for-profit organization dedicated to the final phase of emergency management — response and recovery services. CHUG trains healthcare facilities on emergency preparedness, while ACR acts as the national restoration arm. Together they run tabletop exercises (e.g., Operation 'Major Flood!'), CE programs, and deliver ICRA-aware healthcare restoration nationwide.
• FirstService Residential IllinoiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor15+ year preferred-vendor relationship for fire, flood, mold remediation, and bio hazard work across FirstService-managed residential properties. ACR is positioned as a go-to restoration contractor for their managed clients.
• Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor13+ year preferred-vendor relationship for water mitigation, hardwood gymnasium floor work, biohazard cleanup, mold remediation and emergency response. ACR is approved under Gallagher Insurance CLIC, SSCIP and PSIC programs and acts as a preferred contractor for hundreds of Illinois and Wisconsin institutions via Gallagher TPAs.
• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) ChicagominorGTM or Marketing PartnerACR is a BOMA Chicago member and uses the relationship to educate property managers, building engineers and facility managers about risk management and 8 future real estate trends.
• Community Associations Institute (CAI) GeorgiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerACR is the newest member of CAI-Georgia, supporting its HOA and community association outreach in the Southeast region.
• National Hardwood Flooring Association (NWFA)coreOthersACR is the only restoration company that is a member of NWFA and follows standards set by the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA). This membership underpins its proprietary hardwood floor drying offering.
• Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)coreOthersACR has been certified through IICRC since its founding in 1986; its staff hold IICRC Master Water Restorer (MWR) and Master Fire & Smoke Restorer (MSR) designations.
• Restoration Industry Association (RIA)coreOthersACR is certified through RIA and has won the RIA Phoenix Award twice (2014 and 2023). Its staff includes Certified Restorers (CR) and Water Loss Specialists (WLS).
• CICTI (now ICRA-certified remediator supervisors)coreOthersACR staff hold CICTI Certified Healthcare Remediator Supervisor designations, including three ICRA Remediator Supervisors enabling infection-control-aware restoration in healthcare facilities.
• Community Association Managers International Certification Board (CAMICB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAMICB has approved ACR's 'A Community Association Manager's Guide to Mold' course for 2 CMCA CE credits; ACR delivers multiple CAMICB-approved CE webinars for community association managers.
• Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerACR sponsors, exhibits and presents at WASBO Custodial Conferences and the Midwest Facility Masters Conference, engaging K-12 facilities professionals on gym floor restoration.
• Gallagher Bassett (TPA risk pools)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACR is a preferred contractor for hundreds of institutions in Illinois and Wisconsin through Gallagher Bassett and other TPA insurance risk pools (CLIC, SSCIP, PSIC).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DKI (Disaster Kleenup International): Cooperative network of independent property restoration contractors serving insurance, commercial, and residential customers across North America. Directly comparable to ACR in service portfolio, carrier relationships, and independent-contractor operating model.
• Cotton Holdings: National disaster restoration and reconstruction firm serving commercial, industrial, and government clients with large-loss and CAT response. Highly comparable to ACR's Large Loss/CAT practice and carrier-coordination capabilities.
• PuroClean: National franchise restoration network (≈300+ offices) specializing in property damage mitigation, mold remediation, and biohazard cleanup. Direct competitor to ACR's core water/fire/mold/biohazard service lines, particularly for property management and insurance carrier work.
• Paul Davis Restoration: National franchise restoration company offering water, fire, mold, and storm damage services to residential and commercial customers across the U.S. and Canada. Closely comparable to ACR in service mix, customer base (property managers, HOAs, insurance carriers), and franchise-vs-corporate operating model.
• Rainbow International Restoration: Neighborly brand providing residential and commercial restoration services including water, fire, and mold mitigation. Competes for the same insurance and property management customers as ACR, though at substantially greater scale.
• Restoration 1: Franchise-based restoration company offering 24/7 emergency water, fire, mold, and storm damage services for residential and commercial customers. Comparable to ACR in operating model, geographic ambition, and target customer base.
• BMS Cat (BMS Group / Blackmon Mooring & Patton): U.S. restoration and reconstruction firm specializing in large-loss commercial and CAT response, with strong insurance carrier relationships. Directly comparable to ACR's Large Loss/CAT practice and mitigation-first philosophy.

Broad incumbents

• BELFOR Holdings: Global leader in property restoration and disaster recovery with broad residential, commercial, and industrial coverage. BELFOR directly competes for large-loss/CAT engagements and preferred-vendor status with major carriers like Gallagher — the exact relationship category ACR relies on most heavily.
• ServiceMaster Restore (ServiceMaster Brands): Established national restoration brand under ServiceMaster Brands alongside Terminix and Merry Maids. Competes with ACR across water, fire, smoke, and mold restoration for residential and commercial customers, with substantially greater brand and franchise scale.
• SERVPRO: The dominant U.S. property restoration franchise network with ~2,000+ locations, offering the same core water, fire, mold, and CAT response services as ACR. While far larger and far less specialized, SERVPRO directly competes for the same insurance-carrier preferred-vendor panels and HOA/property management programs that anchor ACR's revenue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acr_restores

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 ACR