AEC

What AEC does

Associated Electrical Contractors (AEC) is a privately held, second-generation commercial and industrial electrical contractor headquartered in Woodstock, Illinois. Founded in 1989 and jointly owned by Tony Schnulle and Guy Seemann, the firm employs 101-250 IBEW union electricians and serves customers across Northern Illinois and the broader Midwest. Its core work spans new construction, design-build delivered via AutoCAD, ongoing maintenance, underground utility locating, thermal imaging diagnostics, LED retrofits, and 24/7 emergency response, with newer lines in EV charging station installation (ICC licensed) and solar.

AEC's customer base is diversified across commercial enterprise (Amazon distribution centers in Rockford and Oak Creek, Costco, Whole Foods, Woodman's), automotive retail (Genesis of Aurora, MotorWerks), education (Huntley School District 158, Lisle Elementary, McHenry County College, College of Lake County, Richmond Burton High School), municipal and cultural institutions (Skokie Public Library, Cantigny Park), and financial services (American Community Bank). Notable marquee projects include a NetZero maintenance facility and LEED Platinum-certified work, positioning the firm as qualified for high-performance building scopes.

Revenue is generated through project-based contracts (one-time construction scope) and recurring maintenance agreements, with quote-based pricing and emergency service premiums. AEC is a NECA member and partners with IBEW apprenticeship programs to source journeyman-level talent trained through 8,000+ hours of structured instruction. The firm is locally owned, private, and has operated continuously for over 30 years without publicly disclosed funding, M&A, or revenue.

Name

AEC

Legal name

Associated Electrical Contractors, LLC

Website

https://associated-electrical.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Associated Electrical Contractors (AEC) is a Woodstock, IL-based, second-generation commercial and industrial electrical contractor serving Northern Illinois and the broader Midwest. Founded in 1989, the NECA-affiliated firm employs IBEW union electricians for new construction, design-build, maintenance, EV charging, and 24/7 emergency service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Contracting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (8112)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Underground Distribution (Cable, Duct Bank & Vault) EPC (EUAEACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Street Lighting & Area Lighting EPC / Maintenance (EUAEACAH), Distribution Substations & Switching Stations (MV) EPC (EUAEACAC)

Keywords

• Commercial electrical services
• Industrial electrical contracting
• Design-build electrical
• Electrical repair maintenance
• EV charging installation

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodstock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electrical Construction Services: Project-based electrical installation for new construction and renovations including power distribution, lighting systems, fire alarms, data cabling, and specialized systems for commercial, industrial, institutional, and municipal clients.
2. Electrical Maintenance and Repair Services: Ongoing maintenance contracts, preventative maintenance services, and repair work including thermal imaging inspections, emergency repairs, parking lot lighting maintenance, and storm damage repair.
3. 24/7 Emergency Electrical Services: Round-the-clock emergency response services for urgent electrical issues with bucket trucks, lift trucks, and scissor lifts available for hard-to-reach emergency situations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AEC is an electrical construction and maintenance firm providing commercial, industrial, design-build, and 24/7 repair/maintenance electrical services. The company delivers new construction wiring, renovations, lighting and power distribution, fire alarm systems, EV charging station installation, solar projects, LED retrofits, thermal imaging diagnostics, trenching, and underground utility locating for commercial, industrial, institutional, and municipal clients across Northern Illinois and the broader Midwest region.

Product overview

AEC (Associated Electrical Contractors) is a second-generation, locally owned electrical contracting company serving Northern Illinois and the broader Midwest region for over 30 years. The company operates as a single unified service provider offering four core electrical service lines: Commercial Electrical Services (new construction, renovations, lighting, power distribution, fire alarms, EV charging, solar), Industrial Electrical Services (manufacturing, distribution centers, automation, machinery wiring), Design-Build Electrical Services (integrated planning from concept to completion using Auto/CAD), and Electrical Repair and Maintenance Services (24/7 emergency response, thermal imaging, trenching, underground locating). Add-on specialized services include EV charger installation, solar projects, LED retrofitting, generator services, and fiber optics installation. The company is a NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) member with IBEW-trained union electricians.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Electrical Services Comprehensive electrical services for commercial facilities including new construction, renovations, lighting upgrades, panel installations, energy-efficient systems, power distribution, and emergency backup systems. Targeted at businesses across retail, offices, healthcare, airports, auto dealerships, and multi-family residential properties.
• Industrial Electrical Services Specialized electrical solutions for manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, warehouses, and processing plants including power distribution, equipment wiring, control systems, automation, and preventative maintenance. Serves industrial/facility operations such as manufacturing, distribution, water treatment, food and beverage, and biotechnology.
• Design-Build Electrical Services Integrated electrical planning and execution from concept to completion, including Auto/CAD drawings, cost-effective product options, installation, programming, and post-project maintenance. Combines design and installation under one roof to streamline communication and reduce project timelines.
• Electrical Repair and Maintenance Services 24/7 emergency support, troubleshooting, preventative maintenance, thermal imaging diagnostics, underground utility locating, and storm damage repair services. Includes bucket trucks, lift trucks, and scissor lifts for hard-to-reach emergency situations.
• Trenching and Underground Utility Locating Services Underground electrical power line installation including digging and trenching, plus underground utility locating for private utilities beyond service meters to avoid costly surprises during excavation and site planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~66% energy use reduction relative to comparable buildings (College of Lake County Science & Engineering Building)
• +1 more outcomes

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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association)coreOthersAEC is a member of the National Electrical Contractors Association. NECA contractors set the standard for traditional and integrated electrical systems and lead the industry in the practical application of new technologies. This membership positions AEC as a contractor meeting high industry standards.
• IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)coreOthersAEC employs union electricians trained through the IBEW apprenticeship program with over 8,000 hours of combined classroom and on-the-job training. Co-owner Guy Seemann joined IBEW Local 117 Apprenticeship program in 1993. Tony Schnulle completed the Order of the Engineer Oath. This partnership ensures access to highly trained electrical workforce.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• EMCOR Group: EMCOR Group is a publicly traded national leader in electrical and mechanical construction, facilities services, and energy solutions. Its commercial/industrial electrical contracting subsidiaries (e.g., Huen Electric, GMW) compete directly with AEC for large enterprise accounts like Amazon, Costco, and municipal projects, but at much larger scale.
• MYR Group: MYR Group is a publicly traded specialty contractor with electrical construction (e.g., Sachs Electric, CSI Electrical) and transmission/distribution operations. Its commercial/industrial electrical subsidiaries compete for the same large-scale distribution and logistics center projects AEC pursues.

Direct peers

• Faith Technologies: Faith Technologies is a large privately held electrical and specialty systems contractor headquartered in the Midwest. Like AEC, it delivers commercial, industrial, and institutional electrical construction, design-build, and prefabrication services, and pursues EV charging and renewable energy work. It is one of the most directly comparable Midwest-rooted electrical contractors.
• Pieper Electric: Pieper Electric is a Wisconsin-based electrical contractor providing commercial, industrial, and residential electrical services across the broader Midwest. It directly competes with AEC for design-build, solar/EV, and industrial projects and is a natural regional peer given geographic proximity.
• Kelso-Burnett Electric: Kelso-Burnett is a Midwest-based electrical contractor offering design-build, construction, and maintenance services for commercial, industrial, and institutional clients. Its service portfolio and target customer segments closely mirror AEC's, and both are NECA member contractors.
• Capital Electric Construction: Capital Electric is a NECA-affiliated commercial and industrial electrical contractor operating in the Midwest. Its design-build, EV charging, and lighting retrofit services directly overlap with AEC's portfolio, making it a comparable regional peer.
• Crescent Electric Supply: Crescent Electric is a Midwest electrical distributor and solutions provider that performs electrical contracting and lighting retrofit work. It overlaps with AEC on commercial and industrial electrical installation and LED retrofits, though it is primarily a distributor expanding into contracting services.
• Archibald Electric: Archibald Electric is a Midwest-based electrical contractor serving commercial, industrial, and institutional customers. Its service mix of new construction, renovation, and maintenance aligns closely with AEC's offerings for similar enterprise customers.

Regional players

• Lemberg Electric: Lemberg Electric is a Wisconsin-based electrical contractor focused on commercial, industrial, and residential work. It is a comparable regional peer with similar services (lighting, EV, solar) but serves a different geographic core (eastern Wisconsin vs. AEC's Northern Illinois).

Emerging players

• Everlight Solar: Everlight Solar is a Midwest-based solar and electrical contractor focused on residential and small commercial solar. It overlaps with AEC's solar installation work but is positioned as a niche/emerging player in a different customer segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associated-electrical-contractors-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 AEC