AEC
AEC, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, integrates industrial automation solutions for aerospace, automotive, tire, tube, and pipe manufacturers. As of 2026 it also serves as Meltio's official US sales and integration partner for metal additive manufacturing systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersGreenville, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AEC does
AEC is a Greenville, South Carolina-based industrial automation company founded in 1981 that designs and integrates automation solutions for customers in aerospace, automotive, tire, tube, and pipe manufacturing. The firm operates with 101-250 employees and positions itself as an industry-leading systems integrator in these heavy-industrial verticals, implying long-tenured customer relationships and domain expertise built over more than four decades. Core capabilities center on automation hardware and system integration rather than proprietary software products, with no internal products, AI features, or digital platforms disclosed in the source data.
In February 2026, AEC entered a strategic partnership with Meltio, a Spanish metal additive manufacturing equipment manufacturer, under which AEC serves as Meltio's official US sales and integration partner. This partnership adds a new revenue line — selling and integrating metal additive manufacturing systems, including referenced PolyJet, Neo SLA, and Origin P3 technologies, into the United States market — alongside AEC's legacy automation integration business. The revenue model is therefore a hybrid of professional services (system integration) and channel/reseller activity (third-party capital equipment sales), with no publicly disclosed pricing.
The company is privately held, with no funding rounds, M&A activity, or ownership disclosures in the source data. The only named executive is Kevin Cruze, Vice President of Operations. No revenue figures, customer logos, geographic expansion beyond the US, or product roadmap information are available, so the company's scale and forward growth signals must be inferred from headcount and sector footprint rather than from disclosed financial metrics.
AEC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AEC
- Legal name
- AEC
- Website
- https://teamaec.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- AEC, founded in 1981 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, integrates industrial automation solutions for aerospace, automotive, tire, tube, and pipe manufacturers. As of 2026 it also serves as Meltio's official US sales and integration partner for metal additive manufacturing systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AEC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Metal Additive Manufacturing Integration
- NAICS
- Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment (Production AM Parts) (IMAAAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems (IMAHAOAN)
Keywords
Where AEC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Greenville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
AEC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Sales and Integration Services: AEC generates revenue as a sales and integration partner for Meltio, selling metal additive manufacturing systems and providing integration services to customers in the United States.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
AEC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AEC sells Meltio metal additive manufacturing systems in the United States and provides system integration services for customers deploying that equipment. Its evidenced role is as Meltio’s official U.S. sales and integration partner, providing local access, implementation support, and integration for Spanish-manufactured metal AM technology.
Product overview
No product or service information available from the provided sources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Meltio Metal Additive Manufacturing Systems AEC sells Meltio metal additive manufacturing systems in the United States as Meltio’s official U.S. sales partner.
- Metal Additive Manufacturing System Integration Services AEC provides integration services for Meltio metal additive manufacturing systems for customers in the United States.
Companies that use AEC
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
AEC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AEC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MeltiocoreMeltio, a Spanish metal additive manufacturing manufacturer, partnered with South Carolina-based AEC as its official US sales and integration partner. This partnership designates AEC as the primary channel for selling and integrating Meltio's metal AM technology in the United States market.
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights3 records
AEC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 3D Systems: Established 3D printing OEM offering metal and polymer AM systems plus services. Comparable as an AM vendor whose channel and direct-services strategies overlap with AEC's integration and resale model.
- JR Automation: US-based industrial automation and integration specialist serving automotive, aerospace, and heavy-industrial OEMs. Highly comparable to AEC's core automation-integration business with overlapping end markets.
- Fisher Unitech: US additive manufacturing solutions provider and integrator focused on enterprise deployment of 3D printing. Direct comparable to AEC's role as a regional AM integration partner for advanced manufacturing customers.
- Stratasys: Major additive manufacturing OEM whose PolyJet, Origin P3, and other systems are referenced alongside AEC's distribution portfolio. Comparable as both a supplier-relationship partner and a competitor for AM integration work.
- Markforged: Metal and composite AM OEM with a strong US channel. Comparable to Meltio as a competing metal AM platform whose ecosystem of integrators including AEC-style partners operates in the same US market.
- Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies (PADT): US engineering services and additive manufacturing solutions provider covering industrial customers. Comparable as a regional AM-focused integrator competing for similar production-part deployments.
- Velo3D: Metal AM systems vendor focused on aerospace and industrial production parts. Comparable as a metal AM principal whose US integration and channel economics parallel AEC's Meltio-driven model.
Broad incumbents
- ATS Automation: Large global industrial automation integrator with a broad portfolio across multiple sectors. Comparable as a scaled incumbent competing for the same enterprise automation and integration mandates AEC targets.
- Siemens: Global industrial automation and digital industries incumbent with deep aerospace, automotive, and machinery customer footprints. Comparable as a broad-scope incumbent whose automation solutions compete for similar enterprise RFPs.
Others
- Meltio: Spanish metal additive manufacturing OEM that named AEC its official US sales and integration partner. Comparable as AEC's principal supplier and ecosystem anchor rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
AEC social profiles
Digital presenceAEC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AEC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
AEC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AEC 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 AEC
What does AEC do?
AEC sells Meltio metal additive manufacturing systems in the United States and provides system integration services for customers deploying that equipment. Its evidenced role is as Meltio’s official U.S. sales and integration partner, providing local access, implementation support, and integration for Spanish-manufactured metal AM technology.
When was AEC founded?
AEC was founded in 1981. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is AEC based?
AEC is headquartered in Greenville, United States, in the North America region.
How does AEC make money?
One revenue line is on record: sales and Integration Services.
Who are AEC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 3D Systems, JR Automation, Fisher Unitech, Stratasys, Markforged, Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies (PADT) and Velo3D. Broad incumbents are ATS Automation and Siemens. Meltio is listed as an others.
Does AEC have an API?
No public API is recorded for AEC.
What industry is AEC in?
AEC's product category is Metal Additive Manufacturing Integration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAAEAC, Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment (Production AM Parts), with a secondary code of IMAHAOAN, End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems. Its NAICS code is 3339 and its SIC code is 5084.