Allied Construction Employer's Association

What Allied Construction Employer's Association does

Allied Construction Employers Association (ACEA) is a Wisconsin-based non-profit trade association incorporated in 1936 to represent union-signatory construction subcontractors in labor relations and collective bargaining matters. Headquartered in Wauwatosa, WI, ACEA functions as the collective bargaining representative and unified voice for union-signatory subcontractors in the state, providing contract administration services including interpretation and publication of labor contracts, negotiation support for collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and guidance on grievance proceedings with local unions. The organization also serves as a trustee on union fringe funds and manages sub-associations such as the Wisconsin Painting Contractors Association (WPCA). ACEA is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member company representatives and administered operationally by Management Guidance LLP (MGLLP) under a partnership established in 2021, which provides members with access to specialized legal counsel in labor relations, employment law, and construction law.

ACEA's service portfolio is administrative and informational rather than technology-based. Core offerings include comprehensive wage rate charts across 12+ construction trades, a library of trade-specific collective bargaining agreements, the Industry Advancement Program (IAP) funding mechanism established in 1964 jointly with AGC of Wisconsin, quarterly email newsletters, industry conference coordination, and the SATAP (Substance Abuse Testing Program) employer reimbursement service. The association does not operate a software platform, API, or proprietary technology product. Member-facing tools are limited to a Squarespace-hosted website providing document downloads, a Mailchimp newsletter distribution, and Microsoft Forms for contact information updates.

ACEA's revenue model is membership-funded through recurring membership dues and IAP contributions from union-signatory construction subcontractors. The IAP, established in 1964, underwrites the activities of both ACEA and AGC of Wisconsin, including labor relations, collective bargaining, grievance moderation, and industry-wide committee participation. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-member through association membership, with geographic scope limited to Wisconsin. Pricing and dues levels are not publicly disclosed and are negotiated through the IAP remittance process. ACEA is a private, member-driven organization with no parent company, no external investors, and no subsidiaries.

Name

Allied Construction Employer's Association

Legal name

Allied Construction Employers Association

Website

https://buildacea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Allied Construction Employers Association (ACEA) is a Wisconsin-based non-profit trade association founded in 1936 that represents union-signatory construction subcontractors in collective bargaining, contract administration, labor relations guidance, and grievance proceedings. The organization is funded by member dues and Industry Advancement Program contributions and administered in partnership with Management Guidance LLP.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Industry Labor Relations Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Labor Relations & Employment Practice Advisory (BPAHAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

HR Policy, Governance, Compliance & Risk Advisory (BPACAJAF)

Keywords

• Construction labor relations
• Collective bargaining services
• Union contractor representation
• Construction industry association
• Wage rate reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Wauwatosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and IAP Contributions: ACEA is funded through membership dues and Industry Advancement Program (IAP) contributions from union-signatory construction subcontractors. The IAP, established in 1964, funds activities of ACEA and AGC of Wisconsin, supporting labor relations, collective bargaining, and industry-wide initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ACEA is a non-profit membership association that represents union-signatory construction subcontractors in Wisconsin. It provides contract administration, collective bargaining agreement negotiation and interpretation, grievance proceedings support, and access to legal counsel through its partnership with Management Guidance LLP. The association also manages the Industry Advancement Program (IAP), distributes wage rate charts and trade contracts, and runs informational services including quarterly newsletters and a substance abuse testing program (SATAP).

Product overview

Allied Construction Employers Association (ACEA) offers a suite of services for union-signatory construction subcontractors in Wisconsin, centered around labor relations and collective bargaining support. The core offerings include Wage Charts providing detailed union wage rates for multiple trades, Trade Contracts (collective bargaining agreements), and the Industry Advancement Program (IAP) funding industry activities. Supporting services include quarterly Newsletters, Industry Opportunities connecting members with workforce programs, SATAP substance abuse testing program guidelines, and Industry Conference information. The association does not offer a software platform or technology product—its services are administrative and informational in nature, focused on contract administration, labor relations guidance, and industry advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wage Charts Comprehensive wage rate charts for union construction trades including bricklayers, carpenters, cement masons, electricians, glaziers, ironworkers, laborers, millwrights, painters, plasterers, plumbers, steamfitters, and tile layers. Provides current and future wage rates for member subcontractors.
• Trade Contracts Collection of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) between union-signatory construction subcontractors and local unions, covering various trades and time periods.
• Industry Advancement Program (IAP) Funding program established in 1964 that supports activities of AGC of Wisconsin and ACEA, including labor relations, collective bargaining, grievance moderation, union fringe fund trusteeship, and industry-wide committee participation.
• Newsletters Periodic email newsletters providing industry updates, ACEA news, and relevant construction industry information to members. Published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) via Mailchimp.
• SATAP (Substance Abuse Testing Program) Substance abuse testing program providing guidelines and employer reimbursement processes for construction industry employers, including a guideline booklet and reimbursement request forms.
• Contract Administration and Grievance Support Core member service including interpreting and publishing labor contracts, helping members navigate grievance proceedings, and supporting collective bargaining agreement negotiations with local unions, delivered in partnership with Management Guidance LLP.

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Management Guidance LLP (MGLLP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021In 2021, after many years of working with legal counsel John Nesse during contract negotiations, ACEA partnered with Management Guidance LLP to administer the association. This partnership strengthened the financial longevity of the association and gives all ACEA members access to qualified legal counsel with experience in labor relations, employment law, and construction law fields. MGLLP staff include Executive Director Matt Marcellis and Office Manager Jessica Borgardt.
• Wisconsin Painting Contractors Association (WPCA)minorOthersWPCA is a sub-association managed by ACEA, representing painting contractors. ACEA provides administrative support and services to WPCA members.
• AGC of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Industry Advancement Program (IAP), established in 1964, funds the activities of both AGC of Wisconsin and ACEA. The two organizations share resources for labor relations, collective bargaining, and industry-wide initiatives.
• IUPAT DC7minorOthersInternational Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 7 is a union partner with whom ACEA collaborates on labor/management conferences and collective bargaining agreements.
• Operating Engineers Local 139minorOthersOperating Engineers Local 139 is a union partner for whom ACEA negotiates and administers collective bargaining agreements covering Operating Engineers.
• Wisconsin Regional Labor Partnership (WRTP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWRTP is an industry partner working on workforce development initiatives in the Wisconsin construction industry.
• Building AdvantageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding Advantage is an industry partner focused on youth apprenticeship opportunities and career pathways in the trades.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC): National construction industry employer association. Unlike ACEA, ABC represents open-shop (non-union) contractors, but it is the closest national analog in terms of services (labor relations, training, advocacy) offered to construction employer members.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): National trade association representing residential construction employers, including labor relations advocacy. Broader and more residential-focused than ACEA, but shares the construction-employer-association DNA.
• Associated General Contractors of America (AGC of America): National umbrella of which AGC of Wisconsin is a chapter. Provides labor relations, training, and advocacy services to union-signatory general contractors and subcontractors nationwide, directly comparable in mission scope to ACEA at the national level.

Direct peers

• AGC of Wisconsin: Direct peer and co-funding partner; shares the Industry Advancement Program with ACEA and represents a broader (general contractor and union-signatory) membership base in Wisconsin. Highly comparable in mission, geography, and labor relations focus.
• Wisconsin Painting Contractors Association (WPCA): Sub-association administered by ACEA representing painting contractors. Directly comparable as a trade-specific employer association for union painting contractors in Wisconsin.
• Construction Employers Association (Minnesota): Minnesota-based construction employer association negotiating CBAs with building trades unions on behalf of union-signatory contractors. Closest functional and structural peer to ACEA in a neighboring Midwest state.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association (WTBA): Wisconsin-based construction employer association (highway/heavy construction focus) with a board member (Matt Grove) sitting on ACEA's board. Comparable in geography and labor relations advocacy mission.
• Building Trades Employers Association (BTEA): New York City construction employer association that negotiates CBAs with building trades unions. Same model as ACEA (multi-trade labor relations association), but serving NYC instead of Wisconsin.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alliedconstructionemployersassoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/BUILDACEA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Allied Construction Employer's Association