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This is a true American success story. One built not on flash, but on foundations.
ACE Metal Crafts began more than 65 years ago with a simple idea: do the right things, the right way, for the right reasons. Hard work, steady hands, and respect for people became the tools that shaped every part, every relationship, and every generation that followed.
The American story is told in many languages and experiences, but there’s a universal one spoken here: the language of craftsmanship, of pride in doing the work well, and of treating others with dignity.
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Our company was founded in 1960 by sixteen sheet metal workers who refused to walk away from their craft when their employer moved out of state.
Determined to keep working in Illinois, they joined with several investors, raised $160,000, and — through sheer grit and sweat equity — opened their own stainless steel fabrication shop in Franklin Park.
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They called it ACE Metal Crafts Company and from the beginning, it stood for something greater than profit. It was about precision, integrity and treating people right.
ACE's founders believed that success was built not just on what you make, but how you make it. With teamwork, respect and pride in every weld.
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Among those early craftsmen was Jack Stout, a stainless steel expert whose technical mastery and teaching spirit became the heartbeat of the company.
Over four decades, Jack helped shape ACE’s core competencies and set the standard for excellence that continues to define the company today.
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Over the next twenty years, the market for stainless steel fabrication expanded and ACE’s reputation grew with it. As food, pharma, and industrial manufacturing matured, ACE became known for work that met the highest standards of precision and cleanliness.
Through disciplined craft and unwavering integrity, ACE helped define what stainless fabrication should look like. Customers trusted ACE not only for its technical skill, but for its word. Over time, reliability became ACE’s quiet signature, the result of precision, patience, and pride in every piece.
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In 1982, businessman Jack Lichter saw the promise of those standards and bought the company.
He invested in people and in the computer-driven technology poised to redefine manufacturing, setting ACE on a path where craftsmanship and innovation would always advance together.
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In 1991, Jean Pitzo, Jack Lichter's daughter, became CEO, joined by her sister Mary Lichter and Keith Stout, son of Jack Stout.
They combined trust, technology, and teamwork to shape ACE’s future. The next decade saw the company making continued investments in technology and developing its people.
Through each change, Jean’s belief held steady: when you lead with respect, excellence follows.
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The 2000s tested manufacturers everywhere. ACE weathered recessions by doubling down on people and purpose.
When others slowed, ACE grew 70 percent—supplying critical equipment to food and pharma clients who trusted its consistency.
By 2011, ACE moved into an 82,000-square-foot facility in Bensenville, expanding capacity and opportunity for its team.
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That same year, Angela Pitzo joined ACE Metal Crafts Company beginning on the shop floor, learning every process and earning the respect of the people who had built the company she would one day help guide.
Working alongside welders, machinists, and engineers, she immersed herself in the details of production and the discipline of lean manufacturing. Her hands-on approach reflected ACE’s belief that leadership is not a title, but a practice.
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That investment in better systems to support the team included ACE's partnership with Toyota’s Production System Support Center to embed lean thinking throughout the shop.
Visual boards, daily huddles, and team-driven kaizen made improvement a shared habit.
At the same time, ACE implemented ECI’s M1 ERP system, linking real-time data to real people. Efficiency rose, chaos fell, and employees gained the power to see and solve problems as they occurred.
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The investment in better systems didn't stop with equipment or technology. The company was committed to building a place where people grow along with the business.
The American Psychological Association has honored ACE with Best Practice and State Awards for creating a psychologically healthy workplace.
Employee Value Streams, Open Book Management, and continuous learning built a culture of trust and transparency. At ACE, safety, honesty, and growth are daily habits.
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In 2018, Forbes and the Small Giants Community named ACE Metal Crafts Company one of America’s Best Small Companies honoring businesses that choose greatness not just growth.
Under CEO Jean Pitzo, President Keith Stout, and Chief Relationship Officer Deb Benning, ACE deepened its commitment to a culture rooted in kindness, trust, and shared purpose.
Today, ACE is a company where business excellence and human wellbeing are inseparable — a culture built not by leadership alone, but by the collective care, curiosity, and commitment of everyone who walks through its doors.
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In early 2019, ACE Metal Crafts Company expanded its capabilities with the acquisition of Irmko Tool Works, Inc., a respected leader in precision-machined stainless steel components. This addition strengthened ACE’s position across the stainless steel fabrication and machining industry, uniting two teams built on the same foundation of skill, integrity, and craftsmanship.
Later that year, ACE added two Mazak Quick Turn CNC lathes, increasing production capacity and advancing its ability to deliver complex, high-quality components with efficiency and precision.
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In 2023, ACE Metal Crafts Company invested $3.2 million in new technology — including a state-of-the-art Fiber Tube Laser and an advanced Machining Center — reinforcing its commitment to precision, efficiency, and long-term growth.
To streamline operations, all Machining Centers were consolidated under one roof, creating a dedicated machining facility. This strategic move opened new space at ACE’s fabrication location for expanded Contract Assembly, allowing both teams to operate with greater focus, speed, and collaboration.
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ACE Metal Crafts continues to grow with heart. Named one of the nation’s Best & Brightest Companies to Work For for three years in a row, and featured in the Wall Street Journal, ACE remains an industry leader defined by kindness, trust, and precision.
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For more than six decades, one truth has endured at ACE Metal Crafts Company: our greatest strength is our people. From the founders who built this place with their hands, to the new generation shaping its future through innovation and care, every chapter has been written by individuals who believe that how we work is as important as what we make.
Here, craftsmanship is an act of connection between people, between generations, and between purpose and progress.
We still believe in the simple, powerful idea that began it all: when work is done with integrity, kindness, and pride, it becomes something more than a product, it becomes a legacy.
Our History
The one most important thing that has stayed the same has been our values. As we made progress throughout the years, our values became our foundation to be where we’re at today.
Marty Trigueros, Value Stream Leader
The one most important thing that has stayed the same has been our values.
As we made progress throughout the years, our values became our
foundation to be where we’re at today.
Marty Trigueros, Value Stream Leader
The one most important thing that has stayed the same has been our values.
As we made progress throughout the years, our values became our
foundation to be where we’re at today.
Marty Trigueros, Value Stream Leader
