ACE Solutions for everyone [Nov 2011]

November 25, 2011 6:56 am

ACE Solutions for everyoneACE Automation Control Equipment, the company has originally started business in Detroit helping the automation process producing cars. According to Djawad Khorosh, Operation Manager (Sales and Marketing), Today the Company is into almost every industry imaginable from tyre manufacturers to steel production, machine tools, rocket launchers, food processing, robots, packaging equipment, machine tools, paper industry and right through to medical devicesAs a global leader in industrial absorption technology, how does ACE manage to stay ahead?We have three focussed directions that have kept ACE Controls as Number 1 in the Deceleration and Controls market since our original invention of the adjustable shock absorber in 1963. First and the foremost direction is our investment in research and development. We consistently test and develop our existing product range to make it as good as we possibly can. Often the work carried out is not visible from the external view, but internally all products in our range have been either developed or improved in the last 5 years.
Secondly is our search for new ACE products ready for our customers in the future. ACE is well known for the shock absorber range, but we have many other products available in our products bouquet.
Our third focussed direction is the global support for our products with the six ACE offices and our international and local distribution network. To be able to give good quality support wherever the products are finally used has always been a significant aim of ACE Controls, both technically, but also in the local language, local currency and with appropriate local inventory support. Many of our distributors have been with ACE for over 30 years and are well trained experts in their own right.
What is your opinion on the process control industry in India and the technological advancements?India is undergoing a dramatic change in the process control industry as many companies look towards the export market for new business. This has led to the need to comply with international standards and review historic designs. The big advantage for the Indian manufacturing base is that they have the potential to take a leap forward from traditional manufacturing to the latest techniques without having to go through the learning curves and development paths that other countries have had to take. I am pleased to say that from the companies visited this change has been embraced and will set India amongst the major industrial players.
Could you tell us about your product offerings?Our well-known ACE shock absorbers are available from sizes as small as 5 mm diameter up to very large units capable of absorbing 1,26,500 NM per cycle and also a full range of safety shock absorbers designed for extreme situations. We also manufacture heavy duty industrial gas springs, tubus profile dampers, SLAB damping plates, rotary dampers, hydraulic dampers and feed controls, ACE locked clamping elements and our latest product range of anti-vibration damping plates.
What are the sectors the company caters to and what are the application areas of your products?This is quite a difficult question to answer because we are involved in almost every industry you can imagine. We always say: “If you need to stop a moving load or change direction then ACE can always provide a cost effective advantage for you”. Our original business started in Detroit helping the automation process producing cars and has grown from there. Today, we are into almost every industry imaginable from tyre manufacturers to steel production, machine tools, rocket launchers, food processing, robots, packaging equipment, machine tools, paper industry and right through to medical devices. We really do have something for everyone.
What are the advantages of ACE shock absorbers?The advantages are numerous and depend on what the customers wants to achieve. The most popular reasons for buying ACE products are: Reduced cycle times and therefore increase the number of products produced (result – make more money), reduce energy costs, reduce maintenance, reduce installation time, improve machine safety, reduce vibration/cycle shock, reduce noise, improve reliability, improve machine operation, more products manufactured per hour, accurate product positioning, improve machine perception/quality, uniform stopping force, reduce machine weight, minimise machine structure, and reduced construction costs. Therefore, we really do provide value for money when one buys ACE products.
Could you brief us about your distribution network?ACE has their own manufacturing and sales offices in six key global locations situated in important market sectors including our premises in Chennai. In addition ACE has international distributors based in all manufacturing countries in the world and these are supported by local sub-distributors where required. In India, we have a number of distributors located in key locations to supply and support our customer base. With the growth of ACE in India and the growing Indian industrial market we are continuing to look for suitable partners to expand our distributor network. With the growth of the ACE product range, we need more market focussed and product focussed specialists in addition to our general distributors. So far, India has been very good for ACE and we want to repay the compliment by providing the best service we possibly can.
Finally, how is ACE Automation contributing towards the environment?The ACE product range is rather unusual in respect to the environment as we do not use energy but control and absorb energy. In most applications where our products are used we are able to reduce the energy consumed by the equipment and still increase operational speeds. ACE complies with all regulations for material and production worldwide and as you know there are quite a few of those these days. The use of our products also reduces noise and vibration which are a hidden problem not always recognised in industry as an environmental problem. Even our product packaging complies with international standards. So, we can say ACE is ‘green and environment friendly’.