Ace Metal Crafts celebrates 50th anniversary

Ace Metal Crafts celebrated its 50th anniversary with a celebration at its Franklin Park, Ill., headquarters on June 13. The event included an open house with a facility tour, reunion and celebration, and a picnic with employees and retirees.

In 1960, 16 Chicago-area sheet metal workers pooled their funds and expertise into one company that offered one specialty: stainless steel fabrication. That company became Ace Metal Crafts, which today is known for the value engineering and fabrication of stainless steel components for the food processing, packaging, environmental, nuclear, pharmaceutical, and plastics industries.

Since the original 16, there have been only two owners of Ace Metal Crafts: Jack Lichter (1982-1991) and sisters Jean Pitzo and Mary Lichter (1991-present).

The company employs 70 people in its 40,000-sq.-ft. facility, offering laser cutting, forming, rolling, welding, polishing, tube and pipe laser cutting, and assembly.