ACE marks 25 years with 150-millionth etched part

The ACE team in 2025

Telford-based Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE), a precision manufacturer, has celebrated 25 years in business by producing its 150-millionth component. The ‘etched’ part, is heading into the world of electrification and marks nearly a quarter of a century of manufacturing in the heart of Telford.

Launched by Alan Rollason, David Latham and current executive director Chris Ball, the company has come a long way since it started life in a small 4,500ft² unit with just six employees and a first order — worth £500 — going to Pascall Electronics on the Isle of Wight.

Today, ACE ships components to more than 33 different countries and works with customers in the automotive, aerospace, medical, renewables and electronics sectors. Furthermore, it has recently taken on two additional people in the inspection department to cope with a 5% increase in demand, with turnover up to £9 million in 2025.

Mr Ball said: “We have had to contend with a lot of changes over the last 25 years, so it feels somewhat fitting that we have hit the 150 million production milestone to mark our anniversary. Covid-19, Brexit, the global financial crisis and recent supply chain disruption have all been overcome and this is thanks to our commitment to investment in new technology and our people.
This has ensured we can continually innovate our processes, including adding new materials like aluminium and titanium. Achieving the highest possible standards in etching gives our clients the opportunity to choose this type of process over more traditional alternatives to achieve lighter products.”

Pictured right: ACE in the early days: Chris Ball (middle) flanked by founders David Latham and Alan Rollason. Stuart Weston, who has been with the business since day one, is far left

He continued: “All the focus now is on the next 25 years. £350,000 was spent earlier this year on the installation of two additional single-chamber Chemcut etching machines and a ‘state of the art’ UCE developer, and this has given us quicker and cleaner imaging. It means we can now etch 1,300 sheets per day, a far cry from the 50 we could manage back in 2000.”

ACE, which holds ISO:9001 (quality) and ISO:14001 (environmental) accreditations, currently employs 70 people in Telford. The scope of its activities is far and wide, seeing it produce anything from simple washers to highly complex precision components for a wide variety of applications, including battery interconnects, fuel cell bi-polar plates, battery grids, cooling plates and heating components.

There have been some major milestones during the last quarter of a century, the first hitting the £1 million turnover mark in 2003 and then setting up the company’s sister business ACE Forming (Kingswinford), and appointing ACE’s current managing director Ian Whateley in 2012.

In the last decade, there has been additional units acquired to increase capacity, securing the AS9100 aerospace accreditation and the complete remodelling of the factory on Hortonwood, including building its own sub-station.

Mr Whateley said: “We want 2025 to be a real celebration of what the business has achieved and where we want to go over the next 25 years. A big summer barbecue took place recently and it was great to share this event with retired founders Alan Rollason and Dave Latham (both now 78); and we are going to give every one of our 70-strong workforce their birthdays off as a little thank you! This will not just be for 2025, but for every year going forward. In addition to Chris Ball, we also need to recognise the achievements of Andrew Parton and Stuart Weston, who have both been with us since day one.”