Ace Pump Corp. Celebrates 70th Anniversary
December 2, 2015 Ace Pump Corp., a leading manufacturer of pumping solutions for agricultural crop protection and off-highway industrial equipment, recently celebrated its 70th anniversary at the company’s world headquarters in Memphis, TN. Ace Pump was founded in 1945 by Roy Bell, Sr., Elmer Theis, and Bob Berry, and continues today as a family-owned operation under the guidance of chief executive officer Roy Bell III.
Ace Pump Corp. President Andy Randle (left) with Chairman Emeritus Roy Bell Jr. (center) and CEO Roy Bell III (right) at the company’s recent 70th Anniversary Celebration in Memphis, TN.
Ace Pump’s first product, the Model 450, was a double-diaphragm type pump for farm water systems introduced in late 1945. It featured two relatively new materials which were used extensively in World War II – neoprene and aluminum – and could handle sand and other abrasive materials that were often detrimental to the centrifugal and piston pumps of the time.
“My father was not only a true visionary, but a very practical problem-solver,” recalled Roy Bell, Jr., Chairman Emeritus of Ace Pump Corp. “Ace Pump combined Elmer Theis’ pump design with Bob Berry’s marketing talents and my dad’s manufacturing expertise and facilities to form a great partnership. It came at a time when there was a lot of pent-up demand for domestic products following World War II, so it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the right product.”
In 1948, Roy Bell, Sr. bought out his two partners and became the sole owner of Ace Pump Corp. In that year, Ace Pump also introduced the Model 48, an improved version of the Model 450. What follows is a timeline of significant milestones in the company’s growth:
1955: Roy Bell, Jr. returns from service in the U.S. Navy and began working for the company.
1964: Ace Pump produces its first tractor PTO-mounted, belt-driven centrifugal pump for ag chemical spraying.
1969: Ace Pump developed the first hydraulic motor driven pump for ag chemical spraying at the request of John Deere.
1972: Ace Pump purchases ValvTec, a company that produced ball valves for agricultural pumps.
1982: Roy Bell III returns from an engineering position with Boeing in Seattle, WA to join Ace Pump.
1986: Roy Bell III assumes the role of Vice President of Sales.
1996: Andy Randle joins Ace Pump.
1998: Roy Bell III becomes President of Ace Pump.
2000: Ace Pump developed the “X” heavy-duty shaft/bearing for frame-mounted pumps used in orchard and row crop spraying.
2004: Ace Pump developed the gas engine-driven GE-75 polypropylene direct coupled pump for small sprayers and roller pump replacement.
2005: Ace Pump developed the GE-660 close-coupled, gas engine-driven spray pump for use with common 3/4” keyed engine shafts.
2006: Ace Pump developed the FMC-650-HYD Series, the first of the MAX Series, with the first high-pressure straight blade impeller design for spraying.
2007: Andy Randle becomes President of Ace Pump.
2009: Ace Pump developed the FMC-750F-HYD Series pump and received the AE50 Outstanding Innovation Award for the Oasis WetSeal from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
2009: Ace Pump developed the FMC-75-HYD corrosion resistant polypropylene hydraulically driven pump for small sprayer and starter fertilizer application.
2015: Ace Pump receives The President’s “E” Award for Excellencein Exporting from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
2015: Ace introduces its revolutionary Gemini™ dual pump kit.
2015: Ace Pump developed the third and largest MAX Series pump, the FMC-855F-HYD with Oasis WetSeal Technology, for high flow and pressure applications.
When asked about Ace Pump’s secret of long-term success, Roy Bell III stated, “Both my grandfather and father always believed in steady growth fueled by innovation in a true family atmosphere. For 70 years, we’ve fostered a value system that nurtures the employee-centered, customer-focused traditions upon which our company was founded.”
Andy Randle, president of Ace Pump and an employee of the company for 20 years, echoed those remarks. “The Bell family always has valued its customers and employees and constantly strives to meet their highest expectations. Our management realizes that continued growth depends on both customer and employee satisfaction, and we do everything in our power to make sure our products, service and work environment are second to none.”
While the farm equipment market is in the midst of a mild recession, Roy Bell III believes the company’s long-term prospects for growth are very bright. “We continue to launch new and improved products, including our new Gemini dual pump kit. The Gemini kit allows a user to operate two Ace pumps independently from a single hydraulic supply and control them manually or with a PWM (pulse width modulated) control signal. So we see it fitting perfectly with the growing trend toward precision application of liquid fertilizer and crop protection products.”
To learn more about Ace Pump Corp. and the entire line of Ace Pump products, please visit the company’s website at www.acepumps.com.
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