Acme Truck Brake & Supply Co.

Over 30 Years of Transportation Repair Excellence

 

Exploring the employee ownership structure of Illinois’s most relied-upon service fleet.

Driving past the competition and fueling up for growth to come, Acme Truck Brake & Supply Co., an employee-owned company has steered a winning path for over 30 years. Its success can be attributed to the amazing structure that its Employee Stock Ownership Plan has provided, the company is now considered by many to be Chicagoland’s best aftermarket truck parts distributor.

Acme leadership also prioritizes clear communication and transparency and actively informs employees about the company’s vision, goals, and performance to foster a sense of ownership and accountability.

Practically, this looks like regular updates on the ESOP’s progress and financial health ensure that employees understand their impact on the company’s success, which shows greatly in the company’s performance.

Acme also offers continuous training and development programs to help employees enhance their skills and stay motivated.

It celebrates achievements and recognizes contributions through events and awards, encouraging a participatory environment where employees can voice ideas and suggestions ensuring that everyone feels valued and invested in the company’s future.

Today, Acme is a prosperous, innovative company where employees feel empowered and where continuous growth, both in market reach and employee satisfaction, is evident.

 

From Humble Beginnings to ESOP Excellence

Acme Truck Brakes was founded in June 1990 by Bill and Jan Dudek. Starting as a modest aftermarket truck parts store specializing in brakes and clutches, Acme quickly grew into one of Chicagoland’s largest suppliers in the industry.

Over the initial years, Bill and Jan worked side by side with their employees, growing the company from 15 employees to 36, and expanding from a single store to two locations.

Their dedication to excellent service and creating a supportive company culture laid the foundation for Acme’s success. However, what accelerated that success was the key decision to lay the company’s future in the hands of its employees.

“The owners were looking for the best option to continue the culture that was created with the employees and the excellent service we provide our customers,” says the company CEO Joe Brooks.

This single decision began a march toward a new chapter for the company, on a path that would be soon paved by the hardworking individuals keeping it prosperous.

Recognizing the importance of preserving the culture they had built, Bill and Jan decided to transition the company to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). In 2011, they sold 40% of Acme to the ESOP, allowing employees to begin sharing in the company’s ownership.

By 2016, Bill and Jan had sold the remaining stock, making Acme 100% employee-owned. This transition provided employees with a unique opportunity to influence the company’s direction and benefit directly from its success.

Currently, it’s easy to see that Acme’s employees made the most of their newfound leadership and adopted the proper mindset to get the company to where it is today. However, it must be said that that mindset was carefully cultivated over time by the company’s internal branding.

A critical aspect of Acme’s internal branding is ensuring that employees understand the ESOP and its benefits.

“Each employee goes through a vesting period. After they’ve been with Acme for at least a year, we sit down and explain the details and the benefits of how our ESOP works,” Brooks states, clarifying that the actual vesting period lasts about 7 years.

Afterward, employees are given an ESOP statement each year, showing them their shares, and the value of their shares is sent out quarterly.

However, that’s not all. Quarterly “How Can You Do Your Part?” emails remind employees of ways to enhance efficiency and profitability, keeping everyone aligned with the company’s goals.

Additionally, when the employees hit those goals, the company makes sure to recognize and celebrate them. Twice a year, Acme hosts events to celebrate its employees and foster a sense of community.

Summer parties, such as renting a ship for a cruise on Lake Michigan during the Air and Water Show, and family-inclusive Christmas parties, are often used to strengthen bonds among employees and their families.

These events not only celebrate accomplishments but also reinforce the importance of teamwork and shared success within the ESOP structure.

Dynamic and Diverse Strategies for Marketing and Operations

Acme’s external branding focuses on maintaining a strong market presence through various channels.

“We market our product and services through our website. We have outside sales personnel, inside sales countermen, and sales flyers. Plus we market through social media and our on-hold messaging. We also have a marketing company called AMP/Optima that runs our Google web page to ensure that we’re always at the top of the search,” Brookes explains.

When it comes to external promotion, Acme’s policy is to diversify the ways that it delivers itself to its prospects. It still retains the traditional in-person approach but enhances that with social media marketing which enhances the company’s online presence and accessibility.

Diversity as a marketing principle makes the most sense in this case, as Acme needs this range of marketing techniques to continue reaching more of the immensely diverse customer base that it already serves.

Acme serves a broad spectrum of customers, including owner-operators, repair shops, and freight companies. The company’s operational capacity is geared towards meeting these diverse requirements efficiently and effectively, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Acme’s customers rely on it for replacement truck parts for their fleets and individual needs, but more importantly, they stay with Acme due to its across-the-board dedication to quality service.

This is where the true value of the ESOP Structure shines through, as it passively enhances the company’s visibility and sales, allowing employees to leverage the ESOP’s very reputation for the company’s benefit.

Employee ownership fosters a sense of accountability and motivation, as employees understand that their efforts directly impact the company’s success.

This ownership mentality drives higher performance and dedication, and regular evaluations and annual statements help employees see the tangible benefits of their contributions, further enhancing motivation and engagement.

That mentality has paid the company back well, as Acme’s commitment to excellence has earned it several accolades.

The company is a part of the Heavy Duty America (HDA) marketing group, consistently ranking in the top 15 nationwide.

Acme has also achieved platinum partner status with vendors like Bendix and Phillips, meeting and exceeding purchasing goals for seven consecutive years.

Additionally, employees have been recognized for their expertise and leadership, such as excelling in HDA’s training modules, further highlighting the company’s dedication to growth and development.

 

Advancements and Expansions for Future Prosperity

Looking ahead, Acme is focusing on expanding its e-commerce capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of having an online presence.

In response, Acme launched an e-commerce store on its website, allowing customers to check parts availability and pricing in real time. This initiative has shown promising growth, and the company plans to continue enhancing and promoting its e-commerce platform to stay competitive in the digital age.

In addition to e-commerce, Acme is investing in new machinery to enhance its operational efficiency.

The company has expanded into drive shaft repair and replacement, and the upcoming purchase of advanced machinery will streamline these processes. This investment reflects Acme’s commitment to continuously improving its services and meeting customer needs more effective.

Acme is also collaborating with a few key vendors like Meritor, Automann, SKF, and HDA Truck Pride to brainstorm new ideas to improve their mutual operations. One of the largest names in this mix is Karmak, another ESOP company that provides Acme with core operational software.

According to Brookes, this form of collaboration has proven to be extremely successful due to the mutual understanding between the parties involved.

“We get each other because we understand what it takes to work with our customers to get them to where they need to be… it keeps us all profitable,” Brookes proudly explains.

Acme Truck Brake & Supply Co. has come a long way since its inception. The transition to an ESOP has empowered employees, fostering a culture of ownership and shared success.

With a strong internal and external branding strategy, a commitment to operational excellence, and a clear vision for the future, Acme is well-positioned to continue its growth and innovation.

The company’s focus on e-commerce and technological advancements ensures that it remains competitive in an ever-evolving market, while its dedication to employee engagement and community building keeps its foundational values at the forefront

As Acme looks to the future, its blend of tradition and innovation promises continued success and prosperity for all its employee-owners

AT A GLANCE

Acme Truck Brake & Supply Co.

What: An employee-owned company that has been a cornerstone in the automotive supply industry for over 30 years.

Where: Chicagoland, Illinois, USA

Website: https://acmetruckbrake.com/