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A.C.E. Building Service Announces Acquisition of SMI Civil & Structural Engineers

A.C.E. Building Service, a Northeast Wisconsin-based provider of commercial and industrial construction services, announced today the acquisition of Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based SMI Civil & Structural Engineers. The acquisition of SMI allows for the expansion of in-house design/build capabilities to include surveying, structural engineering, and civil engineering. SMI’s Licensed Professional Engineer, Jeff Gordon, will join the A.C.E. Building Service team.

“For nearly 70 years, SMI has been a progressive company in Manitowoc County and the premier provider of both engineering and surveying personnel for civil and structural engineering services,” said Chris Herzog, president of A.C.E. Building Service. “We’ve worked with SMI and its previous entities under different names for decades. They’ve been an extension of our team for many years, so welcoming Jeff Gordon to our organization is a natural fit.”

Founded under the name Fenner-Brey in 1947, SMI offered an extensive library of project drawings and reference materials and was the only company in Manitowoc County that offered engineering and surveying services. Projects spanned from sewer and water main design to municipal and rural road design, residential subdivision and commercial site plans, municipal, commercial, and residential structural design, and more. The acquisition of SMI positions A.C.E. Building Service as a single-source option for the design and construction of facility expansions, renovations, equipment foundations, and special projects for industrial and commercial clients.

Herzog added, “This is a big step for our company as it's the first time in our 58-year history that we will directly offer structural engineering services. We look forward to enhancing our design/build project method which will offer a streamlined process flow and greater control over schedule and service offerings. Companies that once relied on SMI for engineering services and a separate contractor for construction services will now have a comprehensive option in A.C.E. Building Service.”

With a transfer of ownership in late 2021 and Projects of Distinction Award recognition for several projects including PetSkull Brewing Company and Lighthouse Pavilion of Manitowoc, a focus on continuous improvement and evolution continues to be the main focus for the new A.C.E. Business Service leadership team.

Topics: A.C.E. Building Service

Written by Tina Alfson

Office Administrator
Tina earned her Associate degree in Marketing at Lakeshore Technical College. She has more than 20 years of experience in customer service and marketing roles—mainly in small businesses where she wore many hats including accounting, purchasing, customer service, and scheduling. At A.C.E., Tina handles accounts payable, human resources and marketing.

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