ROSEVILLE, Mich. — AHB Tooling and Machinery, LLC (AHB), Roseville, Mich. has acquired Central UP Industrial Supply, Inc (Central UP), Escanaba, MI, as of March 1. The acquisition of Central UP further solidifies AHB’s position as a full-service metalworking and machinery solutions provider in the Upper Peninsula. All employees of Central UP will become employees of AHB and remain at the same facility.

Mike Gleason, president of AHB, and Jon Hays, (vice president of sales at AHB, elected to purchase the company from John and Terry Frankenstein with the intention of providing future, secured employment for Central UP employees as well as solidifying AHB’s presence in the Upper Peninsula. Gleason, who has been with AHB for 25 years, and Hays, who has been with AHB for 22 years spoke on the transition. “We anticipate an exceptionally smooth transition,” said Gleason. “It is our expectation that Central UP’s Customers, Suppliers, and Employees will experience very few changes and significant value added as a result of the change in ownership.” “Having a local facility and qualified/experienced people will only help our efforts to support this region with the work we have started, supplying products and performing machinery repairs in this area”, said Hays.

Central UP was formed by Robert Prins, Sr. and Paul Paulson, Sr. in 1966 to serve the Escanaba area, and it was purchased by the Frankenstein family in 1990. John has been the face of the company since then, and, over the years, the company has been able to expand its footprint to include the entire Upper Peninsula, as well as the bordering Wisconsin counties.

Commenting on the sale, John Frankenstein has stated, “Central Industrial’s employees and vendor partners have been instrumental in our growth, and we, in turn, are proud to have played a role in providing machining solutions that have helped our loyal customers succeed. As we transition, I am pleased to report that I will continue working for twelve months, possibly longer. I am thankful to be turning our staff over to a company that is, according to the Detroit Free Press, one of the Michigan Top Workplaces for 2021, 2022, and 2023. And for our many customers, I’m confident that AHB Tooling and Machinery will not only continue to uphold our legacy but expand our range of product offerings and technology offerings.”

AHB has been recognized as a Michigan metalworking leader for nearly two decades by building strong customer relationships through exceptional service paired with top-notch metalworking expertise. AHB provides its customers with unparalleled technical knowledge, including the ability to apply tooling at the spindle and provide the unusual combination of the consumable products, the machines that use them and a complete service department to maintain and repair the machines (whether supplied by them or not) creating a truly complete manufacturing solution.

AHB offers a wide range of industrial products including abrasives, custom welded band saw blades, cutting tools (both solid and insertable/indexable), fluids, and air/water/oil filtration products. These products can be secured and maintained through various vending and integrated supply solutions. The company also sells metalworking machinery, including but not limited to, band and cold saws, mills, lathes, press brakes and shears, ironworkers, lasers, plasmas, tube benders, waterjets, punches, rolls, and automated structural equipment, in manual to completely automated solutions.

Following the merger, AHB will employ 60 individuals providing and supporting approximately $50 million in revenue. Our goal has always been to reduce our customers’ machining costs by recommending top-quality products at competitive prices that help our customers compete both locally and globally. We have become ISO-certified to ensure our employees are well-trained and efficient in providing cost savings solutions.

AHB maintains a comprehensive E-Commerce website, providing 24/7 quoting, ordering, and stock check capabilities to enhance the customer experience.