Automatic Central Lubrication Systems for Fleet Vehicles
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Company HistoryJA Lube Central
From the outset, the company was growing by word of mouth, and by an increasing number of European companies locating in Hampton Roads and subcontracting the company as support for start up. Stihl Incorporated, the chainsaw manufacturer, was the first account. The company was growing rapidly and to secure the future, it was incorporated in October 1976. As the company grew different business segments were defined leading Joe Ahrens, Inc to split of into three companies: Joe Ahrens Inc. continued to consult, Newport Machine Tool Corp. provided machine tools, and Die Tool and Mold, Inc. performed contract manufacturing services. In the spring of 1982 Joe Ahrens, Inc secured a distribution agreement from Willy Vogel AG, of Germany, a manufacturer of centralized lubrication systems and components. Vogel had no representation in North America and Joe Ahrens, Inc filled the gap. The sales of lubricating devices grew rapidly, driven first by the successful sales of wheel flange lubrication to the Class A railroads. During the first four years, sales of lubrication devices and systems grew from $50,000 to over $5,000,000. The fast growth of the company made it necessary to look for additional capital. The capital was provided in 1987 when Willy Vogel AG bought an interest of Joe Ahrens, Inc. In 1994 Vogel bought out the rest of the holdings of Joe Ahrens, Inc., and started to operate under the name of Vogel Lubrication, Inc. Joe Ahrens stayed on as President and CEO until 2002 at which time he retired from Vogel Inc to pursue his own corporate interests, namely the continuation of Joe Ahrens, Inc., and Die Tool and Mold, Inc.
The products sold are made in Germany for the major, functional components. All assembly and installation materials are made by Joe Ahrens, Inc. and/or bought as MRO items in America; a complete unit, excluding installation, is comprised of 50% of materials made and bought in America. The driving force behind the sales success is employees who had experience with Vogel and are now serving their customers with a comparable product equal to and/or better by form, fit and function to that of Vogel’s product. |
The company started as a proprietorship under the name of Joe Ahrens Special
Services on May 1st 1973. The goal of this initial company was to provide Hampton
Roads, Virginia expertise in Machine Tool Automation and Machine Tool
Productivity improvements.
Joe Ahrens, Inc. is currently pursuing the sales of lubricating equipment, branded as
JA LUBE CENTRAL. This equipment is patterned after the Vogel product, however
is redesigned with knowledge gained from customer feedback. Current sales efforts
are limited to systems used on commercial trucks, utility trucks, fire apparatus, buses,
off-road equipment by OEM’s, and end-users and for the lubrication of rail
equipment.