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EQI’s History

About Us

EQI was founded in Spring Lake, MI, in 2004 as industrial metal products manufacturing went offshore to address continued North American foundry capacity declines. EQI quickly established supplier quality and engineering teams in China to ensure quality requirements, delivery, and competitiveness targets were achieved from day one. 

During our first several years, EQI remained focused on gray iron counterweights for forklift trucks and other large mobile equipment. However, by the start of the next decade, EQI had penetrated additional markets in construction, forestry, and CNC machine tool manufacturing, quickly becoming one of the largest importers of diversified metal components in the United States.

Alongside seasoned investor partners, EQI launched strategic initiatives to diversify its customer base, expand sourcing operations, and add additional value-added services to its already comprehensive offering around metal products procurement. 

In late 2021, EQI acquired Industrial Paint Solutions in Northern Ireland, a long-time supplier of VMI and industrial coatings services, fueling EQI’s penetration into warehousing and finish painting services. A year later, EQI acquired Accucam Machining in Ontario, Canada, and Qingdao, China, further expanding EQI’s suite of value-added services to precision machining of complex steel castings and other machined components. 

In addition to EQI’s Michigan headquarters, the company now operates several sourcing and quality assurance operations across China, India, and Vietnam, along with finishing machining operations in Ontario, Canada, and Qingdao, China. The company recently established two additional warehouses and finish painting operations in Maryland and Kentucky that support key strategic customers in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States.

2024

EQI celebrates 20th anniversary

Acquisition of Pro-Tech, a prominent supplier of metal products to the thermal processing industry. This strategic move underscores EQI’s commitment to diversification and expansion into key markets, positioning the company for sustained growth and success.

2023

EQI Opens VMI & Finish Painting operation in Hagerstown, MD.

EQI and Accucam unite under a single brand – EQI

2022

EQI and Accucam Machining merge to form a global diversified metal components business producing over 140,000 tons of metal products annually

2021

EQI acquires Industrial Paint Solutions, UK, a finish painting and warehousing enterprise

 

2020

EQI Logistics LLC is founded to support a 50,000 sq. ft. warehouse facility in Berea, KY

 

2019

EQI establishes EQI India Pvt Ltd.

2016

The Cambridge, Ontario machining facility is expanded to 95,000 sq. ft.

2014

QEM machining facilities in China are expanded to a total of 301,000 sq. ft.

2012

EQI Management and professional investment partners complete the buyout of EQI from its founder.

2008

Accucam achieves ISO 14001:2004 certification

2004

EQI and EQI China (Beijing) LTD are established to deliver globally sourced large iron castings to US OEMs.

QEM (a wholly owned subsidiary of Accucam) opens a 19,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Qingdao, China.

1999

Accucam achieves ISO 9001:2008 certification

1993

The Cambridge, Ontario machining site is expanded to 25,000 sq. ft.

1987

Accucam Machining is Incorporated in Cambridge, Ontario utilizing 2500 sq. ft. machine shop.

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