US Roller Company Expands Global Manufacturing with Innovation

What has enabled an industrial roller manufacturer with over 80 years of history to maintain its industry leadership while continuing to expand? The answer lies in its relentless pursuit of innovation, customer service, and operational excellence—a combination that forms the distinctive "American Roller Way."

American Roller Company, founded in 1938, has established itself as a premier provider of industrial rollers and related engineering services. Headquartered in Union Grove, Wisconsin, the company operates facilities across the United States and China, supporting global manufacturing through direct operations and an extensive licensing network.

Renowned for its technical innovation, American Roller delivers customized solutions for local manufacturers while providing worldwide technical support. The company offers comprehensive engineering services and industrial roller products, including rubber and polyurethane coverings, plasma coatings, and roller core manufacturing. A team of engineers, research scientists, and technical specialists collaborates closely with clients to deliver expert knowledge, efficient service, and optimized production solutions.

The company operates multiple specialized brands including American Roller, Plasma Coatings, and C.R.E.W., each maintaining an exceptional reputation in their respective fields.

American Roller understands that exceptional customer experience forms the foundation of lasting partnerships. Through its strategically distributed network, clients benefit from multiple access points including local manufacturing facilities, integrated transportation systems, and nationwide sales and customer service teams. The company's team-based service model ensures consistent, high-quality support regardless of product or facility location.

With manufacturing plants across the United States, production capabilities in China, and eight licensed locations worldwide, American Roller provides timely support to global customers.

American Roller offers complete roller solutions through four primary business segments:

The company manufactures various surface enhancement coverings internally, allowing customers to optimize solutions by balancing engineering trade-offs between different covering types. The Arcomax brand represents American Roller's full range of polymer roller coverings, including standard compounds and customized formulations. Specialized options include Arcostretcher—a versatile grooved roller that eliminates wrinkles in paper, film, and foil without material distortion—and the Pegasus series featuring durable double-compression rollers for converting, corrugating, and printing applications.

Plasma Coatings combine the wear resistance of thermal spray materials (like tungsten carbide) with the high-release properties of polymers (such as Teflon). Drawing on decades of polymer expertise, American Roller's field engineers evaluate applications, propose solutions, and conduct laboratory or field tests to determine optimal coatings for specific needs.

The company manufactures industrial roller cores and bases in-house, capable of working with all material types. An experienced engineering team provides design assistance and CAD drawings. Specialized solutions include Thermalon, the company's patented electric heat transfer roller that offers cost advantages over traditional oil, water, or steam heating systems.

American Roller's manufacturing teams adhere to stringent quality and safety standards for all orders. The company conducts regular rhythm meetings to ensure success, utilizing metrics, trend analysis, and scorecards to measure progress. Through lean manufacturing principles, the company enhances efficiency and output while prioritizing workplace safety.

Key operational priorities include:

• Safety as the foremost concern
• Daily tiered meetings at all levels
• On-time delivery performance and reduced factory turnaround times as key lean manufacturing metrics

American Roller engineers work closely with customers throughout project lifecycles, ensuring all components—whether new or refurbished—meet production requirements. Precision components undergo laser profile measurement with accuracy to 0.0001 inches. For oversized rollers or components that cannot be transported for recoating, the company provides on-site coating services at customer facilities, minimizing downtime by eliminating disassembly requirements.

American Roller distinguishes itself by anticipating market needs and developing cutting-edge engineering solutions that keep customers at their industry's forefront. The company continually expands its services to deliver comprehensive experiences, personalized solutions, and exceptional service. Core offerings include field coating, reverse engineering, various surface treatment options, and journal/shaft/core repairs.

American Roller maintains an extensive worldwide network of manufacturing plants and service locations:

• Arcon Plant: Union Grove, WI – Full-service roller manufacturing and covering
• Arcotech Plant: Union Grove, WI – Advanced coating technologies
• Arlington Plant: Arlington, TN – Plasma Coatings specialty services
• Big River: Paris, AR – Roller manufacturing, repair, and covering
• Bonell: Riverdale, IL – Large and specialty roller manufacturing
• C.R.E.W. Inc.: Oshkosh, WI – Roller repair, refurbishment, and field services
• Chicago Plant: Chicago, IL – Rapid-turnaround roller services
• Corporate Offices: Union Grove, WI – Company headquarters
• Covington Plant: Covington, VA – Specialized roller covering and repair
• Research and Engineering Center: Union Grove, WI – Dedicated to new product development
• Rock Hill Plant: Rock Hill, SC – Comprehensive roller manufacturing
• Walkerton Plant: Walkerton, IN – Specialized roller services
• Waterbury Plant: Waterbury, CT – Roller covering and repair
• Wisconsin Plant: Union Grove, WI – Full-service roller operations

• Shanghai Engineered Products Co., LTD: Localized roller services for Asian markets

• Argentina: Cirmaq
• Australia: LaserBond
• Canada: Greywall Coatings, Inc.
• India: Plasma Spray Processors
• Italy/Europe: Smaltiriva (Praxair Surface Technologies) and Praxair Mantova Plant
• Japan: Kanmeta Engineering Co.
• New Zealand: Holster Engineering Co.
• South Africa: Thermaspray (PTY) Ltd

Through this global infrastructure, American Roller delivers timely support to customers worldwide, ensuring uninterrupted production operations. The company continues to advance its "American Roller Way" philosophy—driving innovation, pursuing excellence, and delivering superior products and services to help customers achieve greater success.