Adjusting For Growth

American Hydraulic Services, Inc. (AHS) began by providing hose services and small hydraulic repairs to customers in 1995. With a focus on customer service, dependable products, quick turn-around times and quality service guarantee, AHS has grown exponentially, adding valuable team members, new locations, and a wider range of services to foster the needs of their customer base. In 2018, AHS expanded to Ironton, Ohio, acquiring a 65,000-square-foot production facility located on the banks of the Ohio River with access to both river and rail transport. In February 2021, they expanded their services to include specialized heavy industrial manufacturing and, in September, they began production in their new manufacturing division tank truss manufacturing fabricating steel structures, trusses, and bar joists. There are 80 employees at the Ironton, Ohio, location.

AHS needed to be prepared to take on the challenges of exponential growth. 

OSU South Centers, part of the Ohio MEP and the MEP National Network™, conducted a comprehensive evaluation of their business and processes with assistance from Stonepath Business Solutions. The process took three days on location with the team at AHS. As a growing business, it was important to see how AHS measured up to other businesses in their sector. 

Stonepath also review's AHS's current operations to help AHS identify any potential blind spots or untapped opportunities. Stonepath Business Solutions performed a comprehensive review to give AHS a clear picture of where they were as well as where they could be along with a potential roadmap to get there. At the conclusion of the evaluation, a report of findings along with suggested next steps to position them for sustainable growth was presented to AHS. This report also included a roadmap with suggested timeline for implementation.

The assistance of the Ohio MEP as an "outside expert" gave AHS the critical analysis they needed to assess how they were evolving and provided both motivation and direction. Leaders from all sectors of their business became involved and AHS is now a much stronger company. AHS is now more prepared to take on the continued challenges of customer demands and rapid growth in a planned, strategic manner. AHS is currently expanding their production facilities and continue to receive customer orders for new and exciting product designs weekly. AHS is hoping to create 40 new job opportunities over the next two years.