Beyond supplying spare parts for compressors and engines, CECO dedicates itself to growth and expansion to meet the industry's needs. Through this growth, CECO now finds itself the parent of a family of companies. CECO's divisions include: Performance Filtration, Inc., Anderson Consulting, Testing and Training, Pure Process Systems, CECO Baton Rouge Precision Repair, and CECO Pipeline Services.

Performance Filtration Inc. was founded in 1987 at Lewisville, Texas. At the time, CECO had been selling air/oil separators in increasing numbers and decided they needed a source to supply filters for compressors, blowers, engines, and other applications. Ernest Hotze and his sons recognized a trend in the industry. As CEO Bruce Hotze recalled, “We knew that we had to service the growing screw compressor market which were replacing reciprocating air compressors.” CECO joined forces with Ray Kelly, then working for one of the largest filter manufactures, to create Performance Filtration Inc., offering a significant inventory to meet customer’s filtration product needs.

ACTT Acquired

In 1999, CECO made another addition to its family of companies in the form of Anderson Consulting Testing and Training. Years before, CECO had offered Randy Anderson a job, but he turned it down to start his own business. After a few years of continued discussions, however, ACTT became part of CECO. Anderson agreed to continue his training and consulting efforts, things that he enjoyed, while CECO took on the support side.

Today, ACTT continues to build its reputation as the preferred provider of consulting, testing and training services for owners and operators of reciprocating engines and compressors. Since its inception, more than 2,500 ACTT students have learned about compressors, engines, turbochargers and a variety of other equipment. ACTT has also provided thousands of hours of consulting, testing and troubleshooting to more than 50 companies. New training classes are regularly added and updated. Turbine Training and Electric Motor Driven hands-on training are two of the newest courses .

CECO's next venture, Pure Process Systems in 2001, took them into an interesting market. “Ernie Hotze used to always say that we should have gotten into the bottled water business because it sold at prices higher than oil,” Bruce Hotze remembered.

CECO was interested in water rights with local and national interests along with the need to reduce BODs in sewer discharges. It seemed like good business to take new technology. The next step was to find bright, experienced people to join them in the creation of Pure Process Systems.

An environmental engineering and technology applications company, PPS focuses on total solutions that result in cost-efficient systems for water and residuals recovery and reuse. As a design-build environmental engineering and technology application company, PPS delivers the current, innovative, responsive and cost-saving technological solutions to treat, reclaim, and reuse water and residuals as well as continuing support after project completion. PPS has earned them a sterling reputation through its use of unique environmental service capabilities that enhance each customer's profitability and competitive position while meeting environmental requirements and reducing environmental liabilities.

In early 2003, CECO purchased the assets of Parts Maintenance Inc. in Baton Rouge, La. While CECO already had precision repair centers in Houston and Odessa, the Louisiana facility greatly increased repair capabilities. The repair center specializes in thermal metal spraying, rolled thread piston rod production, compressor cylinder repair and specialty grinding.

It expands CECO's repair capabilities with a very large vertical boring mill capacity with a 118-in. table, 15-ton crane capacity, lathes with up to 118-inch swing and 28-foot centers, large long-bed grinding capacity up to 44 in. outside diameter, 168-in. lengths and internal grinding up to 120 in. CECO Precision Repair-Baton Rouge offers a range of expert machining and grinding capabilities. Unique to the area, this facility also provides a highly developed thermal metal spray operation and operates one of the largest thread rolling machines in Louisiana. The location provides engineering and design support. A staff of precision machinists works with customers throughout the United States.

Pipeline Integrity

In August of 2003, CECO acquired the assets of a contracting company and opened its doors in Birmingham, Alabama as CECO Pipeline Services Company (CECO PSC).

Since that August, CECO PSC has been successful in extending services. They offer a wide variety of pipeline integrity services focusing on pigging, anomaly digs, pipeline coating repair, pipeline replacement, erosion control and right of way services .

Mark Hotze, President of the subsidiary, notes that, "Pipeline maintenance is a great extension to the quality services that the CECO family of companies currently provide. The current staff has come on board and we are excited to have their expertise and knowledge in the pipeline service industry."

Rapid growth has prompted the addition of more crews and the April 2004 opening of the Houston office. CECO PSC plans on furthering that growth by opening more division offices.