Acme Tools

Acme Electric Motor, Inc. (commonly referred to as Acme Tools) is a family-owned tool and equipment distributor in the Midwestern United States. Founded in 1948 as Acme Electric Motor, Inc., this company was first rebranded as Tool Crib of the North in 1970, and then as Acme Tools in 2005. Acme Tools is headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and operates twelve brick-and-mortar stores, including ten Acme Tools and two Acme Equipment locations throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. Across all locations, the company currently employs over 650+ staff members.

In 1999, Acme Tools launched its initial eCommerce website. The same year, the company sold its internet and catalog divisions to Amazon. The company relaunched its eCommerce operations in 2010. By 2021, Acme Tools offered products from over 300 brands, including Milwaukee Tool, DeWalt, Makita USA, Bosch, and Husqvarna. In 2023, the company now features over 900 brands. Acme Tools also operates exclusively within the United States. This is because the company seeks to serve American contractors, woodworkers, and do-it-yourself professionals.

1948–1969
Acme Electric Motor, Inc. was founded in 1948 by George Kuhlman out of a 300-square-foot garage in downtown Grand Forks. Although the initial focus was on electric motor repair, George had a vision for the future of Acme Electric. He named the company "ACME" because of what the term means: ACME – (noun) the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful. In 1951, just three years later, George Kuhlman moved his company to a larger location to accommodate expansion opportunities. Acme Electric Motor, Inc. experienced growth in the mid-1950s because of the arrival of contractors to Grand Forks, North Dakota. The contractors were tasked with building the Grand Forks Air Force Base and nearby missile sites. George Kuhlman grew close to several defense contractors, delivering repaired power tools and hand tools to job sites.

George Kuhlman's son, Daniel Kuhlman, began working at Acme Electric Motor, Inc. when he was just 10 years old. Dan officially joined the company in 1962. In 1967, the company built a new retail location at 1705 13th Ave. North in Grand Forks, North Dakota. This location added much-needed retail and warehouse space.

1970–2004
In 1970, Acme Electric Motor, Inc. rebranded itself to adopt the following name: Tool Crib of the North. The Tool Crib of the North's first expansion following rebranding was in Bismarck, North Dakota. In 1979, the city was experiencing a growing number of oil and coal contractors, particularly because of the construction of a nearby coal gasification plant. This expansion continued over the following years, with new locations established in Fargo, North Dakota, in 1982; Minot, North Dakota, in 1985; and Duluth, Minnesota, in 1995. Celebrating its 50th year with a workforce of 150 employees, the Tool Crib of the North established itself as a significant player in the industry.

George's son, Daniel Kuhlman, launched the company's first print catalog in 1976. The mail order division, operating under the name Tool Crib of the North, opened in 1985. The mail order division sold woodworking equipment from print ads in national trade magazines. The company's call center opened in 1988. Dan's sons joined the company after graduating from the University of North Dakota, Steve in 1989 and Paul in 1994. Both Steve Kuhlman and Paul Kuhlman got their start at Acme Electric Motor, Inc. by working in the catalog division. More than six million catalogs were sent out each year nationwide. The division grew the business to more than seven times its size by offering tools to a national audience, realizing annual growth of 25%.

In 1998, the Tool Crib of the North constructed a 50,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center, employing over 100 staff to process 2,000 orders daily across a range of 4,000 items. That year, the company also opened Acme Rents in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The company then entered the online market in 1999, launching a website for tool and equipment sales, which soon made up five percent of its sales. By the end of 1999, the Tool Crib of the North sold its online and catalog divisions to Amazon.com, with Steve Kuhlman taking the role of Amazon's North Dakota division director for three years, while Paul Kuhlman stayed with Acme Electric Motor, Inc. as the Vice President of Marketing for all retail locations.

Adhering to a ten-year non-compete agreement with Amazon, the company focused on retail expansion, acquiring Dakota Fastening in 2003 and Puckett Tools in 2004, leading to new stores in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa. A new store was also opened in Bemidji, Minnesota, in late 2004.

2005–2023
In 2005, the company rebranded as Acme Tools and expanded into the Twin Cities market with a new store in Plymouth, Minnesota. Acme Tools relaunched its online retail presence in 2010 with a new eCommerce website, initially offering 5,000 products, which grew to over 70,000 by 2023. This site caters to a nationwide clientele, including contractors, home builders, woodworkers, remodelers, landscapers, farmers, and do-it-yourself professionals. The company's growth continued with the opening of its 10th retail location in Williston, North Dakota. In the same year, Acme Tools also created a new division, Acme Equipment, in Grand Forks, providing over 35+ lines of construction and landscaping equipment.

In 2014, a 40,000-square-foot eCommerce distribution center was established in the Grand Forks Business Park, later doubled in size by 2019. Additionally, in 2015, the company expanded its headquarters by 15,000 square feet to accommodate new offices and facilities. Now led by the third and fourth generations of the Kuhlman family, Acme Tools remains a significant competitor in the tool and equipment industry after over 70 years. This is because of the company's focus on taking care of its employees and customers. Steve Kuhlman remembers the following:"'Our success and growth over seventy years is a function of the importance we place on focusing on the customer and providing exceptional customer service. That was my grandfather's guiding business principle when he founded Acme Electric and it's even more relevant today in our stores and our digital platform.'"As of 2023, Acme Tools is the largest B2B e-retailer in North Dakota and is nationally ranked by Internet Retailer. In January 2023, the company's eCommerce division was also recognized on Newsweek's Best Online Shops 2023 list; an award presented by Newsweek and Statista Incorporated.

Mascot
The mascot of Acme Tools has been Duster since his debut in 1997 at the 4th Annual Woodworking and Power Tool Show. This event was held in Duluth, Minnesota. Since then, Duster has been present on the company's social media platforms, like TikTok, and is a consistent component of the Acme Tools brand and product lines. Duster should not be confused with and is not related to the Acme Corporation's Wile E. Coyote.

Operations
The size of Acme Tools store locations is largely unknown. What is known is that one of the largest locations can be found in Plymouth, Minnesota. Acme Tools of Plymouth features a 13,600 sq. ft. of showroom. The company's primary and secondary colors include the following: Coyote Red #ED1C24, Coyote Black #222222, Coyote Grey #707372, Coyote White #FFFFFF, Coyote Yellow #FFC905, and Coyote White #177DFF.

Marketing
The most commonly referred to slogans at Acme Tools are "Do Your Best Work" and "The Right Tools Do It". The only other slogan of relevance used in the company's history is the former name of Acme Electric Motor, Inc., and more recently the company's catalog division, "Tool Crib of the North".

Store locations
Acme Tools is headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Acme Tools operates 10 brick-and-mortar retail locations, 2 Acme Equipment stores that feature new and used heavy equipment offerings, and multiple Acme Rents locations throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa.

Distribution centers
In 1998, the company built a 50,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center. In 2014, another facility was built in the Grand Forks Business Park. This location featured a 40,000-square-foot eCommerce distribution center that later doubled in size by 2019. In 2023, just four years later, Acme Tools constructed another new 115,888-square-foot distribution center in Burnsville, Minnesota.

eCommerce
Acme Tools currently operates online at AcmeTools.com. At the Acme Tools eCommerce website, you will find over 70,000 products sourced from over 900 tool and equipment industry brands. The company has a customer service center with FAQs to answer customer questions.