History

In November 1897, William Derbyshire purchased the Taylor Engine Works in Chambersburg, PA and incorporated his new business as Chambersburg Engineering Company.  In the 19^th century vernacular, “engineering” meant an enterprise manufacturing machinery of its own design.  Based on his experience and knowledge, he began the manufacture of forging hammers and other specialty machinery.  The railroads and steel industry were booming in those days and the business prospered.   In the 1920’s, the business changed hands and came under the control of the Clarke family.  New hammer designs were developed and other improved.  By the time of the second World War, the company had expanded its facilities which better enabled it to meet the demands of the war years when 2075 machines were delivered in a four year period ending in 1945. 

After the war, developments included the CECO-Drop and Impacter.  These became the foundation upon which the second half-century was to be based.  The CECO-Drop replaced the Board Hammer and by 1970, the CECO-Drop had been replaced by a newly developed programmable hammer, the Die Forger.  Earlier developments in the 1960’s had paved the way for programmable forging with the development of the Model “C” Impacter.   The CECO-Drop, its electrified brother the Model “E”, the Die Forger, the Model “C” Impacter and programmable conversions of CECO-Drops, Board Hammers, Steam Hammers, and new programmable hammer designs completed the century. 

Tough economic times at the end of the 20^th century and some ill-advised diversifications led the company into economic peril and eventually left it unable to continue operations in January 2002.  The company was liquidated at auction in April 2002. 

The New Beginning

Ajax Technologies acquired some Chambersburg inventory from the auction and employed a number of former Chambersburg workers to staff a new division named Forging Parts and Machining Company in the spring of 2002.  The business prospered in the first few years based on the knowledge of the people and their ability to reverse engineer parts to replace parts on Chambersburg machines.

In December 2004, Ajax was successful in negotiating the acquisition of all of the intellectual property (drawings and records) from the former owners.  This move enabled Ajax to rename its Forging Parts business unit Chambersburg Equipment Company (CECO).  Parts inventory is housed in Cleveland, OH and a Sales and Service office is maintained near Chambersburg (in the borough of Shippensburg, PA.)

Charles J. Crout, a 23 year veteran of Chambersburg and 11 year manager with Ajax, who managed the Hammer Business Unit of Ajax since its beginning in 2002, became General Manager of both CECO and Ajax in March 2005.  Wayne Byers, Randy Horn, Ronald Harris, and Charles Crout Jr. support him in providing machines, parts and service to Chambersburg users.  Their cumulative experience totals over 150 years.

---