Early Roots - Pre WWII
Michael Amendola immigrated to the United States from Italy around the turn of the century. As a graduate of Alessandro Volta Scuolo Mechanica, he became employed by the railroads in the repair and maintenance of steam engines. Amendola eventually started the company Michael Amendola & Co (MACO) on the upper east side of Manhattan, NY where he remained for 25 years manufacturing principally engaged in the manufacture of power punch presses of his own design. Just prior to and during WW II Amendola supported the US Government with the manufacturing of bakery machines for the expansive training camps and facilities for the military. Larger quarters for the company were required & thereby relocated in the Bronx, NY.
MACO closed shop within a few years after the war and Michael's son, John Amendola continued supplying and commissioning bakery machinery for The Century Machinery Co. in New York City until his retirement.
Micheal Amendola ‐ pictured far right departing for the USA circa 1900
Artec Machine Systems MACO Inclinable Power Press
Artec Machine Systems emerges in 1972
In 1972 John B. Amendola II established Artec Machinery Corp. a manufacturer's representative for custom drives in particular high-speed turbogears of MAAG design and manufacture introducing the Swiss product into the American market where the MAAG technology and quality was in great demand by the oil and gas users. Field services were needed to support the growing unit population in North America and so in 1981 Amendola II activated Maco Machinery Co. Inc. to provide field services for the installed MAAG gears. MACO was progressively expanded to serve other gear services such as mass transit truck drives and cement mill drives as well.
Artec began construction of the company's current North Branford, CT facility began in 1983, for the purpose of creating a service & repair department. In addition to designing gearboxes, customers requested Artec to examine drive systems that were giving them trouble requiring forensic investigation to identify and correct field problems. Artec was engaged with many kinds of gear drives and gearboxes at that point, and the service center in the new building would provide the room to do the work. In 1998 MACO Machinery Co Inc. assumed Artec's representative work creating the d/b/a Artec Machine Systems thereby combining all of the engaging activities.
Currently, under the fourth generation of engineers with John Amendola III PE, Artec continues with the special focus to tackle complex applications designing drive systems for demanding and highly specific applications.
MACO Inclinable Power Press - Still running today
Moving Forward
With each passing year, the company's capabilities have grown, especially those having to do with its range of technical services.
In addition to rebuilding gearboxes and testing them on its API-rated test stand, Artec has installed a high-speed balancing machine and magnetic particle inspection booth.
Gears that come into Artec are tested and shipped as brand new units.
Artec also offers field services including periodic maintenance inspections, condition reporting and analysis, onsite overhauls, and gearbox repairs—including bearing/rotating equipment replacement—vibration analysis/diagnostics, and failure analysis. Other services include gear failure prevention, gear repair analysis, new gearbox installation/commissioning, specification review, and design upgrades.
Artec also performs general gear training seminars with numerous clients, including the U.S. Navy. We provide students with the technical and practical skills they'll need to operate, service, and maintain power transmission equipment.
The economic downturn of the early eighties convinced us of the value of market diversification. With hard work over the years, the company's activities have become better balanced among a diversified selection of industries. In addition to the military and commercial marine market, Artec is also involved in high-speed oil and gas, heavy duty cement, power generation, hydraulic fracturing, ski lift drives, polymer/plastic, pharmaceuticals, and the food industries.
Our colleagues have diligently worked to position Artec Machine Systems as the go‐to company for challenging installations and applications.
Artec is not interested in commodity gears or standard drive system designs. There are plenty of companies out there doing a fine job with that. What Artec is able to do is sit down with a customer who is faced with a challenging application and provide solutions, whether that involves designing a new system from scratch or examining existing drive systems to determine how they can be upgraded and enhanced. When there's an engineered product involved, Artec is the company to call.