Atlanta, GA (January 30, 2017) — Charlie Carstens, President of Atlanta Commercial Display Vans, (ACDV) has been designing and assembling custom vehicles for the mobile tool industry for over 25 years. Technology advances are now painting a future in which driverless vehicles will deliver more goods and services to consumers and businesses who will demand greater inventories and faster last mile delivery.
In October, Carstens sold a majority stake in ACDV to Ed McCrady and Blair Schmidt-Fellner, entrepreneurs who have had success in shepherding businesses through high-tech integration. Carstens will remain president and oversee operations, as he has for three decades. McCrady started and operated one of the largest PODS franchise operations in the U.S. Schmidt-Fellner successfully completed two leveraged buyouts of media companies that grew to sales in excess of $100 million.
“Charlie has done a great job serving the tool industry for a long time and has built a great brand,” said McCrady. “Our initial concentration will be to add investment and infrastructure to better serve our current customers, and particularly Matco Tools. Our goal is to be faster and more responsive to our core client base. We are rebranding the company to better reflect who we serve and what we do. ACDV will remain, but the new full name is American Custom Design Vehicles.”
“Ed and Blair bring the expertise and strategic know-how for expansion,” added Carstens. “In addition to liquidity, they bring significant working capital, contacts, a fresh look at the business, technology knowledge and two energetic and experienced business people to help us grow.”
In the longer run, ACDV will be poised to serve a new mobile marketplace which will evolve from efforts now being undertaken by innovators including Uber, Elon Musk and Amazon. ACDV’s core clients in the tool and public safety space are in a unique position to be first adopters of any new technology advances.
ABOUT AMERICAN CUSTOM DESIGN VEHICLES
American Custom Design Vehicles (ACDV) is a leading manufacturer, designer and installer of vehicle customization. Founded in 1986, the company works with businesses to mobilize market reach of their products and services. ACDV manufactures and assembles the interiors of tool trucks and other specialized commercial mobile vehicles, used to display, sell and service automotive hand tools and other product lines. ACDV also produces mobile medical vehicles, public safety command centers and a variety of other mobile retail storefronts and mobile interiors. ACDV began as a producer of high quality Tool Trucks and continues to serve as a long-term partner to that market, enabling tool distributors to display, sell and service their complete product line at maximum efficiency. For more information, visit ACDV.com or call 770-439-1140 and 404-841-0485.