Waukesha-based industrial automation company Acieta announced this week that board member Craig Ulrich has been named chief executive officer. He succeeds David Carr as CEO.

Acieta, owned by Los Angeles-based private investment firm Angeles Equity Partners, has six facilities throughout the United States and Mexico, along with its Waukesha headquarters. The company is an automation systems integrator serving several commercial and industrial end markets.

“Craig is a leading figure in the automation and system integration market. Craig has been an active member of the Acieta board, architecting and driving positive change since his appointment in early 2024,” said Matt Hively, operating partner at Angeles Operations Group. “Craig brings a unique perspective to manufacturing operations and go-to-market strategies. I’m confident Craig will accelerate the delivery of even better business outcomes and return on investment for Acieta’s customers and partners.”

Ulrich joins Acieta as the company continues its growth with several acquisitions, enhanced service and capability offerings, and expanded turnkey automation solutions. Acieta has more than doubled in size since being acquired by Angeles, according to a Tuesday announcement.

Ulrich was previously the CEO of Holland, Michigan-based JR Automation, a Hitachi company. Prior to JR Automation, Ulrich was vice president of Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Esys Automation, which was acquired by JR Automation. Before that, Ulrich was director of automation deployment engineering at Amazon. He began his career at General Motors holding several senior-level positions developing strategic manufacturing technologies and tools.

“I am excited and honored to join the dedicated and talented Acieta team to lead the company into the next chapter of growth, as we seek to achieve our full potential,” said Ulrich. “The platform has made incredible progress bringing together Acieta, Capital Industries, Mid-State Engineering, RōBEX, and +Vantage. I believe the growth of the company, and industry, will be further fueled as the manufacturing sector continues to face labor shortages and increased manufacturing complexity. As we continue to support our customers’ automation needs, I see significant growth potential.”