Cargo securement company Ancra Cargo is celebrating its 50th year of operation, having started in 1969. The company initially focused on the airline industry but eventually made its way into the heavy-duty trucking industry.
Cargo securement company Ancra Cargo is celebrating its 50th year of operation, having started in 1969 in El Segundo, California.
A vintage ad for one of Ancra's ratcheting strap products.
Photo courtesy Ancra Cargo
“As we celebrate 50 years of service to the transportation industry, we would like to thank you for helping us succeed,” said Larry Bethel, Ancra Cargo president. “We pride ourselves on being the Leader in Load Securement Innovation and this would not be possible without our valued customers and partners.”
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Formerly known as Ancra International, the company was founded by five engineers who began manufacturing air cargo tie downs and was originally focused on the airline industry. From there, the founders realized that engineered products were needed in other market segments that moved cargo and the company’s various product lines were born.
Early products ranged form simple strap and buckle assemblies to complex onboard cargo handling systems for the Boeing 747 aircraft. Ancra introduced products such as ratcheting winches, 360 Ergo Bars, decking systems that use e-beams and decking beams at the same height, recyclable deck boards and several others.
From there Ancra International added heavy-duty trucking products, becoming such a big part of its business that Ancra Cargo now solely focuses on the trucking industry. This year is also the 50th anniversary of the company’s AutoDeck system. AutoDeck is a fully automated integrated decking system that allows loading dock staff and drivers to automate the height of each beam for customized decking solutions.
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“While it is fun to reminisce and appreciate the progress we have made as a company, at Ancra Cargo we prefer to look to the future and not the past,” said Bethel. “We are pushing the envelope on product innovation by developing the next generation of cargo management. In the future months and years, our customers can count on even more new products that will incorporate robust automation, seamless connectivity and state-of-the-art materials.”
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