Acme/Lingo, the Flagpole Manufacturer of choice worldwide, was established in 1897, and boasts a 125-year history as an innovator in flagpole manufacturing. Here’s a quick overview of our history as a leading flagpole manufacturer:
Founded in 1897, the Lingo family business was started by John E. Lingo. A tugboat captain on the Delaware River, he began making wooden ship masts, spars, and flagpoles. His son, Archibald, took over the business in 1921, and began manufacturing steel flagpoles, quickly becoming one of the largest steel flagpole manufacturers in the country. In 1930, the company produced the first ever flagpole catalog, titled “The Architects Gide and General Catalogue of Flagpoles.” The catalog became the most widely used flagpole reference by architects and designers.
John E. Lingo, the third generation in the Lingo family business, took the helm in 1941. Lingo continued to produce steel flagpoles, but in 1950 the business expanded to include the manufacture of the first ever tapered aluminum flagpole. Unlike steel, aluminum does not rust and does not have to be painted. Aluminum quickly became the material of choice for flagpoles, and continues to be the most popular flagpole Acme/Lingo produces today.
Acme/Lingo is proud to have pioneered many “firsts” in the flagpole manufacturing industry, among them:
- The first tapered stainless steel no-rust flagpole
- The first heavy duty tapered steel flagpole made to withstand up to 130mph winds
- The first bronze flagpole made from heavy wall tubing
- The first “automatic” flagpole with a motorized system that utilizes a photocel to raise and lower a flag at sunrise and sunset for automatic dusk-to-dawn operation
Jack (John E. Lingo, Jr.), the fourth generation in the Acme/Lingo family business, took over in 1970. He was highly involved in the development of what was to become the ANSI/NAAMM Guide Specification for the Design of Metal Flagpoles. This standard was the first ever industry agreed upon guide for designing metal flagpoles.
Jack’s son, Jeff, joined the family business in 1982, and is the 5th generation as a proud flagpole manufacturer. He moved the business from Camden, NJ, to Southampton, NJ, building a brand new expanded warehouse facility to be one of the few flagpole manufacturers in the country to stock a wide array of flagpoles in the most popular lengths, features, and details that architects specify for their clients time and again.
Over five generations, Acme/Lingo continues to lead the way in flagpole design and innovation, and we are proud to say we are the world’s leading flagpole manufacturer. Acme/Lingo quality flagpoles hoist flags in every US state, all US territories, and in over 60 countries around the world. Acme/Lingo, the premier flagpole manufacturer of choice, is committed to proper design, quality materials, precise manufacturing, and superior service. When you choose Acme/Lingo as your flagpole manufacturer, you know you’ll get the best flagpole the industry has to offer.
