Call it destiny, divine intervention or good ole-fashioned fate, speaking with Alejandro Pardi?as, CEO of Atlantic Bearing Services (ABS) and ABS Wind, one gets the impression he had no choice other than to become a mechanical engineer. This was evident way back when his great-grandfather became a mining engineer for Rio Tinto. “He was assigned to a copper mine in Cuba in the 1850s. And as a mining engineer that was when the saga of mechanical engineer in my family started. After that, I don’t know, there was probably a traditional song, genetics, whatever the case may be, nearly everyone in my family before me; my wife and now, my two my kids, have been involved in mechanical engineering,” Pardi?as said. It’s no surprise the industry recently celebrated Pardi?as—and his engineering legacy—by presenting him with The Ponce de León Executive of the Year Award. Under Pardi?as’ leadership, ABS has transformed into one of the fastest-growing startups in the U.S. becoming a global leader in engineering solutions for heavy industry and the renewable energy sector. ABS has expanded its portfolio with brands such as MGS Gears, ACB Custom Bearings, AEC Engineering Chains, and ABS Wind, a division specializing in services for the wind industry that has become a global reference in spare parts supply, repair and maintenance for major turbine manufacturers and wind farm operators.

A History in Manufacturing ABS, strategically based in Miami, specializes in the design and manufacturing of custom-made industrial bearings, gearboxes, engineering chains, and special mechanical parts. These solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of clients and crafted with a strong focus on precision engineering to support high-performance applications across various industries. Since 1999, ABS has established itself as a trusted partner in industries like steel, cement, mining, sugar, renewable energy and more.

In Cuba, Pardi?as was responsible for taking care of industries such as mining, jewelry, steel mills and other local industries as a sales engineer. He then escaped the country and pursued a career in bearings and power transmission here in the United States. “I started my career here in 1998 as a sales engineer in bearing and power transmission business. We opened ABS in 1999. This was a unique opportunity given that most bearing and power transmission distributors relied on the engineers from the OEM to support the end users. It was clear to me that ABS could be successful in the bearing and power transmission markets,” Pardi?as said.