Ace Industrial Supply, a Burbank, California industrial tool seller, has been named in two federal lawsuits under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a California employment class action now in arbitration, and a trademark dispute that was dismissed in 2022. The TCPA cases mirror a long-running pattern of consumer complaints accusing the company of aggressive cold-calling, unsolicited shipments, and refusal to honor do-not-call requests.
The 2018 Berning TCPA Class Action
Steven Berning and Galusha Farm, LLC filed a putative class action against Ace on March 8, 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Case No. 1:18-cv-01708.1Law360. Berning et al v. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. et al The suit accused Ace of placing automated telemarketing calls to customers who had revoked consent and to numbers listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.2Legal Newsline. Ace Industrial Supply Alleged to Have Continued Calls to Consumer After Consent Was Revoked
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs had consented to calls after buying supplies from Ace in 2014, then revoked that consent by telling sales representatives directly and by calling a dedicated do-not-call number. They alleged Ace placed roughly 70 more automated calls after those revocations, on top of about eight calls that followed the initial purchase. Their number had been on the National Do Not Call Registry since December 2004.2Legal Newsline. Ace Industrial Supply Alleged to Have Continued Calls to Consumer After Consent Was Revoked
The plaintiffs sought to represent two nationwide classes covering the four years before filing: people who received automated calls from Ace without consent or after revoking it, and people whose registered numbers received more than one promotional call within a 12-month period without consent or an existing business relationship. They sought statutory damages of $500 per violation, and up to $1,500 per violation found to be knowing or willful.2Legal Newsline. Ace Industrial Supply Alleged to Have Continued Calls to Consumer After Consent Was Revoked No public record of a settlement, class certification, or final judgment has been identified.
The 2026 Dobronski TCPA Case
A second TCPA suit, Dobronski v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc., Case No. 2:26-cv-10816, landed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on March 11, 2026, after removal from state court.3CourtListener. Dobronski v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc. The docket classifies the nature of suit under the TCPA.4PACER Monitor. Dobronski v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc.
On April 16, 2026, the defense filed a notice of resolution. The next day, the court vacated deadlines and granted a 30-day stay, and the case remains stayed on the most recent available docket entries.4PACER Monitor. Dobronski v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc. Specific allegations have not been detailed in publicly available summaries beyond the TCPA classification.
The Sallee Employment Class Action
Ace also faces a labor and employment class action in Los Angeles County Superior Court. William Sallee, Jr. vs. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc., Case No. 24STCV07903, was filed on March 28, 2024 and is categorized as involving “other labor matters” with class action and provisionally complex designations.5UniCourt. Sallee v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc.
On November 22, 2024, the court granted Ace’s motion to compel arbitration and stayed the litigation. The parties have since filed joint status reports on arbitration progress, with reviews in February and March 2025 and another set for February 2026.5UniCourt. Sallee v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc. The specific labor claims have not been detailed in available court summaries.
The Cala Industries Trademark Case
In January 2021, Cala Industries, Inc. sued Ace in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. 5:21-cv-00020, alleging trademark infringement under 15 U.S.C. ยง 1114. Ace filed a counterclaim. After court-directed mediation failed to produce an agreement in October 2021, the case was dismissed on May 9, 2022.6CourtListener. Cala Industries, Inc. v. Ace Industrial Supply, Inc. The specific trademarks at issue were not identified in available docket records.
The Consumer Complaints Behind the Lawsuits
The TCPA suits track a much larger volume of complaints about how Ace sells. The company’s Better Business Bureau profile carries an F rating, shows 70 complaints filed over a three-year period (41 unanswered, 25 answered, 2 resolved), and lists Ace as not BBB-accredited.7BBB. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. BBB Profile
Recurring themes in those complaints include:
- Unsolicited shipments of industrial tools, followed by invoices ranging from roughly $400 to $4,800 and threats of collection if the recipient does not pay.8BBB. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. BBB Complaints
- “Free sample” or risk-free trial pitches over the phone that are then followed by shipped merchandise and a large invoice.9BBB. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. BBB Complaints – Page 3
- Persistent cold-calling that continues after do-not-call requests, including early-morning calls and rude interactions with sales staff.8BBB. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. BBB Complaints
- Refusals to provide return shipping labels, ignored return authorization requests, and continued billing after products have been sent back.9BBB. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. BBB Complaints – Page 3
- At least one complaint alleging Ace pulled contractor contact information from public websites, created accounts without authorization, and shipped products expecting the recipient to pay without questioning the invoice.10BBB. ACE Industrial Supply, Inc. BBB Complaints – Page 2
What The TCPA Allows You To Recover
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1991, restricts automated and prerecorded telemarketing calls and gives consumers a private right to sue. Statutory damages are $500 per violation, or up to $1,500 per violation found to be knowing or willful. The law also requires telemarketers to maintain internal do-not-call lists and honor the National Do Not Call Registry. More than half of federal TCPA cases are now filed as class actions.11Institute for Legal Reform. What You Need to Know About the Telephone Consumer Protection Act
If you have received repeated calls from Ace after asking to be placed on its do-not-call list, or after your number has been on the National Do Not Call Registry, the damages structure above is what any individual or class claim would be built on.