Our Story: From Garage to Industry Leader
Over three decades of solving the toughest challenges with skill, persistence, and a scrappy edge that started it all.
The Beginning
It's February 1991. A young kid from Brooklyn, James Doyle, packs up for a fresh start in sunny Georgia. After arriving at his father's house in Norcross, he enrolled at DeVry University and later put his newly learned skills to use working for a local industrial repair company. But with restless energy and the conviction that he was meant to build something greater, James quit and set out on his own.
Out of his tiny garage, with more ambition than resources, came the beginning of Industrial Repair Service. James marketed himself, and whenever an urgent call arrived, he'd be pulling on his jacket, grabbing his keys, and heading for the truck. He drove throughout Georgia and back again, fueled by bad gas station coffee. Sometimes, he'd be gone for days, chasing down leads, meeting plant managers, and shaking hands over deals that kept critical lines running. Everything was on paper: quotes, invoices, repair notes, and he kept the records in milk crates that he traveled with from plant to plant. It was a process full of trial and error, but each step showed what worked and what didn't.
Starting to Grow
In 1994, James met 24-year-old Mike Yard during a sales call. Mike already made a name for himself as a top rep at PSI and was striking out on his own, selling components. They clicked quickly, both of their passions lying in repair work. A couple of months later, Mike landed a big repair order that caught James's attention. Lunch followed, and by the end of it, they'd shaken hands on what would become a decades-long partnership.
The setup in those days was as far from "corporate" as it gets. Mike had a desk in a tiny shop they rented, and filled in wherever needed: answering phones, ordering parts, chasing leads. Leads were tracked in notebooks, forms were filed by geography, and the "state-of-the-art" mobile tech was a bag phone, the size of a shoebox. Uncle Timmy scribbled ledgers, and there was a single other technician on call.
Building Closer to Home
By the mid-1990s, James and Mike were living in Cumming, and the daily commute to Norcross was wearing them down. At the same time, Industrial Repair Service had outgrown its space. The obvious solution: build closer to home. In 1996, Building A opened, giving Industrial Repair Service room to stretch its legs for the first time. Industrial Repair Service then ditched the milk crates for a live database, and in 2007, when a customer asked for barcoding, Industrial Repair Service worked with them to design a custom system unique to the repair industry.
By 2012, Industrial Repair Service had its first inside sales department, hiring seven sales reps. What started with four ambitious teammates soon grew into a thriving crew. Mike spent that year living out of a suitcase, training and supporting the group as Industrial Repair Service shifted from "a few guys doing everything" to a structured, growing operation.
Growing Nationwide
With everything expanding, Industrial Repair Service began its next chapter. In Cumming, Building B was unveiled with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2014. The Dallas-Fort Worth location also opened in August 2014, Chicago followed in November, Phoenix in May 2015, and Los Angeles in July 2018, marking their evolution from a small Georgia shop into a nationwide repair partner.
A New Venture: ARM Co.
In August 2025, Industrial Repair Service officially launched its sister brand, American Robotic Machine Company (ARM Co.). ARM Co. builds on the decades-long legacy of Industrial Repair Service's work with robots. As an authorized FANUC integrator, ARM Co. is licensed to sell FANUC robots, parts, and spares, and is trusted to provide full installation and integration services. The result is cutting-edge systems that take on repetitive tasks, improve precision, and boost efficiency, all built with the customer's needs at the center.
Where We Are Today
What started in a garage with milk crates is now a company known for solving the toughest challenges with skill and persistence. While Industrial Repair Service continues to expand, the philosophy hasn't changed: do the work right and never lose the scrappy edge that started it all.
Three decades later, some of those same early partners are still with us today, and we've grown into a company trusted by customers across the country, with a track record of hundreds of thousands of successful repairs.
Our Mission & Values
The principles that guide our work every day.
Customer-Driven
We are dedicated to providing exceptional service and value. Your success is our top priority, and we strive to be your most reliable repair partner.
Technology-Focused
We invest in state-of-the-art equipment and continuous training to ensure we can handle even the most obsolete and complex industrial electronics
Unmatched Quality
From component-level repairs to our industry-leading warranties, we stand behind the quality of our work and guarantee your satisfaction.