Business Spolight: AmeriPride shifts focus to range of apparel services

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AmeriPride Linen and Apparel Services, formerly American Linen Supply Co., was founded in 1889 by George A. Steiner of Lincoln, Neb. The Steiner family still owns and manages the business, which has grown to operate 196 production facilities and service centers throughout the United States and Canada. |ret||ret||tab|

The company's history in Springfield dates back to 1962, when the Steiner family purchased Selimer Peerless Co. and renamed it American Linen Supply Co. Recently, American Linen Supply Co. reorganized and restructured, and the company changed its name to AmeriPride Linen and Apparel Services. |ret||ret||tab|

"The linen and laundry industry was stagnating, but the image apparel industry was going crazy," said Jerry Kampa, general manager. "Many of our existing customers banks, bars, restaurants, industrial manufacturers were buying or renting shirts or work uniforms for their employees that had their company's name or logo embroidered on it. Focusing more effort on the apparel market just made sense."|ret||ret||tab|

During the past five years, AmeriPride Linen and Apparel Services has changed significantly. In 1995, the plant relocated from Chase Street to its current location at 3901 E. Evergreen. The facility, which is 65,000 square feet, gave AmeriPride the room it needed to grow, and today the company has more than 125 employees and runs 27 delivery trucks, which serve customers throughout southwest Missouri, northern Arkansas, northeastern Oklahoma and eastern Kansas. |ret||ret||tab|

In 1996, AmeriPride's employees shifted from an eight-hour, five-day workweek to a 10-hour, four-day workweek. According to Kampa, moving to a four-day workweek has helped reduce the turnover rate, and the plant's workforce now has one of the lowest quit rates in the industry. |ret||ret||tab|

In 1997, the company began practicing open-book management. Employees took classes so they could understand the company's profit and loss statements, and an employee profit-sharing plan was implemented. Several employee committees also were formed to discuss safety issues and address employees' concerns. |ret||ret||tab|

That same year, Kampa also began computerizing operations, both on the floor and in the plant's offices. An in-house computer network was established, and the company began communicating with the headquarters office via the Internet. Many of the machines on the plant floor were replaced with state-of-the-art equipment. All total, more than $5.5 million was spent computerizing and retooling the plant, Kampa said. |ret||ret||tab|

"We have the ability now to bid on and compete for national contracts," Kampa said. "We're also in a position to offer our customers the best of both worlds. We can offer lower prices because we're a large company, and we can offer personal service because we're right here in the community."|ret||ret||tab|

One of AmeriPride's goals is to become a full-service, single-source, single-invoice supplier to its customers. For example, a restaurant owner who contacts AmeriPride can rent an entrance mat for their business, which gets picked up and cleaned on a regular basis. They can have AmeriPride clean all of their table linens, towels and aprons. They can buy bathroom supplies, including cloth roll towels, paper towels and air fresheners, and they can buy customized image apparel for employees to wear. They also have the option of renting image apparel, and AmeriPride will clean, repair or replace the garments as needed. |ret||ret||tab|

Being able to provide customers with a wide range of services has helped AmeriPride stand out from its competitors, Kampa said. |ret||ret||tab|

"When a customer calls us with a problem, our goal is to solve the problem or have a plan of action in place by the time we hang up," Kampa said. "We have a four-hour service guarantee. If a customer needs something, we will have it to them in four hours or less. That isn't always easy to do, since our service area extends 170 miles in all directions from Springfield, but we do it."|ret||ret||tab|

In the future, Kampa said AmeriPride plans to increase its image apparel line. Recently, two embroidery and digital imaging machines were set up at the plant so more work could be done in-house.|ret||ret||tab|

AmeriPride Linen and Apparel Services|ret||ret||tab|

Year founded: 1889|ret||ret||tab|

Owner: The Steiner family |ret||ret||tab|

Address and phone number: 3901 E. Evergreen, Springfield, Mo. 65803; 862-9364|ret||ret||tab|

Web site: www.ameripride. com|ret||ret||tab|

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