While every business encounters its own sets of challenges, for most, nothing has compared to those of the ongoing pandemic. Despite what COVID-19 has thrown its way, AMI Graphics’ mission has never wavered. “We concentrate on three things … our employees, our customers, and our products, and we work hard at all three,” says owner Peter Wensberg. 

Founded 25 years ago, AMI Graphics got its start selling sponsorships for the amusement park industry, and has since evolved the business to provide innovative signage and branding solutions, says Wensberg. With 86 employees and two production facilities located in Strafford, New Hampshire, and Ocala, Florida, the operation offers “all types of signage, specializing in the design, print, fabrication, and installation of sports facilities, events, commercial, and wholesale products,” he notes. This has entailed delivering timely products to professional sports teams and leagues, colleges, universities, corporations and small businesses, special events, and resellers nationwide. 

A ‘Can-Do’ Culture

This growth and ability to produce year after year is attributed to a strong company culture, which, as in all businesses, has been tested amid the pandemic. Though AMI Graphics did have layoffs during COVID-19 shutdowns, Wensberg says most of the employees have since returned and production is at full capacity again. 

Despite the obstacles of the past few years, he says, “Our roots of how we work together are still strong. Most of our employees have been with AMI for a very long time, and this, coupled with creating a work environment that cares, challenges people, and provides flexibility, has helped us to get through these challenging times.” 

It’s all part of the “can-do” mentality that serves as the foundation of AMI Graphics’ culture, Wensberg notes. This was clearly displayed when, despite the pandemic and resulting shutdowns, the operation never missed a day of production, strictly following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to provide a safe working environment, and shifting its offerings to produce protective shields and social distancing products.  

This underlying foundation and teamwork ethic is also what enables AMI Graphics to implement its overall business strategy, which as Wensberg shares, is providing “the best product at the best price when the customer needs it. We have thousands of customers, and they depend on us to deliver every day without fail, quickly, and at a very high level.”

Investing for the Future

To maintain this promise to its customers, the business continues to prioritize its growth by investing in different areas of its operation. Among these acquisitions has been the Durst P5 TEX iSub, an in-line dye-sublimation printing solution for soft signage and fabrics printing that offers AMI Graphics expanded capabilities and flexibility. With the ability to directly print to fabric and paper, the business can deliver on the evolving requirements of today’s customers by providing high-quality products with fast and efficient turnaround times. To showcase these capabilities for current clients and prospects, AMI Graphics will host an Open House event at its Florida facility March 29-30.

This has just been one step in AMI Graphics’ focus on its production and automation. In addition to printing equipment, the operation is investing in finishing technology and is in the process of completely updating its online ordering system.  

“We continue to push automation to improve our delivery in every way, and that will always be a priority,” adds Wensberg.

While these investments strengthen the operational infrastructure of the business, Wensberg believes the continued growth of the company will remain rooted in its foundational principle that drives AMI’s culture: strong relationships and a commitment to customers. 

“It is how we built AMI, and it has always driven our growth,” he says.