NEWS : AmeriPride Fargo

For AmeriPride Services Inc., a light bulb went off several years ago at its corporate headquarters in Minnetonka, MN. The company wasn't struggling by any means, but in order to further enhance customer focus, increase profits and continue to grow, some changes would have to be made both at the corporate level and in it's plants.

The nearly 125-year-old (this milestone anniversary will come in 2014), family-owned company with locations throughout the United States and Canada traditionally operated its locations in a decetralized manner, meaning each branch operated somewhat independent of the coporate entity.

"I think the key to our sustainability for 125 years has been the Steiner family's ability to recognize the need to change over time, to adapt, to bring in new innovation and new processes," says Ben Saukko, director of communications at AmeriPride. "We would have never survived for all these years if we hadn't been able to change because the markets changed, the industry continually changes, the world changes, and you have to able to be nimble and flexicle and adapt over time in order to sustain a bisiness for that long. There are not many businesses around that are 125 years old. We're part of a small group when it comes to that longevity."

In an effort to improve and streamline its operations, the company realized a need for centralization of certain functions. The corporate office would support functions like accounts receivable and other back office functions, while the individual branches would maintain customer contact and point of service. Click here to read full article.