Minneapolis Paper Marks AmeriPride Anniversary

AmeriPride’s legacy of service spans 125 years, from its founding in 1889 by brothers George and Frank Steiner to today’s fourth-generation owners. The Minneapolis Star Tribune, recently acknowledged the anniversary with a Sept. 16 article on this Minnesota-based company.

As AmeriPride Services Inc., Minnetonka, MN, celebrates its history, it’s also firmly focused on the future, the article said. With over 150,000 customers, 115 production branches and service centers, a fleet of 1,800 vehicles and 5,700 employees, it continues to push the boundaries of service and technology. “Our strategy is to be the leaders in customer service, with better technology and better information about customers that will help us attract a high-quality workforce,” said Andrew Steiner, vice president of marketing and customer operations. Steiner is also a fourth-generation family member and co-owner of the company.

Among recent improvements, Steiner has initiated digital and service innovations designed to make it easier to do business with AmeriPride. These upgrades include a Web store, online account management portals and e-stores. This business strategy has fueled growth and boosted market share, while helping to redefine AmeriPride as a service company instead of as simply an “industrial laundry.”

Under CEO Bill Evans, hired in 2009 as the first nonfamily executive of AmeriPride, the company has established a 5-year turnaround plan and lowered its profit targets so that it can invest more in sales resources. AmeriPride also has benefited from a booming energy sector, especially in states such as Texas and North Dakota, as well as Western Canada. North of the border, AmeriPride operates its Canadian Linen and Quebec Linge affiliates, which are that country’s largest providers of textile services, the article said.