BRIEF COMPANY HISTORY

Excepted from an article by Carol Zentgraf for CraftTrends 2004

Not many companies can say that they’ve been in business for more than [87 years]–and almost anyone would agree that such [longevity] is a pretty remarkable event. American Art Clay Company, Inc. (AMACO) is proud to claim this distinction, celebrating with a new building, new products and an optimistic outlook for the next [87] years. In 2004, AMACO moved to new facilities with 50% more space than their former building. It was no small task to move a company of this size… it took 120 trailers to transport inventory, furniture and equipment form the old building to their new location.

Located on 14 acres in Indianapolis, Indiana, their new home is impressive, with a main building and two exterior buildings equaling over 200,000 square feet. 170 people are employed in the facility, which manufactures many of the company’s AMACO® and Brent® products and even includes an art gallery and the AMACO® Historical Exhibition of Art Deco pieces. Visitors to the company can also enjoy viewing photos from the former “AMACO® Zoo,” created when founder Ted O. Philpott brought back live animals from Africa and India to supplement the dozens of trophies mounted on the walls in the old office. Upon Mr. Philpott’s death in 1966, the animals were donated to the fledgling Indianapolis Zoo and were a major contribution to the growth of the zoo, now located in White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Many people still fondly remember field trips to the AMACO® plant and zoo from their childhood.

Shipping and receiving capabilities at the new facility are also significantly increased over the former location. As a company that utilizes all the major international carriers to ship products to distributors world-wide, the availability of 23 docks, compared to seven at the former building, and a larger staging area greatly increase efficiency. Newly installed computerized UPS and Fed-Ex systems provide efficient and accurate tracking of shipments.