American Machine and Foundry

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American Machine and Foundry or AMF was founded in 1900 and was once one of the largest recreational equipment companies in the United States. Originally incorporated in New Jersey but operating in Brooklyn, the company began by manufacturing cigarette-making machinery but eventually branched into other recreational industries.

Its sole remaining asset is the AMF Bowling Corporation, founded in 1936, and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. AMF Bowling employs 16,000 people and operates worldwide. AMF, up until the mid-1980s, once produced the following leisure equipment: tennis racquets, snow skis, snowmobiles, lawn and garden equipment, wheelgoods, Ben Hogan golf clubs (1960-1984), Voit inflatable balls, exercise equipment, SlickCraft powerboats (1969-1980), Alcort sailboats (including the Sunfish and the Hilu), Hatteras Yachts, SCUBA gear, and once owned Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Dewalt Tools.

In the early 1960s, American Machine and Foundry partnered with the French company SAFEGE to design, construct, and market a monorail for American cities. The AMF Monorail was exhibited at the 1964 New York World's Fair where it traversed a continuous elevated loop above and around the Amusement section of the World's Fair. It was displayed as a practical form of transportation for the future.

In 1971 American Machine and Foundry was renamed the AMF Company.

In 1985 AMF was bought out by Minnesota based MINSTAR, Inc but continued to trade as AMF and supply the bowling industry with bowling equipment.

In 2005, the company became known as QubicaAMF, as it joined forces with Qubica, which specializes in state-of-the-art custom scoring hardware and software.

In 2007 a new company, 900 Global, purchased the rights to sell bowling balls with the AMF logo. [1]

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Matthew Woods

AMF Bowling in the United Kingdom, now operates out of the British leisure conglomerate, Bourne Leisure - although not owned by Bourne there are strong ties. Whilst carrying the name AMF Bowling, it has no direct connection the original American company.

AMF Bowling UK currently has 33 centres and most have had new refurbishments, with only a handful awaiting refurbishment or relocation. The roll out began after Bourne Leisure's acquisistion of AMF Bowling in 2004.

The brand is looking to expand throughout the whole UK to become the biggest Ten Pin Bowling company, as well as the best, especially for customer service after introducing it's revolutionary new lane host service.