Christmas in July?

Merry Christmas everyone! What, you don't know what we are talking about? You don't get that it is Summer and we are wishing you Merry Christmas?   

Read more on July 1st, 2014

Would You Grow Up?

Growth brings big responsibilities, big investments and big challenges. Who doesn't like to buy new toys? Who doesn't like to have new, BIG toys? As we grow and fill the new building we find ourselves in need of new things. Frank always is in search of equipment that will help us streamline a process or make production easier. As we plan for the Trade-show down in Orlando, it is looming...what will Frank bring home? When we talked about complacency in the last entry, there are ways to continue to get better and equipment upgrades is a must, especially in this industry. Sometimes an upgrade is so much the answer, maybe the answer is, more. More tools, more computers, more people, more paint-booths (screeeeeach!) What, more Paint-booths?  Yep. This is a perfect example of big toys. A paint booth is a necessity in the sign and awning industry. It helps the painting to be clean, even and provides great lighting for the team members..not to mention ventilated, heated and helps drying time. It doesn't hurt that they look awesome! 

The crew at AI has been very excited at the purchase of two new paint booths for the new facility. Adding them will help with everything from turn times to an upgrade to the painting process. Proper paint matching, better quality and more space in which we can paint more at once are some keys to helping us continue to get better. So now you understand that big toys are more than just fun, but necessary for growing up.

The State of the AI

The time of year in which we the entire company comes together and take a look at where we were for the past year and look to the new year is upon us. We call is the State of the AI or SOAI for short. It is similar to the Governor's State of the State or the President's State of the Union, but without the yawning and clapping. This is a great time of year. The North Carolina crew comes up and visits and all the employees start working together to make the state of AI better. It starts first thing in the morning and the day is spent with team building exercises, presentation, talks from great people like the President of the company (Frank Green) and facilitated by the company's Operations Manager, Don Dufinetz. 
This is a great company process to look at ourselves and offer the employees the transparency they deserve so that we together can see what this great company has done and it's potential. It is a time we can discuss ways to get better and how we fix the hiccups we encountered along the way. It is all about growth, togetherness and free bagels. So if you need us, we are discussing and implementing ways to help you, our customer's, better. Next time you talk to one of us, ask us the state of AI.

Getting Settled

Everything is moved from the old building to our new location in Fishers. We have much of the big equipment in place and the guys have assembled their stations. The office staff, sales team and processors are plugged in and ready to pounce on their ever growing workload. Moving isn't easy. It is uprooting everything you have built over the past 10 years, place it carefully in a truck, unload it at the new place and reassemble. However simple that sounds, it is a huge undertaking and staying organized is the biggest challenge. This goes here, that goes there, where is my desk again? We are happy to be in our new building, unpacked and working, but that work is still on-going.  How uncommon is this really? Even if we stayed put and never moved, organizing and structure building is always on-going or a work in progress.
Complacency should never be acceptable. Every time you get a new project or a new customer, you are always trying to up your game. That is how you compete, how you stay fresh, how you survive. If we stayed the same, everyone would catch up and you'd just be a one more sign company. We should all continue to reorganize and refresh our work environment. It is how we find what will work best. Buuuut, you can't just change for change sake, there has to be a plan and an execution. There has to be a reason or a method to change. Taking the time to plan how you can get better is the first step. What step you take from there is up to you.  The steps you take is because you aren't settling for complacency. Let's end with this, sometimes, whether it is our work, workload, personal or whatever we all find ourselves wanting something more, something else or something different and if that is you, consider yourself a work in progress.  

We've Moved!

Christmas Sweater Gaudy!

It's Christmas Time!  It seems that this year that ugly Christmas sweaters are popular. This reminds me of the old Christmases from our childhood. Teachers, your grandparents and the neighbor all had these sweaters and it was festively gaudy. What is it about Christmas that makes us reminisce about the past? Funny, but that is exactly what has been happening around here the past few weeks. With the impending move in January, we can't help but reflect about this building we are leaving after 9 years. We have quickly realized that it is not the building that has defined this company rather the stories that fill it's walls. It has all the makings of a great American success story: A wholesale sign and awning company move into a building they custom built for their needs and all the trials and growing pains that go along with this movement. It is a story of up's and down's, from the drop in the economy to the growth of wholesale demand. The owners, Frank and Brett, could put together a 'Best of' album compiled from the adventures this company has been on since we moved in to this building we are now leaving. Like many companies across this snow covered country, AI has many stories, Christmas just happens to bring out the nostalgia of the past.
Before you break for the Holiday, take a moment and reflect on your own story. Think about the employees that have come and gone as well as the great and not so great things they have done. Look back on the jobs you have finished, installed, messed-up and made great. I bet your walls could tell some stories too. Remember this holiday season that it is not the ugly sweaters that make it Christmas great, it is the people and the stories just as it is not the building that make the company rather the people and the history you make every day. Relish in the nostalgia and don't forget to make your own 'Best of' album compiled from the adventures that makes the company and maybe, just maybe, make the album art "Christmas Sweater" gaudy.

We Are Moving

We are happy to say we are moving into a bigger facility. We continue to grow thanks to your customer confidence and we are proud to grow with you. 

Unfortunately, this will affect our production flow. Please make note of the dates so you can plan accordingly. Please keep checking back and we will continue to get you useful information or contact your sales partner at AI.  


New Address after December 1st: 
AI Innovations
11899 Exit 5 Parkway
Fishers, IN, 46037