the history of seating america · the display features american seating’s versatile history in...

74
The History of Seating America Presented in partnership with the Grand Rapids Public Museum

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Page 1: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

The History of Seating America

Presented in partnership with the Grand Rapids Public Museum

Welcome and thank you for taking a moment to experience a virtual tour of American Seatingrsquos 125

year history As part of our anniversary celebration wersquove created this informative exhibit at the Grand

Rapids Art Museum right here in our home town

The display features American Seatingrsquos versatile history in markets where our products have made a

significant impact on the everyday lives of people from all manners of portable seating through opulent

theater environments to our foundation and evolution in educational venues We also highlight our

legacy in famous sports stadiums and ball parks and of course our dominance in transportation seating

Our company timeline is rich with history Our past includes master wood carvers who filled places of

worship with their artistry to manufacturing and supplying vital materials for our soldiers in WWII It

was our seat that Rosa Parks refused to relinquish Our innovations and solutions such as our benchmark

mobility-aid securement systems have set industry standards

But American Seating is not only rich with history wersquore filled with excitement about our future as we begin

our next 125 years with numerous projects including the renovation of the Superdome We invite you to

explore our heritage ldquoThe History of Seating Americardquo When yoursquove finished we hope that yoursquoll join

us for a visit at our Grand Rapids headquarters

2011

If yoursquove ever ridden in a bus sat in a desk enjoyed a performance or been to a ballpark chances are

yoursquove sat in a seat made by American Seating Chances are your parents grandparents and maybe

great-grandparents have too

The American Seating story begins in 1886 and weaves through the Gilded Age and the Great Depression

through world wars and the civil rights movement through urbanism industrialism environmentalism

and everything in between

And no matter what era wersquove lived through or area wersquove been to our focus has been to make

seating for everyday people for just about every public setting imaginable schools colleges offices

courtrooms convention centers ballparks stadiums arenas theaters churches buses and trains Our

products are made in America by members of UAW Local 135

Welcome to our walk through history the first 125 years

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating for churches and other multi-use spaces more than 100 years ago During World War II we produced 5 million chairs for the US Military Over the years both wood and steel folding chairs made by American Seating have sat millions at venues across the country

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
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  94. Button 146
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  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 2: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Welcome and thank you for taking a moment to experience a virtual tour of American Seatingrsquos 125

year history As part of our anniversary celebration wersquove created this informative exhibit at the Grand

Rapids Art Museum right here in our home town

The display features American Seatingrsquos versatile history in markets where our products have made a

significant impact on the everyday lives of people from all manners of portable seating through opulent

theater environments to our foundation and evolution in educational venues We also highlight our

legacy in famous sports stadiums and ball parks and of course our dominance in transportation seating

Our company timeline is rich with history Our past includes master wood carvers who filled places of

worship with their artistry to manufacturing and supplying vital materials for our soldiers in WWII It

was our seat that Rosa Parks refused to relinquish Our innovations and solutions such as our benchmark

mobility-aid securement systems have set industry standards

But American Seating is not only rich with history wersquore filled with excitement about our future as we begin

our next 125 years with numerous projects including the renovation of the Superdome We invite you to

explore our heritage ldquoThe History of Seating Americardquo When yoursquove finished we hope that yoursquoll join

us for a visit at our Grand Rapids headquarters

2011

If yoursquove ever ridden in a bus sat in a desk enjoyed a performance or been to a ballpark chances are

yoursquove sat in a seat made by American Seating Chances are your parents grandparents and maybe

great-grandparents have too

The American Seating story begins in 1886 and weaves through the Gilded Age and the Great Depression

through world wars and the civil rights movement through urbanism industrialism environmentalism

and everything in between

And no matter what era wersquove lived through or area wersquove been to our focus has been to make

seating for everyday people for just about every public setting imaginable schools colleges offices

courtrooms convention centers ballparks stadiums arenas theaters churches buses and trains Our

products are made in America by members of UAW Local 135

Welcome to our walk through history the first 125 years

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating for churches and other multi-use spaces more than 100 years ago During World War II we produced 5 million chairs for the US Military Over the years both wood and steel folding chairs made by American Seating have sat millions at venues across the country

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

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  7. Button 29
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  9. Button 53
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
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Page 3: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

If yoursquove ever ridden in a bus sat in a desk enjoyed a performance or been to a ballpark chances are

yoursquove sat in a seat made by American Seating Chances are your parents grandparents and maybe

great-grandparents have too

The American Seating story begins in 1886 and weaves through the Gilded Age and the Great Depression

through world wars and the civil rights movement through urbanism industrialism environmentalism

and everything in between

And no matter what era wersquove lived through or area wersquove been to our focus has been to make

seating for everyday people for just about every public setting imaginable schools colleges offices

courtrooms convention centers ballparks stadiums arenas theaters churches buses and trains Our

products are made in America by members of UAW Local 135

Welcome to our walk through history the first 125 years

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating for churches and other multi-use spaces more than 100 years ago During World War II we produced 5 million chairs for the US Military Over the years both wood and steel folding chairs made by American Seating have sat millions at venues across the country

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  9. Button 53
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  11. Button 10
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  30. Button 68
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  48. Button 224
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  50. Button 41
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  52. Button 104
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  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
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  84. Button 136
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  86. Button 132
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  88. Button 140
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 4: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

And no matter what era wersquove lived through or area wersquove been to our focus has been to make

seating for everyday people for just about every public setting imaginable schools colleges offices

courtrooms convention centers ballparks stadiums arenas theaters churches buses and trains Our

products are made in America by members of UAW Local 135

Welcome to our walk through history the first 125 years

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating for churches and other multi-use spaces more than 100 years ago During World War II we produced 5 million chairs for the US Military Over the years both wood and steel folding chairs made by American Seating have sat millions at venues across the country

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  48. Button 224
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
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  103. Button 36
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  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
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  111. Button 163
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  119. Button 171
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
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Page 5: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating for churches and other multi-use spaces more than 100 years ago During World War II we produced 5 million chairs for the US Military Over the years both wood and steel folding chairs made by American Seating have sat millions at venues across the country

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 6: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
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  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
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  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
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  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
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  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  64. Button 114
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  66. Button 116
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  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
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  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
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  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
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  94. Button 146
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  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
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  111. Button 163
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  116. Button 168
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  119. Button 171
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
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  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
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Page 7: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg Stack ChairTrump Taj Mahal Casino ResortAtlantic City New Jersey 1990

In 1974 American Seating with the help of renowned designer Hugh Acton created the Acton Stack Chair This stacking chair was developed to provide comfortable ergonomic stylish seating that could be stacked and stored quickly and easily The unique Z-shape design is the core of its versatility and durability The Acton expanded into an entire line of seating options broadening its appeal and use It now has stack caster-base stool tablet-arm and beam-mounted applications

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
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  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
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  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 8: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The new and improved ldquoFolding Fiftiesrdquo line of folding chairs presented a trio of strong handy chairs for cafeterias gymnasiums auditoriums assembly halls waiting rooms libraries dormitories offices and many other spaces Designed for even greater comfort than their predecessors the famous ldquoFortiesrdquo the new line of chairs had wider deeper shaped seats and wider deeper formed back panels They were light and easy to carry No sliding or binding parts meant no snagging pinching or soiling hazards

Steel Folding Chair with Wood Seat No 54 1950rsquos

The design and development of the Envoy chair resulted from in-depth ergonomics research The classroom chair was created for relaxed student posture attained by the formed seats deep-curved backs and self-adjusting lower rails that fit each student for near perfect posture and comfort

Envoy ChairModel 368

1920

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
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  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  46. Button 100
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  48. Button 224
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  50. Button 41
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  52. Button 104
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  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  80. Button 66
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  100. Button 220
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  103. Button 36
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  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
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  124. Button 2031
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Page 9: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Additional seating options were created to accommodate various applications in the Education Market This birch plywood chair had a deep curved back that would pivot to adjust for changes in position

Classmate Plywood Chair

1950rsquos

American Seating designed the Bodi-Rest as a lightweight stacking chair for avariety of classroom uses One of the firststacking chairs created the Bodi-Rest wasdeveloped with a new process of blowmolding that captured a cushion of airinside of tough resilient plastic

Bodi-Rest No 550

1950rsquos

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 10: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Folding Chair Model No 50

1900rsquos

Built mostly for churches American Seating began manufacturing folding portable seating to give customers affordable storable choices for multiuse spaces The wood folding chair was furnished as a ldquosinglerdquo or connected in rows The low-cost chair came with a slat seat or perforated veneer

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 11: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Actonreg 2009 Chair Padded Folding Chair - Circa 1933 Envoy Chair small child - circa 1946 WWII Folding Wood Chair - circa 1941

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
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  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
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  38. Button 98
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  44. Button 92
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  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
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  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
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  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
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  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
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  86. Button 132
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  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
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  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
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  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 12: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating provides performing arts seating solutions worthy of a standing ovation Products have ranged from ornate in the Gilded Age to sleek sophistication in modern times In opera houses and concert halls in movie theaters and community theaters American Seating has been bringing the house down in comfort and style for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  100. Button 220
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  102. Button 35
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  104. Button 1016
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  106. Button 158
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
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  128. Button 80
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  135. Button 186
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  137. Button 82
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  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
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  147. Button 210
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Page 13: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
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  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
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  64. Button 114
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  66. Button 116
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  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
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  88. Button 140
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
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  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
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Page 14: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Top Circa 1920This custom standard was designed for the

fabulous Fox Theaters one of which still

operates today in Atlanta

Center Circa 1928

This standard is known as the Saenger

end and was designed as specified for the

Saenger Family Theater Chain located in

the Southeastern US and headquartered

in New Orleans

Center Circa 1927

An update to the original floral design

for ends this version was created for the

Norwood Theater in Massachusetts Many

independent houses throughout America

also selected this design

Top Circa 1890

Before ldquotalkingrdquo pictures theater was

filled with live performance song and

dance This end was one of the original

ldquofrillyrdquo wrought iron ends from the era

Center Circa 1910

An evolution of the version shown

above this end was one of the first

to be designed with a more bold

appearance still emphasizing wrought

iron construction

Bottom Circa 1933This end was salvaged from the famous

Apollo Theatre in Harlem New York

RKO was a joint venture between Keith

Orpheum and the RCA radio company

later owned by Howard Hughes The

Apollo first opened in 1913 as a burlesque

theater but later served as both a live

performance as well as a movie palace

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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Page 15: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

City Opera HouseTraverse City Michigan 2006

Opening its doors in 1891 this northern Michigan opera house is the oldest of three historically intact Victorian-era opera houses in the state The elegant 700-seat state-of-the art historic venue has hosted everything from plays concerts and operettas to gala balls social functions community festivals and celebrations The ldquoGrand Old Ladyrdquo as she is lovingly known has served as a community gathering space for more than a century

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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Page 16: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Eisenhower Theater at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington DC 2008

The Eisenhower Theater on the north side of the Kennedy Center seats about 1163 and is named for President Dwight D Eisenhower who signed into law the National Cultural Center Act in 1958 This beautiful venue hosts plays musicals smaller-scale operas ballet and contemporary dance performances Opened in 1971 the theater was renovated in 2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  9. Button 53
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  13. Button 50
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  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  26. Button 1012
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  30. Button 68
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  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
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  82. Button 138
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  100. Button 220
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  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
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  111. Button 163
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  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 17: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Built in 1888 and the first of its kind with electricity the McPherson Opera House had no equal between Kansas City and Denver On opening night all 900 seats were sold and the opera house quickly established itself as the regionrsquos cultural center It was saved from destruction in 1986 by the McPherson Opera House Company Now on the National Register of Historic Places it is considered one of the best examples of opera house architecture in Kansas The fully restored facility reopened in 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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Page 18: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Located west of downtown Richmond the Landmark is nestled in the Virginia Commonwealth University campus where it hosts Broadway productions concerts comedians lectures and school commencements This beautiful 3600-seat theater opened in 1927 Refurbished in the mid-1990s it is still in use today

Landmark TheaterRichmond Virginia 1927

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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Page 19: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Modeled after the Ambassador Auditorium and located on the Herbert W Armstrong College campus the brand-new 823-seat Armstrong Auditorium opened in 2010 to much fanfare Some of the hallrsquos treasures are from the original Ambassador Auditorium including a Steinway concert grand piano and two Baccarat crystal candelabra Other amenities include Swarovski-trimmed chandeliers from Austria Persian onyx marble from Spain and the finest-quality custom seats made by American Seating

Armstrong AuditoriumEdmond Oklahoma 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  14. Button 47
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
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  88. Button 140
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
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  116. Button 168
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  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 20: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Despite the stock market crash of 1929 John D Rockefeller made a $91 million investment in Midtown Manhattan that would leave a lasting impact on New York Cityrsquos architectural and cultural landscape He built Rockefeller Center a complex of buildings that express the highest ideals of design and stand as symbols of optimism and hope Radio City Music Hall was one of the centerrsquos first and most important buildings Since opening in 1932 more than 300 million visitors from around the world have sat in its nearly 6000 seats In 1999 Radio City underwent its most extensive restoration project since its opening returning to the ambiance of the 1930s while integrating todayrsquos technology

Radio City Music Hall New York New York 1999

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
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  82. Button 138
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  88. Button 140
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  100. Button 220
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  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
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  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
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  130. Button 183
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  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
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  139. Button 188
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  143. Button 192
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Page 21: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Lobero is Californiarsquos oldest continuously operating theater Originally founded in 1873 and rebuilt in 1924 it is recognized as one of Santa Barbararsquos architectural jewels and is a state landmark On August 4 1924 todayrsquos Lobero opened its doors with a gala production of Beggar on Horseback Santa Barbara celebrated the opening with the inaugural Fiesta the predecessor of todayrsquos Fiesta and Old Spanish Days

Lobero TheaterSanta Barbara California2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

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  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 22: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

In 1925 Paramount-Publix one of the great studio-theater chains that dominated the industry began a construction program resulting in some of the finest theaters produced in that era It was one of only three theaters built by the Publix chain on the West Coast It was not only the last Publix house but was also the last very large moving-picture theater built on the West Coast and is now the largest of the type still in existence

Paramount TheaterOakland California 1973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  12. Button 49
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  18. Button 178
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Page 23: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The Capitol Theatre movie palace was on Broadway just north of Times Square Designed by Thomas W Lamb the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24 1919 It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that dominated the film business for the next 40 years The theater was acquired in 1924 by the entertainment magnate Marcus Loew and became the flagship of his deluxe Loewrsquos Theatres chain

Capitol TheatreNew York New York 1919

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  5. Button 33
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  9. Button 53
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  22. Button 228
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
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  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
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  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 24: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tabor Hall Opera Chair1889 Wood on Cast Iron early desk (7M)

Eisenhower Theater Chair Kennedy Center 2008 Stellarreg Chair with TABodiform Chair - circa 1953

Kiel Opera House Chair - 1934 replica

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
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  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
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  109. Button 161
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  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
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  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
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  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
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  139. Button 188
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  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 25: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

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  60. Button 110
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  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
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Page 26: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  7. Button 29
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  9. Button 53
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  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
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  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
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  48. Button 224
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  50. Button 41
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  52. Button 104
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  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
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  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
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  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
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Page 27: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Universal School Furniture

1957

This photo is taken from an American Seating ad that described the productrsquos physical beauty as well as postural advantages and structural features The tag line read ldquoIf your school furniture were on display every day like this hellip yoursquod buy American Seating furniture every timerdquo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 28: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

American Envoy 1941

The American Envoy was a popular lightweight but strong desk of the 1940s The Envoyrsquos deep-curved back rails improved posture and comfort in the classrooms of that time It was available in three heights 17 inches 15 inches and 13 inches to accommodate various student sizes

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
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  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
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  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
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  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
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  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
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  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 29: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

Focustrade Acton Swing-AwayBaylor College of MedicineHouston Texas 2008

Originally built in 1978 the Michael E DeBakey Center for Biomedical Education and Research is named after a world-renowned heart surgeon and one of the schoolrsquos past presidents Two of the collegersquos busiest auditoriums for medical education were renovated in 2008 and 2009 with American Seatingrsquos fixed lecture room product

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  26. Button 1012
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  30. Button 68
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  48. Button 224
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  50. Button 41
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  52. Button 104
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  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
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  88. Button 140
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
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  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 30: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Tubular Steel Combination Desk made school furniture history It was the first of its kind made from heavy-gauge rolled-strip steel that was formed into triangular tubing for strength The hinges were noiseless and boltless for a non-wearing construction These desks were second to none in economy durability rigidity and design

Model 101 Combination Desk

1911

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

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  108. Button 160
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  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 31: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

This early combination seat desk was manufactured of high-quality cast metal and came with a built-in inkwell Sales of cast-iron desks fell off in the early 1930s as lightweight tubular-steel models came into vogue

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
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  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
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  46. Button 100
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  48. Button 224
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  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
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  55. Button 107
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  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
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  88. Button 140
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
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  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 32: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

The student-desk combination is still in classrooms today It has taken on many transformations in design materials used and style The Vanguard was part of the evolution from wood and cast iron to plastic and steel in the 1960s This desk combo uses a tablet arm versus the chair-desk combination

Vanguard Tablet Arm Seating1960s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
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  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 33: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating developed a solution for college and university lecture rooms Combining a table that is fixed to the floor with a chair that is fixed to the table and swivels allowed a crisp design The swing-away seating was developed to give instructors and facility managers an easier way to keep their tables and chairs neat and straight

Model 4701970s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 34: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The American Universal was developed in accordance with accepted principles of the coordinated classroom which were guidelines for the ideal visual and postural environments being planned by leading school authorities These guidelines emphasized the growth development and body mechanics of the school child

American Universal 1940s

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 35: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton 275 was designed for classrooms lecture halls auditoriums assembly areas and other educational and corporate training applications The classic design has an ergonomically sculptured seat and back to provide comfort even after long hours of sitting

Actonreg 275 with Tablet Arm1975

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
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  14. Button 47
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  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
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  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
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  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
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  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
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  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 36: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

The Acton chair family was designed in 1974 and is one of the best selling chairs of all time A tablet arm version was created to use in classrooms as a light-weight easily movable seating solution

Actonreg Tablet ArmGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale Michigan 2002

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  5. Button 33
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  9. Button 53
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  16. Button 45
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  18. Button 178
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  24. Button 43
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  26. Button 1012
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  30. Button 68
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  46. Button 100
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  48. Button 224
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  50. Button 41
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  52. Button 104
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  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  70. Button 120
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
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  88. Button 140
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
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  111. Button 163
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  113. Button 165
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  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
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  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 37: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

American Seating launched the Spirit auditorium chair in 2003 which was designed to be virtually maintenance-free durable and cost effective It fit a need for a new aesthetic with a curved plastic back instead of the typical square back

Spiritreg

Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Michigan 2003

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  48. Button 224
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  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  78. Button 230
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  80. Button 66
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  82. Button 138
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  100. Button 220
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  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
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  120. Button 172
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
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  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
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  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
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  139. Button 188
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  141. Button 84
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  143. Button 192
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  145. Button 190
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  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 38: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Oxford Combination Desk No 1201920rsquos

As classrooms started to change from all fixed seating to the need for more flexible seating solutions American Seating launched a contemporary table line that features power distribution and data routing and is available in a stationary or mobile solution Mobile tables can slide together to form any learning environment then flip and nest out of the way when more space is needed

Parleyreg Tables2008

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  100. Button 220
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  102. Button 35
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  104. Button 1016
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  106. Button 158
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
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  135. Button 186
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  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 39: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

DeskChair Combination early 1900s Envoy Chair with Desk circa 1946 DeskChair Combination 1960s Focusreg Swing Away Single

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  102. Button 35
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
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  135. Button 186
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  137. Button 82
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  141. Button 84
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  143. Button 192
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  145. Button 190
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  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 40: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningTheater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating

American Seating leads with solutions that offer durability and value for city-service bus rail motorcoach and demand-response transit providers Wersquore the company that helps millions of commuters and travelers get to their destinations every day with ease and comfort

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

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  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 41: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Visionreg

2009In 2009 American Seating introduced its newest innovation Vision the next generation in stainless seating that provides vandal resistance durability comfort and style North American transit agencies that quickly adopted the Vision seat include those in Rhode Island California and Ottawa (Canada)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  72. Button 122
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  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
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  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
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  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
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  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 42: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating Transportation ManufacturingGrand Rapids Michigan 1937

American Seating entered the transportation seating industry in 1931 Pictured local transit buses parked on the grounds of the American Seating factory

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  54. Button 106
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  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
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  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
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  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
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  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 43: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Insightreg

The Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2007

As the regionrsquos public transit authority The Rapid provides a variety of public transportation services for the Grand Rapids metro area and beyond It is organized and operates under Michigan Public Act 196 of 1986The Rapid operates both fixed-route and demand-response services American Seating introduced the InSight seat to The Rapid in 2007 which became one of the first transit authorities in the United States to purchase and install the bus seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  18. Button 178
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  26. Button 1012
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  30. Button 68
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  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
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Page 44: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The M4 and M7 Medium Tank Seats for Driver Assistant Driver and Gunner were used in more types of vehicles than any other seat of the time The flexible seat was readily adaptable to many different locations inside a vehicle

D39777 Seat 1940s Turret Gunner

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
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  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 45: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The Metro Rail is the rapid-transit rail system serving Los Angeles County Since opening in 1990 the network now comprises five lines including two heavy-rail subway lines and three light-rail lines Altogether these lines total 791 miles (1273 km) of rail 70 stations and more than 350000 weekday boardings

The Metro Rail showcases American Seatingrsquos Innovator 850 a stainless-steel seat that features a vandal-resistant solution for rail seating

Innovatorreg 850Los Angeles County Metro Rail Los Angeles California2007

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
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Page 46: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Indian Trails which uses the Premier seat operates one of the largest and newest fleets of deluxe motorcoaches in Michigan American Seating introduced the Premier seat in 2009 providing the highest level of safety in belted motorcoach seating

Premierreg

Indian TrailsOwosso Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
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Page 47: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

The company developed the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable seat cushion inserts

64631973

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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Page 48: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating manufactured all-tubular steel-framed seats for transit buses This type of seating offered both enhanced comfort and durability It was the first seat of its kind to be fully upholstered but without exposed fasteners on the seat backs

Much history has taken place in American Seating seats Most notable On December 1 1955 in Montgomery Alabama the seat Rosa Parks refused to give up was the American Seating City Service Bus Seat 1221 introduced in 1931 Ms Parksrsquo action became an important symbol of the modern civil rights movement

Tubular City Service Bus Seat 1221Grand Rapids Michigan 1931

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  124. Button 2031
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Page 49: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating leads in the development of mobility aid securement systems The companyrsquos latest innovation features the industry-leading ARMreg and Dual Auto-Lokreg remote release systems allowing both hands to be free to secure the mobility aid The technology provides the easiest and quickest securement while reducing physical demands on the bus driver

Mobility Aid SecurementThe Rapid Grand Rapids Michigan 2009

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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Page 50: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Visionreg Innovator 850reg Premier Recliner ndash Premierreg InSightreg

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  48. Button 224
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  58. Button 1010
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  60. Button 110
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  80. Button 66
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  100. Button 220
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  102. Button 35
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  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
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  128. Button 80
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  135. Button 186
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Page 51: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginningPortable Seating

American Seating solutions are found in the oldest and most famous ballparks and stadiums in the world and in the newest generation of multipurpose arenas We make seats for every part of a sports facility from the front row to the upper deck from scout seating to suite seats

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
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  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 52: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

McPherson Opera HouseMcPherson Kansas 2010

ArenasBerry Events CenterFresno Selland ArenaHP PavillionKeifer Lakefront ArenaNeal H Blaisdell CenterQuicken Loans ArenaVan Andel ArenaVerizon Center

NFL TeamsBaltimore RavensBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsCleveland BrownsHouston TexansMinnesota VikingsNew Orleans SaintsNew York GiantsNew York JetsOakland RaidersPittsburgh SteelersSan Francisco 49ers

Major LeaguesBaltimore OriolesBoston Red SoxChicago CubsChicago White SoxCleveland IndiansDC NationalsDetroit TigersFlorida MarlinsHouston AstrosLos Angeles DodgersMilwaukee BrewersOakland ArsquosPhiladelphia PhilliesSt Louis Cardinals San Francisco GiantsTexas Rangers

Minor LeaguesAltoona Curve Arizona DiamondbacksRockiesArizona DodgerWhitesoxAuburn Doubledays Augusta Green-JacketsBatavia MuckdogsBeloit SnappersBoise HawksBirmingham BaronsCarolina Mudcats Charlotte Knights City Island StadiumClinton Lumber Kings Colorado Springs Sky Sox Daytona Cubs Durham Bulls Erie Sea Wolves Florence Freedom Frisco Rough RidersGreat Falls White Sox Gulf Coast OriolesHannibal CavemanIndianapolis Indians Iowa Cubs Jamestown JammersJoliet Jackhammers Kane County CougarsLake County Captains Lakeland Flying TigersLansing Lugnuts Louisville Bats Missoula Osprey Montgomery BiscuitsNashville Sounds Norfolk Tides Ogden RaptorsOklahoma Red HawksRochester Red WingsRockford RiverHawksSalem Avalanche

Salem-Keizer VolcanoesSalt Lake BeesScrantonWilkes-Barre YankeesSouthern Maryland Blue CrabsSpokane Indians Syracuse Chiefs Tacoma RainiersTennessee SmokiesTraverse City Beach BumsVancouver CanadiansVisalia RawhidesWest Michigan WhitecapsWinston-Salem DashWisconsin Timber RattlersYakima BearsYork Revolution

Performing Art CentersAmerican Players Theater Spring Green WI Armstrong College PACBenaroya Hall Seattle WABoston Pops Tanglewood CenterBlossom Music Center Cleveland OHCentury II Wichita KSCorson Auditorium Interlochen MIDelacorte Theatre Central Park NYEmons Auditorium Ball StateFairchild Auditorium Michigan St UniversityForest Roberts Theater N Michigan UniversityGammage Arizona State UniversityGreek Theatre CAIndiana University Musical Art Center Kennedy Center Washington DCKresge Auditorium Interlochen MIMcPherson Opera House McPherson KSMillenium Park Chicago ILNew York Metropolitan Opera HousePeabody (Kiel) Opera HousePopejoy Hall University of New MexicoRadio City Music Hall NYRaymond Kravis Center West Palm Beach FL

River Bend Music Center Cincinnati OHRobin Hood Dell East Philadelphia PASan Francisco Opera HouseSante Fe Opera House Sante Fe NMTilson Auditorium Indiana StateUniversity of Connecticut Jorgensen CenterWest Point Military Academy Eisenhower Theatre

College and University SportsBaylor University Tennis ComplexBud Walton Arena University of ArkansasCreighton Soccer StadiumFSU Baseball HowserGeorgia Tech Bobby Dodd StadiumGeorgia Russ Chandler StadiumIndiana University Memorial StadiumLamar Cardinal StadiumLouisville Papa Johns StadiumLSU Tiger StadiumMiami StadiumMichigan Football StadiumNAU Lumberjack StadiumNebraska Memorial StadiumOhio State Football StadiumPurdue Ross-Ade StadiumRice University Reckling Park StadiumTennessee Lee Stadium Tennessee Lindsey Nelson StadiumTennessee Tennis Stadium Knoxville Tusculum College Baseball StadiumTulane Baseball ParkUH Baseball StadiumUNC Dean Smith CenterUNM-The PitUCLA Pauley PavilionUSC Dedeaux Field and LA ColiseumUtah Valley StadiumUT Disch-Falk FieldWake Forest BallparkWVU ColiseumWVU Mountaineer StadiumTD Ameritrade Park (NCAA World Series)

Arenas Auditoriums Stadiums amp Ballparks

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 53: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Meadowlands Sports Complex East Rutherford New Jersey 2010(Home of the New York Giants and New York Jets)

The Meadowlands was designed to be the home of both the New York Jets and New York Giants professional football teams and also serve as a location for all marquee events in the region ndash internationally broadcast concerts college football programs world-class soccer and more The sustainably designed stadium seats 82500

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
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  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
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  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
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  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  66. Button 116
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
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  88. Button 140
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  92. Button 144
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  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
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  111. Button 163
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  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
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  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
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Page 54: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Van Andel Arenareg Grand Rapids Michigan 1996(Home of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The 12000-plus capacity $75 million arena in Michiganrsquos fastest-growing market has made Grand Rapids an entertainment destination Additionally the arena has carved a niche as a first-class facility for tradeshows exhibitions seminars and conferences It also serves as the home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team The arena was named in recognition of its largest benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
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  40. Button 94
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  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
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  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
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  88. Button 140
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  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
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  120. Button 172
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  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 55: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Comerica Park Detroit Michigan 2000(Home of the Detroit Tigers)

Comerica Park replaced the historic Tiger Stadium in 2000 Located in downtown Detroit and next to Ford Field the home of the Detroit Lions Comerica Park is a major part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city Comericarsquos seating capacity is 45010

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 56: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Nationals Park was the first major stadium in the US accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) structure achieving ldquoSilver Statusrdquo from the United States Green Building Council The ballpark exterior is constructed of steel glass and pre-cast concrete reflecting the architecture of Washington Views from the circulation ramps include the Capitol the Washington Monument the Navy Yard and the riverfront The venue seats 41546

Nationals ParkWashington DC 2008

(Home of the Washington Nationals)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
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  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
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  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
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  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 57: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 20 1912 Fenway Park one of the most iconic ballparks in the world opened its doors to the public To many Fenway is a shrine and homage to the Great American Pastime of baseball American Seating has been a part of the Fenway fan experience since the ballpark first opened In 2002 the Red Sox organization began a renovation of the entire park scheduled for completion in spring 2012

Fenway ParkBoston Massachusetts 2009(Home of the Boston Red Sox)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
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Page 58: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
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  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
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  44. Button 92
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  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
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  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 59: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

On April 1 1994 a new era dawned for the Texas Rangers with the opening of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington This beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre entertainment complex The open-air park seats 49170 and features Texas-style architecture

Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonArlington Texas 1994(Home of the Texas Rang-ers)

Originally known as Gund Arena ldquoThe Qrdquo officially opened in October 1994 with a Billy Joel concert Home to the Cavaliers professional basketball team ldquoThe Qrdquo also hosts top-name concerts family and sporting events accommodating 20500 patrons Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field and home to the Cleveland Indians professional baseball team) is next door together these two facilities comprise the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex American Seating chairs replaced a competitorrsquos seats in 2005

Quicken Loans Arena ndash ldquoThe QrdquoCleveland Ohio 2005(Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 60: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Michigan Stadium ldquoThe Big HouserdquoAnn Arbor Michigan 2010(Home of the University ofMichigan Wolverines)

One of the countryrsquos most recognized college sports venues Michigan Stadium has always been known for accommodating enormous crowds First opened in 1927 with a capacity of more than 84000 ldquoThe Big Houserdquo underwent a three-year renovation to provide wider seats and aisles and to add premium club and suite seating Remodeling was completed in 2010 with a total fan capacity of 108000

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
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  18. Button 178
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  52. Button 104
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  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
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  81. Button 67
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  103. Button 36
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  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
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  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
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  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
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  148. Button 211
Page 61: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Pizza Hut Park is a multi-purpose facility designed for professional soccer major concerts community events and high school football The park can host approximately 20500 and is considered to be one of the top venues in the United States for both amateur and Major League Soccer

Pizza Hut ParkFrisco Texas 2005(Home of MLS Team FC Dallas)

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 62: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Tigerrsquos Chair - Tigers

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 63: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable Seating

Watch this 1930 PR stuntIn 1930 pilot Muller landed this Heath plane on the roof of the American Seating headquarters in Grand Rapids to promote their ldquojust in timerdquo delivery services Landing and take off were both perilous and successful

>

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 64: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

American Seating has a long history of putting students and educators at ease with seating solutions that support the body and stimulate the mind Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company wersquove made seats desks and other educational products for one-room schoolhouses and university learning environments ndash and everything in between

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 65: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Beginning in 1887 much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Our Early Years 1886-1940

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 66: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1886On January 5 Perkins Hess and Peregrine with 50 employees open a factory at the corner of Prescott and Ionia streets in Grand Rapids to manufacture school and office furniture

The first product is a cast-iron and maple-wood student desk-and-chair unit This unprecedented combination revolutionizes classroom seating

1899 Grand Rapids School Furniture Company changes its name to American School Furniture Company The company acquires 18 of the largest seating and furniture manufacturing companies in the United States These companies expand American School Furniture Companyrsquos holdings from the Midwest to the East Coast with offices located in New York and Chicago

1905Earnings through 1905 total $12 million The company purchases additional properties in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest

1906The company changes its name to American Seating Company and offices move from New York back to Grand Rapids

1888Grand Rapids School Furniture Company buys seven acres on Broadway Avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The company constructs a 70000-square-foot factory and moves in on August 1 Increasing its workforce to 350 employees the company becomes the biggest manufacturer of its kind in the city

1909American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating at Forbes Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates ndash the companyrsquos first foray into baseball seating

1910Comiskey Park home of the Chicago White Sox opens with 32000 American Seating Company seats The ballpark adds more seats in 1927

1889The company officially enters the entertainment seating market by furnishing the Tabor Opera House in Leadville Colorado and the McPherson Opera House in McPherson Kansas

1885In this year the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor the first skyscraper (10 stories) is built in Chicago and during a Grand Rapids Michigan school board meeting a light-bulb moment redefines educational environments for the century to follow

At this meeting business and school board leaders Gaius W Perkins William T Hess and Seymour W Peregrine sit in the very seats that students use during the school day Shifting constantly to get comfortable they determine the seats that school children sit in are poorly designed ndash and they resolve to do better This is the beginning of American Seating

1887On May 8 the founders incorporate Grand Rapids School Furniture Company Building on its immediate success in schools the company expands into seating for churches and other public venues

Much of the seating for churches involves intricate wood carving the company becomes known for its master carvers and beautiful craftsmanship

Early 1900sWith the increased popularity of vaudeville and then motion pictures theater seating becomes American Seating Companyrsquos primary product The company is deluged with orders and many orders are for 299 chairs per venue The reason Theaters with more than 299 chairs required a theater license and special fire permits

1892Grand Rapids School Furniture Company ranks as the top seating manufacturer in the world producing more seats than any other manufacturer (81000 to date)

1893The company designs and delivers the worldrsquos first tilt-back opera chair

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 67: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Our Early Years 1886-1940

1911The company opens a steel plant and begins production of the 101 Desk Made of steel tubing the desk is a first of its kind So many are made that pundits say they could be lined up and stretch from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles and then 180 miles beyond into the Pacific Ocean

1912American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for Fenway Park home of the Boston Red Sox the beginning of a long relationship with the famous ballpark

1914American Seating Company manufactures and installs seating for the Chicago Cubsrsquo Wrigley Field Some of the original seats will last into the next millennium a testament to the durability and quality of the companyrsquos product

1922American Seating Company provides the seats for The Ohio State Universityrsquos football stadium

1927Hollywood spreads across America and everyonersquos going to the movies The nationrsquos theaters grand ldquomovie palacesrdquo require elaborate seating to complement ornate deacutecor Entertainment moguls of the day Marcus Loew William Fox and others engage American Seating Company for seats Theater seating installations boom with major contracts with the Loewrsquos Theatre and Fox Theatre chains

American Seating Company moves all manufacturing operations to Grand Rapids

1923American Seating Company makes the seats in the original Yankee Stadium home of the New York Yankees

1926American Seating Company renovates and modernizes its Grand Rapids facilities on Broadway Avenue

1930sThe company designs the Bodiformreg end standard to add affordable design deacutecor to theater seats at a time when money canrsquot be spent on splendor The innovation is such a success that the end standard remains a popular part of American Seatingrsquos portfolio

The company develops the first frac34-fold indoor-outdoor seat so spectators can move easily through aisles and into seats

1931All offices are consolidated in Grand Rapids

The Transportation Division manufactures the first all-tubular-steel-framed seats used in buses

1936The company begins manufacturing tank seats for military operations

1937From years 1927 to 1937 the company reports earnings of $25 million and exits the Great Depression in a strong financial position

1932American Seating Company manufactures and installs new seating for the upper deck of Fenway Park

1920sDr Henry Eastman Bennettrsquos research results in the design of the companyrsquos Universal and Envoy lines for the education market

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 68: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

1947 - President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 69: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1944Production at American Seating Company has increased since the warrsquos inception and employment stands at 1000 Ninety percent of the companyrsquos manufactured goods support the US Military

During this time the company produces 10000 folding chairs per day ultimately making 5 million chairs for the military A running joke at the time ldquoWersquore in charge of seating the standing armyrdquo

1941With the United Statesrsquo entry into World War II American Seating Company converts much of its production to seating and other products for the military

1960The company announces it will enter the health care market Recognizing radical changes in patient safety care comfort and rehabilitation American Seating Company designs an entirely new hospital bed system and complementary furniture

To accommodate the new market a vast manufacturing facility covering 41 acres is constructed near the site of todayrsquos American Seating Park An onsite foundry pictured above enables American Seating to cast its own iron

The company begins producing motorcoach seating

1955On December 1 in Montgomery Alabama Rosa Parks makes history by refusing to relinquish her bus seat which was made by American Seating Company

The company updates the seating in the Detroit Tigers Stadium

1950sThe company begins manufacturing modular-classroom and lab furniture

1945Between 1937 and 1945 American Seating Companyrsquos net worth increases to $67 million

The company installs new seats for Yankee Stadium in New York

1947 American Seating Company begins manufacturing seats for urban transit buses ndash today called city-service buses

President Harry S Truman enjoys a baseball game in Kansas City in an American Seating seat

1958American Seating Company becomes the first to develop outdoor blow-molded plastic seats after Dutch elm disease destroys most of the nationrsquos elm trees The first installation with this new technology is the Los Angeles Coliseum

Other war products include

bull Pilotejectionseatsandinertialockingreels

bull Tankseats

bull Packboards

bull Messtables

bull SparcapsfortheDouglasA-26

bull Woodentrainingmodelsofthe 40MM anti-aircraft gun

bull Ammunitionboxes

bull WingsandsparsfortheAT-10Beechaircraft

bull InboardwingsfortheCG-4A

bull PartsfortheAT-21BomberTrainer and M5 Bomb Trailer

bull Backpacksfortroops

bull Woodcomponentsforglidersused for D-Day invasion

From the collections of The Henry Ford

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 70: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1970The company begins manufacturing seating for rail cars

American Seating launches the Stellarreg chair for the Education and Entertainment markets

American Seating Company coauthors the White Book a widely used publication that provides procurement guidelines and technical specifications for the transportation industry

The company makes and installs the seats for Mickey Mouse Music Hall at Disney World in Orlando Florida

1973The company develops the first fiberglass transportation seat with quick-release replaceable onserts

1971The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opens in Washington DC filled with American Seating chairs

1974The company replaces the seats at Yankee Stadium in New York

American Seating Company designs and installs one of the first automated part-transfer systems in the nation the new seat-pan stamping presses expand capacity to 1500 finished parts per 8-hour shift

Transportation seating sales hit an all-time high

American Seating Company provides the seats for the Wings Hockey Arena in Kalamazoo Michigan

The company releases the Actonreg chair The iconic seat becomes one of the best-selling stacking chairs of all time1969

The company develops the transportation industryrsquos first cantilevered bus seat an innovation that increases the comfort and cleanliness of bus seating

By the end of the decade American Seating Company has established itself as the leading manufacturer of transit seating

ndash a position the company holds to this day

1977American Seating Company enters the office furniture market The company begins producing a flexible and functional interior furniture system designed to respond to human ergonomic needs and workplace functionality

American Seating becomes the first to make office wall panels with removable inserts

The company becomes the leading developer of restraint systems for the transportation industry before the implementation of any formalized Americans with Disabilities Act requirements1980The Minnesota Vikings complete a new stadium outfitted entirely with American Seating seats

1975The company develops the industryrsquos first stainless-steel seat for use in buses

1962 American Seating chairs are installed in the New York State Theater (now called the David H Koch Theater) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

Building On A Diverse History 1941-1980

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 71: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

2011 - The introduction of the Coretrade seat utilizes state of the art equipment and incorporates 60 post consumer waste in its design

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 72: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

1987Ed Clark and a group of private investors purchase American Seating Company from Fuqua Inc

1988American Seating Company develops vandal- and cut-resistant seat cushion inserts enabling upholstered seating in public transportation Buses in New York City and Chicago boast the first such seating

The Dimensionreg chair launches in the Education and Sports Markets

1995The company builds a new transportation plant on Seward Avenue expanding the American Seating campus footprint on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side The 175000-square-foot plant opens the following year

The company unveils Framework Accessreg panels for use in office systems

1983American Seating Company is purchased by Fuqua Inc based in Atlanta

1984The company introduces energy-absorbing plastic grab-rails atop bus seats for added passenger safety

1981American Seating Company releases the Bioreg chair a customizable caster-base office chair

1985The Fox Theatre in Atlanta selects nearly 3000 American Seating Company seats for a major renovation

The company purchases Otaco a transit seating manufacturer based in Canada

1998American Seating Company provides the seats for the Detroit Tigersrsquo new stadium Comerica Park

American Seating also provides the seating for Pac Bell Park home of the San Francisco Giants and Minute Maid Park (then called Enron Field) home of the Houston Astros

American Seating helps to complete MampT Bank Stadium for the Baltimore Ravens including a hinged-arm stadium chair to accommodate disabled patrons

The company releases the Oz chair and the 408 Stadium Chair

1999American Seating Company helps to renovate The Ohio State University Buckeyesrsquo

ldquoThe Horseshoerdquo Stadium with installation of the 408 Stadium Chair

American Seating Company installs new seats at the Cleveland Browns Stadium

1996The company introduces the Advanced Restraint Module (ARMreg) for mobility aid securement in the transportation market

Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids installs American Seating products

1997American Seating Company produces the Framework free-standing desk

The company introduces the 507 Baseball Chair

The Santa Fe Opera House selects new American Seating chairs for its renovation

1994The company releases the Cuereg chair for the office market

1992The company releases the 505 slat back a blow-molded baseball chair for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore the seats evoke a nostalgic ballpark look

The company develops a quick-releasesliding seat to accommodate mobility aids in transit

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 73: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

2001American Seating Company unveils its Accuwerks and Whirl tables

The company provides seats for Miller Park home of the Milwaukee Brewers

2002Metropolitanreg transit seating is introduced to the City Bus and Light Rail Markets

The company releases the Actonreg caster base and stool

2003American Seating Company reinvests in its roots and renovates its campus on Grand Rapidsrsquo northwest side Historic buildings are preserved while contemporary living and working environments are created The area becomes known as American Seating Park

The company releases the Spiritreg seat

2004US Cellular Field home of the Chicago White Sox replaces all seats with American Seating product after only 13 years with a competitorrsquos seats

2005American Seating Company provides new seats for Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home of the Cleveland Cavaliers American Seating chairs replace a competitorrsquos seats installed in 1994

2008American Seating Company debuts Visionreg Inspired by InSightreg the seat meets the needs of bus and rail transit agencies looking for product specifically engineered for aesthetics and superior vandal resistance

The companyrsquos Focusreg Fixed Lecture product revolutionizes the college and university market

2006This year is big for baseball The company produces seats for the Los Angeles Dodgers the St Louis Cardinals the Boston Red Sox the Chicago Cubs the Iowa City Cubs and the Traverse City Beach Bums All told 140000 seats are made shipped and installed

American Seating Company develops the InSightreg bus seat which offers the largest personal sitting area in the industry The seat becomes the best-selling bus seat in the world

The Majesticreg chair is introduced to capture the grandeur of a bygone theater era

2009American Seating releases Premierreg a motorcoach seat that revolutionizes safety Greyhound is the first to install the seats in its motorcoaches

American Seating installs seats at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach Florida

American Seating takes part in a historic renovation of the beloved Fenway Park replicating original wood seats with new technology

Federal stimulus grants increase contracts for bus seating

InSightreg is selected for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games SkyTrain in Vancouver

2010The Rally Chair is released as a telescopic platform seating solution

The University of Michigan selects American Seating for new club seating as part of major renovation of ldquoThe Big Houserdquo football stadium

The new Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey ndash home to both the New York Jets and Giants ndash receives American Seating seats

2011 The company launches the Coretrade chair a cost-effective auditorium solution

American Seating is the leading manufacturer of mass transit passenger seating with seats in every major city in America from Los Angeles to New York and Grand Rapids

The famous Kiel (Peabody) Opera House renovation project includes custom American Seating chairs

American Seating celebrates its 125th anniversary

2000The company introduces its Credence and Brilliance tables Framework Segway panels and the Transportation Recliner Series

Providing Innovative Solutions 1981 - Present

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211
Page 74: The History of Seating America · The display features American Seating’s versatile history in markets where our products ... Our company timeline is rich with history. ... Apollo

Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline 1930 PR Stunt Video back to the beginningPortable SeatingPortable Seating Theater Education Transportation Sports Timeline back to the beginning

  1. Button 237
  2. Button 241
  3. Button 239
  4. Button 240
  5. Button 33
  6. Button 34
  7. Button 29
  8. Button 30
  9. Button 53
  10. Button 54
  11. Button 10
  12. Button 49
  13. Button 50
  14. Button 47
  15. Button 48
  16. Button 45
  17. Button 46
  18. Button 178
  19. Button 179
  20. Button 180
  21. Button 181
  22. Button 228
  23. Button 229
  24. Button 43
  25. Button 44
  26. Button 1012
  27. Button 1013
  28. Button 1014
  29. Button 1015
  30. Button 68
  31. Button 69
  32. Button 70
  33. Button 71
  34. Button 72
  35. Button 73
  36. Button 74
  37. Button 75
  38. Button 98
  39. Button 99
  40. Button 94
  41. Button 95
  42. Button 96
  43. Button 97
  44. Button 92
  45. Button 93
  46. Button 100
  47. Button 101
  48. Button 224
  49. Button 225
  50. Button 41
  51. Button 42
  52. Button 104
  53. Button 105
  54. Button 106
  55. Button 107
  56. Button 108
  57. Button 109
  58. Button 1010
  59. Button 1011
  60. Button 110
  61. Button 111
  62. Button 112
  63. Button 113
  64. Button 114
  65. Button 115
  66. Button 116
  67. Button 117
  68. Button 118
  69. Button 119
  70. Button 120
  71. Button 121
  72. Button 122
  73. Button 123
  74. Button 124
  75. Button 125
  76. Button 126
  77. Button 127
  78. Button 230
  79. Button 231
  80. Button 66
  81. Button 67
  82. Button 138
  83. Button 139
  84. Button 136
  85. Button 137
  86. Button 132
  87. Button 133
  88. Button 140
  89. Button 141
  90. Button 142
  91. Button 143
  92. Button 144
  93. Button 145
  94. Button 146
  95. Button 147
  96. Button 148
  97. Button 149
  98. Button 150
  99. Button 151
  100. Button 220
  101. Button 221
  102. Button 35
  103. Button 36
  104. Button 1016
  105. Button 1017
  106. Button 158
  107. Button 159
  108. Button 160
  109. Button 161
  110. Button 162
  111. Button 163
  112. Button 164
  113. Button 165
  114. Button 166
  115. Button 167
  116. Button 168
  117. Button 169
  118. Button 170
  119. Button 171
  120. Button 172
  121. Button 173
  122. Button 174
  123. Button 175
  124. Button 2031
  125. Button 2032
  126. Button 37
  127. Button 38
  128. Button 80
  129. Button 81
  130. Button 183
  131. Button 194
  132. Button 185
  133. Button 195
  134. Button 196
  135. Button 186
  136. Button 187
  137. Button 82
  138. Button 83
  139. Button 188
  140. Button 189
  141. Button 84
  142. Button 85
  143. Button 192
  144. Button 193
  145. Button 190
  146. Button 191
  147. Button 210
  148. Button 211