History
Harold French launched Applied Motion Products in 1992 but the story begins way before that. Back in the 1970s, with a small but growing family, Harold worked in the automation and controls industry for a motor and drive manufacturer. He advanced into a position as an electrical specialist and traveled the Midwest designing systems for AC and DC motor control.
From there, Harold moved to a similar role at a large automation distribution company which broadened his experience and provided the opportunity to work with manufacturers of many different types of controls products.
Harold always had an entrepreneurial spirit and began to feel he could use his experience to launch his own business. So, in 1992 Harold took the plunge with very little cash and no customers. He had experience, encouragement from family and friends, many connections around the country, and faith in God. That’s all he needed to make the move!
His son, Matt, was finishing high school and already doing CAD work when Harold launched Applied Motion Products. Matt worked as much as he was able during high school and college, gaining lots of experience building control panels and generating electrical schematics. In 1999, Matt graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and began working full-time with Harold. His responsibilities advanced into control system design, PLC programming, and HMI programming.
In 2001, Harold and Matt French changed the company name to AMPS Industrial Controls to better communicate broad automation and controls capabilities rather than the narrower focus on motion.
In 2003, AMPS moved from its first location on Progress Street to a larger facility on Holloway Road and then in 2016, AMPS moved again into a much larger facility with more offices and more square footage devoted to panel fabrication.
Over these years, everything has grown. Capabilities, expertise, space, personnel, customer base. The line card has been rounded out with complementary products to better serve customers. Change and growth are good, and the family business remains strong because of its emphasis on customer service and creative solutions.