Jeff and Jim Adinolfe are feeling pretty good about the little company they started 20 years ago in Lake Worth.
They can look back on their work — including on opening day at the Miami Marlins ballpark — to see they’ve come a long way.
Their company, Atlas Sign Industries, designed, built and installed the Marlins Park marquee signs. “The project came to us in the 11th hour,” said Atlas chief executive Jim Adinolfe.
The once-in-a-generation opportunity to put their mark on a sports stadium was a fast-track process, to be completed in just 30 days, he said. “We’re really proud of it.”
Recently citing its customer service, manufacturing, leadership and teamwork, Atlas received South Florida Manufacturers Association’s 2012 Manufacturer of the Year award.
“It’s not just about the product,” he said. “It’s about customer service and exceeding customers’ expectations.”
Their opportunity to grow into a full-service sign company came in the wake of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The brothers got more work, added employees and equipment and expanded their space.
Atlas operates out of a 60,000-square-foot headquarters in West Palm Beach, with a second in Concord, N.C. Clients include Starbucks Coffee Co., Office Depot, and Cracker Barrel.
Stor-All Storage of Deerfield Beach has used Atlas since 1999, said Charles Anderson, director of revenue management for the family-owned self-storage company that builds, owns and operates 44 facilities in five states.
“If a sign panel has storm damage, or a light bulb needs replacing, Atlas is right there,” Anderson said. “They go that extra mile. They’re very accessible.”
“It’s that simple, that’s how we grow,” Adinolfe said. The company hired 22 new employees in Florida in the past year. Capturing new clients helps the company grow organically, but another mainstay is sign maintenance at more than 80,000 locations nationwide.
Corporate conversions and rebranding, such as Atlas’ Wachovia-to-Well Fargo project, also helps build long-term relationships.
“Any good industry is going to reinvest in itself, from banking to fast food outlets,” said Andrew Duffell, president and chief executive officer of the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Duffell specializes in market and development strategies. “Corporations are always looking for ways to rebrand and repackage themselves, and that includes the life-cycle of their signage.”
Adinolfe still hustles like he’s running a start-up. He criss-crosses the county to meet with clients and generate new business. He attends trade shows.
“We have plenty of capacity and there are lots of great opportunities,” Adinolfe said.
For Anderson at Stor-All, it goes back to the basics. “As clients, we want to be treated the same way we treat our customers. Atlas does that.”