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Show i The Salt Lake Tribune SUNDAYSunday, August3, 1997 Dean Hoffmeyer/Richmond Times: ispatch MarianneDiRupotakesa turn during the AMF Gold Cup competition in Richmond, Va. Richmond-based AMF is the biggest player in the bowling industry and seeking to extendits reach. RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY Company Hopes to Bowl Over the Competition BYJAN CIENSKI “Lifestyles changed and it became harder and harder age of a smoky roomfilled with paunchy guys in untucked shirts for people to make a commitmentto be in one place for 35 weeks in a row. The number ofpeople participating in leagues began to shrink and the industry began to widen its thrust to attract more bowlers. New alleys have glow-in-thedarkballs and pins for late-night bowling, kid-friendly bumpers bowling consultant and broker Sandy Hansell that keep balls out of the gutters Theindustry prefers bowling centers instead of bowlingalleys. “Tt adds to the gameto see ac- cents like that. It’s exciting,” said Zenia Burnett, 22, who was playing with a group of friends at a Richmond bowlingalley, One of the biggest forces be- hind the new imageis Richmondbased AMF Bowling Worldwide — also the biggest player in the industry with 322 bowling centers in the United States and 87 in 10 other countries. OS technology. Restaurants are given a face lift, and they are moving away from thetraditional fare of tepid beer and kot dogs. Wreden said fast-food chainsare an option. In many locations, billiard tables and video gamesareinstalled While AMF's domestic growth potential is great, the market itself is not growing much. In the past, the industry depended on league bowlers, players who took the game seriously and committed to play regularly for a whole season. the late 1970s. “Tt becomes a social outing as well as a recreationalor sporting outing,” he said. AMF earned $549 million last year — $310 million in the United States and the rest in countries ranging from Japan to Korea and Sweden, So far, AMF has madebig in- roads in foreign countries with its bowling-supply business, The company sold more than 1,500 packages last year that containall the equipment neededto set up a single bowling lane in China. In only about 5 percent of the ap- came harder and harder for “Lifestyles changed and it be- contrast, AMF sold only about proximately 6,800 centers in the people to make a commitment to be in one place for 35 weeks in a 200 such packages in the United States last year, Wreden said Bach packagesells for $35,000. The company, whichstill has United States, is aggressively ex- panding by buying up smaller chains. It also has big plans for international growth, where bowling is often almost unknown. AMF alsois the world’s largest supplier of bowling equipment — everything from bowling balls to row,” Hansell said. ‘The number of people participating in leagues began to shrink and the industry began to widen its thrust to at- tract more bowlers.” The fancy marketing has allowed the industry to just offset high-tech machines that pick up the loss of league bowlers by the pinsafter they have been top- drawing in more occasional pled The goal is to turn AMF into a global brand associated with bowling — the same waythat Ko- dak is associated with film, McDonald's with fast food and Klee. nex with tissues, said Merrel consolidation,” said Sandy Han- turning to international markets. The United States has about the bowling industry in South. tries with rapidly growing middle classes. China has one bowling When AMF buys a bowling center, it spends an average of $300,000 to $400,000 to renovate it, Wreden said. Discolored lanes are torn out and aging equipment is replaced with state-of-the-art HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY KIARNISKI Argentina. The industry's growth potential hasattracted attention from Wall Street, The merchant bank Goldman, Sachs & Co. bought a twothirds stake in AMFfor $1.3 billion last year. “They see the business as a high return on investment business and a high cashflowbusiness with & Bowling Facts and Figures Somefacts about the bowling industry: @ There are about 6,800 bowling centersin the country. @ Morethan 53 million people bowledatleast oncelast year. ® The bowling industry, including bowling centers and equipment manufacturing, earned $4.3 billion in 1995. Source:Strike Ten — The Associated Press significant growth possibilities,” said Stephen Hare, AMF's chief HAPPY 75th BIRTHDAY MOM & GRANDMA Puzzle solutions new trade one lane per 2,000 people — a much lowerratio than other coun- States and six in Britain ters in Asia and 39 in Brazil and MEL & JANE GUSTAVESON FPe8td; edos Fortrulyrapid growth, AMFis sell of Sandy Hansell & Associates, a consultant and broker for field, Mich. ‘Most of the centers AMF also is setting up joint ventures that will give it 20 cen- financialofficer. league bowler decline like we've had, it’s difficult to replace,” said Steve Ryan, president and chief executive officer of Strike Ten Inc., the indust group, are mom-and-pop operations, and many of them aregetting readyto retire.” In the past year, AMF bought 112 bowling centers in the United ers, bowlers. “When you have the core Wreden, the company's vice pres- ident in charge of marketing. “It's an industry that’s ripe for AMF has its own network of bowling centers in some countries, including Britain and Australia. But in China, Japan and some others the companyhasonly a few alleys it uses to showcase AMF’s equipment for local buy- Bowling centers, as the industry now calls them, are updating their image andtheir food. With lane for every 300,000 people Brazil has 450,000 people per lane; Poland has 2 million people per lane; and India has 25 million per lane. “Bowling is oneof those recreational activities that a burgeon- ing middleclass will go to,” Wre- JULIE G. TAYLOR our love and best wishes from ildren and 24 grand- ROY & JOYCE CAMPBELL lels|rlolA(s|Wie|s{olr/o pe den said He said the same thing happened in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s and in Japan in Ellen B. Spencer August 4, 1922 Answer to ba 1MGlobe tring ot Cl GB O+O + Q-G)+ G+ = 7 Lefty (Gomex) 13 Whitey (Ford) 3 gi Berra) 2 (urmig) Nettles 1 (Dave) Wingeld 6 (Don) Mattingly 9 (Roger) Maris 5 Louisiana Lightning (Ron v4 2-0: 0-8-8 2: @-8-8-o OO88 weseteman tiationan” 1 Mr, October thomering. Reggie 12 The Commerce Comet (Mickey Jackson) Some of the ballplayers bad more than onenickname “the Mick,” “Pull,” “Columbia Lou,” ‘the Bambino.” When Guidry loat a litte of that tabulour “Lightning.” folks began calling, ‘him “Gator,” and worse. Will Celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary ‘OnSunday, August 3. from 3-7 p.m. at the Rice Terrace in Liberty Park SLC. Friends and family ase Invited to share this occasion with them. Both were bornand falsed in Sak Lake City Joyce (nee Winter) graduated fromEast High School andl worked for First Security bank for many years. Roy graduated fromGranite High School, served {nthe Navy during Workd War It anclls retired fromthe US Postal Service. They now make thelr home in St George, Utah Their thvee sons Lee, Kevin, & Scot are sponsoring the anniversay celebration i fe and monitors that play funky messages when bowlersroll a strike Even the lexicon has changed: tT i rte with team names sewn onto the backs, chances are you haven't bowledlately. Hl tion of bowling conjuresup an im- fle ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RICHMOND, Va. — If a men- You're 40 but don't be blue.,.have a Happy From All Your Friends Full content of | The Salt Lake Tribune is available daily | on the Web, | www,sltrib.com | See TheReal Puzzle, crossword and Brain Numb-ers on J-2 Birthday...We love you! Your Family, To Our “Parents DON AND GLENNA FELLER coltonWesty Neve Anpat 190) 97 We join ous parents today celebrating Cee 10 years together GEORGE AND DORA DIPO CELEBRATE 60 YEARS TOGETHER (August 9, 1937-1997) George and Dora will celebrate their anniversary with a reception hosted by their children: Richard and Doreen Carlson, Tom and Darlene Dipo, Gary and Sandy Dipo, Grant and Dorothy Dipo, Mike andJudy Hurdsinan and Dennis and Diane Dipo. Family and triends areinvited to an open house, Saturday, August 9, 1997, from 24 pum. at the home of Tom and Darlene Dipo, 2405 E Bear Hills Drive (12000 So, Enter from 18th Bast and Ploneer Road (approx, 12400 So. ) in Draper, Utah, No gifts please, Max and LaVonParty of Riverton celebrate their 50th W. versary with an Anni- by thelr children, Satu Binithe Hs andos LSWord West 12600 So. Riverton from. tn the 5 Tes married Sahalte EDS4 Teuple br 1947 Thee have resided In Rivertonthelr entire married lite The Partys’ have three children, Glenn Fae and Jolene; five grandchildren fend one great grandchild [sgt not oy to thetr open house. Your presence is thelr gh. ", _ ————— oe |
