Sports organizations from across the globe turn to one company for championship-caliber gymnastics and cheerleading equipment: American Athletic, Inc. Headquartered in Jefferson, Iowa, AAI has been manufacturing world-class sports equipment since 1954. AAI’s commitment to providing high-quality, high performance products has been unchanged for over 50 years.
Today, AAI is the world’s leading manufacturer of gymnastics apparatus in all categories and the chosen gymnastics equipment supplier for most major championships, including the 1996 and 1984 Olympic Games, World Championships, Goodwill Games, Pan American Games, Special Olympics, and NCAA Championships. AAI has been the only Official Equipment Supplier for USA Gymnastics since the organization was founded in the ‘60s. AAI is also the only U.S. equipment manufacturer whose line of gymnastics products has been tested and approved by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, or FIG, the world’s governing body for the sport.
AAI’s experience in manufacturing gymnastics equipment has helped the company expand into the cheerleading market. Cheerleading is one of America’s fastest growing sports, with over 3 million participants nationwide and girls as young as six years old practicing intensive cheer programs. For cheerleading training and competition, AAI offers its new cheerleading spring floor, E-Z Roll, Handspring Trainer, Folding Mats, Twisting Belts, skill cushions, Foam Backed Carpet, Wedges, Modular Training Pits, and overhead suspensions for spotting tumbling.
AAI is also a pioneer in safety and helping protect athletes from injury. Since 1961, AAI has been producing lightweight, colorful, and shock-absorbing protective mats and pads. AAI designs and engineers mats and pads with several types of polyethylene and polyurethane foam individually or in combination to provide extreme protection. Interior materials are encased in stitched envelope covers made of colorful vinyl-coated synthetic fabrics. These materials are handcrafted in AAI’s specialized fabric plant to ensure quality and consistency. AAI pays special attention to both the function and form of mats and pads to ensure they’re shock absorbing, long lasting, and aesthetically pleasing.
Even with its rich history of firsts and first places, AAI continues to pursue perfection in quality and customer service – so that amateur and professional athletes worldwide can pursue perfection.
AAI's People
Jefferson has been the home of AAI since it opened in 1954. As many as five generations of area families have proudly worked, or are still working, for AAI during that span.
AAI believes that its success is directly related to the dedication and contributions of its employees. The entire AAI team operates by the values implied by the company’s motto: “Excellence in all we do.” AAI helps generate a positive and productive work environment by taking steps to ensure quality control and staff satisfaction at every point of production, including ongoing training and regular advancement.
AAI's Facilities
The company operates three up-to-date, well-equipped and well-maintained facilities in Jefferson, Iowa, totaling over 240,000 square feet.
The 85,000 square foot main plant houses the company’s metal manufacturing operations, its executive offices and a small gymnasium for product testing and photography. It’s located on an easily accessible seven-acre site on the north side of the city. All the steel and aluminum components for the Company’s gymnastics, basketball and volleyball equipment are produced in this facility.
A wide range of steel and aluminum fabrication takes place in this facility including cutting, bending, welding and painting. Products are painted with a high quality, baked powder coat finish in a wide range of colors based on customers’ orders. The machinery and equipment is modern and well maintained, and we continue to add new pieces of equipment every year to stay up to date and productive.
AAI is constantly developing new products or adapting existing ones based on consumer input and to meet their ever-changing needs. Having a testing facility in this building is an incredible advantage because the company releases numerous new products each year.
The 30,000 square foot fabric plant, where our mats and pads are manufactured, is located on a 2-acre site directly adjacent to the main plant. AAI has one of the most extensive cutting and stitching operations in the mat and pad industry. The computer-controlled fabric cutting machinery has played a key role in AAI’s superior manufacturing capabilities.
The third facility contains 127,000 square feet and houses several assembly operations, all finished goods warehousing, and the shipping department. While management focuses on “just in time” production techniques, certain levels of finished goods inventory are required to meet customer demands for prompt delivery and to accommodate high seasonal demands.
AAI began because of its innovation; the company is number one today because of its determination. As athletes continue to push the limits and break new barriers, AAI will continue to search out new solutions to keep them at their peak performance. AAI is proud to provide only the best in sports equipment and apparatus to help athletes everywhere rise from the local gym to Olympic gold.