In the beginning, Americon followed the success of IBM in the newly established large mainframe market. Americon’s “starship” style Commander Series consoles could be found in almost every facility where IBM mainframes were installed. It wasn’t long before other mainframe manufacturers like Amdahl and Digital Equipment Corp. realized that appearance is everything and began partnering with Americon to gain a larger share of the mainframe market. In no time, Americon consoles became the paradigm of any company who was using mainframes or selling time. The Commander Series boasted an open architecture, vertical and horizontal expandability, more than ample rack enclosure storage, segregated cable management, an active exhaust system and glare resistant sculpture glass faceplates. This also was the beginning of our audiovisual integration business. In almost every control room we installed, we were supplying large screen technology at the same time
In the mid 80’s, Americon moved into the Network Operation Center console(NOC) business; manufacturing single-tier enclosed consoles with lighting hoods and the ability to store personal computers that talked to mainframes. Our client list expanded to include space agencies like NASA and JPL and quickly expanded to the DOT com companies, utility companies, insurance companies, transportation, the defense industry and federal, state, and local government agencies. Our audiovisual business also grew by leaps and bounds since NOCs needed large projected images that could be seen from any part of the room.
In the early 90’s, we ventured into new markets that included modular furniture for call centers. Our innovative Crosstalk workstations give line of sight communication for call takers without giving up the privacy of their desks. The slanted hood design added a degree of spatiality for environments that would normally seem very crowded. The hoods also added storage that normally was only associated with cubicle style systems furniture.
When flat-panel monitors replaced CRTs, a new style of workstation was needed. Americon created its OMNI Series and Ergonaut Series of cockpit-style of workstations with a number of options for mounting articulating monitor arms, communication hubs and other peripherals. This obviously freed up room on the worksurface. The new styles of console also put us in the dispatch furniture business. A full line of new dispatch consoles was created with sit/stand options and many other accessories that personalize the console to the individual call taker rather than the individual adjusting to a specific vanilla flavored paradigm.
After 9/11, we decided to redirect some of the company’s focus to emergency management facilities. For federal, state and local emergency management agencies along with private sector companies, Americon also created its Communicator line of flip-screen furniture for EOCs and multi-purpose conference rooms. Our Communicator Series of workstations also filled the significant void in well-designed training room furniture.
Today, Americon manufactures eight separate lines of furniture and has expanded its video wall business under the brand name “Visionmaster”. It maintains a GSA multi-award contract under SIN 71 and has over 6,000 installations nationwide and in many foreign countries. Americon’s customer base is every walk of life where a person interfaces a computer screen. To name a few, our products can be found in government agencies, military installations, defense contractors, transportation companies, production facilities, insurance companies, financial institutions, traffic management centers, police and fire dispatch centers, emergency operation centers and water treatment plants.
Americon has a long history of working well with contractors, architects, designers and dealers.