In a recent episode of the Manufacturing Executive podcast, Todd Smith, who oversees AMFT’s global financial strategy, operational performance, and strategic growth initiatives, shared the story behind the platform’s creation and the principles guiding its evolution.
“It was really about unifying trusted specialist brands with strong know-how and expertise under one global umbrella,” Smith explained. “But the important thing is really about preserving those long-standing customer relationships while at the same time adding scale and cross-site engineering.”
You’re taking that brand equity of those five brands that are under the AMFT umbrella and putting together enterprise capability. And so the platform really is about connecting know-how, capabilities across geographies. So design, tooling and production can be sequenced for speed and cost optimization, competitive positioning of products, ultimately for the benefit of the customer.
For many manufacturers, particularly in the middle market, the idea of private equity involvement can raise concerns about cost-cutting and disruption. But Smith argues that the right partnership, like the one between AMFT and One Rock, is really about capability lift.
“The right partner will invest in your operational processes, commercial excellence, and thinking about where the investment can go for cross-site synergies,” he noted. “The connotation of synergies in private equity means cutting jobs — that’s the immediate thing that most people go to. But the right partner doesn’t do that.”
Instead, Smith points to examples such as AMFT’s investment in a dedicated supply chain expert with deep experience near the mills that produce the company’s raw materials. That resource is now driving value for AMFT’s sites and regions by ensuring best execution on procurement costs.
But even as AMFT pursues integration and efficiency, Smith is quick to emphasize the importance of preserving the legacy and equity of the individual brands that make up the platform. Customers, he argues, care more about continuity of supply and quality than about brand name changes.
It’s like any business that’s evolving. It’s not about changing history or trying to rewrite history. It’s about guiding the next chapter together versus separate, and it’s building on those previous chapters as we look forward under one umbrella.
That balance — between unifying capabilities and honoring heritage — is a common thread throughout AMFT’s approach. While the company has consolidated back-office functions like finance and HR, it has intentionally chosen not to force a single ERP system across its five operating companies.
“We haven’t gone in and said to everyone that we are going to change our ERPs, because it hasn’t been a priority,” Smith explained. “We’re perfectly fine doing what we do, operating with five ERPs, because that’s the way we see the value today in growing and meeting customer needs.”
Looking ahead, Smith sees supply chain resilience as the defining challenge for manufacturers in the current geopolitical landscape. Being proactive rather than reactive, he argues, is now a key competitive advantage.
“The question today is really at the forefront of everyone’s mind: Where are you going to make it? Where is it going to be made? And how do you design resilience into your operations?” he posed. “Your ability to organize now and execute well is a competitive advantage.”
For manufacturers considering a private equity partnership to help navigate that landscape, Smith’s advice is to look beyond the spreadsheets and focus on finding a partner that will roll up their sleeves and work alongside you to drive real value creation. The right fit, he argues, can be transformative — not just for your bottom line, but for your ability to serve customers in an increasingly complex world.
“It’s going back to the right partner that can give you that capability lift,” he said. “And that’s what I’d say — it’s not a one-size-fits-all private equity. It’s about finding the right partner that can give you that capability lift.”
To learn more about how AMFT is uniting legacy brands into a global manufacturing platform, visit amft.com.
