About GDS › History
GDS turns 100!
Global Document Solutions proudly celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006. Since our founding as American Direct Mail in 1906, we've grown steadily by embracing new technologies and putting our customers at the center of everything we do. Over the years, we've enjoyed significant organic growth by creating timely, cost-effective solutions for existing customers while attracting new business in a number of industries including financial services, insurance, high technology and government agencies.
Merger and acquisition activity has also fueled our steady rise to the position of prominence we enjoy today. These expansions have not been undertaken simply to add size and scale, but to create synergies and add strategic capabilities that make sense for our customers.
Over time, we've consistently outpaced the competition by recognizing and capitalizing on innovation. Building on decades of traditional processing, fulfillment and distribution skills, we were one of the very first to embrace digital technologies, often partnering with leading hardware providers as we helped clients take advantage of emerging, highly-differentiated communications strategies. Another innovation that sets us apart from the pack is our leadership in document process outsourcing; GDS was one of the first to take on management of document-intensive business processes for clients seeking maximum efficiencies and cost reductions.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1906 | American Direct Mail established |
| 1932 | Atwater Press established |
| 1939 | ADM offers offset printing, installing two 29-inch ATF Chief presses |
| 1962 | ADM moves to 350 Hudson Street from 421 Hudson Street |
| 1971 | ADM acquires Fred Keck Co. |
| 1974 | ADM acquires Continental Mailing Services |
| 1975 | ADM acquires Chelsea Mailing Services |
| 1990 | ADM forms U.S. Offset Craft and acquires Data Arts |
| 1991 | ADM forms American Direct Laser |
| 1995 | ADM forms Global Digital Prepress, acquires Marsden Reproductions |
| 1998 | US Offset Craft and Atwater Litho merge; ADM acquires Xerographic Reproduction Center |
| 1999 | Global Document Solutions Corporation |
| 2005 | GDS acquires Best Strategy of Hayward, California |
| 2006 | GDS turns 100; moves core production to state-of-the-art facility in Carlstadt, New Jersey while maintaining corporate headquarters and some production in Manhattan |