AMF Bowling (AMF Bowling Worldwide) is a major operator of bowling centers and major manufacturer of bowling equipment. The AMF brand continues in use by the following companies: In the United States and Mexico, for the AMF Bowling centers owned or operated by Bowlero Corporation. In the United Kingdom, for the AMF bowling centres owned by Hollywood Bowl Group. Worldwide, for bowling equipment manufactured and marketed by QubicaAMF Worldwide (some customized AMF-branded bowling balls separately manufactured and marketed by 900 Global). The bowling centers are ten-pin bowling centers where bowling may be purchased per game, per hour, or as part of a birthday party or corporate event package. Many locations support bowling leagues. Because many of the AMF-branded bowling centers were acquired from other parties, some centers may use bowling equipment manufactured or distributed by other companies such as Brunswick Bowling & Billiards and Switch International Bowling instead of AMF-branded equipment. History The American Machine and Foundry (known after 1970 as AMF, Inc.) moved into the bowling business after World War II, when AMF automated bowling equipment and bowling centers became profitable business ventures, and in subsequent years into many other manufacturing businesses. Aging production facilities and increasing quality control problems in some product lines caused sales declines in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The company's vast diversified output proved difficult to efficiently manage, and the company began to experience losses. Bowling remained quite profitable, however, so the company began a campaign of expansion in this area, spending nearly $100 million on acquisitions of bowling centers in 1984 and 1985. In 1985, corporate raider Irwin L. Jacobs's Minstar, Inc. bought AMF Inc. and began to sell its various business divisions. Commonwealth Venture Partners, a group of private investors in Richmond, Virginia, paid $225 million in 1985 to purchase the bowling center and bowling products divisions, forming AMF Bowling Companies, Inc. (later known as AMF Bowling Worldwide). In 1996 Goldman Sachs paid $1.4 billion to buy the company from Commonwealth Ventures. AMF Bowling went public with its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in November 1997. In 1998 its stock price plummeted as losses mounted, so expansion plans were put on hold. In 1999 the decision was made to downsize. By 2000 the company was more than $1 billion in debt and was delisted. AMF Bowling entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the first time in April 2001, stating that