The 80+ years of Avery
One bright idea revolutionalised a global industry
Avery was founded in 1935.In1937 in New York Stanton Avery (1907-1997) invented the first self-adhesive and removable label. This invention was an important event in the life of an entrepreneur and has grown into a successful business, creating the industry of self-adhesive materials.
International expansion
In 1964 the first UK manufacturing operation was opened in Cumbernauld, near Glasgow in Scotland selling a range of price-marking, copier, computer and industrial labels.It was in 1975 that the Maidenhead manufacturing plant was opened producing price-marking labels and hand applicators, copier and computer labels. With the ever increasing growth, the decision was made to split the UK business into two with Cumbernauld producing industrial labels and the copier and computer labels based in Maidenhead, leading eventually to two totally separate divisions in 1987; Business Systems and Office Labels which is when Avery Laser Labels were launched.
Acquisitions expand Avery in the UK
Avery acquired M. Myers and Son, a leading manufacturer and distributor of office products and accessories in the UK in 1985. Myers produced plastic and metal desk and office accessories, computer storage units, filing racks and cabinets.
The acquisition of Myers gave the Office Products Group in the UK the opportunity to introduce new products into new markets and to utilise that company’s existing distribution network.
Further expansion across Europe
At the beginning of 1999 Avery Dennison formed a joint venture with Zweckform Buro-Produkte. Zweckform were the market leaders in Germany for form books and labels. The new company would allow the expansion of the Avery brand into central and eastern Europe and enable the continued growth of Zweckform into other countries whilst expanding the new organisations technical developements and new product research facilities.
CCL acquire Avery brand
In July 2013, Avery Office Products division was acquired by CCL Industries. CCL is the largest label company in the world providing innovative solutions to the Home & Personal Care, Food & Beverage,Healthcare & Specialty, Automotive,Electronics & Consumer Durables and Retail & Apparel markets worldwide. The Company has 3 other main divisions aside from Avery: CCL Label, CCL Container, and Checkpoint.
With the change of ownership, the future direction of Avery began. In addition to the core business of office products, the company is gradually introducing new label products for other markets and target groups, utilising the vast technical capabilities and material knowledge of the CCL group.
Avery UK expands offering
In November 2014 Avery UK acquired PCL Label. PCL is recognised as the brand leader in the UK commercial print market for digitally printable self-adhesive sheets and labels. Over more than 20 years, we have developed a highly respected product portfolio and the highest service level offering available in the market today.
All materials in the PCL range can be printed by conventional methods (e.g. Offset litho, silk screen) and digitally by hot fusing laser technology, with the added ability in the PCL3 range to be printed on HP Indigo presses. All of the PCL materials are constructed to withstand multiple printing processes e.g. pre-print fixed information by offset litho and overprint variable data by digital methods.
Today, Avery is the world-leader for software-driven digital printing solutions for millions of small businesses and consumers and stands for organisation in the office, school and at home. We are a leader in innovative technologies and product solutions for -printable media and our brand is the most recognised in the industry. The company offers more than 1000 products in the UK for both professionals and individual work in the office and at home.