Our History

Stan Avery

The Avery Dennison story begins in 1935, with just a few spare parts, one very bright idea and a $100 loan.

Ray Stanton (“Stan”) Avery invented the world’s first self-adhesive label as a way to merchandise objects. In 1935, he founded Avery Adhesives in downtown Los Angeles and, in 1990, the company merged with Dennison Manufacturing to form Avery Dennison.

Over the past 80+ years, we have grown from one bright idea into a global Fortune 500® corporation that continues to advance quality and innovation in materials science.


 

1935

The first Avery labels were simple, round price stickers. Stan Avery chose Kum Kleen Products as his original company name to advertise the ability of a self-adhesive label to be removed without leaving a mark.

 

Historical photo of adhesive stickers

1940

Stan Avery and his 19 employees stand in front of the Fourth Street location to which the company moved in 1940. Today, our operations are in more than 50 countries and more than 30,000 employees worldwide.

1948

Avery builds its first-owned factory in Monrovia, California. The new 17,000 sq.ft. plant allowed Avery to consolidate manufacturing and shipping in one place.

1953-1954

Avery built a plant for the new base materials division in Painesville, Ohio. The division was originally named the Avery Paper Company. In 1954, it was incorporated as Fasson.

1955

Avery goes international. Also, one of our earliest known Avery trade show exhibits.

1958

The company name was changed to Avery Adhesive Products, after Avery’s board dissolved the separate Fasson Company and integrated it into the parent corporation.


 

1964

Avery Adhesive Products changes its name to Avery Products Corporation to account for its entry into new, nonadhesive areas.


 

1969

Avery obtained listing on the New York Stock Exchange. In the photo, Stan Avery, Russ Smith and the president of the New York Stock Exchange watch as the company's symbol appears on the electronic board of the NYSE for the first time.

1976

Avery constructed an entirely solvent-free plant at Peachtree City, Georgia.




1976

With annual sales at $300 million, Avery Products was recognized in 1974 by its inclusion on the Fortune list of the 500 largest U.S. industrial corporations. The company was renamed Avery International in 1976.


 

1990


Avery Dennison was created by the strategic merger of Avery International and Dennison Manufacturing.

Expansion in the new millennium

2007

Avery Dennison acquires Paxar and becomes the world’s largest producer of branding and information solutions for the retail apparel industry.

2013

Avery Dennison sells Office Products businesses and automotive Specialty Converting business to focus on materials and solutions businesses.

2016

Avery Dennison acquires the European business of Mactac.

Avery Dennison acquires Ink Mill Corporation, a U.S.-based business, combining Ink Mill's digital ink capabilities and technology with Avery Dennison's reflective media portfolio.

Avery Dennison makes a strategic investment in PragmatIC, a world leader in flexible electronics, to accelerate the mass deployment of intelligent packaging.

2017

Avery Dennison acquires:

  • Finesse Medical, an Ireland-based company that brings new products and manufacturing capabilities in the high-value healthcare materials business
  • Hanita Coatings, a pressure-sensitive materials manufacturer of specialty films and laminates.
  • Yongle Tape Company Ltd., a manufacturer of specialty tapes and related products.

Avery Dennison spurs growth of Wrapify with capital investment, opening an opportunity to expand the wrap industry and create a new revenue stream for installers.

2019

Avery Dennison joins Wiliot’s original investor group for a $30 Million Series B funding round, anticipating a future where paper-thin battery-free Bluetooth sensors connect people with packaging and products.

2020

Avery Dennison acquires the RFID transponder business from Smartrac, a leading innovator in the development and manufacturing of RFID inlays.

Avery Dennison invests in Roadrunner Recycling to launch a label matrix recycling program to enable label converters to meet zero waste-to-landfill goals.

2021

Avery Dennison launches atma.io, a digital product cloud to connect physical and digital worlds by creating, assigning, and managing unique digital IDs for every physical item in the world.

Avery Dennison acquires:

  • ACPO Ltd, a leader in the manufacture of self-wound (linerless) pressure-sensitive overlaminate products in North America.
  • Vestcom, a market-leading provider of pricing and branded labeling solutions for the retail shelf edge.
  • JDC Solutions, U.S.-based manufacturer of pressure-sensitive specialty tapes.
  • ZippyYum, a California-based startup that develops and sells software and hardware solutions for operational automation and inventory management for food retailers.

Avery Dennison announces new 2030 sustainability targets, approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative, and ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

2022

Avery Dennison achieves $9 billion in global revenue.

Avery Dennison acquires:

  • Catchpoint Ltd’s IP for the dispensing of linerless labels, a big step forward on our sustainability journey to bring linerless labeling to the market.
  • Rietveld, a leading full service provider of embellishment solutions, and application and printing methods for performance brands and team sports in Europe.
  • TexTrace, a technology developer that specializes in custom-made woven and knitted RFID products which can be sewn onto or integrated into garments.
2023

Avery Dennison strengthens its circularity ambitions with investment in Circ for textile-to-textile recycling.

Avery Dennison acquires Thermopatch, a leader in labeling, embellishments, and transfers for the sports, industrial laundry, workwear and hospitality industries.

Avery Dennison acquires Lion Brothers, a leading designer and manufacturer of apparel brand embellishments.