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Avery Dennison history
Avery Dennison company history timeline
1935: R. Stanton Avery forms Los Angeles-based Kum-Kleen Adhesive Products Co. to produce self-adhesive labels.
The Avery story began in 1935 with a great idea, a few spare parts and a $100 loan.
1938: Kum-Kleen is renamed Avery Adhesives.
1941: Avery begins supplying labels to Dennison, which the latter sells under the brand name Pres-a-ply.
The two companies had a relationship that dated to 1941, when, following the resolution of a patent dispute involving a dispenser for self-adhesive labels, Dennison became Avery's customer.
Dennison had made the first overture in 1941, but balked at the $200,000 price demanded by founder Stan Avery.
H. Russell Smith, a college friend of Avery's, joined the company in 1946 as a one-third owner and for nearly 40 years was Avery's partner in entrepreneurship, serving at various times as the company's president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board.
In 1950 Avery Adhesive brought suit against Ever Ready Label Corporation, then the leader in the industry, alleging infringement on Avery's basic patent.
By 1951 sales were $37.3 million and net earnings were $2.1 million.
In 1952 a New Jersey court ruled against Avery, stating that there was "not an invention" and that the patent was only a method, not a unique product.
In 1954, it was incorporated as Fasson.
The plan originated in 1957, when, under license from RCA, Dennison began work on a dry copier that differed in several important technological ways from Xerox machines.
The attempt to develop a copier to challenge Xerox, begun in 1957, had not succeeded.
In the adhesive label category the leading manufacturers were Avery Products Corporation (the name was changed in 1964), 3M, the Simon Adhesive Products and Eureka Specialty Printing divisions of Litton Industries, and the Kleen-Stik products division of National Starch and Chemical Corporation.
Another division, Rote, manufactured hand-embossing machines, and Metal-Cal, acquired in 1964, made anodized and etched aluminum foil for nameplates.
In 1966 Nelson S. Gifford became a director of the company.
With annual sales at $300 million, Avery Products was recognized in 1974 by its inclusion on the Fortune list of the 500 largest United States industrial corporations.
In 1974 Avery made the Fortune 500 list for the first time.
The company was renamed Avery International in 1976.
Charles ("Chuck") Miller, who had advanced to Avery's chief executive office in 1977, turned the tables on Dennison, embarking on more than a decade of negotiations.
In 1979 Dennison formed a joint partnership with Canada Development Corporation (CDC)--Delphax--to develop high-speed, nonimpact printers.
Avery Dennison created a separate division for office products such as binders, file labels and name badges in 1982.
In 1985 Dennison experienced a significant economic downturn, which prompted a five-year restructuring plan.
Kimberly-Clark turned to 3M. In 1986 Avery developed its own one-piece tape in an attempt to win back Kimberly-Clark's business.
1990: Avery International and Dennison Manufacturing merge to form Avery Dennison Corporation.
The ongoing restructuring plan involved the consolidation of Dennison National and Dennison Carter, and the integration of systems was scheduled for completion in 1990.
Success came in 1990, when Dennison employees and officers, who controlled more than 20 percent of the company's stock, accepted Avery's $287 million bid.
1990 Merger of Avery and Dennison Caps Decade of Competition
By 1995, revenues had increased to more than $3 billion, and profits burgeoned to $143.7 million.
By 1996, products developed after the merger contributed one-third of its annual sales.
On a broader level, the case was significant because it was the first case tried under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996.
In May 1998 Philip M. Neal was promoted from president and COO to president and CEO. Miller remained chairman, having ended his 21-year stint as chief executive.
The overseas growth drive continued in 2000.
Also in 2000 Miller retired from his position as chairman, although he remained on the company board.
On July 1, 2013, Avery Dennison completed the sale of Office and Consumer Products and a second business, Designed and Engineered Solutions, to CCL Industries.
At Smith's death in 2014, CEO Dean Scarborough noted that “our company owes its existence and character in large part to Russ Smith's business acumen, personal integrity and generosity of spirit.
NOVEXX Solutions is the former successful and strong-selling “Industrial Print & Apply (IPA)” line of business of Avery Dennison, which the L. Possehl & Co. mbH Group of companies acquired in June 2015.
With $6.6 billion in sales in 2017, Avery Dennison is a worldwide leader in adhesive technologies, display graphics, packaging materials, retail marking systems designed to engage customers, build brands and manage inventories.
© 2021 Framingham History Center
© 2022 Framingham History Center
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Avery Dennison competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Holdings | 1892 | $11.8B | 33,264 | 200 |
| Whirlpool | 1911 | $16.6B | 78,000 | 197 |
| Burt's Bees | 1984 | $270.0M | 450 | 2 |
| Cardinal Health | 1971 | $226.8B | 48,000 | 6,944 |
| Leggett & Platt | 1883 | $4.4B | 20,000 | 111 |
| McKesson | 1833 | $309.0B | 80,000 | 519 |
| 3M Company | 1902 | $24.6B | 94,987 | 746 |
| Adhesives Research | 1961 | $61.0M | 350 | 7 |
| Campbell Soup | 1869 | $9.6B | 19,000 | 439 |
| Praxair | 1907 | $11.4B | 26,461 | - |
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Avery Dennison may also be known as or be related to Avery Dennison, Avery Dennison Corporation, Avery Dennison Foundation and Avery Dennison, Corp.