AFI Branding recently turned 30 and reflected on how a company which started in 1992 as a father and son operation has grown to become a significant player in the fabric printing sector in Australia.
The company was originally called Auto Flags International and was started by Al and Glenn Watson.
It was founded to sell custom flag holders which could fix to the outside of a car and featured a small, detachable flag which could be waved at whatever event the drivers were heading to. The idea was the brainchild of Al Watson, and whilst the flag holder might not have taken off, the production of flags certainly did.
Over its three decades in print, AFI has serviced Australia’s retail, events and exhibitions industries including the Commonwealth Games (both 2006 and 2018) amongst its highlight projects. Now with a full service offering at its dedicated facility in Carrum Downs, AFI offers industrial design, printing, sewing, fabrication, sales and despatch specialists within its team.
AFI was founded on a philosophy of innovation and being first to market.
AFI Branding Founder and Strategic Director, Glenn Watson, says: “We might not always have had the answers or solutions, but we knew the places to go and the people to speak to, to ensure our business stayed one step ahead.
“In the early 2000s, the team spent valuable time in Europe, looking at how print technology and processes were evolving and bringing them back to Australia. In 2006, AFI was the first company to offer 3 metre wide fabric printing in Australia.
“This was a real game changer for us. By being first to market, we were able to open up wide fabric printing within Australia to a range of new industries like exhibitions and retail. Now, 16 years on, they have become core business streams for us.”
In October 2021, AFI was acquired by IVE Group, Australia’s leading holistic marketing and print communications company. The acquisition means IVE now offers in house fabric printing for the first time in its rich 101 year history.
“If you’d asked me 30 years ago where Auto Flags International might end up, I don’t think either Al or I would have said here. From the offset we’ve valued our people, we have a passionate and talented team with a can-do mindset which really does make anything possible. That’s definitely an approach echo-ed at IVE which makes the opportunities that lie ahead in our next chapter even more exciting,” Glenn said.
Later this year, AFI will join its parent company IVE Group, in a custom-built facility in Braeside, Victoria.
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