This article first appeared in the May 2025 issue of Australian Printer
Having established itself as one of the key finishing houses to turn to when Australia’s print providers want their prints embellished, acclaimed embellishing house Avon Graphics has perfected its traditional embellishment techniques and has created imaginative ways to enhance the artistry of printing.
The company found itself excelling in the niche market of finishing, foiling, laminating, and embellishment some 40-odd years ago and through dedication and business smarts, has long ridden the wave in this space.
Today, Avon Graphics offers trade services in foil stamping, embossing and debossing, die making, laminating, UV coating, hologram build and application, large format digital printing, and finishing services in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. It also offers trade- only bookbinding in its Brisbane plant.
Avon Graphics’ fleet of foil stamping equipment includes flatbed high speed equipment, clamshell quarter, half, and full-size cylinders at all three of its sites. It also owns water-based laminating machinery in Melbourne and Sydney, and can run up to 1480mm sheets (with full sheet options available) in Queensland.
Its UV coating equipment also goes up to full sheet with both screen coating and flexographic coating processes on offer.
Avon Graphics has built up its capabilities over the years through organic growth, forward-thinking business strategies, the adoption of new technology, and by acquisitions. Its most recent acquisition was Melbourne-based foil stamping and embossing specialist, Lorimier, in 2022, in a move that brought together 200 years of finishing excellence together under one brand.
Avon Graphics managing director Tate Hone said offering its clients superior quality, personalised service, and fostering long-term relationships is key to the company’s success.
“At Avon Graphics, we believe that service comes first. Our ongoing investment in the future of embellishment helps us and our customers stay ahead of the pack,” Hone said.
As Avon Graphics offers a large range of equipment across many different finishing processes, it helps printing companies have one point of production.
“We typically find that some finishing technologies can be utilised in-house by print providers, such as thermal laminating, but a lot of the more specialised processes have remained with finishing companies,” Hone said.
“Specialist trade finishing providers like Avon Graphics can offer various styles of equipment for one process as certain jobs suit certain presses to get the best results.”
Avon Graphics’ capabilities don’t end there. It has found ways to blend the traditional ways of embellishment with today’s market needs. With a larger focus on the environment and recyclability these days, Avon Graphics has been busy creating new processes in specialty finishing to keep up with demand.
Its Ecolux product, under its Ecoembellish banner, launched in early 2024 with great success. Ecolux is a curbside, fully recyclable foil coating that Avon Graphics can apply in silver for digital or offset overprinting, creating a true print over foil finish. It also offers a range of colours and holographic finishes and patterns.
“The feedback about Ecolux has been overwhelming. Years of research and development has allowed Avon Graphics to create Ecolux – and we are proud to bring it to the market,” Hone said.
“Ecolux gives a smooth, high gloss metallic finish without any plastic film, so the end result is a foilboard that can be used for packaging and a wide variety of printed material while meeting the recycling requirements of today’s marketplace.”
Avon Graphics’ Ecoembellish brand has been around since 2022. Since then, it has allowed Avon Graphics’ customers to better understand the recyclability of their products and guarantee the use of recyclable embellished products to their clients.
Avon Graphics’ embossing, UV coating products, hot foil stamping, and Alumma raised foil falls under the brand, marked by the Ecoembellish logo to guarantee recyclability.
“As a society, we are becoming more aware of the processes and manufacturing involved, as well as the types of materials and packaging used for the products we consume,” Hone said.
“Traditionally, some printing processes have not been recyclable. This creates a problem today as more consumers, in particular millennials who are quickly becoming the largest consumer group, care deeply about their impact on the environment.
“While it has been previously assumed that high-class embellishment is not recyclable, Ecoembellish is here to disrupt the industry, creating stunning visual effects from 100 per cent recyclable material.”
According to Hone, the industry can continue to expect Avon Graphics to keep innovating in this space.
“We are currently investing in and developing further new processes to again strengthen our offering to the Australian print trade,” Hone added.
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