A History Shaped by Values


Avery Dennison reflective technology has been making highway and street safety solutions bright with prismatic signs for nearly one hundred years. We are one of the preferred suppliers to professional sign shops worldwide and service the traffic and safety market with one of the industry's most comprehensive range of reflective sheeting.

Inventing an Industry

1923 - 1936

  • Jonathan Cass Simson (Stimsonite) patents an array of full cube-corner reflectors for use in automobiles and signs

  • The first prismatic sign was installed, incorporating glass prismatic elements into the wood sign

  • Ford incorporates Stimsonite prismatic tail light lenses into Model A

  • Use of retroreflective materials on highway signs recognized in 1st edition of U.S. Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices

1950 - 1995

  • "Button" retroreflective units become widely used on highway signs

  • Avery Dennison makes first-engineer-grade beaded sheeting

  • Stimsonite 4200 - first omnidirectional prismatic material for permanent traffic signage

  • Stimsonite 6200 (now T-6500) Series HIP Type III/IV 

1999 - 2010

  • Avery Dennison and Stimsonite merge, combining glass-bead and prismatic technologies

  • T-7500 MVP (long site distances) and T-9500 OmniView (wide angle) 

  • Avery Dennison OmniCube T-11500 full-cube prismatic sheeting

2012 - 2017

  • OL-2000 soft transparent easy-weed overlay film

  • Introduction of the TrafficJet Print System - true specification-compliant and industry-leading warranted digital traffic sign printing introduced to the traffic industry

  • Avery Dennison launches VisiFlex prismatic vinyl sheeting for the production of emergency vehicle graphics

2018 - 2024

  • OL-1000 Anti-graffiti film provides longer durability for TrafficJet printed signs

  • Launched the dual roll UV digital printer, TrafficJet Pro, to speed production and eliminate the need for screen printing

  • OL-1200 Anti-dew film launched to provide both UV and dew protection for traffic signs

  • Launched the most productive digital printer in its class, the TrafficJet Xpress


Video

Stan Avery, The Gentle Giant