AFI Branding celebrates 30 years in business

Australia’s largest fabric printer, AFI Branding, celebrates this month, hitting a business milestone, 30 years in business. Starting in 1992, AFI has grown from a two-man band to become the leading fabric printer in Australia.

Initially called Auto Flags International, the company was started by father and son team Al and Glenn Watson. AFI was founded to sell custom flag holders designed to fix to the outside of a car featuring a small, detachable flag to be waved at whatever event the drivers were heading to. The brainchild of Al Watson, 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. Glenn Watson, Founder and Strategic Director, 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 3m wide fabric printing in Australia. ‘This was a real game-changer for us’, says Glenn. ‘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.

Glenn says ‘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.’

Later this year, AFI will join its parent company IVE Group, in a custom-built facility in Braeside, Victoria.