Avery Dennison eyes Olympic Games projects
By Liu Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-12-13 09:15

Avery Dennison, the world's leading labelling materials and reflective expressway safety products manufacturer, is trying to grasp market shares in transportation projects for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Dean A. Scarborough, president and chief operating officer (COO) of the US-based giant, told China Daily the company was working towards involvement with the huge sports event and further increase its presence in China.

Statistics from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) revealed the combined infrastructure construction investment for the event is estimated to be about 280 billion yuan (US$33.73 billion).

Avery Dennison is seeking to provide reflective materials, used for labels and signs on roads, buildings and automobiles, for the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Our internationally leading products and technologies can help enhance the safety and efficiency of the transportation system," the company president said.

The company's expertise makes it competitive for such projects. The company has provided labelling materials for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the World Cup.

Entering China a decade ago, the reflective materials conglomerate has pooled up to US$100 million in the nation, and combined investment is expected to reach US$175 million by 2006.

In 1995, Avery Dennison established a large-scale plant in Kunshan, in East China's Jiangsu Province, to reduce manufacturing costs and increase operation efficiency.

Currently, Avery Dennison is co-operating with the Ministry of Communications in an expressway safety pilot project in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The company extends free reflective materials for the safe transportation project to upgrade labelling on dangerous sections of expressways.

Avery Dennison is also busy changing the appearance of China's public security vehicles, which should be finished by September 1, 2006.

All the 2004 vehicles will use the company's reflective sheeting for logos and signs.

The company acknowledged its turnover from Chinese business accounts for a small proportion of the company as a whole, but it intends to surge the ratio, based on the positive outlook of the market.

Considering an only 10-year presence in China, the company believes its performance has been rather good.

"The Beijing Olympic Games can provide a springboard for us to introduce more Avery Dennison products into the nation," said the COO.

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