Grafityp celebrates 70 years in business
One of the sign industry’s most respected technology innovators has embarked on a new expansion phase as it celebrates 70 years in business.
Tuesday, 19 May 2015 12:59 GMT
Grafityp self-adhesive products celebrates 70 years of manufacturing this year, and sees the Bosman family still at the very heart of the business
The vast headquarters of Grafityp self-adhesive products—the size of 13 football pitches—are located in the town of Hasselt, Belgium, on the outskirts of Brussels, where the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of Grafityp products takes place. Based on the grounds of the founder’s home, the site itself, though vast, nonetheless reflects the long family history of the Bosmans.
The company is known for the invention of the first computerised vinyl cutting system, the computerised sign-making robot (CSR) in 1984, but over its impressive period in business has tackled many different markets.
Son of the founder and current chief executive, Herman Bosman, explains how Grafityp started as a very different type of company, saying: “My father started the business in Amsterdam in 1945 just after the Second World War.
The business was a stamping company, mainly making letters from cork. Afterwards, he started moulding polystyrene letters, then developed all kinds of lettering systems, such as interchangeable rubber boards.
In 1984 we built and produced our own sign-making machine and that was the beginning of the growth for our company”
“He then moved the company from Amsterdam in 1969 to Belgium, which is where we are based today. We then started to export our products all over Europe. In 1984 we built and produced our own sign-making machine and that was the beginning of the growth for our company.”
Since its ground-breaking invention of the CSR, Grafityp has set itself up as a company focused on forward-thinking innovation. It spent five years inventing its own cast method of vinyl manufacture, a closely guarded secret to this day, and in its onsite laboratories has paved the way in the development of its Grafityp Ecological Films, something that was always important to the company’s founder.
Bosman also indicates how important it is that the business remains in the family, saying: “I am second generation. I have two daughters, one of them is also working in the company and my son-in-law also works here for Grafityp as a quality manager. So, it’s still a family company.”
Today, Grafityp Europe solely focuses on the onsite manufacture of its self-adhesive vinyl products, split into in three main product areas, ‘Grafiprint’, digital print media, ‘Grafitack’ cutting films for sign-makers and, its newest product range ‘Grafiwrap’, vinyls for automotive and decorative interior wrapping, which are taking the market by storm.
As Grafityp moves into its 70th year, its focus on quality, strong traditions and thirst for innovation will undoubtedly see this small but powerful company holding the Belgian flag high in the signage for many more years to come.
