UTICA — Avalon Document Services has worked with Graphics of Utica, a locally owned graphic design and printing business, for about a decade. On Nov. 3, Syracuse–based Avalon announced it had acquired the Utica company. The acquisition closed that same day. Avalon didn’t disclose any financial terms of the deal. Both firms focus on printing […]
UTICA — Avalon Document Services has worked with Graphics of Utica, a locally owned graphic design and printing business, for about a decade.
On Nov. 3, Syracuse–based Avalon announced it had acquired the Utica company.
The acquisition closed that same day. Avalon didn’t disclose any financial terms of the deal.
Both firms focus on printing jobs from concept to the end result on items such as brochures and booklets, says JP Midgley, CEO of Avalon Document Services.
Midgley spoke with the Business Journal News Network on Nov. 4.
Elaine Kovach, owner of Graphics of Utica, had been thinking about retirement as well, Midgley noted.
“She’s been talking to us for years about maybe being the company that could … take her business over and make sure her clients were taken care of properly,” he adds.
Since opening in 1970, Graphics of Utica built its client base offering full-color printing, graphic design, and duplicating services.
Avalon has had a “growing presence” in Utica for more than 10 years offering those same services, the Syracuse–based firm said.
Under the agreement, Avalon will consolidate both firms’ operations into Avalon’s existing Utica office at 54 Franklin Square, the company said.
“For us, it was [an] easy transition from a production standpoint and to … strengthen our foothold in the Utica market by expanding our client base,” says Midgley.
It also means that clients of Graphics of Utica can access Avalon’s services and resources, including offices in Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and Cleveland.
With the acquisition complete, Kovach will work as a consultant for Avalon during the transitional period of the acquisition.
“I want to thank all my customers for filling my days with challenges, conversation, and laughter. We’ve designed, printed, and created some amazing projects together. It’s been a pleasure, and I know my customers will be in extremely capable hands with Avalon,” Kovach said.
Colin Owens, who previously worked for Graphics of Utica, will join the Avalon team in Utica as a document specialist.
Kovach and Owens were the only two employees of Graphics of Utica.
Avalon’s Utica office now employs four people, and the firm’s total employee count now stands at 95, the company added in its email response.
Founded in 2000, Avalon specializes in document services with offices in New York state and Ohio. It provides copying, scanning, printing, appellate publishing, and litigation-support services for law firms, architects, engineers, and the general business community.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
