The company was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1935 as Kum Kleen Products, a partnership of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stanton Avery.
 The name was changed to Avery Adhesives in 1937.
 In 1946, the company was incorporated as Avery Adhesive Label Corp., and the name was subsequently changed to Avery Adhesive Products, Inc. in 1958, and to Avery Products Corporation in 1964.
 The name was changed again to Avery International Corporation in 1976, and it became Avery Dennison after the company merged with the Dennison Manufacturing Company in 1990.

H. Russell Smith, a college friend of Avery’s, joined the company in 1946 as a one-third owner and for nearly 40 years was Avery’s partner in entrepreneurship, serving at various times as the company’s president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board.
 Smith incorporated the 50-person company in 1946, started its core label materials business, expanded operations across the U.S. and into Europe, and opened a renowned research center.
As the company’s representative to the financial community, he led its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1967.
At Smith’s death in 2014, CEO Dean Scarborough noted that “our company owes its existence and character in large part to Russ Smith’s business acumen, personal integrity and generosity of spirit.
 He was the perfect partner for Stan Avery.”
The company was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1935 as Kum Kleen Products, a partnership of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stanton Avery.  The name was changed to Avery Adhesives in 1937.  In 1946, the company was incorporated as Avery Adhesive Label Corp., and the name was subsequently changed to Avery Adhesive Products, Inc. in 1958, and to Avery Products Corporation in 1964.  The name was changed again to Avery International Corporation in 1976, and it became Avery Dennison after the company merged with the Dennison Manufacturing Company in 1990.
H. Russell Smith, a college friend of Avery’s, joined the company in 1946 as a one-third owner and for nearly 40 years was Avery’s partner in entrepreneurship, serving at various times as the company’s president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board.  Smith incorporated the 50-person company in 1946, started its core label materials business, expanded operations across the U.S. and into Europe, and opened a renowned research center. As the company’s representative to the financial community, he led its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1967. At Smith’s death in 2014, CEO Dean Scarborough noted that “our company owes its existence and character in large part to Russ Smith’s business acumen, personal integrity and generosity of spirit.  He was the perfect partner for Stan Avery.”
Avery Dennison