Grafix
| Private | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Specialty plastic films, art supplies |
| Founded 📆 | 1963 |
| Founder 👔 | Jack Berwit |
Area served 🗺️ | |
Key people | Larry Katz (previous owner), Jordan Katz (President, Industrial Division, Current Owner), Hayley Prendergast (President, Consumer Division, Current Owner) |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| Divisions | Grafix Arts, Grafix Plastics |
| 🌐 Website | [Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). ] |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Grafix is an American manufacturer and distributor of specialty plastic films, sheets, and related materials, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1963, the company operates two divisions: Grafix Arts, which supplies products for art, craft, and education markets, and Grafix Plastics, which provides industrial and technical plastic films for applications in aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, printing, packaging, electronics, medical, and optical applications.
History
Grafix was founded in 1963 as Ohio Graphic Art Systems by Jack Berwit in Cleveland, Ohio.Katz, Jorda (07/01/2017). [[1](https://www.grafixplastics.com/grafix-plastics/company-history/) "Company History"] Check |url= value (help). Grafix Plastics. Retrieved 2025-09-21. Check date values in: |date= (help) The business initially focused on supplying materials for the graphic arts and creative markets.
In 1985, Larry Katz purchased the company and renamed it Grafix.Stephen Talbott (1985-10-08). "Working for self satisfies owner". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio: Advance Publications. In 2002, Crain’s Cleveland Business profiled Katz in its View from the Top series, highlighting his leadership of the company."The View from the Top: Larry Katz". Crain’s Cleveland Business. Crain Communications. 2002-04-29. Grafix is a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited business, holding accreditation since 2014 through the BBB of Cleveland, Ohio."Grafix Profile". Better Business Bureau. BBB. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
Grafix Arts (Consumer / Creative Products Division)
Grafix Arts provides creative-use films, sheets, and surfaces for artists, crafters, educators, and hobbyists. Key product lines include acetate sheets, polyester film (under the Dura-Lar brand), shrink film, frisket film, and various specialty surfaces for drawing, painting, stamping, and mixed media.
Independent coverage has highlighted Grafix Arts products:
- Jackson’s Art Blog reviewed Dura-Lar pads, citing their smooth, durable surfaces for drawing and mixed media."Artist Review of Grafix Dura-Lar Gummed Pads". Jackson’s Art Blog. 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
- COLOR Magazine Blog featured Grafix materials in its “Pencil Box” artist profiles.Kullberg, Ann (March 19, 2021). "The Pencil Box – Featured Artists – May 2021". COLOR Magazine Blog. Ann Kullberg Publications. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- Craft Focus magazine published an article describing Grafix’s focus within the arts and crafts market (July 2019). "Caught on Film". Craft Focus. No. 73. 07/01/2019. p. 58. Retrieved 10/10/2025. More than one of
|pages=and|page=specified (help); Check date values in:|access-date=, |date=(help) - Artists Network Publications profiles Grafix Dura-Lar and Drafting film products supporting mixed media drawing and art techniques. Reyes, Julio (10/10/2025). "Leave No Media Behind: An Exploration of Mixed Drawing Media". Artists Network Publications. Retrieved 10-10-2025. Check date values in:
|access-date=, |date=(help)
Leadership of the division has been recognized by industry associations. Hayley Prendergast, current president of Grafix Arts, served as president of the International Art Materials Association (NAMTA) from 2013 to 2014,"NAMTA Past Presidents". NAMTA. Retrieved 2025-09-21. and was inducted into the NAMTA Hall of Fame in 2019."NAMTA Hall of Fame — 2019 Inductees". NAMTA. 2019. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
Grafix Plastics (Industrial Products Division)
Over the last three decades, Grafix expanded into industrial and technical applications through its Grafix Plastics division. The unit provides polyester, cellulose acetate, polypropylene, vinyl (PVC), polystyrene, and specialty coated films in roll and sheet formats.Jordan, Katz (07/01/2017). "Grafix Plastics Profile". Thomas For Industry. ThomasNet. Retrieved 2025-09-21. Check date values in: |date= (help)
Grafix Plastics serves diverse industries, with applications including:
- Printing & Imaging – substrates for offset, screen, digital, and specialty printing.
- Packaging – protective and specialty packaging films.
- Electronics & Engineering – films used in prototyping, laminates, and components.
- Design & Architecture – transparent and colored films for displays and models.
- Scientific Research – precision films for lab use, devices, and cleanroom processes.
- Optical & Eye Safe Materials – films designed for optical clarity, light filtration, and certified eye-safe viewing. Jordan, Katz (07/01/2025). "Plastic film and sheet solutions for many markets". Grafix Plastics. Retrieved 10/10/2025. Check date values in:
|access-date=, |date=(help)
Grafix Plastics has been consulted by the media for their role in specialty plastics; for example, The Wall Street Journal quoted company president Jordan Katz in 2022 on how rising energy costs affected plastics pricing.Smith, Rebecca (2022-03-23). "Oil Price Rise 'Trickles Down to Everything,' Even Your Potato Salad To Go". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help) Crain’s Cleveland Business also reported on Grafix’s eclipse-viewing application in 2024."Device allows smartphones to photograph eclipse without damage". Crain’s Cleveland Business. Crain Communications. 2024-03-12. Retrieved 2025-09-21. Plastic Distributor & Fabricator reported on Grafix Plastics’ redesigned website in its Sept/Oct 2017 issue."Redesigned Website". Plastic Distributor & Fabricator. September–October 2017. p. 8.
Grafix Products in Scientific and Academic Research
Grafix plastic films and sheet products have been used in various scientific studies and technical applications across disciplines, including entomology, neuroscience, materials science, and vision research. The following peer-reviewed publications and reports reference Grafix materials as experimental substrates or components:
Hottel, B.A.; Wang, G.; Singh, N. (2019). "Sticky Trap Design Considerations for Entrapping Bed Bugs". Insects. MDPI. 10 (6): 177. doi:10.3390/insects10060177. PMC 6628081 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 31248145.
She, Z.; Pang, N. (2020). "Effects of Low-Intensity Ambient Lighting on Refractive Development in Juvenile Tree Shrews". Vision Research: 107–116. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2020.07.004. ISSN 0042-6989. PMID 32777589 Check |pmid= value (help). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
Sciortino, V.M. (2021). "Longitudinal Cortex-Wide Monitoring of Cerebral Hemodynamics in Freely Behaving Mice". Journal of Neural Engineering. 41 (12): 3187–3199. doi:10.1177/0271678X211034096. PMC 8669277 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 34304622 Check |pmid= value (help).
Bu, Y. (2022). "A Flexible Adhesive Surface Electrode Array Capable of Cervical Electroneurography in Humans". Scientific Reports. 12 (1). doi:10.1038/s41598-022-21817-w. PMC 9663551 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 36376365 Check |pmid= value (help). Unknown parameter |article-number= ignored (help)
Lal, B. (2024). "Inner Retinal Microvasculature With Refraction in Juvenile Tree Shrews". Translational Vision Science & Technology. 13 (8): 42. doi:10.1167/tvst.13.8.42. PMC 11361384 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 39186302 Check |pmid= value (help). Retrieved 2025-10-04.
Puljić, D. (2024). "Influence of Implant Number on Peri-Implant and Posterior Edentulous Area Microstrains". Applied Sciences. 14 (5). doi:10.3390/app14052150. Unknown parameter |article-number= ignored (help)
Shahriari, S. (2024). "A Fully Integrated Microfluidic Device with Immobilized Aptamer-Functionalized Hydrogel Beads". Gels. 10 (3). doi:10.3390/gels10030186. PMC 10970499 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 38534604 Check |pmid= value (help). Unknown parameter |article-number= ignored (help)
Rath, R. (2021). "Peels as an Alternative to Ground Sections". Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. 25 (2): 261–266. doi:10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_99_20. PMC 8272485 Check |pmc= value (help). PMID 34349408 Check |pmid= value (help).
Cordray, M.S.; Richards-Kortum, R. (2015). "A Paper and Plastic Device for the Combined Isothermal Amplification and Detection of Plasmodium DNA". Malaria Journal. 14: 96. doi:10.1186/s12936-015-0995-6. PMC 4661981. PMID 26611141.
Hudson, M.J. (2010). How to Produce Quality Salmon Scale Impressions (PDF) (Report). Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Retrieved 2025-10-04. Acetate Suppliers: ... Grafix Inc., 5800 Pennsylvania Ave., Maple Heights, OH 44137
See also
References
Further reading
- Crain’s Cleveland Business. The View from the Top: Larry Katz. April 29, 2002. [2](https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20020429/SUB/204290729/the-view-from-the-top)
- WEWS News 5 Cleveland. Maple Heights company creates safe way to view, photograph upcoming eclipse. January 15, 2024. [3](https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/maple-heights-company-creates-safe-way-to-view-photograph-upcoming-eclipse)
- American Astronomical Society. Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters. [4](https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters)
- NAMTA. NAMTA Hall of Fame — 2019 Inductees. [5](https://www.namta.org/hall-of-fame-recipients)
- NAMTA. NAMTA Past Presidents. [6](https://www.namta.org/past-presidents)
- ThomasNet Industrial Directory - Grafix Plastics Profile:[7]
- Plastic Distributor & Fabricator. Redesigned Website, September–October 2017, p. 8.
External links
- Grafix Arts – official website: [8] (https://www.grafixarts.com/)
- Grafix Plastics – official website: [9](https://www.grafixplastics.com/)
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