What AVA Cadcam does

AVA CAD/CAM is a privately-held software company founded in 1984 and headquartered in Macclesfield, UK, that develops specialized CAD/CAM software for the design and production of decorative printed products. The platform runs exclusively on Apple macOS and is built as a modular suite covering real-time pattern editing and repeating (Create, Edit, Repeat), 18 colour-separation methods, colourway management with PANTONE/X-Rite/Datacolor integration, weave design for dobby and jacquard, 3D design and emboss simulation, photorealistic product visualization (AVA Materialize), and end-to-end Production Colour Management that bridges digital proofing, digital printing, and analogue press output. It serves manufacturers across three primary verticals — Textiles (Fashion & Apparel, Home Furnishings, Rugs & Carpets), Natural Surfaces (Flooring, Ceramic Tiles, Furniture), and Wallcoverings — with named enterprise customers including John Mark Ltd, Liberty, Solstudio, Designers Guild, Graham & Brown, Cole & Son, Mohawk, and Ulster Weavers among others.

The business operates a multi-tier commercial model: Outright Purchase (perpetual license with first-year Development Plan free, then 20% of list per annum), annual Lease with Development Plan and e-training included, Hire Purchase (5-year Development Plan commitment at discount), and Corporate Lease (multi-location enterprise contract with unlimited training). All tiers include access to the AVA Development Plan, AVA Assist digital learning platform, and remote technical support available 06:00–22:00 UK time in multiple languages. AVA reports it spends as much on customer support as on R&D, with more than 70% of its cost base dedicated to training and support, and its multilingual team places over 500 man-years of decorative printing experience at customers' disposal.

Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales, a regional agent network spanning Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and Russia, and deep technology integrations with leading digital print hardware OEMs (HP, Mimaki, Roland DG, AGFA, Durst, EFI Vutek, Ricoh), scanner vendors (Cruse, Metis), and colour-science providers (X-Rite, Pantone, Datacolor, Barbieri). The company is privately held with no disclosed external investment, and operates as a long-term technology partner to its customer base, reflected in multi-decade relationships and a recruitment-marketing jobs platform connecting users with employers and freelancers in the industry.

Name

AVA Cadcam

Legal name

AVA CAD/CAM

Website

https://avacadcam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AVA CAD/CAM develops specialized CAD/CAM software for decorative printing onto textiles, wallcoverings, and natural surfaces, running on Apple macOS and serving manufacturers worldwide through direct sales and a nine-country regional agent network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Macclesfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: Perpetual licenses with annual Development Plan renewal at 20% of list price, or annual lease options with full Development Plan coverage included.
2. Lease/Rental: Straightforward rental of software (usually renewable annually) including full Development Plan cover and free e-training and support.
3. Hire Purchase: Hybrid purchase option with reduced initial cost in exchange for commitment to maintain Development Plan cover for five years at discounted price.
4. Corporate Lease: Fixed annual contract for multiple copies of AVA software modules including lease, Development Plan and free training for unlimited workstations/operators.
5. Training Services: E-training, one-to-one training, group training, CAD specialist courses, and masterclasses provided as additional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AVA CAD/CAM develops and sells modular CAD/CAM software for the design and production of decorative printed products on textiles and natural surfaces. The platform runs on Apple macOS and combines design editing, seamless repeating, colour management, separation, 3D/emboss simulation, and digital print workflows, complemented by recurring Development Plan support, training services, and corporate lease options.

Product overview

AVA CAD/CAM is a modular CAD/CAM software platform for decorative print design and production, serving three industry verticals: Textiles (Fashion & Apparel, Home Furnishings, Rugs & Carpets, Other Textile Products), Natural Surfaces (Flooring, Ceramic tiles, Furniture), and Wallcoverings. The platform is built around a core modular architecture comprising Create, Edit, Repeat (for real-time pattern editing and seamless repeating), Colour Separations (18 methods for separating complex patterns), Colouring & Colourways (for unlimited colour variation management), Digital Print Solutions (colour managed RIP interfaces), Production Colour Management (PCM - ensuring colour consistency between digital and analogue production), Weave (for dobby and jacquard textile design), 3D Design & Emboss (haptic simulation and structure editing), and Photorealistic Marketing/AVA Materialize (3D product visualization and draping). The software runs on Apple macOS and is complemented by AVA Assist (interactive documentation and learning platform), the Development Plan (annual support/maintenance contract with free e-training), and various training options including One to One, Group, E-Training, CAD Specialist Training, Masterclasses, and CAD Assessments. AVA also offers corporate lease options and Higher Educational Packages for institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Create, Edit, Repeat Real-time pattern editing and seamless repeating module for textile and surface designers, supporting drops, steps, mirrors, brick, contour, and wrap-around repeats compatible with imported files and scanned artwork.
• Colour Separations Colour separation module providing 18 separation methods for flat colour, tonal, CMYK, RGB and photographic workflows, with intuitive cleaning tools for digital and screen printing.
• Colouring & Colourways Colour management module for producing unlimited colourways using colour wheels, PANTONE data integration, spectrophotometer input, and production colour files for accurate screen-to-print match.
• Digital Print Solutions Colour-managed RIP software interface providing a consistent print path to popular digital printers with pre-flight checks, ink costings, and spot colour printing capabilities.
• Production Colour Management (PCM) Production colour management system ensuring efficient analogue production and reduced waste by gathering data and modelling production variables, enabling digital workflow integration with analogue printing.
• Weave Design module for creating checks, stripes, dobby, and jacquard designs with an extensive library of weave structures and automatic repeat application, with unlimited colourways and integration with AVA Colour.
• 3D Design & Emboss 3D design and embossing simulation tool for designing, evaluating, fault-checking and producing structures such as embossing files with interactive 3D simulation and haptic print support, compatible with Metis and Cruse 3D scanners.
• Photorealistic Marketing / AVA Materialize 3D product visualization and draping module for mapping designs onto garment and soft furnishing images with realistic lighting, shading, and accurate colourway presentation for marketing and sales.
• Colour Management for Digital & Analogue Integrated colour management module for surface and wallcovering workflows ensuring colour consistency across digital proofers, digital printers, and analogue presses with soft proofing capabilities.
• AVA Development Plan Annual support and maintenance contract providing unlimited technical support, regular software updates, OS/hardware compatibility, and access to AVA Assist digital learning resources.
• AVA Assist Interactive documentation and digital learning platform with detailed tool explanations, Five Minute Bite videos, AVA TV sessions, downloadable brushes, patterns, palettes, and step-by-step workflow guides.
• AVA Training Services Range of training programs including One-to-One Training, Group Training, E-Training, CAD Specialist Training, AVA TV live/on-demand learning database, Masterclasses, and CAD Assessments delivered by AVA's multilingual support team.
• CAD Specialist Training Week-long online course providing comprehensive grounding in the main aspects of AVA software using a building-block approach, with certificates upon completion.
• Higher Educational Package Specialized software, training, support, and toolkit bundle for educational institutions, bridging the gap between academia and industry for surface pattern design students.
• Corporate Contracts / Corporate Fashion Lease Multi-seat lease option for corporations with multiple locations worldwide, offering discounted unit costs and free annual training for unlimited workstations/operators under a fixed annual contract.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70% of AVA's cost base is dedicated to training and support team
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration29 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HPcoreTechnology or IntegrationHP creates technology with meaningful impact across printing, personal computing, software and IT infrastructure. AVA software works with HP Latex Printing Technologies and HP Stitch S Printer series for comprehensive digital printing solutions for wallcoverings and textiles.
• MimakicoreTechnology or IntegrationMimaki is a manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutting machines for sign, graphics, textile, apparel and industrial markets. Provides comprehensive supporting products including hardware, software, and consumables.
• Roland DGcoreTechnology or IntegrationRoland DG develops wide-format inkjet printers and vinyl cutters for sign and display manufacturers. Provides lineup including UV-LED printers and dye-sublimation transfer printers for textile printing.
• AGFAcoreTechnology or IntegrationAGFA InterioJet 3300 multi-pass water-based inkjet system for decor paper printing. AVA CAD CAM has full compatibility with Asanti workflow for colour management integration.
• PantonecoreTechnology or IntegrationPantone is the world-renowned authority on colour communication. AVA supports Pantone color licensing for Fashion/Home and Pantone Plus Collections.
• X-RitecoreTechnology or IntegrationX-Rite develops colour measurement solutions and includes Pantone. Global leader in colour science and technology providing instruments for printing, packaging, and graphics industries.
• Cruse ScannerscoreTechnology or IntegrationCRUSE is a German specialist world-leading in High-End Scanners for capturing large format originals in 2D and 3D. Compatible with AVA software for colour and image quality.
• Metis ScannerscoreTechnology or IntegrationDesigner and manufacturer of high-quality scanners for the decor industry, cultural institutions and creative digitization. Made in Italy with focus on technological innovation.
• iSub LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK Large Format Digital Textile Printing Specialists. Authorized to supply and support solutions from Epson, Dgen, Mimaki, Homer, Monti Antonio, Reggiani, ROQ and other manufacturers.
• i-dottminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity set up in 2013 to support, nurture and inspire surface pattern design students internationally. Bridges gap between academia and industry through competitions and bursaries.
• BTMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Textile Machinery Association - non-profit interfacing quality production expertise of British textile machinery manufacturers with global textile industry requirements.
• SDC Society of Dyers and ColouristsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutstanding provider of colour education offering internationally recognized coloration courses and qualifications. Mission to educate in the science of colour.
• IGI Wallcoverings AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal not-for-profit organization with mission to increase wallcovering industry members' ability to solve business problems by providing forum and promoting industry standards.
• The Wallcoverings Association (WA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit trade association representing wallcoverings manufacturers, distributors and suppliers. Provides vehicle for communication and promotes use of wallcoverings.
• TCM (Technical Conference Management)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent enterprise organizing and hosting technical and scientific conferences across Europe with high flexibility in venue selection.
• DIPA (Digital Printing Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded for LIGNA 2019 by HOMAG Group, MB Digitalprint, Deutsche Messe AG and others. Holistic view of surface design process making digital printing accessible as innovative process.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lectra: Lectra is the largest publicly-listed supplier of CAD/CAM and PLM software for fashion, apparel and furniture, with textile-design modules that compete with AVA's Create-Edit-Repeat and Colouring & Colourways offerings in the same enterprise accounts.
• Corel: CorelDRAW and related graphics tools are used in surface-pattern and textile design studios, serving as an alternative upstream design environment to AVA's Create-Edit-Repeat workflow in the same customer base.
• Adobe: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Fresco are widely used by AVA's textile, surface and wallcovering customers for upstream pattern creation; Adobe's continued investment in repeat and colour features represents a broad-suite threat to AVA's design modules.

Emerging players

• Browzwear: Browzwear develops 3D apparel design and digital-sample software used by fashion brands and manufacturers, competing for the same draping and visualisation budget AVA targets with its photorealistic marketing module.
• CLO 3D: CLO 3D provides 3D garment simulation and virtual-sample software that addresses overlapping fashion/textile design workflows with AVA's Photorealistic Marketing / AVA Materialize module, although focused on 3D draping rather than repeat/colourway print prep.

Direct peers

• Pointcarré: Pointcarré is a CAD/CAM software suite for woven, printed and jacquard textile design, with repeats, colour separations and weave functions that map closely onto AVA's textile modules and address the same designer/production user.
• EFI Optitex: EFI Optitex provides 2D pattern design and 3D virtual-prototyping software for the apparel and textile industries, overlapping AVA's fashion/apparel design-to-production workflow including draping and photorealistic visualisation.
• Assyst (Aptos): Assyst (now part of Aptos) delivers CAD and PLM software for apparel and home-textile manufacturers, with textile-design and colourway capabilities that overlap AVA's offerings to fashion and home-furnishing customers.
• NedGraphics: NedGraphics (now part of the wider textile/CAD ecosystem) develops CAD software specifically for textile, fashion and floor-covering design, with repeat, colourway and weave functionality that directly overlaps AVA's textiles and surfaces modules.
• Stellar Textile Systems (Hexagon): Stellar Textile Systems (acquired by Hexagon) supplies CAD/CAM software for jacquard, dobby and printed textile design, including weave libraries and colourway tools that directly mirror AVA's Weave and Colouring & Colourways modules.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/avacadcam
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCes_ekN3GgD_Z5n4etjbcYw
• Facebookfacebook.com/avacadcam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ava-cad-cam-group-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/avacadcamgroupltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AVA Cadcam