Academy Engraving
Academy Engraving is a founder-led New York custom engraving shop, founded 1991, producing plaques, awards, trophies, signs, and gifts via sandblasting, photometal, machine, and laser processes for corporate, institutional, sports, government, and consumer customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Academy Engraving does
Academy Engraving is a New York-based custom engraving house founded in 1991 by Frank DiBella and Mili Garavaglia, operating from a showroom at 271 Madison Avenue, Suite 207, and an online catalog of 2,100+ stock and custom SKUs. The firm produces plaques, awards, trophies, medals and pins, clocks, gifts, custom products, and signs using four engraving techniques — sandblasting, photometal reproduction, machine engraving, and laser engraving — applied to a broad substrate range including crystal, glass, acrylic, marble, granite, wood, and metal on both flat and curved surfaces.
The business serves both B2B and B2C customers across five segments: corporate and business buyers, educational institutions, sports organizations, government and non-profits, and individual consumers. Pricing spans $12 to $975 per item; standard production lead time is 7-14 days with a 1-hour rush option available, and free shipping is offered on custom products. The company appears to be a small founder-led operation with 1-10 employees, no disclosed outside funding, and no stated use of AI or digital production tooling beyond conventional laser and machine engraving equipment.
Academy Engraving firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Academy Engraving
- Legal name
- Academy Engraving, Inc.
- Website
- https://academyengraving.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Academy Engraving is a founder-led New York custom engraving shop, founded 1991, producing plaques, awards, trophies, signs, and gifts via sandblasting, photometal, machine, and laser processes for corporate, institutional, sports, government, and consumer customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Academy Engraving industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Awards and Recognition Products
- NAICS
- Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (3328), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)
- SIC
- Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Custom Printing & Decoration Services (Screen Print, Embroidery, Laser) (BPAFAMAL)
Keywords
Where Academy Engraving is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Academy Engraving business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Sale of awards, trophies, plaques, clocks, medals, pins, gifts, and custom signs through e-commerce platform. One-time product purchases with prices ranging from under $20 to nearly $1,000.
- Custom Engraving Services: Custom design and engraving services for personalized commemorative items. Collaboration with customers to create unique products in various materials with rush service available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Products - Unit Pricing |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Products - Quote Based |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Academy Engraving product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Academy Engraving is a full-service engraving company that sells customizable awards, trophies, plaques, clocks, medals, pins, gifts, and signs through an e-commerce website and a Midtown Manhattan retail showroom. The company performs sandblasting, photometal, machine, and laser engraving on materials including crystal, glass, acrylic, marble, granite, wood, and metal, and offers custom design services with rush turnaround as fast as one hour.
Product overview
Academy Engraving is a full-service engraving and etching company offering a comprehensive portfolio of recognition and commemorative products. The core offering centers on customizable trophies, awards, plaques, clocks, medals, gifts, and signs, supplemented by professional engraving services using multiple techniques (sandblasting, photometal reproduction, machine and laser engraving). The company provides both catalog products across nine main categories (Plaques, Awards, Trophies, Medals & Pins, Clocks, Gifts, Custom Products, and Signs) and fully customized solutions working with materials including crystal, glass, acrylic, marble, granite, wood, and metal. Services include standard engraving on existing products as well as complete custom design from concept to finished item.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plaques Recognition and commemorative plaques available in various materials including American walnut, cherry wood, cast bronze, acrylic, and marble, with options for custom engraving.
- Awards Trophy awards in multiple styles including acrylic, crystal & glass, cherry wood, globes, paperweights, pyramids, star awards, and vases for recognition ceremonies.
- Trophies Sports and achievement trophies including academic, baseball, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, eagle, golf, football, soccer, music trophies, as well as medals for various activities.
- Medals & Pins Recognition medals and pins including dog tags, ribbons, star medals, and wreath medals for academic and sporting achievements.
- Clocks Desk and wall clocks available in American walnut, acrylic, and various finishes, often combined with engraving plaques for recognition awards.
- Gifts Personalized gift items including baby gifts, barware, glassware, cardholders, frames, keychains, paperweights, pens, silver items, and wine accessories.
- Custom Products Fully customized engraving solutions including custom awards, custom engraving on various materials, and custom signage for unique commemorative needs.
- Signs Custom metal signs including Alumicolor signs, brass flat cut logos, and cast bronze plaques for professional and commemorative display.
- Engraving Services Professional engraving services using sandblasting, photometal reproduction, machine engraving, and laser engraving techniques on various materials including flat and curved objects.
- Custom Design Services Collaborative custom design services working with crystal, glass, acrylic, marble, granite, wood, and metal to create unique commemorative and celebratory items.
Companies that use Academy Engraving
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Academy Engraving technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Academy Engraving partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Academy Engraving competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- PlaqueMaker: Online-first custom plaque and recognition product retailer with online configurators serving businesses and individuals nationwide. Overlaps with Academy Engraving in plaques and custom signage but leans more heavily on digital self-service rather than showroom/in-person service.
Direct peers
- Recognition Express: International franchise network providing awards, trophies, engraving, and promotional products to businesses, schools, and sports organizations. Overlaps directly in product offering, target customers, and the combination of engraving services with finished recognition products.
- Edwards Awards & Engraving: Regional custom awards, plaques, and engraving house serving corporate, education, and sports markets with on-site personalization. Comparable product mix, customer segments, and emphasis on custom engraving services over catalog-only sales.
- Crown Trophy: Largest franchise network of awards, trophies, plaques, and engraving in North America, with both walk-in retail locations and online ordering. Direct overlap with Academy Engraving across product categories, customer segments (corporate, education, sports), and engraving services.
- Triumph Awards & Apparel: Family-operated custom awards, apparel, and signage retailer with e-commerce and showroom model serving schools, leagues, and businesses. Mirrors Academy Engraving across customer segments, engraving services, and product categories.
- Corporate Recognition (Awards.com): Specializes in custom corporate recognition awards, plaques, trophies, and branded merchandise for employee recognition programs. Closely comparable in B2B employee-recognition use cases, engraving-heavy product mix, and custom design offering.
Broad incumbents
- JDS Industries: Established broader supplier of recognition products, sublimation blanks, plaques, and engraving supplies sold through a dealer network. Comparable on engraved/personalized recognition products and the underlying supply ecosystem, though it operates as a manufacturer/wholesaler rather than a direct retailer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Academy Engraving social profiles
Digital presenceAcademy Engraving financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Academy Engraving leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Academy Engraving funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Academy Engraving M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Academy Engraving
What does Academy Engraving do?
Academy Engraving is a full-service engraving company that sells customizable awards, trophies, plaques, clocks, medals, pins, gifts, and signs through an e-commerce website and a Midtown Manhattan retail showroom. The company performs sandblasting, photometal, machine, and laser engraving on materials including crystal, glass, acrylic, marble, granite, wood, and metal, and offers custom design services with rush turnaround as fast as one hour.
Is Academy Engraving a public or private company?
Academy Engraving is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Academy Engraving founded?
Academy Engraving was founded in 1991. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Academy Engraving based?
Academy Engraving is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Academy Engraving make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Engraving Services.
Who are Academy Engraving's main competitors?
PlaqueMaker is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Recognition Express, Edwards Awards & Engraving, Crown Trophy, Triumph Awards & Apparel and Corporate Recognition (Awards.com). JDS Industries is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Academy Engraving have an API?
No public API is recorded for Academy Engraving.
What industry is Academy Engraving in?
Academy Engraving's product category is Custom Awards and Recognition Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAMAL, Custom Printing & Decoration Services (Screen Print, Embroidery, Laser). Its NAICS code is 3328 and its SIC code is 3470.