Ellison Moves to Lake Forest

Ellison Co., maker of the hand-operated die-cutting machine that hobbyists and educators have used for more than 20 years, has moved its corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant to Lake Forest.

The 132,000-square-foot facility has double the space Ellison left behind in Irvine. The company, which as 110 employees, said the extra room will be used to increase production as demand for its products grows.

Ellison makes more than 1,000 different dies that are used in its trademarked LetterMachine to punch out alphabet letters and decorative shapes. The shapes are used in such crafts as stenciling, sponge painting and scrapbook making.

*

John O’Dell covers major Orange County corporations and manufacturing for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5831 and at john.odell@latimes.com