Danilo pays tribute as Chinese greeting card industry legend passes away at 92
Chuck Kee Au, mostly known as Mr Au and the founder of leading Chinese greeting card production company Glory Moon, has died at the age of 92.
His passing coincides with the company’s 60th anniversary of being a leading light in Far Eastern greeting card production, with Mr Au having being involved in the business’ day-to-day activities until only a year ago.
His family released a statement this morning, 13 February, saying he “passed away peacefully after a brief illness”, adding “working with customers, suppliers and other stake holders was the greatest joy in his life”.
Daniel Prince, MD at Danilo which has worked with Glory Moon for many years, paid tribute to Mr Au: “The greeting card industry has lost a legend. He was a fantastic character, who I was lucky to visit in China on many occasions.
“He had greeting cards in his blood and, up until last year, was working every day at his factory and knew everything that was going on, staying fully involved in all aspects of the business.
“He had a great sense of humour, and we shared many good laughs and negotiations. He has passed his legacy on to his children, and is an example to all of us.
“I remember my first ever visit to China fondly and how he would always make sure visitors were well looked after, and would help serve and carve up the delicious food – you couldn’t ever say no!”
Mr Au’s daughter Georgina is a director at Glory Moon, where she has worked since 1991, and sent the family statement to industry colleagues, relaying that a funeral service will be held on 28 February, at Universal Funeral, 10, Cheong Hang Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Georgina said: “My father was always proud of being a humble part of the greeting card industry. He always said greeting cards is a life career, serving publishers to create beautiful products, meeting and exchanging ideas with industry players, turning designers’ dream ideas into real products. He enjoyed all these moments.”
Many UK publishers work with the business, now based in Yingde, which employs over 3,000 workers in four major office and production buildings plus two for distribution and warehousing. Glory Moon is renowned for its environmental practices such as energy efficiency and ensuring waste produced are recyclable as much as possible.
It has 18 machines for rotogravure and lithographic printing processes, plus over 100 for finishing processes including UV coating, lamination, foil-stamping, glittering, flocking, silk-screening and die-cutting producing cards, boxes, gift bags and gift wrap.
Originally set up by Mr Au as Glory Moon Greeting Cards in 1965 in Hong Kong, it expanded exponentially during the growth of the musical card market before opening its first factory on mainland China in 1989, earning the UK’s quality assurance accreditation ISO 9001 in 2007.
