IN THE INDUSTRY

The Weis Center for the Performing Arts and its colorful window graphics.

WINDOW GRAPHICS INSTALLED AT

BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY

STOW, OHIO—In celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of Bucknell University’s iconic Sigmund and Claire Weis Center for the Performing Arts, members of the university’s Publications, Print & Mail Department wanted to do something that was larger than life. Located on Bucknell’s campus in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, the architecturally striking, 1,200-seat Weis Center for the Performing Arts plays host to professional and campus music, dance, and theatre events, as well as lectures, convocations, and other functions. The team decided to commemorate the honorary milestone by installing graphics on the Weis Center’s 20 windows, each measuring 65-by-75 inches in size and covering a total of 677 square feet, with creative and visually stunning photographic images of season-featured Weis Center performers.

Working on a recommendation from Lindenmeyr Munroe, a national supplier of wide format graphic materials, the team printed its photographic display on Mactac’s IMAGin WindowVIEW Perforated One-Way Visibility Window Film (WV139), a 6.0-mil intermediate soft white vinyl film with a black reverse side that features 70 percent print surface and 30 percent open perforation with a 1.4 mm hole diameter for one-way visibility.

By choosing the WV139 film, the window graphics offered a colorful and engaging welcome for those outside the building, while continuing to provide those on the inside the ability to see out.

The Bucknell Publications, Print & Mail Department team designed and printed these graphics in-house using the university’s Roland VersaCamm 540i wide format eco-solvent printer.

After thorough research and a smallscale trial installation, four university employees completed the entire install in just three-and-a-half days.

Because of the exceptional design, print, and installation on display at the venue, this project was awarded the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP+) Gold medal and Best-In-Show award.

“Initially the graphics were only in-

tended to be up for one year, but because of the project’s great success, we print and install new WindowVIEW perf graphics on the Weis Center every year,” says Tom Lydon from Bucknell University’s Publications, Print & Mail Department. “Additionally the rest of the campus departments have also requested graphics.”

The Marketing & Outreach Director for the performing arts center adds, “Our patrons have been impressed— stunned even—by the visually impactful window graphics. We often see patrons and campus visitors stopping to gaze at the windows and take pictures.

“This is exactly the kind of interaction we were hoping to achieve.”

THE WINDOW GRAPHICS OFFER A COLORFUL, ENGAGING WELCOME FOR THOSE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, WHILE PROVIDING THE ABILITY TO SEE OUT.

CREDIT UNION EMC SUCCESS

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS—Riverways Federal Credit Union has been serving its members in and around Rolla, Missouri since 1959. After rebranding, the organization decided to replace an aging brick monument sign at its Rolla location with a Watchfire Signs electronic message center as a way to keep the community updated about its many services. Springfield Sign of Springfield, Missouri handled its implementation and installation.

The new double-sided sign features all-aluminum framing and a two-tone green acrylic face that is backlit to make it visible any time of the day or night. The Riverways identification is made from fabricated steel I-beam with channel letters creating the logo.

The four-by-seven-foot 10mm message centers are located above the logo at the apex of the sign so that its dynamic messages are highly visible. The Rolla sign was so successful that the credit union deciced to install an identical sign at its Cuba, Missouri location.

“The signage and branding is equally important for a small location like this,” said Trey Watts, vice president of sales for Springfield Signs. “In both locations, it’s important that the signage grabs the attention of passing motorists. These signs certainly do that.”

IN THE INDUSTRY

YESCO INSTALLS NEW SIGN AT RAILROAD MUSEUM

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—YESCO, the one hundred-year-old company known for creating, repairing, and maintaining internationally recognizable signs, recently completed the installation of a new billboard for the historic Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site located in Bishop, California.

This new billboard sign is located on Highway 395 and replaces a worn-out version that had been standing there for years.

Donations of $13,000 to install a new billboard were made by the community, with matching donations provided by the Death Valley Conservancy.

Founded in 1964, Bishop Museum and Historical Society, known as Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site, is proud of their partnership with the County of Inyo.

As one of the oldest non-profit foundations in the Eastern Sierra, the Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site is honored to preserve the history of the Owens Valley for generations to come.

Museum volunteer Jay Smart was the organizer of the new sign program. “The old sign was about twenty years out of date,” he said, referring to the fading and dilapidated old sign (http:// bit.ly/3csx13e).

With the help from fellow Board Member and Exhibits Manager Katie Olson, Smart recruited Maria Bucaro, graphic designer and owner of Bucaro Design, Inc., in Pasadena, California, and Ray Spencer, a former Walt Disney Imagineer, to help create the new design for this sign.

Additionally the Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site billboard includes historic design features.

For example, the steam engine with Mount Tom in the background is almost an exact perspective of what waiting passengers at the station would have seen as the train pulled in.

Meanwhile the 20-Mule Borax team is a homage to the Death Valley group that helped fund the project.

According to Jeff Young, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at YESCO, the refurbishment of this historic sign was an amazing opportunity for his company. “It’s gratifying to be part of a project that will be seen and appreciated by visitors for years to come,” he said.

PUA AND IDEALLIANCE MERGE

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA—PRINTING United Alliance and Idealliance merged the two organizations on March 1. The board of directors at each company unanimously voted in favor of the merger. Last year, SGIA and PIA officially merged to become PRINTING United Alliance, the largest, most comprehensive printing and graphic arts association in the country.

This new venture with Idealliance, an industry association for print and packaging, will further support the organization’s investment into the long-term success and fortitude of the industry.

“Over the past few years, PRINTING United Alliance has focused on bringing those efforts and institutions that are having the greatest impact in printing together under one roof,” said Ford Bowers, CEO of PRINTING United Alliance.

According to Idealliance CEO Dick Ryan, “In partnership with PRINTING United Alliance, we aim to provide global standardization, training, and certification programs for the printing and packaging supply chain to all graphic communications professionals.”

IN THE INDUSTRY

TRANSIT VAN REBRAND FOR SENIOR CITIZENS IN NEED

PAINESVILLE, OHIO—Avery Dennison® Graphics Solutions recently teamed up with Akron-based Repros Color to rebrand a retrofitted Lake County transit authority (Laketran) Dial-a-bus with MPI 1105 wrapping film to serve as the new Lake County Mobile Food Pantry. Since early January, the van has been visiting communities throughout the county to distribute 180 boxes of fresh produce to seniors in need each week (https://bit.ly/3aNqss8).

Three Lake County senior services agencies worked together to secure food donations from the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and each agency plays a role in taking reservations, sorting donations, and distributing the food. Every month, 720 households will receive over 22,000 pounds of fresh produce through the program, according to Laketran.

“Food assistance remains a top need among seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and while there are over forty pantries throughout Lake County, this program is unique because it provides fresh produce,” explained Laketran CEO Ben Capelle. “We’re excited to be able to repurpose a bus to meet this community need. We have donations secured through April but anticipate the program will continue with the support of the Cleveland Food Bank.”

“This was an exciting project for us,” said Repros Senior Account Manager Anthony LaGuardia, noting that vehicle graphics represent about a quarter of his company’s business today. “We’ve been doing vehicle wraps for Laketran since 2014, but most people [there] wouldn’t have known Avery Dennison was our film provider. Laketran came to us before Christmas and said, ‘We’ve got a cool project we’d like you to work on. Do you know anybody at Avery Dennison? They’re donating the [MPI 1105] film.’

“Avery Dennison knew they could trust us with the installation because they’d trained our installers. And now Laketran knew they could trust Avery Dennison because we work with their films every day. Plus one of our freelance installers [who also does design work] stepped up to create the design. It was a quick turnaround over the holiday break, but everybody did a really great job.”

Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions welcomes opportunities where their employees and their products can make a meaningful impact and help others.

INSTALLING NEW SAFETY SHIELDS

COLUMBUS, OHIO—Cameron Mitchell Restaurants has upgraded the guest safety partitions in their Mitchell’s Ocean Club restaurant with AMGARD™ SR Antimicrobial Acrylic Sheet, the nextgeneration in safety shields from Plaskolite, LLC, a North American manufacturer of plastic sheet products.

Mitchell’s Ocean Club is owned and operated by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. The independent, privately held restaurant group features thirty-six award-winning restaurants under fifteen different concepts. Mitchell’s Ocean Club is the flagship location of the OCEAN PRIME boutique collection of restaurants.

“The AMGARD SR sheet was specifically developed for this type of application,” said Jim Szekeres, director of Construction for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. “Installing new shields that are both antimicrobial and scratch resistant is an added measure to keep our associates and guests safe.”

“Plaskolite began developing this ground-breaking sheet early in the pandemic to meet the needs of businesses who wanted to provide a long-lasting, scratch-resistant safety shield with an antimicrobial protected surface for their customers,” said Jim Richards, vice president of Industrial Sales.