Sign Builder February 2022 by Sign Builder Illustrated

THE HOW-TO MAGAZINE

F E B R UA RY 2022 | S I G N S H O P.CO M

SIGN-MAKING

PLAYLIST SIGN BUILDER

ILLUSTRATED

ORGANIZING MULTI-COMPONENT PROJECTS GRAPHICS TECHNOLOGY: IN-DEPTH OVERVIEW OF 3D PRINTING

SALES & MARKETING:

DEALING WITH COMPETITORS

CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2022

VOL. 36

NO. 319

HOW-TO COLUMNS

12 16

DEALING WITH COMPETITORS

By Jim Hingst How do you survive when your market becomes overcrowded?

ILLUMINATING DEVELOPMENTS

By David Hickey Communities turn on their attention to lights.

DEPARTMENTS

Cover Photo: Hightech Signs.

10 36

EDITOR’S COLUMN

As a follow-up to last month’s SBI Young Sign Makers special, Editor Jeff Wooten listens to how younger workers at one sign company view print’s evolution.

IN THE INDUSTRY

The Seattle Space Needle uses lighting to boost its visual upgrade, graphic films are employed to boost employee health, and the Mariano Rivera Foundation collaborates on a printing training program for underserved youth.

SIGN SHOW

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

SBI OPERATIONS

Ashley Bray speaks with Elisha Gordon of MetroSeek about hiring and retaining employees.

24 FEATURES

18 24

10 signshop.com

A PLAYLIST OF SIGNAGE

By Ashley Bray Tune in to learn how a sign company outfitted new radio headquarters.

THE ABC’S OF 3D

By Jeff Wooten How to succeed at the art of 3D printing.

FINANCIAL PLANNING ON DISPLAY

By Jeff Wooten An equipment lease firm plugs into the power of digital signage. February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

February 2022, Vol. 36, No. 319 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Subscriptions: 402-346-4740

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Group Publisher Gary Lynch 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005 Office: 212-620-7247; Cell 646-637-5206

EDITORIAL

Editor Jeff Wooten 323 Clifton Street, Suite #7, Greenville, NC 27858 212-620-7244 jwooten@sbpub.com Managing Editor Ashley Bray 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com Contributing Writers David Hickey, Jim Hingst

ART

Art Director Nicole D’Antona Graphic Designer Hillary Coleman

PRODUCTION

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers

CIRCULATION

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney signbuilder@omeda.com

ADVERTISING SALES Sales Manager David Harkey 212-620-7223 dharkey@sbpub.com

Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Gary Lynch at 212-620-7247 or e-mail glynch@sbpub.com.

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February 2022

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EDITOR’S COLUMN

AGENDA

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Note: All events listed are subject to change. Please check each show’s Web site for any cancellations or reschedulings that may have taken place after press time.

MARCH 2022 MARCH 21-23:

Digital Signage Expo, presented by Questex, is bringing Digital Signage and Digital-Out-Of-Home buyers and sellers to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada and takes place concurrently with the Bar & Restaurant Expo. (questex.com)

An Evolving Marketplace

MAY 2022

One print trend with some depth.

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February 2022

non-2D print processes this year, such as laser engraving, thermoforming, and hydro dipping. I’ve sat in on different Webinars taking note of the interest in product diversity. Inventory issues can necessitate an addition to one’s focus. Owners might want to tap into customers outside the traditional sign and graphics field (collectibles, engineering, medical, etc.). Maybe some companies are just excited by the possibilities and like to experiment. In the wake of our “Young Sign Makers” special last month, there could be a youth factor at play, as more graphics and design students learn about the sign and print industry as a career choice. Justin, 27, notes that there is still a lot for him to learn—and then, in turn, teach—as he progresses along his longterm career path in the print industry. In fact, several of the company’s younger employees also brought up interesting points to me about their experience in the signage and print field worth sharing now rather than next year’s edition. To read their views (as well as see more of the dimensional creations and craftwork they are fabricating), check out the expanded edition of this article on our web site at signshop.com.

JEFF WOOTEN Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com

MAY 4-6:

The ISA International Sign Expo 2022 is scheduled to take place in Atlanta, Georgia. (signexpo.org)

JUNE 2022 JUNE 20-22:

LightFair 2022, the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow and conference, returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (lightfair.com)

JULY 2022 JULY 27-30:

Photo: Shutterstock/ALEX S.

t can often appear as if the business trends continuing to carry over from last year lean toward the negative (the pandemic, the “Build Back America” debate, supply chain issues, labor shortages, etc.), but I do think that one positive trend that bears continued watching over the coming month (and years) is the increasing number of 2D printing companies that are adopting and incorporating 3D technologies into their workflow. As routers, engravers, and 3D printers get smaller, breakthroughs into outsidethe-box markets and product offerings— and who can provide them—are expanding. Providers willing to experiment are evolving past traditional offerings and further evolving the line between 2D print and dimensional. This month, I spoke with Amcad & Graphics LP, which has experience with digital printing and finishing equipment, about how they have embraced desktop 3D printing and their thoughts about how this technology is evolving in the marketplace (“The ABCs of 3D Printing,” page 24). “Ink on paper is just the beginning of what you can create,” says Justin Morales, a service technician with the company. “There are now CNC cutters that can take 2D designs and turn them into 3D. There are machines with lasers, Braille application, and many more tools to help bring designs and ideas to life.” In fact, the company is looking forward to getting involved with even more

MAY 2-3:

The Inkjet Innovation Academy featuring in-person learning and networking has been rescheduled but will still be occurring at The Florida Hotel & Conference Center in Orlando, Florida. (imiconf.com)

SignConnexion 2022, the MidSouth Sign Association’s annual tradeshow, will be happening in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (midsouthsign.org)

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IN THE INDUSTRY

VISUAL LIGHTING

UPGRADE AT SEATTLE SPACE NEEDLE

EATTLE, WASHINGTON—Built in 1962 and inspired by the Space Age, the Space Needle is a staple of the Seattle Skyline known for its stunning views from the flying saucer-like observation deck. In 2017, the Space Needle announced the undertaking of an ambitious multi-year renovation project that was aimed at modernizing the visitor experience while honoring the tower’s history. As an homage to the original concept art from the 1960s, the Space Needle now features a floor-to-ceiling glass interior and expanded glass panels on the upper-level observation deck, which provide enhanced and uninhibited views of Seattle and the Puget Sound. However a problem arose when the

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February 2022

tower’s longtime 1000-watt metal halide outdoor lighting fixtures mounted down at the ground level and illuminating the Space Needle nightly created excessive glare through the all-new revolving glass floor. Because of this, the Space Needle requested a new, more versatile system that would still provide the same iconic lighting for the landmark structure but, at the same time, also reduce glare and unwanted shadows cast through the glass floor for nighttime visitors. Cutting-edge Martin Professional Exterior Projection 500 and 1000 fixtures were deployed for this visual upgrade and went live this past New Year’s Eve. “Our goal in redesigning the exterior lighting was to enhance the nighttime visitor experience on the new rotating glass

floor while maintaining the iconic design of the floodlighting done by Ross De Alessi, which everybody associates with that nighttime view in Seattle,” said Erik Crowell, a lighting designer with Niteo (niteolighting.com). Niteo arrived at the solution of lighting up just the opaque parts of the Space Needle structure (the legs and bottom pan) through specially designed gobos used to “trim out” all of the lighting that went through the glass floor. In order to determine each gobo’s unique design, Niteo worked with Jason Davis, vice president at installation specialist LVH Entertainment Systems (lvhent.com), and his team to insert a custom-designed grid pattern in each projector to clearly map which areas needed signshop.com

MARIANO RIVERA PARTNERS WITH EFI

to be blacked out. Niteo then used this information to create the gobo patterns in Photoshop. “In most projector bulbs, there’s a reflector behind it that’s designed to push and scatter as much light out as possible,” explained Davis. “The [Martin] Exterior Projections instead form the light into more of a tight beam, which allowed us to take a more accurate reading of the grid on the Space Needle. The gobo of the grid was literally as big as a watch face, but we were still able to take something of that size and project it with a high resolution. “You [couldn’t] even read the numbers when staring at it in your hand, but the light from the projectors came out perfectly and allowed [Crowell] to be able to surgically remove the light from where we signshop.com

didn’t want it.” The Martin Exterior Projection 1000 ensures solid beams and striking washes in any weather condition––necessary characteristics for any installation in the famously wet and overcast Seattle area. Additionally the Exterior Projection 1000 supports full CMY color mixing and remote control via DMX, giving Space Needle staff a quick, easy, and safe way to change the lights’ colors for holidays and occasional civic special events. “With the old lighting system, changing the colors of the lights involved somebody physically going up to each fixture and putting a theatrical gel on it to get the color they wanted,” remarked Crowell, “so the ability to change those things with just the push of a button on a screen is huge.”

R E M O N T, C A L I F O R N I A— Electronics for Imaging, Inc., (EFI) is collaborating with the Mariano Rivera Foundation to support a substantial printing training program for underserved minority youth. The Foundation, led by Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera (and cofounded with his wife Clara), is providing mentorships and in-depth, hands-on technology training for high-demand graphic arts and imaging technology jobs. To complement this effort, EFI is providing financial and technology training support to the Foundation, as it further expands its efforts to provide youth with a path into solid careers. Their new graphic arts industrysponsored activities began last year with a training program in Gainesville, Florida and will continue its activities through a new Mariano Rivera Foundation center scheduled to be built in New Rochelle, New York. “We are excited to partner with EFI and print industry leaders who believe in equipping the next generation, especially those who are marginalized and have limited access to resources,” said Rivera. “Together we can change the trajectory of students across the nation, creating opportunities for a better future.”

February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

IN THE INDUSTRY DESIGN DIRECTOR RECEIVES AWARDS

S GRAPHICS FILM

USED TO BOOST PROTECTION

RAMPTON, ONTARIO—Calgary-based on-demand print and information solutions provider WCD was recently tasked with creating a special café/kitchen experience for planning, design, and construction business WII Projects, Inc., at their distribution warehouse in Calgary. One goal for this project was overhauling the look of the kitchen area in the facility. Another was to ensure maximum protection for the WII Projects staff and workers using the refreshment area and helping prevent the spread of Covid-19 among them. WII Projects provides construction management and general contracting services in the Calgary area, and this project entailed transforming their entire kitchen with wording and color schemes that would reflect their branding. Meanwhile WCD boasts seventy years of experience helping clients transform their business, empower their employees, and share their story—all three factors of which were on display here. The primary challenge for WCD centered around the protection element, with the company having to source a material that would help cut the risk of the virus spread among workers using the facility. At the same time, they didn’t want to impact the look of the new im-

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ages or surfaces underneath. WCD designed, printed, and installed the black-gray-white-and-olive wall graphics for the kitchen and opted to use Drytac Protac AMP, a unique clear textured polyester surface protection film as a laminate. This film features Microban antimicrobial protection, which significantly reduces the chance of mold growth, bacterial contamination, and viruses and harmful germs on higher-risk touch-surfaces (such as counters in food preparation areas). The graphics specialist applied Drytac Protac AMP to surfaces throughout the kitchen area. The clarity of the film meant the graphics design underneath it was clearly visible. Additionally the film did not impact the performance of the graphics nor the food preparation surfaces. “Thanks to the matte finish, we were able to protect the surface’s graphics without light washout to the graphics,” explains WCD Signage Solution Specialist (National) Stacy Underhill. Underhill points out that antimicrobial qualities were an important consideration for this project, as materials featuring this enhancement require less cleaning. This, in turn, ensures that the vinyl-covered areas are much less susceptible to damage from constant wiping and scrubbing.

February 2022

ALT LAKE CITY, UTAH— Mark Ritenour, design director for YESCO in Chandler, Arizona, has earned recognition for his work on new economic development signs for the City of Chandler (https://bit.ly/3rclrAx). Ritenour received two awards from the Arizona Sign Association at a recently conducted ceremony. He was honored for designing the new signage located throughout the employment corridor in the C i t y of C h a n d l e r, w h i c h wa s installed last month. Ritenour has worked in the sign industry for more than twenty years and designs custom electric signage for a variety of industries. He specializes in pylons, monuments, and directional displays. “ I a m h o n o re d to re c e i v e awards for my designs from the Cit y Of Chandler,” said Mark Ritenour. “I’m grateful to know the city appreciates the work and that it will call attention to its thriving business community for years to come.”

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SIGN SHOW

BANNERS/MATERIAL/EQUIPMENT Lind SignSpring Group Features Freestanding and Open Surface Signage Solutions Lind BannerFrameAIR from Lind SignSpring Group is a complete solution for freestanding, ground-up signage and openair surfaces like parking garage exteriors, scoreboard backs, and spaced beams and columns where signage displays face wind exposure from all sides. Designed to assemble on site, in air, or in one piece prior to hanging, BannerFrameAIR is a complete banner and signage solution for long-term performance, easy installation, and quick change-outs. Even better, this kit ships already pre-measured and prepped for directfrom-box installation! Simply unpack the BannerFrameAIR kit, dig the post holes, set the BannerFrameAIR posts and sleeves, backfill with gravel, lift the sign face onto brackets, and bolt. BannerFrameAIR options include BannerFrameClassic, BannerFrameDELUXE, and BannerFrameHINGE, each providing exceptional simplicity, durability, and an extraordinary finishing touch. LindSignSpring.com

ROUTERS & ENGRAVERS iQ Smarts: Achieve Light Prototyping with Laguna’s Budget-friendly Desktop CNC Router Laguna Tools, a premium manufacturer of woodworking and metalworking tools, promotes that its iQ benchtop CNC router is ideal for prototyping and smaller production runs. The affordable, compact machine features a work envelope of either two-by-three feet or two-by-four feet and includes an industrial-grade, liquid-cooled, 3HP electrospindle. Spindle speeds for the iQ benchtop CNC router range from 6,000 to 24,000 RPM. Despite its smaller footprint, Laguna’s iQ boasts the same accuracy and cut quality as much larger CNC machines and woodworking routers. The device comes equipped with a hand-held controller, while a ball screw is featured on all axis. Training is available upon request via Zoom. lagunatools.com/cnc/iq-series

DIGITAL PRINTING EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES MUTOH’s Latest Eco-solvent Printer Offers Remarkable Print Quality and Speed in a Compact Package MUTOH America’s latest eco-solvent roll-to-roll printer, the 54-inch XpertJet-1341SR Pro, is a compact powerhouse featuring the company’s new AccuFine printhead, VerteLith™ RIP software, and i-screen technology, all of which combine to deliver high-quality output and high-speed printing. The XPJ-1341SR Pro is the successor to the popular ValueJet 1324X and is 42 percent faster than the previous model in a 600-by-900 production mode. The AccuFine printhead achieves best-in-class dot placement and accuracy with increased nozzle row length for higher productivity, while i-screen technology reduces banding to create smoother print images and optimizes the capabilities of the AccuFine print head. The VerteLith RIP software is bundled with FlexiDESIGNER MUTOH Edition 21 and includes MUTOH Clear Tone and CMYK technologies, two preview functions, and auto-generation of named Pantone© spot colors. Other key features of the XPJ-1341SR Pro include: DropMaster 2 (which automatically calibrates bi-directional alignments); Feed Master (for automatic media feed adjustment to reduce banding in feed direction that occurs when media is out of adjustment); Nozzle Area Select, used with Automatic Nozzle Checking, that detects missing nozzles and cleans them to resume operation; and three head-height settings for stable print quality and media management. MUTOH.com

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February 2022

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SIGN SHOW ROUTERS/ ENGRAVERS CO2 Lenses and Mirrors Designed for Stonecutting Lasers

PROMOTIONAL DISPLAYS Showdown Displays Virtual Product Showroom is All New for 2022 Showdown Displays®, a global leader in portable, lightweight promotional displays and temporary promotional signage and displays, has launched its exclusive, interactive virtual product showroom for 2022. The Showdown Displays® Virtual Product Showroom (VPS) is an innovative virtual environment that provides an interactive and informative user experience. The showroom re-interprets a widely used web-based platform that allows it to be shared across locations and geographies all while supporting an unlimited number of active users. In this age of complications regarding in-person meetings and events, the Showdown Displays VPS enables the company’s showroom to travel to their customers and their customers’ customers. This exclusive solution provides a digital platform on which customers can present, educate, demonstrate, and inform their teams and their customers of the many use cases and business solutions for signage and displays. (888) 276-6469; showdowndisplays.com

Laser Research Optics announces the availability of their wide range of drop-in, field replacement optics designed for mid-size lasers used in monument, sign, and stone fabrication applications. Laser Research CO2 Lenses & Mirrors for stonecutting lasers feature higher focal lengths in the three-, four-, and five-inch range to reduce damage from debris and provide deeper cuts for popular monument, sign, and stone cutting lasers. They are supplied in plane-parallel configurations and include zero phase, phase lock, rear mirrors, output couplers, and phase retarders. Manufactured to ISO-10110 specifications for optical elements, Laser Research CO2 Lenses & Mirrors are available with 4.0- to 7.5-inch focal lengths in 0.75- and 1.5-inch-diameter sizes. Made from mirror-grade single crystal silicon, the mirrors have an enhanced silver coat for 99.6 percent minimum reflectance at 10.6 microns. laserresearch.net

SIGN BOARDS FOME-COR SIRIUS and DISPA SIRIUS with ColorPro Technology Enrich Inkjet Print New FOME-COR® SIRIUS (pictured) and DISPA® SIRIUS— the first and exclusive graphic display boards to feature HP ColorPRO Technology—have been introduced by 3A Composites USA in conjunction with HP. FOME-COR SIRIUS and DISPA SIRIUS graphic display boards are lightweight and rigid and were developed to exploit the unique capabilities of the newly announced HP PageWide XL Pro printers, which are designed to print to rigid substrates up to 10mm thick and 40 inches wide at high quality and exceptional print speeds. By incorporating ColorPRO Technology, these exclusive rigid substrates conform to a strict set of industry-leading specifications and utilize advanced technologies designed to deliver noticeable performance benefits, including: Higher black optical density and wider color gamut versus standard, uncoated papers; sharper details, lines, and text for clear, eye-catching graphics; trouble-free, high-impact graphics with greater color saturation and lower ink consumption; and rapid ink absorption and rapid drying times enabling fast and easy printing. FOME-COR SIRIUS and DISPA SIRIUS are ideal for short-term promotional campaigns and can be used to create point-of-purchase and point-of-sale displays, menus, posters, hanging signs, window displays, and tradeshow displays and exhibits. FOME-COR SIRIUS is available in both 3/16-inch and 3/8-inch sheet thicknesses with white foam and bright-white paper liners with ColorPRO Technology. DISPA SIRIUS is available in the 3.3mm sheet thickness with bright white paper with ColorPRO Technology. 3acompositesUSA.com; hp.com

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February 2022 Sign Builder Illustrated

HOW TO BUSINESS BUSINESS BY BY JIM JIM HINGST HINGST

Dealing with Competitors

he technology shift from analog to digital, which began more than forty years ago, provided sign makers with many new business opportunities. Innovations in computerized plotter-cutting and digital print technology initiated mass-produced graphics and reduced production costs. These technological advances also lowered the barriers to entry and opened the floodgates to a torrent of new competitors, such as commercial offset printers. The question for sign builders and graphics providers: How do you survive when your market becomes overcrowded with competitors? Acknowledge Competitive Threats The first bit of advice is to never ignore potential threats. As famed basketball coach Pat Riley warned, the “choke” results when you

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February 2022

either overestimate your abilities or underestimate your competitor’s abilities. Riley’s maxim applies both to sports and to business: If you ignore your competition, you could lose your business before you know it. Although technology has leveled the playing field, your edge can be your customer relationships.Your product knowledge of raw materials (such as using the right vinyl films to meet the customer’s expectations) will help in understanding and satisfying their unmet needs. You and your sales people need to build detailed customer profiles. The more you know about your business base, the stronger your customer relationships become and the more difficult it is for competitors to drive a wedge between you and your clients. Protect Your Customer Base As important as it is to sell new business, you need to devote much of your

sales and marketing efforts to protecting your existing customer base. The lifetime value of your current customers is many times greater than the initial sale. The best method for protecting your base is to provide outstanding customer service to them. To this end, you may initiate a program of calling each customer every four to six weeks. The purpose of these calls is to: Strengthen relationships with key customer personnel, detect any changes within the customer’s business, probe for new opportunities; and identify threats to the account. Competitive Research Just as you should compile customer profiles, you should also construct dossiers on the competition. Your file should list the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. These dossiers should also detail their prosignshop.com

Photo: Shutterstock.com/Altrendo Images.

How do you survive when your market becomes overcrowded?

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HOW TO BUSINESS BY JIM HINGST

Sales Tactics In setting your company apart from theirs, the presentation of your program should focus on your company strengths rather than disparaging the competition. If a competitor is struggling finan14

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February 2022

cially, you can subtly allude to their weakness. A mere mention that your business has the history and financial resources to stand behind your programs in the unlikely event of a failure may call into question another company’s wherewithal to correct problems. Another indirect technique to call attention to another’s weaknesses is to “damn with faint praise.” In commenting on a competitor’s work, you might remark, “It’s amazing that that company is willing to tackle

major fleet programs using a printer designed to produce short-term posters.” This can plant the seeds of doubt in the mind of the prospect. Always treat your competitors with respect. You never want to start a pissing contest. Friendly competition is certainly preferable to creating a hated enemy. Crafting Your Message With an understanding of the competition, you should emphasize what makes your shop unique. In dealing with rival companies, your experience, knowledge, range of offerings, and unique product solutions could be your competitive edge. Once you have identified your product differentials, you need to build your mes-

saging around your company’s uniqueness. Crafting a storyline on what your company can do for your customers and prospects can allude to what your competitors are incapable of providing. This is a messaging strategy that you need to employ in all of your business communications, including web site content, blog articles, social media postings, and sales stories. By consistently broadcasting your narrative in these various channels, your audience is more likely to notice, read, and remember your message. Remember that repetition reinforces your narrative. In a face-to-face sales interview, ask probing questions in an effort to discover any dissatisfaction with the incumbent supplier, as well as any unmet customer needs. In creating unique solutions to satisfy those needs, you will position your company as a creative graphics provider as opposed to a shop that cranks out uninspired cookie-cutter designs. Positioning Your Business Instead of positioning your shop as the low-cost graphics provider, what should differentiate your shop are outstanding customer service, creativity, and highquality workmanship. Offering unique solutions to your customer’s needs helps differentiate your company and allows you to maintain your gross profit margin. On the other hand, simply quoting on the same graphics package as your competitor relegates you to competing on price. Neither you nor your competitor wins when you treat product offerings as commodities and cut each other’s pricing. To stand out from your competitors, emphasize what you do better than the other guy. Your value-added benefit could be an offering of a full range of services in design, manufacturing, and installation. Your content marketing strategy can support your expertise in graphics production. Sharing your industry knowledge on social media, blog postings, e-newsletters, and direct marketing comsignshop.com

Photo: unsplash.com/giorgio-trovato.

duction capabilities and shortcomings; experience in implementing graphics programs; weaknesses in their financial standing; and their pricing strategy. In conducting research on your competitors, your best sources for information are your salespeople, your vendors, your network of business associates, and your customers. These sources can help you identify new competitors and rate how your shop stacks up against the competition. These sources can also help you detect trends in your market. What’s more, the information that you gather through your sources will help you recognize areas in your business that need improvement. It will also help you realize what is truly important to your customers and prospects. Another great source of business intelligence is to hire your competitors’ employees, such as salespeople, managers, and key production personnel. Former employees know the strengths and weaknesses of their former employer. A top-notch salesperson should know where the proverbial bodies are buried and should have built relationships that they can bring to your shop. Moreover a good hire will know the competitor’s financial standing, business strategy, and the new markets they are targeting. One of the quickest ways to research a competitor is to review the content on their web site, their blog, and their social media platforms. The information available online will give you an overview of their products and services and, in many cases, will provide you with a review of their equipment. Pictures and descriptions of their programs may also reveal new opportunities. Reading online reviews may expose a competitor’s weaknesses.

HOW TO BUSINESS BY JIM HINGST

Form Alliances Most shops do not have the resources to provide every product and service in the field of signage and large format corporate graphics. In fact, it’s usually unwise to attempt to be all things to all people. Instead do what you do best. Nevertheless you may want to satisfy a wider range of your customers’ needs for signs and graphics. In order to offer services beyond your capabilities, consider forming alliances with other shops.

the enemy was weakest, instead of initiating a frontal assault against their strongholds. In his words, he would “hit ’em where they ain’t.” Avoid markets in which competitors are strongest and attack where competition is weakest. If a particular field, such as fleet graphics is overcrowded, look for opportunities is other market segments, such as floor graphics, in-plant safety signage, or tradeshow signage and graphics. In searching for new opportunities, you may need to look no further than your existing account base. If you are selling a customer fleet graphics, are you missing opportunities to sell other applications?

Hit ‘Em Where They Ain’t In his campaign in New Guinea in World War II, General Douglas MacArthur employed a strategy of attacking where

Never Give Up Businesses fail for any number of reasons—poor planning, failure to recognize and react to competitive threats,

munications helps build confidence in your shop among your target audience.

deficient management of finances, insufficient response to changes in technology or the economy, poor execution of business plans, and failure to measure your performance and adjust your business tactics as needed. In the face of adversity, many entrepreneurs lose faith in their own abilities. Some people, despite their creative talents, experience, and knowledge, just give up and close their shops. They give up on their dreams of being their own boss for the security of a steady paycheck. In dealing with overwhelming competition, what sets winners apart from losers is often just determination. With this in mind, remember the words of Calvin Coolidge: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. The slogan ‘Press On!’ has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race.”

Lasers. Materials. Expertise.

/TrotecLaserUSA

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February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

HOW TO BRANDING| BY LIGHTING | BYDAVID NARINE HICKEY DAVEYAN

Illuminating Developments

here are plenty of reasons why businesses prefer illuminated signs: Customers can more easily find their locations at night. They can advertise their products and locations, even if they aren’t open. They can contribute to the perception of bustling commercial activity. There are community benefits as well to illuminated signs, as drivers can more easily find and safely reach their destinations. There’s even some research available that indicates lighted signs provide a level of public safety and security. Effective illumination is a key component of sign visibility, along with size, sign angle, location, and contrast. Unfortunately, as ISA works with communities and sign companies around the country, we are finding an

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February 2022

increasing number of cities and towns that are restricting sign lighting, which has the potential to have devastating consequences for your customers and our industry. This is a battle we’ve fought before. When digital sign brightness became a contentious issue several years back, ISA worked quickly with renowned lighting researcher Dr. Ian Lewin to develop nighttime brightness recommendations of .3 footcandles above ambient light (or roughly 323 nits). This proved to be a reasonable solution to that hot-button issue as more than 200 local jurisdictions and 11 state DOTs have since adopted ISA’s brightness recommendations, either in whole or in part, over the last decade. Now local officials are turning their attention to traditional, internally illumi-

nated signs, hoping for a simple regulatory solution, as we found was possible with digital signs. But as any sign and graphics professional knows, the lighting of digital signs is viewed and experienced much differently than the lighting in, say, a cabinet sign. Adding to the complexity: A cabinet sign has many variations—including sign area, cabinet depth, sign face variables, source of illumination, and use of electrical components. Digital signs, on the other hand, are much more uniform in components and performance. Illuminated signs also must meet local sign ordinances and outdoor lighting codes, landlord restrictions, and corporate branding guidelines, adding to the diversity of these signs. It is clear that inflexible “one size fits all” government signshop.com

Photo: Shutterstock/Skylines.

Communities turn on their attention to lights.

HOW TO

LIGHTING | BY DAVID HICKEY

regulations aren’t the best approach to controlling their brightness. Yet that is something that our industry faces, as special interest groups fight against what they call “light pollution.” They wrongly focus on signs, which make up a fraction of overall outdoor lighting. The purpose of sign lighting isn’t to illuminate another surface (roadways, facades, parking lots, etc.) but to communicate a message. Thanks to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, we know that signs have special constitutional protections as speech, which should further caution government officials who want to treat sign illumination just like they do general illumination. Still challenging lighting standards are emerging, encouraged by a recent ANSI Standard (RP-39-19), developed by the Illumination Engineering Society (IES)

without any sign industry input. This standard allows a maximum of 160 nits for any kind of illuminated signs. By way of comparison, ISA’s nighttime brightness recommendations for digital signs proposes brightness levels of roughly 323 nits, while other organizations have recommended nighttime sign lighting levels between 500 and 700+ nits for internally illuminated signs. These sign lighting standards potentially present an existential threat to our industry. If any elements of RP-39-19 are adopted across the country, illuminated signs will be less conspicuous and lose their visual “pop.” Therefore businesses may be less inclined to purchase electric and electronic signs. That’s why it’s critical that the sign industry and sign users work closely with local officials during the proposed development of sign lighting standards. When

a community develops sign lighting regulations without our industry’s input, it results in standards that are restrictive, unworkable, impractical and unenforceable. There are so many benefits to illumination for businesses and communities. ISA’s Advocacy team quickly provides local officials with our perspective, expertise and—if need be—equipment in the field to ensure that any sign lighting standards considered are reasonable, technically sound, practical, and beneficial to all stakeholders. It is up to our industry to tell this story—and it’s up to you to help us do so. David Hickey is vice president of Government Affairs at the International Sign Association. If you hear of sign lighting restrictions being discussed in your community, please email him at David.Hickey@signs.org.

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February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

FEATURE NAME ENVIRONMENTAL BY ASHLEY AUTHORBRAY

A PLAYLIST

OF SIGNAGE

ubbard is a full-service media company operating in a variety of markets. In the greater Cincinnati community, Hubbard offers a range of marketing services, including radio, podcasts, full-service digital, custom content, influencer marketing, and more. When Hubbard recently built a new headquarters for its Cincinnati office, the company knew that the signage and graphics had to live up to the brand’s innovative media offerings. So the interior designer, architect, and property management team on the

Sign Builder Illustrated

February 2022

project brought in Hightech Signs of Fairfield, Ohio. Hightech Signs began in 1990 as Custom Signs Today, a franchised quick sign shop. It eventually moved into a single ownership company founded by Bob Steiner. With a commitment to quality and service, Hightech Signs has grown over the years and now offers expert design, fabrication, and installation of interior and exterior architectural signage. The sign company also provides ADA room ID signage, wayfinding, dimensional lettering, environmental

graphics, and more. Hightech Signs joined the Hubbard project from the start. “We were involved from the initial consultation and development of locations, design development, fabrication, and installation of the various graphics—including an interior ADA signage package for all rooms and cubicle ID signage,” says Kris Rutherford, design/sales/project manager for Hightech Signs. The project involved a number of graphic elements, including wall murals, vinyl graphics, art installations, signshop.com

All Photos: Hightech Signs.

Tune in to learn how a sign company outfitted new radio headquarters.

then brought to life using Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. Track 1: Walls That Wow Some of the most striking parts of Hubbard’s new headquarters are the wall graphics.

The main feature wall is a colorful painted mural stretching over two stories.

privacy graphics, neon signs, and more. The design for each of the elements was decided on by a committee consisting of Rutherford; eight people from the Hubbard team; the project manager from Cushman Wakefield; and James Billiter, a local designer and artist specializing in illustration and custom typography who developed most of the graphics/designs. Inspiration for the designs ranged from Etsy to original pieces by Billiter to interesting thoughts from the entire committee and Hubbard Project Lead Patti Marshal. The final designs were signshop.com

Main Feature. The main feature wall is a colorful mural stretching over two stories that features the words “Live from Cincinnati” over Cincinnati-related buildings and icons. The design was developed by Billiter and hand painted by local artist/sign painter Brett Enderle using SherwinWilliams paint and a large scaffolding setup to reach all sections of the twostory wall. “One of the more difficult obstacles was recreating the art for the large painted mural so I could provide patterns for the painter to work from,” explains Rutherford. “The art was created in Illustrator but set up for more of a visual, printer perspective, and as you may know, you cannot use a plotter unless all of the art is separated for literal interpretation (lines that are hidden, etc.). “I used Adobe Illustrator to condense, weld, and break apart each component of the art to create solid line art for the plotter.” Be Your Own Tune. This vibrant yellow hallway wall consists of a digitally printed vinyl cassette tape graphic. A white ribbon emerges from it and curls into a custom-developed font to read, “Be your own tune on our mixtape.” The custom font was developed by Billiter and hand painted onto the wall using Sherwin-Williams paint. Café Wall. A wall in the café features another graphic designed by Billiter that calls back to the main feature wall’s illustrations. It consists of cartoon-style depictions of different buildings and places in the Cincinnati area as well as popular local food items to create a Where’s Waldo? style mural. The mural was fabricated from Dreamscape vinyl printed on a Mimaki UCJV300-160 printer.

Roebling Bridge. A photo taken by radio personality Brian Douglas of this iconic landmark over the Ohio River is represented on a large scale on drywall. It is made from Dreamscape vinyl printed on a Mimaki UCJV300-160 printer. The finished wall graphic provides the perfect selfie opportunity for visitors to the company. Other Walls. The project included a variety of other wall graphics, such as: • The Beginning: A printed Dreamscape vinyl graphic of the first Hubbard Radio broadcast, which was applied directly to the wall with a custom frame around the image. • The Icon: An Avery vinyl-cut icon applied directly to drywall. • The Channel: An Avery vinyl-cut icon applied to drywall with an additional multi-color, laser-cut acrylic piece applied over the top of the vinyl graphic to depict an oldschool radio dial. • The Track: This wall includes a digitally printed Dreamscape wall graphic featuring lyrics from popular songs. • The Mouse: Custom prints in frames of engineered drawings of the game Mouse Trap are a fun nod to this being the smallest room in the headquarters. A small, black vinyl piece was also installed onto the base trim to look like a mouse hole in the wall. Rutherford says the most notable challenge they encountered with the various wall graphics were issues with

The café wall.

February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

This wall is meant to serve as a selfie area for radio ticket winners.

Wall graphics brighten a hallway in the headquarters. Hightech Signs installed two illuminated signs.

wall prep. “The walls were not cleaned properly prior to painting (they were still dusty from sanding). Along with a light coat of primer, this caused the painters tape to pull off pieces of the painted wall, which caused path areas and some other problems with the painted surfaces,” says Rutherford. “The Roebling bridge graphic area had an acoustic ceiling spray (overspray that created a textured surface), and this 20

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February 2022

had to be scraped down ultimately for the graphic to adhere. “Moving forward with new construction, I will be requesting a ‘Level 5’ finish on the walls for graphics.” (Note: A Level 5 finish requires a thin skim coat of joint compound applied to the entire surface in addition to Level 4’s requirements.) Track 2: Privacy Film In addition to the wall graphics, Hight-

ech Signs also installed privacy film on a number of conference rooms. The Hub. The privacy film applied to the main conference room features Billiter’s custom-developed iconography, including a cassette tape, headphones, the Cincinnati skyline, and other elements evoking Hubbard’s history. The film was printed with a Mimaki UCJV300-160 UV printer onto 3M™ Scotchcal™ Clear View Graphic Film 8150. signshop.com

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A statement wall featuring actual drumsticks in the shape of a sound wave.

Other Conference Rooms. Hightech installed ten- to twelve-foot-long, custom-designed privacy films on other conference rooms featuring a sound wave and a stream of music placed below the Cincinnati skyline. The sign company also installed dusted vinyl names to each door of the headquarter’s conference rooms. Rutherford said that his company ran into an unexpected challenge when installing the privacy film on the windows. “One big issue that I did not expect, but is worth noting, is upon installation, the large window graphics had a ton of bubbles,” he states. “I thought it was the installation and that we may have to redo the entire graphic. But it turns out that this particular material needs one to two weeks to fully dry, then the bubbles will disappear.”

• Wall brackets to hold vinyl albums. • A wall installation featuring lasercut 1/16-inch acrylic that was hand bent throught the use of a heat bender to mimic pieces of paper in the wind. They were sprayed with metallic Krylon paint. • A statement wall developed and installed by local artist Brad McCombs that consists of actual drumsticks attached to the wall in the shape of a sound wave. • A wall art piece that was also developed, created, and installed by McCombs, which consists of actual piano keys and parts. • A wall graphic developed by Billiter consisting of a custom icon graphic forming Cincinnati buildings in a spoon from laser-cut 3/8-inch acrylic applied to matte white acrylic.

Track 3: Architectural & Artistic Elements Hightech Signs worked with the project team to provide some unique artistic installations for the Hubbard headquarters, including: • Metallic-painted, laser-cut acrylic overlays installed on the door of each studio. • Hubbard Cincinnati cut logo made from Chemetal and applied to the front lobby cabinetry.

Track 4: Illuminated Elements Hightech Signs provided two illuminated signs for the interior of the new Hubbard headquarters.

Sign Builder Illustrated

February 2022

Headphones. In the entrance foyer hangs an illuminated pair of headphones with the word “Cincinnati” formed from the cord above them. The sign is affixed to a dark blue background with a sound band below it. The wall is meant to serve as a selfie

area for radio ticket winners. To create the background of this display, Hightech Signs digitally printed a gradient and applied it to acrylic. They then laser cut it out with their Multicam Magnus CO2 laser in the shape of a sound band. The tops of each band represent a building icon from Cincinnati. The illuminated custom graphic and font were developed by Billiter and were ordered from online LED neon sign creator Yellowpop. “We ran the wires (which was extremely challenging) from the final piece to the power source, and the electricians made the final connections,” explains Rutherford. “Yellowpop provided the whip length and the power convertors to do this, which made the final connections fairly simple.” On Air. For this sign, Billiter developed a custom font and graphic saying “On the Air,” and Hightech sourced the sign from Yellowpop. On an adjacent wall, Hightech Signs installed acrylic plaques featuring the logos of the area’s four radio stations in dusted vinyl. On both of these signs, Rutherford says that one of the biggest challenges was outsourcing the LED neon through a non-local company, “It was a challenge to communicate efficiently,” he says. “We got it worked out, but it was down to the wire for sure.” Track 5: ADA Signage Hightech Signs specializes in ADA signage, and as a part of the Hubbard headquarters project, the company also provided a custom-designed, interior ADA office and room identification signage package. To create the signage, Hightech first pre-sprayed acrylic sheets specified PMS colors using Matthews Paint. Employing an AXYZ router, they then CNC routed the sheets into smaller parts to create the main components of each sign. They also used their router to drill the Grade II Braille, which was then hand applied. Hightech next used its Multicam Magnus CO2 laser to fabricate the signshop.com

1/32-inch raised text. The sign company assembled the signage using 3M VHB tape, which was also used along with silicone to install the signs. Final Track: Project Management Overall the entire Hubbard project took Hightech Signs approximately eighteen months from initial consult to final implementation. The project included many elements, and Rutherford says staying organized and in communication was key to keeping the project on track. “I kept a running PDF list of each item, and we had a weekly Microsoft Teams’ meeting and reviewed each item and its status throughout the duration of the project,” explains Rutherford. Rutherford has some advice for other shops facing down a project of this large scale. “Make sure you get started with plenty of time to finish so you are able to address issues as they come up, pay-

signshop.com

Privacy film on a conference room wall.

ing close attention to each detail,” he says. “Keep a running PDF of each item (with a photo) and review regu-

larly the status; ultimately, this document can be passed through the shop and to the installers as a guide.”

February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

FEATURE NAME DIMENSIONAL BY JEFF AUTHOR WOOTEN

3D printing can complement (or even add to) one’s inkjet offerings.

The ABCs of 3D s 3D desktop-sized printers become more prevalent and make processing renderings a much quicker production time, print and graphics specialists are finding they can use this hardware to offer new products, enhance already-existing graphics projects, and venture into previously unconsidered markets. The divide between graphics provider and dimensional specialist may be blurring, if not outright dissipating. Amcad & Graphics LP of Irving, Texas already works with a variety of digital printing and finishing equipment. The company has found itself becoming attracted to 3D printing technology because of its versatility in color, its ability to create photo-realistic models, and its opportunity to explore a diverse range

Sign Builder Illustrated

February 2022

of applications (expanding into medical, vision, and dental fields; model making; and prototyping). As the adoption of additive 3D printing has become more mainstreamed, the company felt it was an appropriate time to see how this technology could help their target markets and customers. “For a long while, price-point restrictions related to 3D printers were an obstacle that separated commercial and industrial applications,” says Nick Walters, director of Technical Sales at Amcad & Graphics LP. But now that 3D printers models and prices are getting smaller, interest is getting bigger. “We are seeing many of our current customers utilizing 3D solutions in their current workflows but now with the photo-realistic capabilities in a more compact platform,” says Walters.

The Most Used Systems Amcad & Graphics LP has studied the significant growth and advancements made in 3D printing technologies over the last two decades. Stereolithography (SLA) is one of the most established and widely used, having been developed back in the ’80s. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) are two other popular types nowadays. “FDM technolgies are currently the most popular platforms in terms of usage and affordability,” says Walters, noting that their desktop footprint is used to create a variety of crafty items (3D extruder handheld pens, for example). “For an entrylevel craft or rapid prototype, FDM is one of the most widespread options with a diverse range of uses.” There are a variety of colored, multisignshop.com

All Photos: Amcad & Graphics LP.

Succeeding at the art of 3D printing.

colored, and specialty blends of thermoplastic filaments employed in extrusiontype FDM printers. “This allows for a variety of color combinations, as well as customizations,” says Walters. Meanwhile SLA and other resin 3D printing platforms use a laser to cure the liquid resin and facilitate the photopolymerization process. (Note: This process uses visible or UV light to create a polymerization reaction that forms a linear polymer structure.) “These [models] have also become quite popular over the recent years,” explains Walters, “as parts created with this process offer the highest accuracy and resolution, and the smoothest finish.” While both FDM and SLA 3D printing technologies are a part of the additive manufacturing family, both still require post-process finishing (as well as painting). They also need support structures, unlike the SLS industrial processes. “Sintering processes can use multiple material types to produce 3D objects,” says Walters. “A laser is used here to bond small particles of powdered material.” However these aforementioned technologies are unable to capture true fullcolor 3D printing, which is where newer platforms come into play. Walters points out some of the more popular full-color systems used these days in order of ascending price point. 3D Systems has the ProJet series, which uses a powdered polymer core with a binder along with inkjet heads. “The ProJet line has many innovative features, but it does require post-processing,” says Walters. “And there are limited options for materials.” The HP Jet Fusion Line uses powdered polymers with an infrared curing light and inkjet. “The Jet Fusion line has many innovative features, but in addition to postprocessing, it does require a cooling time,” comments Walters. Mimaki offers the 3DUJ-553 and 3DUJ-2207 models, which utilize a UVcurable resin supported by a water-soluble solution. “These platforms have the widest color spectrum but still require support and only print with one material,” says Walters, adding the 3DUJ-553 is much larger and much faster yet at a more restrictive, costlier price. Amcad Graphics & LP has had a strong signshop.com

relationship with Mimaki stretching back to the start-up of their 2D inkjet systems. The company has been using the entrylevel Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 quite frequently with its smaller build plate area (20-by-20by-7.6cm) and its water-soluble support solution (which aids in process speed and model stability). The model is submerged in an ultrasonic parts cleaner, and then the support solution dissolves away. “With the high-resolution printheads, we can achieve 1200-ppi for more demanding applications,” says Walters. “This is in part due to the photo-realistic color gamut, including up to 10 million color combinations.” Finally Stratasys has several decades of 3D print technology experience, highlighted by its PolyJet UV Light Cured Resin Series. “The PolyJet series is one of the strongest platforms available, but it does come in at a higher price point and also requires support structures,” states Walters. Adding Products With Additive Experimentation and expansion are key draws to 3D printing technology. “We have been experimenting with

models to make molds for thermoforming with our FDM-based Mimaki 3DFF222 co-developed with South Koreanbased Sindoh,” says Walters, noting that this platform is also complementary to the Mimaki UJF Series Benchtop Flatbed platforms and can be used to produce fixtures or jigs for non-uniform objects for direct UV printing or cylindrical items for rotary printing. And the company just started exploring creating busts and logo shells. “We’re also producing parts for remote-control cars using this hardware,” says Walters. FDM 3D printing technology is also allowing shops to produce items for the gaming and collectibles communities, such as Warhammer-type game figures and other specialty figurines. Amcad & Graphics LP has found that these are really proving popular amongst these types of customers, even though the end products need painting afterwards (which can even be completed enthusiastically by said customer). “We’ve found that ‘articulated dragon’ reproductions are heavily requested, as well as maze puzzle boxes,” says Walters.

Graphics providers can also add depth to customer’s projects by outputting artwork via 3D print technology.

February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

Among the types of 3D printed products that are proving popular with customers are artwork, collectible figurines, and game figures. In fact, the gaming and collectibles communities are ideal demographics to market your 3D-printing services toward.

This interest has even led them to consider producing their own line of figures in the near future. “We’re experimenting with our 3D printer and playing around with some popular files doing fun things like depicting actor Dwayne Johnson’s face imposed onto recognizable characters and objects,” says Walters. It’s important to remember that 3D printing can complement (or even add to) one’s inkjet offerings. For example, Amcad & Graphics LP has helped customers doing 2D printing and embellishments for CDC and other cannabis-adjacent subjects by being able to add on 3D printing services. They create “buds” that can be placed into jars in these establishments. “They are photo-realistic without having to consider regional legal considerations,” says Walters. Meanwhile Walters points out that 3D artwork is another possibility for shops equipped with 3D printers to explore (instagram.com/dharroun). He also hints that the possibility of some manufacturers moving towards licensed Braille applications using 3D printers could be expected sometime this year, which can open up even more potential opportunities. The company has also found a successful niche reaching out to medical school educators and donating printed objects to them. They recently used the material-jet26

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February 2022

ting Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 to produce a set featuring examples of skulls, anatomical parts, and chromosome models. “We’ve found that a simple project, like producing didactic cranial models, has been helpful to show people the range of capabilities of 3D printers,” says Walters. “We are able to implement color versatility with these models to create eye-catching results.” The company starts with a base model and then moves into customizing textures, colors, and scale. “Once we have those squared away, we upload our work into a file checker to repair and optimize any conflicts,” says Walters. “After that process, we load our files into the operating software to output to the machine.” The Learning Process If you work mainly with 2D printers yet are intrigued to bring 3D print technology onboard at your shop, prepare yourself for a learning curve—but fortunately one that isn’t massive. Walters says that, although several helpful software options are available, they’ve found their best route has been experimenting with existing printer models and then proceeding to customization. Once they familiarized themselves with unwrapping surfaces and applying textures, Amcad & Graphics LP found it became much easier to conceptualize other

projects using 3D additive print technology. “With any new and innovative technology, the working experience comes first, but you are always pushing the limit,” says Walters, noting they were already experimenting as soon as five days after installing their first machine. Unlike the traditional 2D design platforms, there are many options for 3D modeling, painting, and processing. “Users can maximize quality and detail without being limited to only a couple of choices,” says Walters. File platforms are available to help. Thingiverse and Thangs are examples of two free ones while Turbosquid, Etsy, Patreon, myminifactory, and loot-studios are some of the paid versions. “Blender has a good commity too,” says Walters. It’s important to be aware that challenges still exist even after set-up. “Keep in mind that 3D modeling and other parametric designs require more time than producing a standard 2D print,” comments Walters. Also not all models are compatible with all processes. Some renderings might make for a nice image but aren’t yet ready to be produced dimensionally. “Some simple designs might require a specific orientation when being produced,” says Walters. “The way a model is arranged on the build plate will ultimately have an impact on the signshop.com

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A medical school project shows how color versatility on some 3D print systems can be eye-catching.

Time management needs to be factored. “It took us thirty hours to complete the aforementioned medical school project featuring the various objects,” states

final finished surface, which is something most users wouldn’t think about. Other designs might require support structures to be added.”

Walters, “but this is still a better cycle time result than doing it manually. And it can be instantly repeatable. Walters explains proper pre-fabrication planning is vital as is managing customer expectations on when a product can be delivered. “The time estimator and consumables calculators on many software programs is accurate and lends to proper planning,” he says. “For example, Mimaki 3D Link will estimate ink/support consumption prior to print execution and warns users if ink or waste tank levels are less than acceptable. “Cycle times aren’t detrimental, as you don’t have to watch the machine. So you are free to go about other projects during a run.” Another thing to take into account is that additional post-process options might also be considered after the support solution is removed, in order to get the desired look and feel on a model (such as a more polished look on transparent objects, for example).

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Sign Builder Illustrated

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Sign Builder Illustrated is the “how-to magazine” of the sign industry. Each issue includes SBI’s signature “how-to” columns and features with detailed, step-by-step instructions covering a wide range of signage. SBI’s website (signshop. com), newsletters, Buyer’s Guide, and digital edition keep you updated with timely news, recent projects, and upcoming industry events.

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Sign Builder Illustrated

FEATURE NAME PROJECT BY JEFF AUTHOR WOOTEN

The new digital sign makes quite a dramatic statement at the entry-way inside Onset Financial’s headquarters.

Financial Planning

ON DISPLAY An equipment lease firm plugs into the power of dynamic digital.

nset Financial is one of the leading equipment lease and finance industry firms in the country, so when the company made the decision to move their headquarters to a new, built-from-scratch facility in Draper, Utah, they knew that they needed exterior signage for it. Real estate developer Gardner Batt had been working with Onset Financial on this new construction, and they reached out to Joel Warden, branch manager at fourth-generation, family-owned YESCO in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Note: This renowned company is known for creating, repairing, and maintaining internationally recognizable signs and is currently celebrating 102 years of operation.) Warden met with Onset Financial CEO Justin Nielsen to discuss signage for the building. This conversation proved fruitful, as YESCO ended up being selected to provide all of the ex30

Sign Builder Illustrated

February 2022

terior signage, letters, and logos for all four sides of the new building. However the quality of their exterior work also provided them with an opportunity to move indoors for an additional project as well. YESCO found themselves talking further with Onset Financial about making a dramatic statement of some type within their interior entryway. At this time, Warden suggested the installation of a large interior electronic message center here. After two years of consideration (and several other YESCO build-andinstalls for them such as post-andpanel signs and vinyl graphics), Onset Financial President Melinda Haynes revisited Warden’s recommendation and spearheaded hiring the sign company to install a 16-feet-wide-by-9feet-tall Watchfire digital display hung on the wall behind the reception desk one encounters as soon as they walk through the front doors. (Note: YESCO

has worked successfully as a Watchfire Signs dealer for years.) YESCO brought display samples of several different pixel pitches to plug in and show Haynes. Because of the install location’s proximity to customers, she opted for a 1440x2550 matrix 1.9mm display. “The display is mounted only six feet away from where [a person] would be standing in front of the reception desk. When someone is that close to the screen, you’re going to need a high resolution and a tight pixel-pitch display so that the human eye will stop recognizing the pixels and instead blend them together so they’re not noticed,” explains Warden. The new digital display was shipped in multiple crates from the Watchfire facility in Danville, Illinois, straight to the Onset Financial headquarters site. The installation took place during open hours at the front entrance over a five-day period last September and signshop.com

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The YESCO installation team ended up using a combination of four horizontal stringers and nine vertical stringers to help make the Watchfire digital display be 100 percent plumb and true to the uneven wall to which it was being mounted.

took an estimated 250 man-hours to perform. A dedicated Watchfire tech even showed up onsite to work as the lead for the YESCO installers. “The crates were well placed in a way that it didn’t disrupt the flow of everyone going into the building,” says Warden, noting that pedestrian safety and client convenience is always a consideration when planning installs. “We made an effort to not clutter up the lobby as much as possible. We set up lanes for people to pass by the installation team as they were working.” A big challenge for this installation is that the wall was made of formed concrete, which meant that it was not perfectly flat. One important rule in the install of digital displays is that the mounting surface needs to be flat, so that the digital display will be 100 percent plumb and true to it. Any disruptions can cause the look of the screen to be affected. “When the wall was poured two years ago, the construction crew left the indentation of the boards in it. So in between each board, there was kind 32

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February 2022

of a jutting-out grout line of concrete,” says Warden. YESCO’s solution was to install vertical stringers and then mount the display units to the frame, which was attached to the stringers. The company used a combination of four horizontal stringers and nine vertical stringers, which ironed out this uneven problem. “It took some craftsmanship, but our installers added the multiple vertical stringers and then used levels to make sure that everything was plumb and true,” says Warden. “Once that happened, we were able to begin installing the horizontal stringers that were the framework of the display itself.” Even though Onset Financial had pre-planned for the digital display and had power run to the location during the initial construction phase using a 120-volt outlet, they were actually unfamiliar with how much power a display this size would need and ended up with an insufficient amount. “They had also brought in one or two CAT 5 data lines, but we needed more than that,” says Warden.

YESCO electricians ended up fishing the new data lines and electrical wires through the walls to the backside of the wall where the display was going to be mounted, which fortunately solved this problem. The gigantic Watchfire display is in constant use 24/7, never being turned off. And while the display is located near a big bank of windows surrounding the lobby, brightness can be easily adjusted on it, if needed. (Note: This actually turned out not to be a problem at all, since the manufacturer specs provided ensured the display was not affected by any of the sunlight coming into the building.) Onset Financial has a team of talented in-house graphic designers developing content for the digital display using Watchfire OPx software. “You really have to stand in the lobby to realize and recognize the value of this display,” says Jeff Young, executive vice president of YESCO. “They’re an equipment leasing company, so when they have key customers come in, they can put customized welcome messages signshop.com

on it. It really does change the atmosphere for a visiting customer.” In addition to these custom messages, Young says that Onset Financial’s graphic designers are doing a great job generating content on it like dazzling landscape panoramas and updated standings for their creative employee contests that help motivate and congratulate and recognize the good work being done by their internal employees (such as one contest themed after the TV series Survivor). As most sign companies spend a lot of time working on outdoor signs, it’s important they realize there is a difference when it comes to generating content and exposure for an exterior display versus an interior one. “With exterior, you’re typically reaching out to passers-by outside,” says Young. “With an interior display, one has this additional value of creating an ambience in the room or lobby.” Young says these applications are a great avenue for sign shops to pursue, as they are popping up more often. “This was a really fun project for us,” he says. However these types of installations can be expensive, so Young stresses the importance of not taking a project like this lightly before making sure you have all the expertise to make it happen. “There’s a lot of discipline that comes to bear, even though it looks pretty easy because everyone is used to TVs on a wall. But this isn’t a TV. It’s a much larger display,” he says. “You have a beautiful new building here with high expectations from a client, so everything has to come together perfectly. There are literally hundreds of people standing behind [Warden] to help him as our ambassador when it comes to the customer.” Warden believes that this project might be the finest pitch interior display that’s ever been installed in Utah. “To our knowledge, we haven’t seen anything of this display pitch in the community at all,” he says. “We hope this is the first of many, because once everyone becomes aware of this one, they’re going to say, ‘I want some of that!’” adds Young. signshop.com

HOW TO NAVIGATE A CHANGING SIGN LANDSCAPE SBI’s new webinar series—On the Floor—is your compass to all the challenges sign shops face. Our series provides actionable steps to help your sign shop thrive amidst the expanding digital signage landscape and everyday operational challenges.

www.signshop.com/resources

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MARKETPLACE FOR ADVERTISING OPTIONS CONTACT: FRANK ROSE (917) 856-1808 frose@sbpub.com

Graphics. Dimensional. Lighting. Digital. Installation. Operations.

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February 2022

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SIGN BUILDER’S

BUYER’S GUIDE

Your Direct Source for Products & Services Get access to vital product and service information from manufacturers and distributors by visiting www.signbuilderdirectory.com

COMPANY

URL

AP Lazer

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InfoDirect #

PAGE 17

ARK Ramos Foundry & Mfg Co Inc.

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AXYZ

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Echod Graphics

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Epilog Laser

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International Sign Association

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Nova Polymers

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SBI/NSSA

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SDS Automation

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Signs365.com

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SinaLite

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Southern Stud Weld

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Stimpson

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Trotec Laser Inc.

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Wilkie Mfg.

www.wilkiemfg.com

9 31 3

COMPANIES IN SIGN SHOW 16

3A Composites USA

www.3acompositesusa.com

www.hp.com

Laguna Tools

www.lagunatools.com

Laser Research Optics

www.laserresearch.net

Lind SignSpring Group

www.LindSignSpring.com

MUTOH America

www.mutoh.com

Showdown Displays

www.showdowndisplays.com

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February 2022

Sign Builder Illustrated

SBI OPERATIONS BY ASHLEY BRAY

Good Help is Hard to Find How to hire—and keep—employees.

n her role as a national search consultant for the executive search and consulting firm MetroSeek (metroseekcorp. com), Elisha Gordon has gotten to know the ins and outs of how sign shops operate, their pain points, and how they interact with customers (“SBI Young Sign Makers 2022,” January 2022). She has also gained a tremendous amount of insight into what it takes to hire and retain great workers in the sign industry. The first problem Gordon acknowledges is the talent shortage that is affecting the sign industry along with many others. She says building awareness about the sign industry is a big step in overcoming the shortage. “The problem is, unless your family is in signs, no one really knows what this industry is all about,” she says. “We have to continue to build awareness about the industry. [This involves] community outreach, job fairs, and going to schools and educating young people

that, no matter what interests them in life, there is a job in signage for that.” Another factor is in making workers, especially the younger generation, feel wanted. “Placing ads on Craigslist and posting jobs on Indeed and LinkedIn aren’t enough to attract young workers—candidates have to be recruited and made to feel like you want to hire them, especially in an industry most people don’t know about,” says Gordon. “If you don’t feel you are ready to engage a recruiter, look to hire folks from outside the industry with similar skills or kids right out of school.” Gordon says to remember the difference between what skills can and cannot be taught when considering new hires. “Just because someone does not have sign experience does not mean they cannot learn signs. You can teach someone how to build channel letters, you cannot teach them to care about

Sign Builder Illustrated Magazine (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 21614709) (USPS#0015-805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 88 Pine St. 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.

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February 2022

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it,” she says, touting the benefits of a good training program at your shop. “Remember certain skills are teachable, but qualities like tenacity and loyalty are not.” It’s also important to remember that a new hire will not check every box on your wish list. Prioritize what skills are most important to your company and focus on finding someone who fits them. “There is no such thing as a ‘perfect fit,’” says Gordon. “So when you find a candidate you like, move on them. While you are spending weeks to decide whether or not to make someone an offer, your competitor just scooped them up right under your nose, and you are back to square one.” Of course, finding and hiring good talent is only half the battle—retaining them is another struggle entirely. Gordon says the key to employee retention lies in the way companies treat employees. “Take care of your people. Offer work-from-home options. Listen when they tell you they need help and offer a solution, if you can. If you take care of your employees when they need you, they will take care of you,” she says. “Offer a career path. Pay them what they are worth. “Too often, I see people jump from one company to another every couple of years just to see a small pay increase. This is a problem—a person should not have to put in their resignation to receive a raise.” Being open to change can also be pivotal for your sign company, especially if the tried-and-true ways are getting stale. “We learned through [Covid-19] that companies have to continue to evolve,” comments Gordon. “We have to get out of the mindset of, ‘this is how we have always done it,’ because while everyone else is evolving, those who don’t are left in the dust. Be open to change, taking risks, and doing things differently.” POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 239, Lincolnshire IL 60069-0239 USA. Instructional information provided in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all readers to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to-activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein.

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Photo: Shutterstock/Andriy Blokhin.

HIRING & RETENTION

All Wilkie equipment is designed for the Sign and Lighting industry with almost 50 years experience

BIG SERVICE, SMALLER PACKAGE Non CDL truck set up 2 man power level power rotate basket standard Basket mounted jib winch that stores behind basket when not in use Easy to use controls at base and basket Mainline winch rated at 1000 pounds fully extended Full 360 degree working radius Independently controlled out and down hydraulic outriggers (no under body counter balance weight) Wide range of bed and storage box options to fit your needs 3500 pound carrying capacity on a 19,500 GVW truck

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