The How-To Magazine
Augus t 201 8 | signs h o p.co m
SIGN BUILDER
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Contents August 2018
Vol. 32
No. 278
How-To Columns
16
GETTING SOCIAL
By Jim Hingst Where social media fits in your marketing plan.
departments
8 12 60 64
EDITOR’S COLUMN
Editor Jeff Wooten finds that the big question at your shop is if you ask enough questions.
IN THE INDUSTRY
Creating a custom customer display, a brewery bus wrap experience, a restaurant delivers with digital signage, and LFI 2018 sets records.
Sign Show
The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.
44
SBI Marketplace
Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.
Features
Shop Talk
20
Jim Hingst shows what makes the best mail list to reach the right clients.
25 41 44 48 52
56 2
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wrapping through hoops
By Jeff Wooten Vinyl see-thru graphics are a slam dunk in L.A.
2018 SBi Buyer’s Guide
Contact information for sign-related manufacturers and distributors.
UP-LIFTING ADVICE
By Phil Doud Four steps to ensure safe on-site crane operation.
OUTSIDE THE PANEL
By Jim Cirigliano Best practices for post-and-panel sign design as exterior wayfinding.
A CUSTOM SIGNAGE MAKEOVER
By Ashley Bray This shop overcame “99” challenges, and sourcing glass for a blade sign was just one.
REVVED UP FOR NEON
By Jeff Wooten A vintage motorcycle shop roars with a new illuminated identity sign.
DIFFUSING INFORMATION
By Jim Richards Acrylic for channel letters gives sign designers more solutions. signshop.com
Cover Photo: BPGraphics.
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WHERE DESIGN M E E T S INNOVATION
Project: Sidra Medicine Hospital - Doha, Qatar Preferred Fabricator: gulfcrafts - Doha, Qatar
BRING YOUR ACCESSIBLE SIGN SOLUTIONS IN-HOUSE INCREASE PROFITABILITY w w w. n ov a p o l y m e r s.c o m /R O I
August 2018, Vol. 32, No. 278 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
Subscriptions: 800-895-4389
executive offices President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 55 Broad Street, 26th floor New York, NY 10004 212-620-7247 ; Fax: 212-633-1863
editorial Editor Jeff Wooten 323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 212-620-7244 jwooten@sbpub.com Managing Editor Ashley Bray 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com Contributing Writers Jim Cirigliano, Phil Doud, Jim Hingst, Jim Richards, Lori Shridhare
art Art Director Nicole Cassano Graphic Designer Aleza Leinwand
production Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers
circulation Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com
advertising sales Associate Publisher/East Coast Sales Jeff Sutley 212-620-7233 jsutley@sbpub.com Mid-West & West Coast Sales Monica Boutros 212-620-7225 mboutros@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 Art Sutley at 212-620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.
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Editor’s Column
AGENDA
By Jeff Wooten
August 2018 AUGUST 9-11:
The Tri-State Sign Expo commences at the Downstream Casino Resort in Joplin, Missouri. (tristatesignexpo.com)
AUGUST 29-31:
The WSSC Sign Show/CSA Convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, California. (calsign.org)
September 2018 SEPTEMBER 13-15:
What’s Your Question?
The Southern States Sign Association Tradeshow takes place at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, North Carolina. (southernstatessigns.org)
Don’t be afraid to ask everything.
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some clients probably make it seem like you should have a dental degree with the amount of teeth-pulling it can take to get some of these helpful answers.) Brooks and John stress that, in some instances, “closed,” to-the-point questions instead of open-ended ones work better. This is particularly true when dealing with a “dodgy vendor” or even a sales client with a particularly ornery disposition. They also advise addressing some questions pessimistically (not angrily); doing so can get you a more truthful answer. Let clients know in the question that they probably wouldn’t be interested in a certain type of sign, to gauge if they really would be interested. “You probably wouldn’t want to add an EMC, would you?” for example. And stay on-topic with as many followup questions until you arrive at the answer you’re looking for. Doing so helps the other person feel more validated or heard. Almost every shop I’ve spoken with says communication with the client is a major part of the sign-making process, as you’ll see in some of our articles this month. Making sure everyone is on the same page before and during the fabrication will prevent headaches down the line when something isn’t “right” because it wasn’t asked beforehand.
Jeff Wooten Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com
SEPTEMBER 20-21:
2018 NSSA Northeast Sign Expo will occur at the Hartford Connecticut Convention Center. (nssasign.org)
SEPTEMBER 30OCTOBER 2:
The PRINT 18 exhibition and conference returns to McCormick Place South in Chicago, Illinois. (graphexpo.org)
October 2018 OCTOBER 18-20:
SGIA Expo is being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (sgiaexpo.org)
OCTOBER 30NOVEMBER 2:
The automotive SEMA Show rolls into the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (semashow.com) Photo: Shutterstock/SNeG17.
I
t seems everyone has that one friend, family member, or co-worker in our lives who does not believe in periods or exclamation points. Instead almost every sentence they utter seems to end in a question mark. But who knew research would prove them right? There has always been that cliché that you can ask as many questions as you want, but it really won’t matter if you don’t take the time to listen to the answers. And while that philosophy remains true today, maybe the answers won’t matter if you’re not asking the right questions either. This thought entered my mind while reading an interview with Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Alison Wood Brooks and Associate Professor Leslie John in a recent issue of Harvard Business Review where they argued that we seem to hold back queries too much, in an effort not to seem “ill-informed or offensive” or “believing we already have the answers we need.” They stress that not being afraid to ask questions “fuels innovation and improves performance.” Obviously in my line of work, constant questioning is an essential trait to possess, particularly when it comes to delving deeper into the mindset of sign makers and manufacturers during interviews to get the most information for you. And it’s also an essential trait for shop owners and designers such as yourself to possess when it comes to finding out what it is exactly that customers really want with their project request. (And
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In The Industry
A Custom customer
K
alamazoo, Michigan—Grand format imaging provider Agio Imaging (agioimaging.com) didn’t hesitate to develop a turnkey solution when a large manufacturing client came to them requesting a permanent customer structural display. The structural display would be installed in a manufacturing facility of Hydro, a fully integrated aluminum company. Located right across from the facility’s research and development department, the display would be utilized to showcase the company’s custom aluminum extrusion products to visiting customers. “Our client’s vision was to create a customer experience center to spotlight top clients and to showcase the capabilities of 8
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their manufacturing facility,” said Davina Logan, director of sales, marketing, and administration for Agio Imaging. “Our solution offered a bright, open design that could include digital media integration, interchangeable panels for future updates, and space for expansion.” Agio Imaging purchased approximately 2,056 square feet of 3mm White Dibond® aluminum composite material by 3A Composites USA. This included: thirty-six 5-by-10-foot sheets for cladding the structure and eight 4-by-8 foot sheets for direct printing customer display panels. Both 3-D modeling software and Adobe Creative Suite were utilized by Agio Imaging team members to design
the approximately 45-foot-wide-by-10foot-tall-by-17-foot-deep display. Agio Imaging designed the display with a custom metal structure that is fully clad on all sides with Dibond. An Esko Kongsberg X Series CNC router was used to cut the Dibond panels to their final size and shape and to mill holes for fasteners. The custom-fitted Dibond panels were mounted directly to the metal structure with decorative mechanical fasteners. Additionally the rigid Dibond base layer allowed Agio Imaging to mount customer display panels directly to the cladding without having to tie them into the structure. The customer experience center is designshop.com
Photo: Agio Imaging.
Display
brewery bus Wrap experience
The display puts Hydro’s aluminum products in the spotlight.
B
The new display gives Hydro customers a much better idea of what the company does and offers. signed with a curved back wall installed between two flat end sections. Meanwhile two sixty-five-inch LCD display screens were direct mounted to the Dibond end sections to incorporate multimedia presentations. Agio Imaging utilized a super-wide format UV flatbed to direct-print seven Dibond panels—routed to 36-by-95 inches—with images of products and customer end applications. The printed Dibond panels were sandwiched beneath acrylic sheets and directly mounted to the structural display’s back wall with one-inch stand-offs to create dimensional interest. Acrylic shelves used to display customer products also were attached to the panels. signshop.com
The display was finished with vinyl décor graphics applied to the Dibond walls and mounted acrylic sheets, as well as custom-painted acrylic lettering. A printed fabric graphic display suspended above the showroom designates the area as a “Customer Spotlight.” This was the largest freestanding customer display ever created by Agio Imaging. “[The client] loves being able to walk their customers into a structure that is filled with visuals describing their products and capabilities,” said Logan. “They’re also able to customize digital media on the LCD screens to welcome each customer. This display gives their customers a much better idea of what [Hydro] can do.”
irmingham, United Kingdom—After fourth-generation custom sign-maker HNS Signs completed a sign-painting project at Sadlers Ales’ new taproom in Quinton, the brewery approached them about also wrapping their beer bus. The aim was to convey the brewery’s image and the taproom experience to a wider crowd at event settings and in a transportable format. HNS proposed wrapping not just the outside of the vehicle but the inside too, which they felt would significantly contribute to creating a realistic pub ambience. The project had a demanding timeline, since it needed to be ready for its first engagement at a city social. This left just three-and-ahalf days to complete the project. Another issue was the sheer size of wrapping such a large vehicle. Fortunately HNS Signs’ workshop was just big enough to fit the bus! Once in, the whole HNS team literally got on board with the project and helped wrap the bus, staying late some evenings to stay on track. In fact, with the tight timeline, parts of the design were still being designed whilst other parts were being fitted, so multitasking and teamwork were paramount. “We’ve had a fantastic response to the vehicle,” said Joe Pycraft of Sadlers Ales. “It had a teriffic impact at the city social.”
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In The Industry Lightfair 2018 Sets Record
A New Digital Menu System
T
el Aviv, Israel—Canada’s Freshslice is dedicated to serving pizza at a “high quality and fair price,” and the restaurant has won the Consumers’ Choice Award for Business Excellence three years in a row. To continue their success and dedication to quality, Freshslice performed multiple market studies and determined that digital menu boards were necessary to create a modern image, better manage their menu, and improve their ability to spotlight new deals and promotions. Freshslice was using a Cloud-based digital signage system, but it was unreliable. Content would not correctly sync, and the Windows®-based media players would frequently burn out and need to be replaced. Freshslice needed to upgrade to a stable digital signage software platform. In addition, the new platform had to be easy to use and manage, and the system needed a secure, reliable alternative to a Windows media player. After doing a series of software evaluations, pilots, and hardware tests, Freshslice upgraded all 292 of the players to NoviSign’s Android media players and software. Due to NoviSign’s intuitive and reli10
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able Cloud-based digital signage software and online Design Studio, the nationwide upgrade was successfully deployed on time and with no major technical set-up issues. Throughout a thirty-day time period, Freshslice Corporate was able to successfully train all seventy-three restaurant owner/managers on how to use the new digital system. In comparison to the old system, Freshslice experienced a significant decrease in support-related questions, resulting in a substantial savings of time and a minimal need to involve the IT department. In comparison to the old media players, the NoviSign Android media players significantly reduced the cost of ownership, were compact, and were extremely reliable. In addition, Freshslice’s marketing department can now quickly and easily create content from scratch and/or customize existing templates using NoviSign’s software. “Making the switch to NoviSign was a great experience,” said Behrooz Rabiei, marketing manager at Freshslice. “Their cloud-based digital signage software is feature-rich, user-friendly, and extremely reliable.”
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Restaurant Delivers with
t l a n ta , G e o r g i a — LIGHTFAIR ® International ( L F I ®) s e t a r e c o r d a t McCormick Place in Chicago this past May 6-10 with the largest tradeshow floor spanning 285,600 net square feet and housing 600 exhibitors, including 66 first-time exhibiting companies and 136 manufacturers headquartered outside the U.S. LIGHTFAIR 2018’s registration of 28,075 also increased over last year. The number of registrants represented 85 countries. LFI’s expanded tradeshow floor featured a product mix of fortyseven categories. The Intelligent Lighting Pavilion and IoT Pavilion continued in their second year a n d d i sp l a ye d cu tti ng- edge products and solutions showcased in product presentations featuring technology and connectivity innovations. The 2018 LFI Conference curriculum offered 73 courses taught by 121 industry experts. Two keynotes headlined the 2018 LIGHTFAIR Institute® Pre-Conference—Danielle Feinberg of Pixar Animation Studios and Hugh Herr from the Biomechatronics group at the MIT Media Lab. The LFI Innovation Awards® also highlighted the industry’s most innovative products and designs. This year, the competition saw 238 entries from 108 exhibiting companies spanning 14 categories.
signshop.com
Sign Show ADHESIVES/TAPES New MACbond Tape Offers Exceptional Dual-performance Features Innovative, double-coated IB5121-72 tape Mactac® Industrial Tapes offers exceptional performance for applications that require a high initial tack and permanent bond to one surface and clean removal or repositionability from another surface. To achieve this application solution, MACbond IB5121-72 features Mactac’s aggressive 1.2-mil XT high-performance rubber adhesive on the unwind side of a 0.5-mil PET carrier and a unique 1.0-mil low-tack removable acrylic adhesive on the liner side. The dual-performance adhesive is protected by a two-side silicone-coated 72# bleached poly-coated, dimensionally stable liner. (800) 328-2619; mactac.com
DIGITAL PRINTing EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES Convert Any Epson Wide Format into a Sublimation Printer with Sublim8 Sublim8 inks from Absolute Inkjet, Inc., produce vivid color, have great fade resistance, and are supplied in ready-to-use cartridges and in bulk for use with refillable bulk ink systems. To ensure a smooth printer changeover, Sublim8 cleaning products and conversion guides are supplied, along with free ICC color profiles for accurate color. Sublim8 inks are available for most current and existing Epson wide format models including the SureColor P and T Series. (847) 827-0871; absoluteinkjet.com
Mimaki USA Announces UCJV300 Series Expansion Three new Mimaki USA printers—UCJV300-75, UCJV300-107, and UCJV300-130—are smaller footprint models with the same operational features of the larger, widely successful UCJV300-160. The new UCJV300 printers deliver a remarkable range of applications and versatility with four-layer printing (in addition to five-layer printing capabilities). With the capability of multilayer printing, each printer can deliver dynamic backlit graphics that are transformed with different light sources. The printers also utilize flexible UV inks that cure instantly, allowing customers to quickly print and immediately move to the finished product without waiting for drying. mimakiusa.com/UCJV300Series
LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS Plaskolite, LLC Acquires the Profile Lighting Business of Rotuba Extruders, Inc. Plaskolite’s acquisition of the Rotuba Profiles Lighting business expands Plaskolite’s already-thriving Profiles business and positions the company as the clear leader in the Profiles Lighting segment. The partnership allows Plaskolite to rapidly develop extruded profiles to meet the demands of LED lighting. As a part of the transaction, Plaskolite is acquiring Rotuba’s manufacturing operations in Linden, New Jersey. It has also been announced that Rotuba President Adam Bell will stay on to lead the Plaskolite Rotuba Profiles business. plaskolite.com
SloanLED’s New Lens Solution for Block Acrylic Signs and Small Channel Letters The SloanLED Prism Nano LED lighting system incorporates an elliptical optic that improves light coverage using fewer modules, making it the ideal solution for lighting one-inch solid block acrylic signs, small face-lit channel letters one to three inches in depth, and backlit halo letter applications. The system features elliptical optics in a broad range of color temperatures (3000K, 4000K, 5000K, 6500K, and 7200K) for bright, uniform illumination. A flexible design with individual modules allows sign makers to twist and turn it to quickly fit the contours of narrow or shallow letters for easy flat bends and sophisticated effects with minimal waste and without the need for soldering or PCB cutting. sloanled.com
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Sign Show POWER SUPPLIES/transformers Principal LED Launches New Qwik Box Collection, Power Supplies Principal LED is proud to announce the availability of its new and improved Qwik Box collection, as well as three new universal power supplies, to decrease installation time and offer versatility. The Qwik Boxes feature the same quality users have come to rely on and new features to simplify life. The boxes now come in a single and a double style. The new design includes convenient grounding lug location, smaller size option for tight spaces, and updated clearance spacing The new universal power supplies include 20W (12V), 36W (12V), and 96W (24V), and all three models feature universal input voltage 100~277 VAC, meet UL/CE/EMC/FCC/RHOC Certificate, and are potted in silicone. p-led.com/power
Ventex Technology’s Dimmer & Flasher is Back! Because dimming neon can “completely change the ambiance” and its flashing is “eye-catching,” Ventex Technology, LLC has brought back its neon dimmer/flasher for purchase. The VT-DF01 Dimmer/Flasher is only for use with the Ventex VT5520A-120F neon power supply. Features include full 0 to 100 percent dimming, up to 11,000-volt output (one controller will run two power supplies), and variable flasher speed. The company has also released a how-to video showing how to install and use the dimmer/flasher with its corresponding power supply. (803) 794-8061; ventextech.com
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August 2018
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Sign Show ROUTERS/ENGRAVERS AXYZ International Acquires WARDJet Waterjet Cutting Systems CNC router and knife cutting systems manufacturer AXYZ International recently acquired WARDJet and its versatile, floor space-saving X-1530 waterjet machine. Engineered from the ground up, the X-1530 provides superior speed, accuracy, and strength. Waterjets can handle greater thicknesses and the harder materials that CNC routers aren’t able to cut. Materials commonly cut with waterjet machines include alloys, steels, laminates, composites, plastics, acrylics, rubber, gaskets, fiberglass, and glass. This expanded ability gives AXYZ customers broader access to cutting technologies and opens up additional opportunities for them. axyz.com; wardjet.com
SIGN FACES Envisioning 3M’s Newest Innovation for Backlit Signage 3M has launched an extra-wide, 197-inch version of 3M™ Envision™ Flexible Substrate FS-1. This addition allows shops to create larger, brighter sign faces, while reducing the need for seams. The Envision FS-1 line of flexible substrates—which now comes in roll widths ranging from 59 inches to 197 inches—is engineered to be more light transmissive and energy efficient because it requires fewer LEDs to achieve the desired luminosity. The 3M™ Panagraphics™ III Wide Width Flexible Substrate—typically recommended for fluorescent light sources—is also available in 59-inch to 197-inch wide rolls. Envision FS-1 flexible substrates offer multiple decoration options, including cut vinyl as well as direct print. 3m.com/envisionfs1
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Sign Show SOFTWARE-DESIGN/PRINT/ROUTER/ESTIMATING Onyx Graphics Announces the Global Availability of ONYX 18 The latest release of ONYX 18 gives users a new color experience, while bringing consistency, reliability, and power to a print environment. It includes new color technologies for color accuracy, consistency, and conformance to standards such as G7 and Fogra. Some highlights of ONYX 18 include ColorCheck, a new process control tool set that enables print service providers to guarantee color accuracy as well as ensure consistency of output across devices; AccuBoost, an iterative ICC profiling technique for pinpoint accuracy of ICC profiles; and the latest Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE 4.8), which accelerates processing for patterns and soft masks. onyxgfx.com
VINYL/VINYL FILMS/SUPPLIES RENOLIT Introduces New Non-phthalate Films American RENOLIT Corp (ARC) has released more environmentally friendly non-phthalate versions of its innovative, high-quality range of digital printing films, suitable for every usual indoor and outdoor printing application. ARC’s digital printing films deliver perfect printability through a variety of printing methods and ink types, have superior color resistance, and feature an outstanding opacity. Both the matte and very-high-gloss versions can be custom embossed (which is unique within the industry). Available in a range of thicknesses and flexibilities—from soft to rigid—the films are low shrinkage, have excellent lay flat properties, and ensure quality and specification consistency across batches. calenderedfilm.com
The Ultimate Printing Machine
Mutoh’s line of wide-format, industrial grade, ValueJet prints are made in Japan and are engineered with precision accuracy. Our priority is what lies under the hood and not what meets the eye. ValueJets produce the most vivid and highest quality output designed to withstand years and years of heavy print production. Your business deserves the best, and the best is what we do - we guarantee it! With 60 years in business, Mutoh is the most experienced manufacturer. Over 22 printer models in Eco-Solvent, Dye-Sub, Textile and UV-LED options. Top rated customer support.
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August 2018
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How To
MARKETING By JIM HINGST
Getting Social Where social media fits in your marketing plan.
M
ore than 95 percent of consumers and business people go online to search for information about products and services. A high percentage of these searches ultimately result in purchases. That’s good news if you have an active online presence—but not so much if your visibility is limited. Social media platforms—such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest—can play an important role in your marketing plan. In fact, they can contribute to your sales and profit goals. Make no mistake about it though: Social media will not build a personal relationship for you. And it will not make the sale for you in a business in which you are making a custom product (a sign, environmental graphics, a vehicle wrap, etc.). On the other hand, social media platforms can: • Attract attention to your company; • Drive traffic to your Web site and/or blog; • Strengthen your company’s branding; 16
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• Stimulate interest in your products and services; • Reinforce your messaging across a range of channels; and • Position you and your company as an authority in your field.
social media can strengthen your branding and drive traffic to your web site or online blog. The primary purpose of any of these marketing tools is to get you face-toface, belly-to-belly with the prospect. Only then can you begin to understand his or her needs and problems and start to develop a true relationship between
What Are Your Social Media Goals? I am all for charging head first into a project. Doing so prevents procrastination. Your enthusiasm, however, should be tempered with some soul searching. You need to answer the big “why” of social media before you do anything else. I get it. Social media is the cool thing to do. But it is also an activity that can easily divert your time and energy from other, more productive business activities. On the other hand, used properly, social media channels allow you to reach your target markets for minimal cost. What’s important is that your goals for each of these platforms are specific, measureable, and relevant. Your presence on different social media channels should be just one piece in your sales and marketing plan. Social media is not a be-all-and-end-all to generating sales and profit. What you must determine is how your social media activities align with your other sales and marketing objectives. With each activity that you initiate, you should ask yourself how it will help you achieve your marketing goals. As part of your overall marketing strategy, social media can play a powerful role by strengthening your branding and driving traffic to your Web site or blog. Greater online visibility will contribute to higher retention of existing customers and generate new opportunities that get you face-to-face with prospects, resulting in profitable sales. “By using different platforms, such as signshop.com
Photo: Shutterstock/ Rawpixel.com.
one human being and another. The very nature of a sign shop or graphics provider requires an intimate understanding of the customer’s business objectives so you can craft a unique solution that solves his or her problems. Your ability to provide value to your customers will determine the degree to which your business is successful.
STRAIGHT
TO YOUR
INBOX SBI Update, Sign Builder Illustrated’s e-newsletter, delivers the latest hot topics and news from around the sign industry right to your email.
What’s the hot topic this month? Sign up at www.signshop.com to receive the newsletter and find out! fb.com/SBIMag
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How To
MARKETING By JIM HINGST
ing activity responsibilities. Step two: Faithfully execute that plan. As you are putting your plan in action, you should track your activity on each social media channel, as well as record the responses that you generate.
Step three: Regularly evaluate your results and adjust the plan accordingly. This third step is the most important part of the process, because in essence, evaluation is where learning and improvement occurs.
Photo: Shutterstock/ Twin Design
Facebook and Twitter, we can efficiently and cost-effectively broadcast our message when we introduce new products or rebadge current products under the new brand,” says George Marsh, vice president of Marketing for FDC Graphic Films, Inc., in South Bend, Indiana. “While we sell strictly to distributors, our social media efforts are primarily directed at the sign shops and printers that they serve. “Our goal is to create a grass roots demand for our products, which we can pull through our distribution partners.” Once you have decided upon your marketing objectives and messaging, make sure that your employees are aware of the company’s sales and marketing strategy and the role that social media plays in it. The larger your organization becomes, the more important it is that everyone understands the company’s objectives and works together to achieve a common goal. The secret to developing a successful social media marketing strategy is to adhere to a three-step procedure: Step one: Take the time to carefully develop a plan. This plan should include a schedule for posting and assign-
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How To
MARKETING By JIM HINGST
In your evaluation process, you need to compile the analytics of the social media platform; establish what went right; determine what went wrong and why; and finally, conclude how you should revise your plan so you can im-
prove your results. In analyzing the effectiveness of your social media efforts, you may also want to solicit any input from your outside sales people and other employees that interact with your customers.
Maintaining a Consistent Image Each social media platform uses a different layout. As best you can, you should strive to project a consistent company image across all of the social media platforms you utilize. Use the same user name so it is easy for customers and prospects to find you online. You should also use the same profile photo, header photo, bio, and business imagery. What’s more, you should deliver a consistent message in both tone and content. Brand consistency is important because you want to project a unique identity that will attract attention and leave your site visitor with a favorable and memorable visual impression. To achieve a stunning visual identity across all of your social media platforms, you should use similar colors, fonts, layouts and imagery. These graphical elements should also be visually consistent with your Web site, blog, email communication, and traditional print media. Conclusion In developing a social media strategy for your business, the first rule is to establish a clear objective for your efforts. To my way of thinking, that prime objective for a sign business or printer is generating sales leads that ultimately lead to sales. As a business, you want your prospects to take action and contact you. Leads result in sales and ultimately affect your bottom line. All other goals, such as improving your company image or establishing yourself as a bona-fide industry authority, are secondary and should support the primary goal of lead generation. Next month, I will post in-depth information about the best type of content that should be posted on each of the major social media platforms.
Be sure to follow Sign Builder Illustrated on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn: @SBiMag.
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Feature VINYL GRAPHICS Name By jeff Author wooten
Wrapping Through HOOPS OO Vinyl see-thru graphics are a slam dunk in L.A.
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building wraps, digital spectaculars, experiential graphics, transit advertising, etc.). The firm has a good working relationship with the NBA and delivered these “allstar” results with well crafted and well placed Nike advertisements promoting this achievement. Landmark-scale graphics were applied to eight walls of the all-glass facade of the JW Marriott building, a four-star hotel and an iconic part of the L.A. skyline adjacent to the Staples Center and the 110 Freeway. The wraps featured Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook and the instantly recognizable Jumpman logo. And talk about visibility and exposure! The graphics were featured several times in aerial TV footage, and they could also be seen by countless thousands from the highway and the LA Live Plaza. The deadline for putting these graphics up in time for All-Star Game festivities was going to be pretty tight, so Elite Media reached out to BPGraphics (bpgraphics.com). The Phoenix, Arizona-based print company has worked with Elite Media for three years now, enjoying an excellent relationship with them. “Los Angeles is kind of a small jump from our production facilities in Phoenix, so because of our proximity, we were able to land this contract,” says BPGraphics Account Ex-
ecutive Jeff Fischer. BPGraphics started out as Billboard Poster Company back in 1961, however, realizing that they had eventually increased their large format output to expand further into other print opportunities, they changed their name to reflect this in the early 2000s. Today BPGraphics boasts a combined 66,000 square feet of production and office space (most of that production). “We have about eighty employees now and print everything from out-of-home to event venue to retail to fleet graphics,” says Co-Owner Curt Carpenter. “We run the full gamut of digital inkjet, dye sublimation, and screen printing.” Fischer met with Elite Media and the installers to perform site surveys. Because the project did not permit covering the window mullions, these measurements resulted in seamless graphics for Nike that followed the specs of the building exactly. By starting the project with the correct mechanical specifications, timely delays associated with reprints and installation issues were avoided. The key to this project’s success was the hyper-accurate design templates that BPGraphics created in partnership with the Elite Media-selected install team.
Photos: Elite Media, Inc.
ational Basketball Association (NBA) players are already some of the most larger-than-life athletes in the world, so when it came time for the organization’s annual All-Star Game this past February at the Staples Center in already-star-studded Los Angeles, California, the league recognized the event as a fast break of promotional opportunities. For starters, the two participating teams (selected by team captains after tabulating fan, media, and player votes) would be playing for community-base organizations of their choice. (Note: LeBron James’s winning team was awarded $350,000, while Stephen Curry’s team netted $150,000.) Since this year’s game would also mark the unveiling of the first-ever Jordan Brand NBA All-Star Edition uniforms, the league and Nike knew large-scale promotional graphics featuring these new jerseys would be a head-turner ideal for a big game benefitting a good cause. However the ads had to deliver a lasting impression while only remaining visible for two weeks (including installation and removal). Elite Media, Inc. (elitemediainc.com) of Las Vegas bills itself as being able to “bring big ideas to life” for major events in cities across the country (oversized
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“We created a design template in InDesign for them based on the measurements of the windows and the buildings,” says Fischer. “We do a lot of these at 1:24-scale, which is our standard for outdoor and larger buildings. “From this, we let them know that we needed image resolution to be about 600-
to 800-dpi, to reproduce properly.” The installation was scheduled to take place the weekend before the All-Star Game, with removal taking place the day after it. And there were lots of windows to cover. The biggest of the ads measured 25,600 square feet, which basically equated to roughly 1,104 printed panels. BPGraphics output a little over 80,000 square feet of Contra Vision® 30 percent perforated window film for this project. They chose this film because it delivered both a clear view through for people inside the hotel and image detail for those on the ground. It was also designed to support the clean removal of the film afterwards with no trace of any adhesive. Installation time was decreased by precutting all the graphics on a computercontrolled plotter and tagging the printed material with grid locations. “Sometimes when doing a building wrap, whether a window perf or a solid vinyl, we’ll do them in twenty-foot or thirtyfoot drops, and those will cover the mul-
lions going down” says Carpenter. “With the requirement here to not cover the mullions, that method couldn’t be used, and we had to trim the graphics for each individual window.” This latter step included a matching grid map of where each panel was to be installed to ensure the final image was re-built to sequence. “That’s part of the template because we weren’t going to be covering the mullions,” says Fischer, “but we still had to show the designers the mullions so no face or eye would be going through it.” The material was printed on BPGraphics’ family of HP Latex 3600 series printers. Carpenter says that, on their production floor, they use pretty much every technology that’s available to produce large format—UV flatbed and roll-toroll, latex, dye-sublimation, screen print, etc.—and that his company has been very satisfied with the advancements in panel-to-panel color matching that HP has made to their latex presses over the years
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since its introduction. “It’s very fast and can now maintain consistent color over a large area,” he says. “And the ink is very flexible, which works well for self-adhesive graphics such as these.” The total print time logged somewhere between 190 to 200 hours, but since BPGraphics used multiple HP printers, actual production days were less than that. Once printed, the BPGraphics team kit-packed all the graphics according to the installation location on pallets and included all the grid maps for easy unboxing and installation. Because their scaffold stages were only so wide, the graphics were packed as columns going up and down instead of left and right. “The installers would start in the upper left corner of an ad and go all the way down,” says Fischer. “Then they’d do four or five columns at a time and move their stage over and continue to do the ad left to right.” Installers used only squeegees to apply the perforated vinyl graphics to the windows and walls. “We knew they would be
on small scaffold stages,” says BPGraphics Marketing Director Nicholas Spade, “so we packaged these rolls like a box of Kleenex® that they could easily pull from and save them space. Each graphic had the grid number printed on it, and we rolled them in such a way that these were easily visible.” Fisher says they produced the graphics for the biggest wall first and shipped half of it to the installers. “It was so big that they started work on installing it, while we finished the other half shortly afterwards and overnighted to them to continue,” he says. “After that, we shipped the remaining walls as complete graphics.” Carpenter says that, when it comes to large-scale jobs such as this, project management and communication with the client is essential. “[Fisher] is very excellent at this, because he comes from a production background before moving into sales. He knows that there’s more to the success of a job than just selling,” says Carpenter.
“He was always in contact with the client about any concerns they had and let them know everything would be printed and installed in time.” One such example of this is when Chad McCullough (the owner of Elite Media) conducted a quick conference call with Fischer and the installer at eleven o’clock at night after the first day of install. “We were able to solve the obstacle very quickly because of this, so it is kind of like you have to sleep with these jobs until they’re done,” laughs Fischer. Spade points out that his company has a proprietary online customer portal for proofing and job tracking. “This allows clients to view proofs online, see where the project is at in production, and track their shipments,” he says. In the end, BPGraphics and Elite Media came through with All-Star building graphics that proved a real slam dunk! Note: Portions of this article appeared in a previously written press release.
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Are You Getting the Most From Your Large Format Printer? It is often said that fortune favors the brave. From a business perspective, this would suggest that a sense of optimism and general willingness to explore new things and try an approach different from the norm can improve prosperity. SAi is partner to some of the industry’s foremost large format print manufacturers and, with our efficiency-enhancing software representing the “brains,” I’m constantly amazed at the everexpanding gamut of graphic arts applications achievable. If you really push the envelope and explore new print substrates, techniques, and applications that currently fall outside your area of
focus, then you stand a far greater chance of securing repeat business from existing customers while attracting new ones. If you’re ready to take your operations to the next level, going from roll-fed into flatbed production (or vice versa) is a sound move that won’t take you too far into the unknown. If you’re not ready for that, then ask yourself if you can get more out of your existing device(s). For example, if you already have that flatbed, it’s worth experimenting with more “unusual” substrates like wood, metal, or glass to access new opportunities. Other “off-the-wall” applications could lead to more lucrative business, especially if you
From easy-to-change, direct-print magnetic graphic systems to a wide selection of powerful fastening magnets, we have it all.
develop a niche offering. It’s logical that brand or marketing managers will be seeking to maximize the value of their promotional budgets. Who wouldn’t want to liven up the visual appeal of their campaigns with creative, eyecatching results that better grab the attention of their audiences? Just as with life, isn’t business about seizing new opportunities— sharpening your competitive edge and injecting a level of versatility into your offerings that ensures a more extensive and attractive proposition to customers? As they say, fortune favors the brave. —Michelle Johnson, Marketing Manager at SAi
Rely on Master Magnetics for competitive pricing, fast delivery and expert advice. We’ll help your projects stay on time and budget.
To learn more, go to magnetsource.com/one or call 800.525.3536
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SIGN BUILDER
ILLUSTRATED
Photo: Digital Place Solutions/NanoLumens.
See Our Listing On Page 28
BUYER’S GUIDE AT-A-GLANCE
COMPANIES The following companies are arranged alphabetically. These companies provide a variety of services or manufacture/supply sign making equipment, supplies, and/or finished signs. AXYZ International - Los Angeles 2910 E La Palma Ave Unit A Anaheim, CA 92806 Phone: 714 974-6200 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com
Phone: 305 887-7500 Fax: 305 887-2300 E-mail: sales@awt-gpi.com Web Site: www.awt-gpi.com
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
4321 N Knox Ave Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 773 777-7100 Fax: 773 777-0909 E-mail: sales@awtworldtrade.com Web Site: www.awt-gpi.com Michael Green, Pres Bryan Green, National Sales Mgr
A.W.T. World Trade, Inc. is the world leader in the screen printing equipment industry, combining stateof-the-art engineering expertise with outstanding customer service to provide quality, consistency, & value to screen printers for more than 40 years. Designed for maximum productivity & engineered for years of reliable performance, A.W.T.’s complete line of screen printing equipment, accessories, parts & supplies delivers unrivaled convenience while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy & image quality. PRODUCTS: Digital Imaging - UV Curing Systems; Dryers; Drying and Storage Racks; Heat Transfer - Equipment; Ink Screen Printing; Ink - UV Curable; Neon - Vacuum Pumps; Pad Printing - Equipment; Printers - Flat Bed; Routers - Vacuum Tables; Safety Equipment; Screen Printing - Equipment/Accessories; Screen Printing - Exposure Units; Screen Printing - Flash Dryers; Screen Printing - Floodbars; Screen Printing - Pallets; Screen Printing - Presses - Manual; Screen Printing - Scoop Coater; Screen Printing - Screen Cleaning - Biodegradable Cleaners; Screen Printing - Screen Cleaning - Equipment; Screen Printing Screen Washers; Screen Printing - Squeegees; Screen Printing Supplies; Screen Printing - Tensioning Table; Screen Printing - UV Curing Systems; Screens - Drying Cabinet Additional Offices: A.W.T. World Trade - Florida 8984 NW 105 Way Medley, FL 33178 signshop.com
AXYZ International - Tampa 1911 N US 301 Ste 200 Tampa, FL 33619 Phone: 813 620-3105 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com
AXYZ International Inc.
5324 S Service Rd Burlington, ON CAN, L7L 5H5 Phone: 905 634-4940 Toll Free: 800 361-3408 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com
AXYZ International - Atlanta 1865 Corporate Dr Ste 225 Norcross, GA 30093 Phone: 678 381-2300 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com
AXYZ International is a leading global manufacturer of CNC router, waterjet, and knife cutting systems. Our machines are capable of cutting nearly any material imaginable and are utilized in a broad range of industries and applications, including sign making and digital finishing. Founded in 1990, AXYZ International has over 25 years of experience and offers a global network of sales and service locations that spans 5 countries. PRODUCTS: Cutters/Plotters - Blades/Knives; Cutters/Plotters - Foam Cutters; Cutters/Plotters - Rotary; Cutters/ Plotters - Routers; Cutters/Plotters - Software; Dimensional Signs - Routers/Engravers; Engraving Machines; Engraving - Tools; Routers - Accessories; Routers - Bits; Routers - CNC; Routers - Software; Routers - Vacuum Tables; Saws - Panel; Software - 3-D; Software - CAD; Software - CAM; Tools - Cutting; Tools - Panel Saws; Vinyl - CNC Tooling; Vinyl - Tools; Waterjet Machines CAD Routers; Waterjet Machines Cutting Equipment Additional Offices: AXYZ International - Calgary 401 - 4615 - 112 Ave SE Calgary, AB CAN, T2C 5C5 Phone: 403 236-4464 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com
AXYX International - New Jersey 24 World’s Fair Dr Ste D Somerset, NJ 08873 Phone: 732 469-1720 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYZ International - Cincinnati 2844 E Kemper Rd Cincinnati, OH 45241 Phone: 513 771-7444 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYZ International - Montreal 1305 Boulevard Dagenais Ouest Laval, QC CAN, H7L 5Z9 Phone: 450 624-9898 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com
CrystalTek
1016 Windward Ridge Pkwy Alpharetta, GA 30005 Phone: 770 643-8501 Toll Free: 866 485-5202 Fax: 770 643-8820 E-mail: info@crystaltek.us.com Web Site: www.crystaltek.us.com Amanda Walker, Sales Mgr At CrystalTek™, we manufacture and distribute an environmental line of non-toxic, biodegradable products that work. Our signage product line
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COMPANIES includes a variety of specialized products designed to remove multiple types of vinyl safely. PRODUCTS: Adhesives - Remover; Chemicals/ Solutions - Environmental; Chemicals/ Solutions - Vinyl; Chemicals/Solutions - Wrap Application/Removal; Vinyl Removal Tool
www.dsavisualdisplays.com Connie Macias, Sales Mgr PRODUCTS: LED - Illumination; Outdoor Signs Menu Boards; Signage - Directory Illuminated
EstiMate Software Corp
Custom Foam Fabricators
125 Cecil Ct Fayetteville, GA 30214 Phone: 770 631-4086 Toll Free: 866 412-3626 Fax: 770 631-4048 E-mail: sales@ customfoamfabricators.com Web Site: www. customfoamfabricators.com Kristin Babb Chris Babb
Custom Foam Fabricators is a leading manufacturer of impact-resistant, maintenance-free foamcore signs, wall-mounted sign panels, columns, column caps, and architectural accents. We are wholesale to the sign industry only. PRODUCTS: Architectural Signs; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Dimensional Signs Carved; Dimensional Signs - General; Dimensional Signs - Monuments; Dimensional Signs - Ornamental; Dimensional Signs - Wholesale; Letters - Foam; Outdoor Signs - 3-D; Sign Blanks - Foam; Sign Blanks Polystyrene; Signs - Carved; Signs Dimensional; Wholesalers
DSA Phototech
16961 Central Ave Carson, CA 90746 Phone: 310 537-5000 Toll Free: 800 327-3723 Fax: 310 537-7060 E-mail: sales@dsaphototech.com Web Site: 28
Sign Builder Illustrated
1959 N Peace Haven Rd #334 Winston-Salem, NC 27106-4850 Phone: 888 304-3300 Fax: 866 764-4887 E-mail: customerservice@ estimatesoftware.com Web Site: www.EstiMateSoftware. com Nancy Peterson, VP of Ops PRODUCTS: Software - Estimating/Pricing
FASTENation, Inc. HQ
120 Brighton Rd Unit 2 Clifton, NJ 07012-1666 Phone: 800 876-9922 Fax: 800 758-5424 E-mail: cmetten@fastenation.com Web Site: www.fastenation.com Todd Young, Sr Sales Rep Corey Williamson, Sr Sales Rep FASTENation, Inc. is the premier manufacturer, converter, & global distributor of fasteners from Velcro USA Inc., 3M™, Glue Dots® International, SilverTape®, & FASTENfoam® Adhesive Backed Foam Tapes. Servicing more than 50 countries for nearly two decades, FASTENation, Inc., provides innovative ways to fasten products together for many industries. Offering the largest in-stock product selection available nationwide, FASTENation Inc. can easily convert, fabricate & manufacture to any customer specification.
2018 Buyer’s Guide
PRODUCTS: Adhesives - Foam; Adhesives - High Strength; Adhesives - Laminating; Adhesives - Pressure Sensitive; Adhesives - Structural; Adhesives Tapes; Adhesives - Transfers; Anchors/ Fasteners; Banners - Grommets; Banners - Hem Reinforcing Tape; Fasteners; Maintenance - Adhesives; Masking Materials - Spray; Masking Materials - Tape; Straps - Cable Management; Tape - Foam; Tape - Hook & Loop; Tape - Maskant; Tape - Transfer; Tools - Cutting; Vinyl - Application Solutions; Welding Equipment Additional Offices: Fastenation, Inc. - Sales / Mktg Office 234 Seven Farms Dr Ste 213 Daniel Island, SC 29492 Phone: 843 606-9600 Fax: 843 606-9633 E-mail: cmettan@fastenation.com Web Site: www.fastenation.com
Howard Industries
6400 Howard Dr Fairview, PA 16415 Phone: 814 833-7000 Toll Free: 800 458-0591 Fax: 814 838-0011 E-mail: sales@howardindustries.com Web Site: www.howardindustries.com Bill Freeman, VP of Architectural Sales Steve Main, Sales Rep PRODUCTS: ADA - Raster Braille w/Applied Lettering; Aluminum - Extrusions; Architectural Signs; Braille; Dimensional Signs - Acrylic; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Dimensional Signs - Channel Letters; Dimensional Signs - Extrusions; Dimensional Signs - Monuments; Dimensional Signs - Wholesale; Electric Signs - Custom; Electric Signs - General; Extrusions - Aluminum; Letters - Aluminum; Letters - Channel; Letters - Laser Cut; Monuments; Sign signshop.com
COMPANIES Cabinets - Extrusions; Sign Cabinets - Illuminated; Sign Cabinets - Kits; Signage - Directory - Illuminated; Signage - Directory - NonIlluminated; Signs - ADA; Signs Dimensional; Signs - Illuminated; Signs - Kits; Signs - Systems; Wholesalers Additional Offices: Design Stone Signs by Howard Industries 6400 Howard Dr Fairview, PA 16415 Phone: 877 463-7000 Fax: 814 835-6908 E-mail: billf@designstonesigns.com Web Site: www.designstonesigns.com
ImageOne Impact
29962 Ave De Las Banderas Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Phone: 949 709-7788 Toll Free: 800 818-0222 Fax: 949 709-7790 E-mail: customerservice@ image1impact.com Web Site: www.image1impact.com Frank De Leone, Pres Dave Harris, VP / GM Manufacturer and supplier of the highest quality sign mounting, installation, & banner hanging systems. We also provide safety tools, cutting equipment, panel saws, banner finishing tools and installer tools; everything to make your job faster, safer and easier. Visit our website to learn more or to become an authorized dealer. PRODUCTS: Adhesives - Tapes; Banners - Display Systems; Banners - General Supplies; Banners - Grommet Machines; Banners - Grommets; Banners - Mounting Hardware; Banners - Pole Brackets; Banners - Track Kits; Chemicals/Solutions - Wrap Application/Removal; Cutters/ Trimmers - Manual; Drying and Storage Racks; Exhibit Booths Portable; Exhibit Booths - Tabletop signshop.com
Displays; Grommets; Installation Hardware; Masking Materials - Tape; Neon - Training - Videos; Safety Rulers; Sign Hanging Hardware; Sign Stands; Signs - Frames - A-Frame Sandwich Boards; Slitting Equipment; Tape - Foam; Tools - Cutting; Vinyl Application Solutions; Vinyl - Racks; Vinyl - Removal Tool; Vinyl - Tools
Bases; Magnetic - Blanks; Magnetic - Rolls; Magnetic - Sheet; Magnetic - Stock; Sign Blanks - Magnetic; Sign Hanging Hardware; Sign Holders
Nekoosa
Magnum Magnetics Corp
801 Masonic Park Rd Marietta, OH 45750 Phone: 740 373-7770 Toll Free: 800 258-0991 Fax: 740 373-2880 E-mail: sales@magmag.com Web Site: www.magnummagnetics.com Neil Hawkins, Sales & Svc Mgr Magnum Magnetics provides highquality flexible magnetic sheet, strip and custom profiles made in the USA at competitive prices and supported by superior customer service. We offer a variety of direct-printable magnetic media to work on most popular commercial printers, including digital, inkjet, and offset presses. It's Easy to Print MagnetsÂŽ! PRODUCTS: Magnetic - Rolls; Magnetic - Sheet; Magnetic - Stock
841 Market St Nekoosa, WI 54457 Phone: 800 826-4886 E-mail: marketing@nekoosa.com Web Site: www.nekoosa.com Dennis Barbaro, VP PRODUCTS: Banners - Polyester; Digital Imaging Inkjet; Digital Imaging - Large Format; Digital Imaging - Media; Digital Imaging - Overlaminates; Digital Imaging - Wide Format; Film - Clear; Film - Polycarbonate; Film - Polyester; Film - Pressure Sensitive; Film Printable; Film - Window Graphics; Floor Graphics; Magnetic - Sheet; Paper - Synthetic; Plastics - Acrylic; Plastics - Polycarbonate; Plastics Polyester; Plastics - Polypropylene; Substrates - Printable; Tape Application Additional Offices: 1650 Corporate Rd W Lakewood, NJ 08701 6 Ingersoll Rd South Plainsfield, NJ 07080 4855-D W Harmon Ave Las Vegas, NV 89103
Master Magnetics, Inc.
747 S Gilbert St Castle Rock, CO 80104 Phone: 800 525-3536 E-mail: flexsales@magnetsource.com Web Site: www.magnetsource.com Melissa Thompson, Sales Mgr
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
Master Magnetics, Inc., features a robust line of magnetic assemblies, flexible magnetic & magnetic receptive sheeting, & strip in a range of thicknesses & laminates. PRODUCTS: Badges; Banners - General Supplies; Channel Letters - Tools; Fasteners; Magnetic - Assemblies; Magnetic -
13856 Bettencourt St Cerritos, CA 90703 Phone: 562 777-1810 Toll Free: 800 821-4264 Fax: 562 777-1811 E-mail: nciusa@nikkalite.com Web Site: www.nikkalite.com George Tamayori
PRODUCTS: Banners - Vinyl; Car - Car-Top Signs; Car - Decals; Car - License Plates; Film - Clear; Film - Pressure Sensitive; Film - Printable; Film - Reflective; Film
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COMPANIES - Vinyl; Fluorescent - Films; Letters Vinyl Additional Offices: Nippon Carbide Industries 3740 N Josey St Ste 210E Carrolton, TX 75007 Phone: 972 394-3800 Fax: 972 394-3801 E-mail: cbond@nikkalite.com Web Site: www.nikkalite.com
Nova Polymers, Inc
PO Box 1305 Fairfield, NJ 07007 Phone: 888 484-6682 E-mail: info@novapolymers.com Web Site: www.novapolymers.com Dave Miller, Managing Dir Bob Greenberger, Dir of Sales PRODUCTS: ADA - Photopolymer Signage; Adhesives - Tapes; Architectural Signs; Associations; Braille; Consultants - ADA; Consultants - Marketing; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Dimensional Signs - Wholesale; Equipment Leasing; Film - Inkjet; Film - Thermal; Heat Transfer - Heat Press Machines; Ink - UV Curable; Inkjet Equipment - Printers; Leasing and Finance; Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Shears; Plastics Photopolymer Material; Printers Inkjet; Screen Printing - Equipment/ Accessories; Screens - Nylon Mesh Fabric; Signs - ADA; Software - ADA/ Braille; Software - RIP
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control
10108 Industrial Dr Pineville, NC 28134 Phone: 704 376-8111 Toll Free: 800 779-7947 Fax: 704 376-1990 E-mail: frank@ornamentalpost.com Web Site: www.ornamentalpost.com John Iyoob, Pres Frank Iyoob, Sales Mgr 30
Sign Builder Illustrated
We offer wholesale custom sign fabrication, Slat Signs Systems, Post & Panel Systems, Box Signs, Decorative Traffic Control, Wayfinding Signs, Banner Frames & Arms, Hanging Brackets, Sign Holders, Routed PVC & HDU, Poles, Bases, Finials, Fabrication from your drawings, and much, much more. Be sure to see our catalog at www.ornamentalpost.com PRODUCTS: Aluminum - Blanks; Aluminum Castings; Architectural Signs; Banners - Mounting Hardware; Banners Pole Brackets; Castings - Aluminum; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Dimensional Signs - Carved; Dimensional Signs - HDU; Dimensional Signs - Monuments; Dimensional Signs - Ornamental; Dimensional Signs - Routers/Engravers; Dimensional Signs - Wholesale; Finials - General; Finials - Ornamental; Frames - Large Format; Frames - Real Estate; Letters - Aluminum; Letters - PVC; MetalFabricating Equipment - Custom Metal Fabrication; Monuments; Outdoor Signs - Poles; Poles Sign; Poles - Traffic; Sign Blanks Aluminum; Sign Cabinets - Extrusions; Sign Cabinets - Kits; Sign Companies & Contractors; Sign Frames; Sign Hanging Hardware; Sign Holders; Sign Panels; Sign Stands; Signage - Directory - Non-Illuminated; Signs - Carved; Signs - Dimensional; Signs Kits; Signs - Systems; Signs - Traffic
PRODUCTS: Dimensional Signs - Acrylic; Extrusions - Aluminum; LED - Illumination; LED - LED Architectural Lighting; Letters Plastic; Outdoor Signs - 3-D; Plastics - Acrylic; Plastics - Polycarbonate; Sign Blanks - Plastic; Sign Cabinets - Extrusions; Sign Cabinets Illuminated; Sign Faces - Pan
Signs By Benchmark
401 Pheasant Ridge Dr Watertown, SD 57201 Phone: 605 886-8084 Toll Free: 800 658-3444 Fax: 605 886-8099 E-mail: signinfo@benchmarkfom.com Web Site: www.signsbybenchmark.com Craig Wien, Sales PRODUCTS: Architectural Signs; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Dimensional Signs - Carved; Dimensional Signs - Monuments; Dimensional Signs - Wholesale; Monuments; Outdoor Signs - Sculptures; Plastics - Polystyrene; Sign Blanks - Exterior Panel; Sign Blanks - Foam; Sign Blanks - Polystyrene; Signage - Letters; Signs - Dimensional
Techno CNC Systems
Quality Manufacturing Inc
969 La Bore Industrial Ct St. Paul, MN 55110-5114 Phone: 651 484-5473 Toll Free: 800 243-5473 Fax: 651 483-1101 E-mail: qualitymfg@ qualitymanufacturing.com Web Site: www. qualitymanufacturing.com John Hoffman, VP
Quality Manufacturing, Inc., specializing in pan faces (Q.M.I.), is your one-stop wholesale sign supplier. Complete signs of all types. Channel Letters, White Pan Faces, Decorated Pan Faces, Custom 3D Faces, Special Shape Pan Embossed Faces, Hemispheres, Domes, Prisms, & more. Call us Today
2018 Buyer’s Guide
29 Trade Zone Dr Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 Phone: 631 648-7481 E-mail: technosales@technocnc.com Web Site: www.technocnc.com Techno CNC Systems: CNC routers for all small and large production companies and budgets. Techno routers produce ultra smooth edge finish in all plastics. Multiple sizes and configurations available for all plastic routing applications, including nested-based sheet processing, and trimming. Make sure to request a FREE quote online or learn more about the vast product offerings at www. technocnc.com. PRODUCTS: Cutters/Plotters - Routers; Cutters/ Plotters - Software; Dimensional Signs - Routers/Engravers; Engraving signshop.com
COMPANIES - Conventional; Engraving - Laser; Engraving - Machines; Engraving - Rotary; Engraving - Tools; Laser Shop Services; Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Custom Metal Fabrication; Neon - Controllers - with software; Outdoor Signs - Heavy Equipment; Rotators; Routers Accessories; Routers - Bits; Routers CNC; Routers - Conventional; Routers - Laser; Routers - Software; Routers - Vacuum Tables; Safety Equipment; Software - CAD; Software - CAM; Software - Engraving; Software Routing
Vantage LED USA
1930 S Vineyard Ave Ontario, CA 91761 Phone: 888 595-3956 Toll Free: 888 595-3956 Fax: 888 595-3959 E-mail: dealers@vantageled.com Web Site: www.vantageled.com Josie Salitrero, National Sales Mgr A unified team disrupting a multibillion dollar digital signage industry by designing & delivering innovative LED displays driven by revolutionary 100% cloud-based software backed by real human support, strong resources, amazing relationships, & smart business. 7 year parts warranty, 7 year onsite service, custom content creation, automated Amber alerts, IS09001 Certified, & more. With Your Life, Make An Impact. PRODUCTS: Billboards; Consultants - Digital Signage; Electronic Messaging - LCD; Electronic Messaging - LED; Electronic Messaging - Scrolling Price Displays; Electronic Messaging - Time/ Temperature; Electronic Messaging - Video Billboards; LED - Electronic Signs; LED - Gas Price Changers; LED - Hospitality Price Changers; LED - Networked Messaging Systems; LED - Video; LED - Video Billboards; Message Boards - LED Illuminated; Message Boards - Systems; Outdoor Signs - Billboards; Scoreboards; Signage - Electronic; Signs - LED; Signs - Scrolling; Traffic Signs
signshop.com
Vision Engraving & Routing Systems
17621 N Black Canyon Hwy Phoenix, AZ 85023 Phone: 602 439-0600 Toll Free: 888 637-1737 Fax: 602 391-2288 E-mail: sales@visionengravers.com Web Site: www.visionengravers.com Mike Colcord, Acct Exec Leslie Calhoun, Acct Exec
Proudly made in the USA, Vision Engraving & Routing Systems is an industry leader in manufacturing affordable, quality made engravers and CNC routers. Offering small desktop machines and larger size systems, Vision has a machine to fit your budget. Make ADA signs, dimensional letters, print-to-cut, directional signage, and more! Contact Vision today for a free, live, online sign making demo, so you will know a Vision is right for your needs. PRODUCTS: Cutters/Plotters - Routers; Engraving - 3-D; Engraving - Conventional; Engraving - Machines; Engraving Materials; Engraving - Nameplates; Engraving - Rotary; Engraving - Tools; Routers - Accessories; Routers - Bits; Routers - CNC; Routers - Software; Routers - Vacuum Tables; Software ADA/Braille; Software - CAD
World Wide Sign Systems Inc
446 N Cecil St PO Box 338 Bonduel, WI 54107 Phone: 715 758-2146 Toll Free: 800 874-3334 Fax: 715 758-8508 E-mail: hvandewerken@wwsign.com Web Site: www.wwsign.com
Wholesale-only manufacturer of illuminated and non-illuminated custom architectural signage, fabricated sign cabinets, extruded sign cabinets, routed aluminum faces, routed push-thru faces, pylons, pole covers, channel letters, reverse channel letters, custom channel letters and logos, trim-less channel letters, vacuum formed and flex faces, post and panel signage, flat cutouts, flange and backer panels with manufacturing locations in Bonduel & Shawano, WI; Atlanta, GA; and Carson City, NV. PRODUCTS: Dimensional Signs - Acrylic; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Dimensional Signs - Channel Letters; Dimensional Signs - Extrusions; Dimensional Signs - HDU; Dimensional Signs - Monuments; Dimensional Signs - Ornamental; Dimensional Signs - Wholesale; Electronic Messaging - Channel Letters; Electronic Messaging - LED; Letters - Channel; Letters - Metal; Letters - Painted; Letters - Plastic; Letters PVC; Letters - Vinyl Faced Acrylic; Sign Cabinets - Extrusions; Sign Cabinets - Illuminated; Sign Companies & Contractors; Sign Faces - Dividers; Sign Faces - Flexible Face; Sign Faces - Pan; Signs - Dimensional; Wholesalers Additional Offices: World Wide Sign Systems, Inc. Southern Region 2765 Bankers Industrial Dr Unit A Atlanta, GA 30360 Phone: 770 326-6242 Fax: 770 209-0634 E-mail: mmcmahon@wwsign.com Web Site: www.wwsign.com World Wide Sign Systems, Inc. Western Region 5071 Sigstrom Dr Carson City, NV 89706 Phone: 775 885-2015 Fax: 775 885-2000 E-mail: sheyd@wwsign.com Web Site: www.wwsign.com The Channel Letter Factory 53545 E Richmond St Shawano, WI 54166 Phone: 715 524-3669 E-mail: dkrone@wwsign.com Web Site: www.wwsign.com
2018 Buyer’s Guide
Sign Builder Illustrated
31
PRODUCTS The following section is devoted entirely to Sign Products/Services and the companies that offer them. The products are arranged alphabetically and many appear more than once in the section. For example, LED signs may appear alphabetically under LED or under Electronic Messaging. This format makes it easy to find products. Short product descriptions are provided to assist in making purchasing decisions. Companies in bold indicate display advertisers. ADA - Photopolymer Signage
Nova Polymers, Inc.
p 30
ADA - Raster Braille w/ Applied Lettering
Banners - Display Systems
Howard Industries
p 28
Adhesives - Foam
FASTENation, Inc.
p 28
Adhesives - High Strength
FASTENation, Inc.
Adhesives - Laminating
FASTENation, Inc.
Adhesives - Pressure Sensitive
FASTENation, Inc.
p 28 p 28
p 28
Adhesives - Remover
CrystalTek
p 27
Adhesives - Structural
FASTENation, Inc.
Adhesives - Tapes
FASTENation, Inc. ImageOne Impact Nova Polymers, Inc
p 28 p 28 p 29 p 30
Adhesives - Transfers
FASTENation, Inc.
p 28
Aluminum - Blanks
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Aluminum - Castings
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Aluminum - Extrusions
Howard Industries
p 28
Anchors/Fasteners FASTENation, Inc.
p 28
Architectural Signs
Custom Foam Fabricators Howard Industries Nova Polymers, Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Signs By Benchmark
Associations
Nova Polymers, Inc. 34
Sign Builder Illustrated
Badges
Master Magnetics, Inc.
p 28 p 28 p 30 p 30 p 30 p 30
ImageOne Impact
p 29 p 29
Banners - General Supplies
ImageOne Impact Master Magnetics, Inc.
p 29 p 29
Banners - Grommet Machines
ImageOne Impact
Banners - Grommets
FASTENation, Inc. ImageOne Impact
p 29
p 28 p 29
Castings - Aluminum
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Channel Letters - Tools
Master Magnetics, Inc.
Chemicals/Solutions Environmental
CrystalTek
Banners - Mounting Hardware
Nova Polymers, Inc.
ImageOne Impact p 29 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Banners - Pole Brackets
ImageOne Impact p 29 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Banners - Polyester
Nekoosa
Banners - Track Kits
ImageOne Impact
Billboards
Vantage LED USA
Braille
Howard Industries Nova Polymers, Inc.
2018 Buyer’s Guide
Consultants - Digital Signage
Vantage LED USA
Consultants - Marketing
Nova Polymers, Inc.
p 31 p 30
Cutters/Plotters - Blades/ Knives Cutters/Plotters - Foam Cutters
p 27
AXYZ International Inc.
p 27
Cutters/Plotters - Rotary
p 29
AXYZ International Inc.
p 31
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
p 28 p 30
p 29
p 29
p 27
Cutters/Plotters - Routers
Cutters/Plotters - Software
AXYZ International Inc. Techno CNC Systems
p 27 p 30
Cutters/Trimmers - Manual
ImageOne Impact
p 29
Digital Imaging - Inkjet
Nekoosa
p 29
Digital Imaging - Large Format
Car - License Plates
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
p 30
p 29
Car - Decals
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
Consultants - ADA
AXYZ International Inc.
Car - Car-Top Signs
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
p 27 p 29
p 29
Banners - Vinyl
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
p 27
Chemicals/Solutions - Wrap Application/Removal
CrystalTek ImageOne Impact
p 28
p 27
Chemicals/Solutions - Vinyl
CrystalTek
Banners - Hem Reinforcing Tape
FASTENation, Inc.
p 29
p 29
Nekoosa
p 29
signshop.com
PRODUCTS Digital Imaging - Media
Nekoosa
Digital Imaging Overlaminates
Nekoosa
p 29
p 29
Digital Imaging - UV Curing Systems
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 27
Digital Imaging - Wide Format
Nekoosa
p 29
Dimensional Signs - Acrylic
Howard Industries Quality Manufacturing Inc. World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Dimensional Signs Architectural
Custom Foam Fabricators Howard Industries Nova Polymers, Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Signs By Benchmark World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 28 p 30 p 31
p 28 p 28 p 30 p 30 p 30 p 31
Dimensional Signs - Carved
Custom Foam Fabricators p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 Signs By Benchmark p 30
Dimensional Signs - Channel Letters
Howard Industries World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Dimensional Signs Extrusions
Howard Industries World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 28 p 31
Custom Foam Fabricators p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic p 30 Control World Wide Sign Systems Inc. p 31
Dimensional Signs - Routers/ Engravers
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic p 30 Control Techno CNC Systems p 30
Dimensional Signs - Wholesale
Custom Foam Fabricators Howard Industries Nova Polymers, Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Signs By Benchmark World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Dryers
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Electric Signs - Custom
Howard Industries
Electric Signs - General
Howard Industries
Electronic Messaging Channel Letters
World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 28 p 31
Dimensional Signs - HDU
Electronic Messaging Scrolling Price Displays
p 28
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 World Wide Sign Systems Inc. p 31
Dimensional Signs Monuments
Custom Foam Fabricators Howard Industries Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Signs By Benchmark World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Vantage LED USA
p 28 p 28 p 30 p 30 p 31
Electronic Messaging Video Billboards
Vantage LED USA
Engraving - Nameplates
Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Engraving - Rotary
p 27
Nova Polymers, Inc.
Engraving - Tools
Equipment Leasing Exhibit Booths - Portable
p 27 p 29
ImageOne Impact
p 28
ImageOne Impact
p 28
Howard Industries Quality Manufacturing Inc.
p 31
FASTENation, Inc. Master Magnetics, Inc.
Exhibit Booths - Tabletop Displays Extrusions - Aluminum
Fasteners
p 31 p 31 p 31
Film - Clear
Nekoosa Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
Film - Inkjet
Nova Polymers, Inc. p 31
Film - Polycarbonate
Nekoosa
Film - Polyester
p 31
Nekoosa
p 31
Nekoosa Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
Film - Pressure Sensitive
Engraving - 3-D
Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Engraving - Conventional
Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
signshop.com
Engraving - Materials
Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Electronic Messaging - Time/ Temperature
Vantage LED USA
Engraving - Machines
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 p 30 Techno CNC Systems Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
p 30 p 30 p 31
Electronic Messaging - LED
Vantage LED USA World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 30
Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Electronic Messaging - LCD
Vantage LED USA
Techno CNC Systems
p 28 p 28 p 30
Drying and Storage Racks
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The ImageOne Impact
Dimensional Signs - General
Custom Foam Fabricators
Engraving - Laser
Dimensional Signs Ornamental
Film - Printable
Nekoosa Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
2018 Buyer’s Guide
Sign Builder Illustrated
p 30 p 29
p 29 p 28 p 30 p 28 p 29 p 29 p 29 p 30 p 29 p 29 p 29 p 29 p 29 p 29
35
PRODUCTS Film - Reflective
LED - Gas Price Changers
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
p 29
Film - Thermal
Nova Polymers, Inc.
Vantage LED USA
p 29
DSA Phototech Quality Manufacturing Inc.
p 29
LED - LED Architectural Lighting
Film - Vinyl
LED - Illumination
Film - Window Graphics
Nekoosa
Finials - General
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Finials - Ornamental
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Floor Graphics
Nekoosa
Master Magnetics, Inc.
p 31
Magnum Magnetics Corp Master Magnetics, Inc.
LED - Video
Vantage LED USA
LED - Video Billboards
Magnum Magnetics Corp Master Magnetics, Inc. Nekoosa
p 30
Magnum Magnetics Corp Master Magnetics, Inc.
p 31
FASTENation, Inc.
p 31
FASTENation, Inc. ImageOne Impact
p 29
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Frames - Real Estate
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Grommets
ImageOne Impact
p 29
Heat Transfer - Equipment
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 27
Heat Transfer - Heat Press Machines
Nova Polymers, Inc.
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Ink - UV Curable
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The Nova Polymers, Inc.
p 27 p 27 p 30
Inkjet Equipment - Printers
Nova Polymers, Inc.
p 30
Installation - Hardware
ImageOne Impact
Laser Shop Services
Techno CNC Systems
p 29 p 30
Leasing and Finance
Nova Polymers, Inc.
p 30
LED - Electronic Signs
Letters - Foam
Custom Foam Fabricators
Letters - Laser Cut
Howard Industries
Letters - Metal
World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Letters - Painted
p 30
Ink - Screen Printing
Letters - Channel
Howard Industries World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 31
World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Letters - Plastic
Quality Manufacturing Inc. World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 28 p 31 p 28 p 28 p 31 p 31 p 30 p 31
Letters - PVC
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 World Wide Sign Systems Inc. p 31 Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
p 29
Letters - Vinyl Faced Acrylic
World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Magnetic - Assemblies
Master Magnetics, Inc.
Magnetic - Bases
Master Magnetics, Inc.
2018 Buyer’s Guide
p 31
p 29
p 28
Masking Materials - Spray
p 28
Masking Materials - Tape
p 28 p 29
Message Boards - LED Illuminated
Vantage LED USA
p 31
Message Boards - Systems
Vantage LED USA
p 31
Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Custom Metal Fabrication
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 p 30 Techno CNC Systems
Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Shears Nova Polymers, Inc.
p 30
Monuments
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic p 30 Control Signs By Benchmark p 30
Neon - Controllers - with software
Techno CNC Systems
p 30
Neon - Training - Videos
ImageOne Impact
Letters - Vinyl
p 29 p 29
Maintenance - Adhesives
FASTENation, Inc.
Letters - Aluminum
p 29 p 29 p 29
Magnetic - Stock
p 31
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
p 29 p 29
Magnetic - Sheet
p 28 p 30
LED - Networked Messaging Systems
Vantage LED USA
p 29
Magnetic - Rolls
Vantage LED USA
Frames - Large Format
Sign Builder Illustrated
Quality Manufacturing Inc
Magnetic - Blanks
p 31
p 29
Fluorescent - Films
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
36
LED - Hospitality Price Changers
p 30
Nippon Carbide Industries (USA) Inc.
Vantage LED USA
Vantage LED USA
Neon - Vacuum Pumps
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Outdoor Signs - 3-D
Custom Foam Fabricators Quality Manufacturing Inc.
p 29 p 27 p 28 p 30
Outdoor Signs - Billboards
Vantage LED USA
p 31
p 29 signshop.com
PRODUCTS Outdoor Signs - Heavy Equipment
Techno CNC Systems
Outdoor Signs - Menu Boards
DSA Phototech
Routers - CNC
p 30
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Routers - Conventional
p 28
Techno CNC Systems
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Techno CNC Systems
Outdoor Signs - Sculptures
Outdoor Signs - Poles
Signs By Benchmark
Pad Printing - Equipment
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Paper - Synthetic
Nekoosa
Plastics - Acrylic
Nekoosa Quality Manufacturing Inc.
Plastics - Photopolymer Material
Nova Polymers, Inc.
Plastics - Polycarbonate
Nekoosa Quality Manufacturing Inc.
Plastics - Polyester
Nekoosa
Plastics - Polypropylene
Nekoosa
Plastics - Polystyrene
Signs By Benchmark
p 30 p 27 p 29 p 29 p 30
p 30 p 29 p 30 p 29
p 30
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Routers - Vacuum Tables
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Routers - Laser
Routers - Software
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The p 27 AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Safety Equipment
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The Techno CNC Systems ImageOne Impact AXYZ International Inc.
Printers - Inkjet
Nova Polymers, Inc.
Rotators
Techno CNC Systems
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Routers - Bits
Screen Printing - Flash Dryers
p 27
Screen Printing - Floodbars
p 27
p 30
Screen Printing - Presses Manual
p 27
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31 signshop.com
p 27
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Routers - Accessories
p 27
Screen Printing - Scoop Coater
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
Screen Printing - Screen Cleaning - Biodegradable Cleaners
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 27
Screen Printing - UV Curing Systems
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 27 p 27
Screens - Nylon Mesh Fabric
p 30
Sign Blanks - Aluminum
Signs By Benchmark
p 27
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Screen Printing - Tensioning Table
p 31
p 27 p 30
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 30
p 27
p 27
Screen Printing - Exposure Units
Screen Printing - Pallets
p 27
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Screen Printing - Equipment/ Accessories
Printers - Flat Bed
p 27
Sign Blanks - Exterior Panel
Scoreboards
Vantage LED USA
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 29
Saws - Panel
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Screen Printing - Supplies
Nova Polymers, Inc.
Safety Rulers
p 27
Screen Printing - Squeegees
Screens - Drying Cabinet
p 27 p 30
p 30
Poles - Traffic
Screen Printing - Screen Washers
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The Nova Polymers, Inc.
Poles - Sign
A.W.T. World Trade Group, The
p 30
p 29
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Screen Printing - Screen Cleaning - Equipment
Sign Blanks - Foam
Custom Foam Fabricators Signs By Benchmark
Sign Blanks - Magnetic
Master Magnetics, Inc.
Sign Blanks - Plastic
Quality Manufacturing Inc.
Sign Blanks - Polystyrene
Custom Foam Fabricators Signs By Benchmark
p 30 p 28 p 30 p 29 p 30
p 28 p 30
Sign Cabinets - Extrusions
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 Quality Manufacturing Inc. p 30 World Wide Sign Systems Inc. p 31
Sign Cabinets - Illuminated
p 27
Howard Industries Quality Manufacturing Inc. World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 28 p 30 p 31
p 27
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Sign Cabinets - Kits
2018 Buyer’s Guide
Sign Builder Illustrated
37
PRODUCTS Sign Companies & Contractors
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 World Wide Sign Systems Inc. p 31
Sign Faces - Dividers
World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Sign Faces - Flexible Face
World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 31 p 31
Signs - Frames - A-Frame Sandwich Boards
ImageOne Impact
Sign Faces - Pan
Quality Manufacturing Inc. World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 30 p 31
Sign Frames
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Sign Hanging Hardware
ImageOne Impact p 29 Master Magnetics, Inc. p 29 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Sign Holders
Master Magnetics, Inc. p 29 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Sign Panels
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Sign Stands
ImageOne Impact p 29 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Signage - Directory Illuminated
DSA Phototech Howard Industries
p 28 p 28
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
Signage - Electronic Signage - Letters
Signs By Benchmark
Signs - ADA
Howard Industries Nova Polymers, Inc.
Signs - Carved
Sign Builder Illustrated
FASTENation, Inc.
p 30 p 30 p 31
Nekoosa
p 29
FASTENation, Inc. ImageOne Impact
Tape - Application
Nekoosa
p 28
Tape - Hook & Loop
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
AXYZ International Inc.
Signs - Traffic
Vantage LED USA
Slitting Equipment
FASTENation, Inc. ImageOne Impact
Signs - Systems
Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30 ImageOne Impact
Software - 3-D
p 29
Vinyl - Application Solutions
p 27
AXYZ International Inc. p 27 Techno CNC Systems p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31 p 27 p 30 p 30
Software - Estimating/Pricing Software - RIP
Nova Polymers, Inc.
Software - Routing
Techno CNC Systems
2018 Buyer’s Guide
p 28
p 27
Vinyl - Racks
Software - CAD
EstiMate Software Corp
p 28 p 29
Vinyl - CNC Tooling
CrystalTek ImageOne Impact
Techno CNC Systems
p 31
AXYZ International Inc.
Nova Polymers, Inc. p 30 Vision Engraving & Routing Systems p 31
Software - Engraving
p 27
Traffic Signs
ImageOne Impact
p 30
p 27 p 28 p 29
Tools - Panel Saws
Software - ADA/Braille
Software - CAM
p 28
Tools - Cutting
p 31
Vantage LED USA
p 28
Tape - Transfer
AXYZ International Inc. FASTENation, Inc. ImageOne Impact
Signs - Scrolling
p 28
Tape - Maskant
FASTENation, Inc. p 31
p 28 p 29
FASTENation, Inc.
Signs - LED
p 29
Vinyl - Removal Tool
Vinyl - Tools
AXYZ International Inc. ImageOne Impact
p 30
p 27 p 29 p 27 p 29
Waterjet Machines - CAD Routers
AXYZ International Inc.
p 27
Waterjet Machines - Cutting Equipment
AXYZ International Inc.
p 27
Welding - Equipment
FASTENation, Inc. p 30
p 29 p 29
Tape - Foam
FASTENation, Inc.
Vantage LED USA
p 28
Substrates - Printable
Howard Industries p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
AXYZ International Inc. Techno CNC Systems
p 28 p 30
Straps - Cable Management
p 28 p 28
Signs - Kits
p 31
Custom Foam Fabricators p 28 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control p 30
38
Signs - Illuminated
Howard Industries
AXYZ International Inc.
Signage - Directory - NonIlluminated
Vantage LED USA
Signs - Dimensional
Custom Foam Fabricators Howard Industries Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Signs By Benchmark World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
Wholesalers
Custom Foam Fabricators Howard Industries World Wide Sign Systems Inc.
p 28 p 28 p 28 p 31
signshop.com
PRINTED ON
* 4x8΄ sheet
* 4x8΄ sheet
S I N G L E S I D E D (4mm)
D O U B L E S I D E D (4mm)
10+ sheets: $30
10+ sheets: $40
cut to ordered size
cut to ordered size
VISIT www.signs365.com | CALL 1.800.265.8830 | TEXT (SIGNS) 74467
CRANES
By PHIL DOUD
Up-lifting
Four steps to ensure safe on-site crane operation.
Photos: Altec Industries, Inc.
D
Advice
o you ever pull up to a new jobsite and ask yourself, “Is anyone getting hurt today?” Some basic safety tasks to avoid accidents and injuries can not be completed after the crane is set up and working. By that time, it’s already too late. Here are four things to consider before venturing out with your crane to the sign install and/or removal site:
but that does not make him or her an all-around safe crane operator. Proper, documented training is essential to preventing injury-causing accidents and equipment damage. Untrained crane operators are more likely to face situations that exceed their ability and knowledge, resulting in a greater risk of accidents. Crane operation requires proper training and experience.
#1. Really Train Your Crane Operators On-the-job training may give your operators the skills to perform specific tasks,
#2. Inspect Your Crane Before Every Shift Fleet maintenance programs can never
signshop.com
replace an operator pre-shift inspection. Service techs may see a unit once every several weeks, but the operator sees it every day. Who do you think knows that unit better? If something needs minor repair, a trained operator will probably know long before it becomes expensive to fix or becomes a safety issue. Pre-shift inspections are a vital part of equipment safety, yet they are often forgotten in the rush to complete the next job. Sadly accident investigations often reveal an overlooked equipment discrepAugust 2018
Sign Builder Illustrated
41
ancy that a simple pre-shift inspection could have found. #3. Set Up Your Crane Properly Do your operators really know what the manufacturer’s manual says about setting up the unit? For instance, on dual-rated (aerial device and crane) lights and signs units, do they know which configuration requires the tires to be off of the ground? Do they know the maximum outrigger pad load before they set their unit up on soft ground? Do they set up the unit using the manufacturer’s load capacity chart? Trained, safe operators will handle all of these questions correctly. They will know and follow what the manual requires because that is part of being a qualified operator. #4. Survey the Jobsite for Hazards It is tough to avoid hazards if you are not looking for them.
Do your operators know the required minimum distance from electrical conductors? Unintended contact with power lines could be a life-ending accident, but it can be prevented by taking time for a jobsite hazard survey. ANSI A92.2-2015 requires aerial device operators to survey the work area for hazards prior to using the unit: 10.9 Worksite. Before the aerial device is used, the worksite shall be surveyed for hazards such as: (1) Insufficient supporting surfaces such as soft ground or tamped earth fills. (2) Ditches. (3) Excessive slopes, drop-offs, curbs, and floor obstructions. (4) Debris. (5) Overhead obstructions and electrical conductors. (6) Weather conditions. (7) Presence of unauthorized persons. (8) Road or worksite traffic. (9) Subsurface chambers such as
underground utility components or septic systems. (10) Hazardous locations and environments. Conclusion It is important to take time for the basics, and maintaining a culture of safety requires a commitment on your part to training workers. Doing so makes it easier to pull up to a new jobsite and say, “Nobody gets hurt today.” Phil Doud is Sentry Safety Program Manager at Altec Industries, Inc. For more information, visit altecsentry.com.
VISIT
www.signshop.com
42
Sign Builder Illustrated
August 2018
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Feature Name POST-AND-PANEL By JIM Author CIRIGLIANO
Panel G
ood wayfinding signage helps to point people clearly in the right direction. The design choices that you make as the sign maker will go a long way in determining the utility of the finished product. To be effective, wayfinding signage
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needs to be practical, highly visible, and easy for people in motion to understand at a glance. What follows is a compilation of best practices to consider when designing post-and-panel signage for use as exterior wayfinding, based on the guidance of industry experts.
Colors The ideal color choices for your exterior post-and-panel wayfinding signage will depend heavily on the sign’s surroundings and background. “The best color choice for signage is going to depend on if you’re trying to blend in with the environment or stand signshop.com
All Photos: Howard Indusries.
Outside the
Break through the distractions with unexpected signage.
Best practices for postand-panel sign design as exterior wayfinding.
out from it,” says TJ VandenHeuvel, vice president of Market Development for SignComp (signcomp.com). Because wayfinding signage is usually meant to stand out, VandenHeuvel recommends using a high-contrast color for the lettering against the background color. signshop.com
Bill Freeman, vice president of Architectural Sales for Howard Industries (howardindustries.com), agrees, “To ensure a sign’s visibility, contrasting colors work best. Tone-on-tone color schemes are trending in architecture, but if your intention is to get your sign seen, differentiating it from its sur-
roundings is most effective.” Black and white provide the most obvious contrast, but contrasting tones can also include pairs of colors on opposite sides of the color wheel. Blue and yellow contrast well with one another, for example. One such combination to avoid, however, is red and green; red/green colorblindness affects as many as 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women, according to the National Institutes of Health. There is some debate in design circles about whether light-colored text on a dark background—also called “reverse type” or “inverted color”—is easier to read than the standard scheme of dark text on a light background. Some research has found that the readability of each may be a personal preference, dependent on the individual reader’s eyesight. Conventional wisdom says that dark text on a light background is easier to read, especially when the viewer is presented with text of any length. On the other hand, light text on a dark background is eye-catching and useful when calling attention to a single word or element, such as the kinds of short callouts or instructions that you might expect in many wayfinding applications. Lettering and Font Choice The temptation may exist to put important wayfinding messages in all caps— especially when the words are short—to ensure that they are seen. Counter-intuitively, though, messages with standard capitalization at the beginning of the first word tend to be easier to read. “Displaying sign messages utilizing upper- and lowercase letters is best practice,” says Freeman. “Using all caps reduces the readability of a sign.” Some people take their fonts incredibly seriously—perhaps you’ve heard the term “font snob.” Font connoisseurs may be tempted to include elaborate or specialized fonts in sign designs, but in exterior wayfinding signage especially, font readability trumps any other artistic consideration. “Block letters are used more commonly for wayfinding, along with conAugust 2018
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Block letters are used more commonly in wayfindng.
densed styles,” says VandenHeuvel. “Decorative and/or script fonts should be used sparingly, as they are difficult to read,” cautions Freeman. Kerning Kerning—the spacing between letters— gives sign designers another tool to enhance the readability of exterior wayfinding signage. “Letter kerning should be visually evaluated and adjusted if necessary due to juxtaposing letter shapes,” explains Freeman. “For instance, an ‘A’ and a ‘V’ may require kerning adjustments in order to visually appear properly distanced from one another.” VandenHeuvel meanwhile cautions that kerning may not always be an option due to the space limitations found in wayfinding. Ultimately your decisions on kerning featured on the wayfinding post-andpanel sign will require a case-by-case judgment call. 46
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Size “Depending on your customer’s desires and requirements, there are many shape and size options for post and panel signage,” says Freeman. “Signage viewing distance, traffic patterns, and the rate at which vehicles travel past a signage area are factors to consider when determining sign size.” One word of caution: Many localities have ordinances restricting the size of signage in certain areas. “Local sign ordinances will dictate maximum dimensions permitted for signage, so obtaining this information prior to the design process is beneficial,” notes Freeman. “[The size of your sign] typically depends on the sign type, message, and what the ordinance allows,” summarizes VandenHeuvel. Shapes/Customization There is an endless variety of custom shapes that are possible for modern sig-
nage. Here again though, for practical and useful wayfinding signage, function wins out over fashion. “Rectangles usually work best with regards to shape,” says VandenHeuvel. That doesn’t mean that post-and-panel exterior wayfinding signs have to be vanilla however. There are still plenty of customizations to be considered for effective outdoor signage. “Signage designs can be influenced by building architecture, company logos/ branding, and functionality requirements,” explains Freeman. “If a sign will most likely change often, such as a building tenant directory, customers may want to consider a signage system that will easily accommodate change and/or growth. “Many post-and-panel signs can be adorned with decorative post caps, routed filigree panels, and much more for added aesthetic allure.” Lighting The good news, according to Freeman, is that post-and-panel signs can be internally illuminated, edge-lit, or feature groundmounted lamps. “It depends on the customer’s desires and budget,” he says. If using cabinets, lighting affects the proper depth. “Each lighting source may require a recommended distance from the light to the sign face,” states VandenHeuvel. Paint/Vinyl “A two-part primer and epoxy paint system works best on aluminum signs,” suggests VandenHeuvel. “Once painted, any vinyl can be applied.” Durability for both vinyl and paint are imperative for the longevity of a sign. “Automotive-grade, acrylic polyurethane paint, and high-performance vinyls are best, due to their ability to withstand the exterior weather elements and damaging UV sun rays,” says Freeman, noting that reflective vinyl is recommended for signs intended to be viewed by passing motorists at night. Although there are many options and choices to make, these best practices will have your post-and-panel exterior wayfinding signage designs headed in the right direction. signshop.com
Feature Name LETTERS By ASHLEY AuthorBRAY
A Custom
W
hen 99 Summer Street in Boston, Massachusetts underwent a renovation, new signage was a part of the package. CBT Architects had a design for the signage, but they needed a sign company to bring that vision to life. Enter Poy48
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ant Signs of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Poyant is no stranger to sign work in bustling Boston, and you may remember their work on the Warrior Ice Arena (“An Icy Installation,” February 2017). The sign company had recently worked with CBT on a project for The Flatley Com-
pany in Charlestown, Massachusetts. “It was through our relationship that we built during that project that they asked us to take a look at the 99 Summer project,” says Stephanie Poyant Moran, director of Design, Project Management, and Estimating at Poyant Signs. signshop.com
All Photos: Poyant Signs.
Signage Makeover
This shop overcame “99” challenges, and sourcing glass for a blade sign was just one.
The project called for two blade signs at each entrance of the building as well as a large set of channel letters in the entryway of the Summer Street entrance. The larger blade sign at the Summer Street entrance measures 15 feet, 8 inches high-by-4 feet, 6 ½ inches wide. The smaller blade sign at signshop.com
the Bedford Street entrance measures 8 ft, 1 inches high-by-32 1/2 inches wide. The channel letters stand 6 feet, 4 1/2 inches high-by-9 feet wide. (Note: Poyant also provided a small ADA interior package and some dimensional letters.) Together with CBT and general contractor Shawmut Design & Construction, Poyant got to work figuring out how to engineer and build the designs, and they quickly realized this was going to be a unique project. For one, the two blades signs had to be made out of glass to match the exterior glass curtain wall façade of the building. Poyant considered using acrylic instead of glass but then ruled it out as a possible solution. “The main reason why we didn’t use acrylic was because of the potential scratching that would be visible from the elements and the environment that could hit the sign over time,” says Poyant Moran. It proved very difficult to source single pieces of glass at such large dimensions, and it took Poyant a month and quite a few contacts before they landed on Class Glass LLC of Nashville, Tennessee. Class Glass was able to provide them with the necessary height and width, but they couldn’t meet the specified oneinch thickness. Two half-inch pieces of glass were laminated together back to back to create the one-inch depth that Poyant needed. (Note: The glass is tempered for added strength and safety.) The design of the blade signs also called for a white gradient from the bottom to the top. “One of the inner layers on each sign has a digital distinction that is actually inkjet printed into one side of the glass,” says Poyant Moran After printing the gradient, Class Glass then laminated the pieces of glass together and shipped out the blades to Poyant. A stainless steel bracket was built for the glass to sit in. Since the building is right on the seaport of Boston, the bracket was fabricated from marinegrade 316 stainless steel so it would last longer. The word “summer” was waterjet cut out of the stainless steel by Poyant’s vendor-partner Horacio’s Inc. The blade signs also feature two 26 inch-tall-by-18 1/8-inch-wide 9s on each side, which taper back at the leg so that they can be viewed correctly in either
direction. The numbers were cut out of Sign·Foam4 HDU using a MultiCam router. One-inch- and half-inch-thick layers of the HDU were layered until the 9s were four-and-a-half inches deep. The layers were secured together using countersunk hardware. The numbers were sanded, primed, and painted with AkzoNobel paint—gray on the returns and white on the backs and faces. Finding the right illumination for the blade signs was also a challenge. The lighting source sits in the bottom bracket, below the cut-out word “summer,” and needed to project light fifteen to sixteen feet up the entire blade sign. It also needed to match the warmer color temperature specified by the architects so that it fit the lighting used throughout the interior lobby and the building’s exterior glass curtain wall façade. “The signage really ties into that design that’s carried throughout the project,” says Poyant Moran. Poyant found their lighting solution— the Allanson LED Saber2 linear beam lighting—while attending the ISA Sign Expo. The lighting product could throw the light they needed, but it still wasn’t the right color temperature. “The product was a much cooler temp than the lighting across the whole project, which is what helps give it its throw,” says Poyant Moran. “3M had just come out with a brand-new 3M 3630 Translucent Vinyl color that they released at ISA, which we layered over the lens of the LED fixture in order to create the appropriate color temp while also achieving the reach that we needed.” It should come as no surprise that on a project as custom and unique as this that installation was anything but ordinary. For starters, Poyant had to shut down part of the street and part of the sidewalk, so the installation had to be done at night. They transported the glass in its shipping crate from Class Glass on an Air-Ride Trailer. Poyant had installed the stainless steel bracket earlier than the glass itself since the connection points are behind a glass curtain wall façade, which needed to be closed up so it wouldn’t delay construction. The lead time on the glass was more than ten weeks, which also necessitated an early bracket installation. Installing the glass blades, which have no real pick-up points, required some August 2018
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out-of-the-box thinking. Poyant rented a Wood’s Powr-Grip® Manual Rotator 2800—a vacuum lifter machine with giant suction cups. This allowed them to suction the glass to lift it into the place. But it also meant that the two 9s on either side of the glass blade had to be attached after the glass was in place. “The issue was the suction cups needed to be evenly distributed on the glass,” says Poyant Moran. “So the 9s would have been in the way if we put them on ahead of time.” The Wood’s Powr-Grip Manual Rotator 2800 suctioned the glass, and then that machine was attached to a Tadano GR-550XL-2 rough terrain crane, which was used to put the glass into the bracket. Poyant put a pattern on the glass and attached the 9s using Chem-Set™ 75AM Ultra Clear Sealant from Chemical Concepts and a clear Tesa Tape. The final hurdle on the blade sign installation was the electrical. “They were housing the power supplies nearly sixty feet away,” says Poyant Moran, who explains they worked with their supplier to make sure they used the appropriate sized wire (10-gauge) to ensure there was no drop in the power despite the distance. The other aspect of the project is the large set of “99” letters over the Summer Street entrance that has a very custom, architectural design, posing its own challenges. “The intent was to create a sign that you could read the same way in both directions,” explains Poyant Moran. Poyant custom-formed returns that twist back—the same design used on the 50
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smaller 9s on the blade signs. To settle on this shape, Poyant created a lot of test samples and a plywood pattern of what the full-scale version would look like. The final version of the letters feature an inner structural frame constructed from aluminum tubing, which was then covered with .090 aluminum cladding. The faces were constructed from halfinch-thick clear Lexan® versus acrylic. “The letters are rimless, so we didn’t want the acrylic to crack because we had to drill into the faces on the returns in order to hold them in the frame,” says Poyant Moran. “We felt that we had a better chance of minimizing any cracks, and none occurred with the Lexan.” 3M white translucent vinyl was applied to the first and second surface so that the letters illuminated white, while 3M Gloss Clear Laminate was applied on the finished layer of the face. The two letters were constructed separately and then welded to a stainless steel mounting plate. GE PowerMax 3200 LEDs were used to illuminate the letters, and matching the color temperature proved to be easier with this part of the project. Poyant again had to perform an afterhours installation for the letters. The general contractor installed the support—a stainless steel tubing system— ahead of time along with the wiring so that the ceiling could be closed up. “We had to plate mount the 9s to that tube, which was incredibly tricky because the space between the 9s was very narrow,” says Poyant Moran. “We had to mount through a tube that already had electrical in it, and the sign weighed 800 pounds. So the challenge was to basically balance the sign on scissor lifts inside the building, raise it up, and then connect it.” With all of the custom work and construction schedule to work around, the project, which took about eight months once Poyant started the construction drawings, required plenty of coordination between Poyant’s graphic designer, lead project manager, specialty buyer who purchased the glass, lead fabricators, director of operations, and field services team for the installation. The group met on a weekly then daily basis to ensure everything moved along as intended. signshop.com
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Feature Name LIGHTING By JEFF Author WOOTEN
Revved Up for Neon
S
ome of the most passionate people out there are those who love their classic motorcycles and those who love their neon signs. Combine these two interests, and to quote a vintage candy bar adage, you’ve got two great tastes that go great together. Flying G Vintage Motorcycles in Joaquin, Texas specializes in classic motorcycles. Owner Luke Garrett collects, rides, and restores vintage motorcycles, particularly those in the Indian® lineup (Chief®, Scout®, etc.). When Garrett needed a new sign to place above the front door canopy at his shop, he wanted something colorful that would stand out, something iconic that is associated with motorcycles, and 52
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something classic-looking that emphasizes the past. Garrett hooked up with Jay Gordon, owner of Blackout Signs & Metalworks (www.blackoutsign.com) in San Marcos, Texas, for this sign request.When it comes to custom signage, Gordon’s shop does it all—conception, design, hand painting, fabrication, install, etc. It really helped that Gordon is a diehard fan of classic signage, particularly the “old-school method” of sign making. Blackout Signs & Metalworks eschews technologies like computers and CNC routers when it comes to production. “Most everything we do is done by hand—using tools like grinders and
welders,” he says. His shop favors creativity and artistry over cookie-cutter jobs, which is one of the reasons they enjoy working with the classic style of neon for their clients. This aspect was also one of the things that attracted Garrett to reach out to Gordon. Gordon is a self-professed “gearhead” as well, so he approached this project as if it was something that he would hang on the front of his own shop. “I love all things old and engine-driven,” he says. “And it really helped that [Luke] came to us at the start with a great-looking logo for use as the centerpiece of this sign.” Gordon and his crew at Blackout signshop.com
All Photos: Blackout Signs & Metalworks.
A classic motorcycle shop roars with a new illuminated identity sign.
The wings and outline of the sign needed to “pop.”
Signs and Metalworks (Gabriel Hedrick, Jason Lambert, and David Perez) used plenty of neon colors for this project—Novial Gold, Horizon Blue, Cobalt Blue, Orange, and Off-White. While the art for the logo was one preselected color, Garrett gave the shop free
rein on which other neon colors they could use for the sign. “We wanted the wings and outline of the sign to ‘pop’ and draw one’s eye inward,” says Gordon. The sign features an inner-welded one-by-one-inch aluminum frame. The faces and returns were built out of .063
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aluminum. “We used One-Shot lettering enamels, spraying the can and hand-lettering the logo,” says Gordon. The finished neon sign consists of roughly sixteen to eighteen units. It measures five feet tall, nearly seven feet wide, and six inches deep. Blackout Signs & Metalworks was able to knock this project out within fiveweeks. Gordon says that the biggest challenge wasn’t the build but rather the delivery and installation. “It was a five-hour drive from our shop to his, and the whole backseat of our truck was stacked with glass,” says Gordon. “The drive out there was nerve-wracking.” Gordon says that for nearby installations, they’ll leave the glass on the sign for these short trips. “However because of the long drive we were facing, the risk really wasn’t worth it,” he says. “So we attached the glass pieces out at the Flying G motorcycle shop. But other than that, everything about this project was pretty straightforward.” For this storefront wall-mounted sign, Gordon and his installers used ladders to climb up onto the metal canopy, where they bolted to the building a bracket they had fabricated. “On that bracket, we had threaded 1/2-inch studs that line up with the frame of the sign,” he says. “Doing this makes mounting easy, as long as the frame is square in the sign and you level out the bracket.” No exposed clips or brackets can be seen by onlookers. “We fed the wire through the building with weather-tight conduit and tied it into a junction box that was already in place,” says Gordon. Garrett found Blackout Signs & Metalworks via their Instagram page for this job. Gordon shares that their photo- and video-sharing Instagram account has proven a boon to business. “We like its ‘gallery’- style layout and its ease of use,” he says. “You can write as little or as much as you want about the project, but visually, it’s always very effective.” The timing of the install was perfect, as the client was hosting a big party at his shop later that day. “[Luke] told us how happy he was with the sign and showing it off to his guests,” says Gordon. “I imagine having that warm neon glow lighting his shop really makes him smile.” signshop.com
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Feature Name ACRYLICS By JIM Author RICHARDS
Diffusing Acrylic for channel letters give sign designers more solutions.
S
igns are one of the simplest forms of communication, but product development and adapting to new sign technologies is anything but simple. One example is the use of acrylic substrates for channel letters in the sign industry. Acrylic, around since the 1930s, is an adaptable product and is a good fit for evenly illuminating channel letters and
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sign cabinets because of its brightness, optimal clarity, weatherability, and versatility for designers. A light-diffusing acrylic is the superior solution to eliminate hot spots and maximize brightness, which provides a consistent brand image for your customers. The wide use of channel letters, typically paired with bright neon lighting, began in the 1970s. The early signs employed acrylic letters fabricated from the industry-standard 7328 White sheets, but the acrylic didn’t have great diffusing properties. If spaced too close, hot spots or zebra stripes were visible behind the letters. Five-inch-deep letters became the standard, due to the need to have adequate distance between the neon and the acrylic facade.
Another issue that impacted design was spacing of the neon. A lack of space in front and behind the high-voltage neon tubing could cause electrical arcing with metal in the sign cabinet. Light Emitting Diode (LED) modules alleviated some of these problems in the early 2000s. LED modules are low-voltage and offer a point source of light as opposed to a halo of light from fluorescent or neon lighting. LED lighting offers several compelling advantages. For example, it is more resistant to shock and vibration, which is helpful during both channel letter delivery and installation. Secondly LEDs consume less power than neon, lowering utility bills and typically delivering a longer life of the bulb. signshop.com
All Photos: Shutterstock.com.
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Third LEDs are a more environmentally friendly product, making them a preferred choice for some sustainability focused cities and municipalities. Lastly LED lighting uses a lower voltage transformer power supply, meaning it is safer to operate and maintain. However with this new technology came new challenges in diffusing the light source. Since LEDs are far more intense than fluorescent or neon, the brightness of the light can potentially overpower the diffusing sheet and result in an overbright or blurred image when viewed from far away. When viewed close up, the direct focus of the LED causes pinpoints of bright light that can be noticeable to viewers. Diffusing Intense Points of Light In 2005, Plaskolite was the first to introduce an additive into a new acrylic sheet: Optix LD. LD, which stands for Light Diffusing, is specifically formulated to eliminate many of the new challenges caused by LEDs. Light-diffusing sheet evenly 58
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distributes the LED illumination and creates a consistent hot-spot-free sign. Advances in acrylic continue even into today with different colors of white acrylics available with various levels of light transmission. The industry standard is 7328 White, which allows 28 percent light transmission. However there are new technologies that easily surpass other polycarbonates and acrylics when it comes to transmission performance. For example, 2447 White allows for a 47 percent light transmission. A number of factors go into sign design and material selection, but at the most basic level, if a material allows more light through, it presents more options for the fabricator to increase or reduce the light source in order to balance brightness and energy consumption. Using acrylic with the highest light transmission is the ideal choice for decorative vinyl applications compared to standard sign whites. Owners and fabricators can reduce the light source and save energy and money or keep the light source the same and let the image shine.
With a 72 percent light transmission, 2406 White allows a sign maker to laminate a pressure-sensitive, translucent vinyl film to the sign to achieve a wide range of custom colors or printed graphics. It works equally well with neon and fluorescent lighting and effectively diffuses light when using LEDs. Acrylic sheet, because of its higher light transmission compared to polycarbonate materials, can be customized to a wider spectrum of colors through the use of high-quality translucent or perforated vinyl. For more detailed designs, acrylic sign faces can be printed with special translucent inks, applied with vinyl, or coated with translucent paints for illuminated portions and opaque paints or vinyl for unlit portions. Alternate sign solutions, such as polycarbonates, make it hard to match design colors because of inconsistent and limited transmission properties. Extruded acrylics have a greater consistency, as it pertains to color and light output, than other means of manufacturing such as cell cast acrylic. signshop.com
Sign Cabinets and Efficiencies In the past, the minimal depth for a neon or florescent sign cabinet was a standard of at least eight inches and for a double-sided cabinet a minimum of sixteen to twenty inches in depth. This was to ensure the bulbs were set back far enough from the face of the sign. At those depths, the light lines from the light source weren’t as visible, and the sheet front didn’t have to diffuse much of the light. Many cabinets used polycarbonate, but the lighting options were limited and the sign was not as bright as when used with an acrylic sheet. Today’s LED lighting has changed the dynamics a bit. Cabinets now can be thinner—three inches or less in many cases. Because of the reduced depth, the acrylic face of the sign is responsible for diffusing and balancing out any harsh points of light. The light-diffusing acrylic sheet can reduce “hot spots” from the LED light source without the need for additional costly laminate diffuser films. This not only expands the design possibilities for sign makers, but light-diffusing acrylic can reduce the number of LEDs needed (since the acrylic is diffusing the light rather than LEDs spaced every few inches). In addition to flat letters, acrylic is ideal for thermoforming and can be used in formed or embossed letters and cabinets. To accomplish this, designers take a sheet of acrylic, heat it, and use a mold to fashion the acrylic into the desired sh fape. After heating, a vacuum is used to draw down the acrylic onto the mold to take the shape. When cool, the acrylic will retain the shape of the mold giving it a distinctive 3D look. From the Shop to the Site Fabrication and installation of channel letters with acrylics has made some strides as well. In addition to pure acrylic, an impactmodified acrylic sheet increases break resistance. The result is a more durable sheet that does not fracture as easily as normal acrylic. Channel letters can be as small as six signshop.com
inches to more than eight feet tall, but once you go past two feet, durability is a concern. The impact-modified acrylic sheet helps with handling and fabrication of larger letters. A channel letter cut from an impactmodified sheet is less likely to crack since it provides more flexibility. Acrylic letters from impact-modified sheets are also easier to handle without cracking during delivery from the shop. Fastening options include adhesives, screws, bolts, and even ultrasonic welding. Acrylic sheet is also more UV-stable than polycarbonate and can easily withstand the elements to protect and maintain consistent brand colors during outdoor use over a long period of time. Conclusion With the countless number of options available with today’s acrylic sheets, designers have more choices than ever. Customers, with fewer LEDs used and shallower cabinets, can enjoy lower shipping and installation costs while still receiving high light transmission and excellent brand representation. Companies are finding economical and attractive sign innovations to ensure their businesses are still getting noticed. By integrating LD acrylic into the design of channel letters, manufacturers have been able to produce energy-efficient and maintenance-free letters designed to withstand the elements while maintaining an attractive brand look. Acrylic channel letters offer a lightweight solution for a safer and easierto-install final product. The letters offer break-resistant properties and can effectively hide and distribute hot spots from the light source. Likewise, sign cabinets using acrylics can be less bulky, more cost efficient, and better showcase a customer’s brand. Jim Richards is currently Vice President, Industrial Markets, for Plaskolite (plaskolite.com) and is focused on educating fabricators and distributors on solutions for signage, glazing, and retail display applications. He has over thirty years of experience in thermoplastics with Plaskolite, a North American manufacturer of acrylic and polycarbonate sheet.
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AgiLight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
31
Signs365.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4
3
Brooklyn Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
32
Sinalite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
4
Coastal Enterprises/Precision Board. . 61
33
Small Balls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
5
Custom Foam Fabricators Inc. . . . . . 39
34
Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
6
Duxbury Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
35
Stamm Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
7
Echod Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
36
Syntech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
8
Elliott Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
37
TRC Electronics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
9
Fastenation Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
38
USSCF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
10
FASTSIGNS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
39
Vantage LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
11
FASTSIGNS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
40
Vantage LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
12
Huafone Technology LLC. . . . . . . . . . 60
41
Wilkie Mfg. LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3
13
Ideal Stitcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
14
J. Freeman Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
15
JDS Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2
16
Keystone Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
17
Lidco Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
18
Magnum Magnetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
19
Master Magnetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
20
Metomic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
21
Mutoh America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
22
NSSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
23
Nova Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
24
Orbus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
25
Orbus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
26
Ornamental Post Panel & Traffic. . . 60
27
Quality Manufacturing Inc.. . . . . . . . . 26
28
SDS/AdamsTech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
29
Sign America Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
InfoDirect #
signshop.com
3 EASY
STEPS 1. Go to our website at, signshop.com
COMPANIES IN SIGN SHOW 42
3M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
43
Absolute Inkjet, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
44
American RENOLIT Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . 15
45
AXYZ International. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
46
Epson America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
47
Mactac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
48
Mimaki USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
49
Onyx Graphics Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
50
Plaskolite, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
51
Principal LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
52
Rotuba Extruders, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
53
SloanLED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
54
Ventex Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
55
WARDJet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2. Click on our InfoDirect box on the website
3. Request info about advertisers & products
August 2018
Sign Builder Illustrated
63
Shop Talk By JIM HINGST
Making the Best Mail List Getting your message to the right clients.
T
he best mailing list is one that you compile, manage, and own. A list—which is a collection of existing clients, business contacts from industry events, Web site inquiries, or potential customers qualified from phone prospecting—is certainly better than a list of names that don’t know you or your business. The advantage of a list that you own is that you are free to use the database for other applications such as phone prospecting, direct mail, or scheduled followup sales calls. It also provides you with the flexibility to build detailed account profiles, which you or your sales people can use as part of pre-call planning. Creating your own list also allows you to segment the database, so you can tailor your message to specific audiences. The other option is to rent a list. When using some rental lists, the list owner typically controls the mailing. Gener-
ally you will have limited if any access to the prospect information. What’s more, with some list rentals you have no idea how the lists were compiled. Timing is critical when sending a sales email. This applies to the day that you send an email, as well as the time of day that an email is sent. Let’s start with the worst and best days to send an email. The three worst days to send messages are Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Friday isn’t much better. Here’s why. The start of the week is often hectic. It’s the day that people are getting back in the swing of things. It’s also the day that the boss is most likely to dump a ton of work on a subordinate’s desk. Fridays are usually busy too. It’s the day that people try to clear off their desks so they can start on the weekend with nothing hanging over their heads. Sending a business e-mail on the weekend is always a bad idea. Weekends are
Sign Builder Illustrated (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 2161-4709) (USPS#0015805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St. 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.
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Pricing, Qualified individual working in the sign industry may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions Print version, Digital version, Both Print & Digital versions: 1 year US/Canada/Mexico $50.00; foreign $99.00. Single Copies are $15.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only.
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64
Sign Builder Illustrated
August 2018
COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2018. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information, contact: Arthur Sutley, Publisher (212) 620-7247 or asutley@sbpub.com
when people recharge their batteries and devote time to friends and family. The best days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Now for the worst and best times of the day to send emails. Forget about sending messages early in the morning. That’s when most of messages are sent. When your prospects in-box is full, a high percentage of his or her emails get deleted. Sending e-mails after business hours is also a wasted effort. Most emails are opened later in the working day. For that reason, the best time to send an email blast is mid-afternoon, about 2:00PM. Many different factors affect the effectiveness of your email message. There is only one way to know what works and what doesn’t. Test, don’t guess. If you use an email service, such as Constant Contact®, you can easily record how many readers open your emails as well as the response to your calls to action within your message. The most important variable to test is your offer in the subject line. That’s the front door of your promotion. If the prospect doesn’t open the email, your message is lost. What’s important is that you track all of your results. If something works, continue to do it. If it doesn’t, try something else.
Timing is critical when it comes to sending out a sales-related email to one’s customers.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 3135, Northbrook , IL 60062-3135. 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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