Sign Builder Illustrated September 2014 by Sign Builder Illustrated

SIGN MAKEOVER Going to the Dogs

WRAP DESIGNS Making a Big Splash

COUNTLESS DEMANDS.

READY FOR THE FUTURE, HERE TODAY. Designed specifically for higher production runs onto rigid substrates, Océ Arizona ® 6100 series printers deliver outstanding image quality but at speeds of up to 1,668 ft.2/hr. With an accommodating 8 x 10 foot image area, Océ Arizona 6100 series printers can easily handle oversized boards or speed through standard-sized boards by utilizing the two independent 4 x 8 foot print zones complete with their own pneumatic registration pins and vacuum pumps. While one board prints, the second board can be prepped so the printer never has to stop. EXPERIENCE THE NEW SPEED OF QUALITY. CONTACT US TODAY!

1-800-714-4427 | US.INFO@CSA.CANON.COM Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. “Océ” is a trademark or registered trademark of Océ-Technologies B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. Océ Arizona is a registered trademark of Océ Display Graphics Systems, Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. The absence of product or service mark names and logos anywhere in the text does not constitute a waiver of any trademark or other intellectual property rights pertaining to that name, mark or logo. © 2014 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved.

ONE SOLUTION.

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NUMBER 231 | SEPTEMBER 2014

HOW-TO

COLOSSAL SIGNAGE

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September 2014

31 22 31

46 Sign Mania BY MIKE ANTONIAK

What does it take to create what may well be the world’s largest channel letter sign?

Rebrand Commencement BY JEFF WOOTEN

A university’s signage is updated with a distinct look complementing its campus.

Inside Opportunities BY MIKE ANTONIAK

Magnetic materials offer a flexible solution for interior signage.

Sign Builder Illustrated (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 2161-4709) (USPS#0015-805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564) (Bluechip Int’l, Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Agreement # 41094515) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified individual working in the sign industry may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $48.00; foreign $96.00; foreign, air mail $196.00. 2 years US $75.00; foreign $150.00; foreign, air mail $350.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year US $75.00; foreign $150.00; foreign, air mail $250.00. 2 years US $102.00; foreign $204.00; foreign, air mail $404.00. Single copies are $36.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. Copyright © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. Contents may not be

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

Wrapper’s Delight: Design + Install BY JEFF WOOTEN

Two ingredients = effective vehicle wraps.

46 51

It Builds in the Family BY JEFF WOOTEN

Three generations of sign makers sign up for a Father’s Day project.

You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure BY DAVE LECHLEITNER

Tracking key performance indicators can lead to shop improvement.

reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: Arthur Sutley, Publisher (212) 620-7247 or asutley@sbpub.com. For Subscriptions, & address changes, please call (800) 895-4389, (402) 346-4740, Fax (402) 346-3670, e-mail circulation@sbpub.com or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 1172, Skokie, IL 60076-8172. 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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There is a reason more Braille signs are made with Novacryl® Designer Series Photopolymer worldwide than any other substrate. NovaPolymers.com/Creativity PT

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North America

Canada

Middle East

Australia

Agenda

How-To Columns

SEPTEMBER 2014 SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 1: Graph Expo â&#x20AC;&#x2122;14 is taking place at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. (www.graphexpo.com)

OCTOBER 2014

Going to the Dogs

The Follow Up

Departments

13 Going to the Dogs BY MARK K. ROBERTS

Teaching an old dog grooming sign some new tricks.

16 The Follow Up BY JIM HINGST

How to make following up part of your daily routine.

UpFront

Editor Jeff Wooten looks into the crystal ball at how the ISA Sign Industry Market Monitor helps make anticipating the future a powerful business differentiator for your shop.

Dispatches

The latest news from around the industry.

Sign Show

SBI Marketplace

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

SIGN MAKEOVER Going to the Dogs

WRAP DESIGNS Making a Big Splash

www.signshop.com

NUMBER 231 | SEPTEMBER 2014

HOW-TO

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

COLOSSAL

Shop Talk

Matt Wilson discusses the many different properties of magnetic materials.

SIGNAGE

On the Cover The giant WrestleMania 30 channel letter sign revs up the capacity crowd at the New Orleans SuperDome. Photo: PropMasters. 4

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

OCTOBER 8-9: The National Signage Research & Education Conference, sponsored by the Signage Foundation, Inc., will be conducted at the Kingsgate Marriott in Cincinnati, Ohio. (www. thesignagefoundation.org) OCTOBER 9-11: USSC Sign World International 2014 takes place at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (www.ussc. org/main_signworld.html) OCTOBER 22-24: SGIA Expo is headed back to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (www.sgiaexpo.org) OCTOBER 30-31: The Western States Sign Council (WSSC) 2014 Sign Show will be held at the Phoenix Airport Marriott in Phoenix, ArIzona. (wssc.us.com)

NOVEMBER 2014 NOVEMBER 4-7: The automotive SEMA Show, featuring 2,300+ exhibiting companies, rolls in to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (www.semashow.com) signshop.com

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Up FRONT

BY JEFF WOOTEN

September 2014, Vol. 28, No. 231

Th3 Futur3 1s N0w

Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation EXECUTIVE OFFICES

President and Chairman ARTHUR J. McGINNIS, JR.

Predicting orders and expansion based on anticipated growth.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM.

nyone who has listened to sports talk radio over the past couple of years—or even read the book or watched the movie Moneyball—has probably noticed how “analytics” has seeped more and more into discussions about athletic achievements in the world of professional baseball and football. It seems related terminology like “VORP” and “SQL” is thrown around more often now than “MVP” or “TD.” General managers are using calculations instead of accomplishments to build the best possible team for now...and later on down the road. However the sign industry is also getting in on this numbers-crunching act. The ISA Sign Industry Market Monitor, a quarterly report by IHS and Vandiver Associates for the International Sign Association, uses an index value to show whether growth will outpace or fall behind historical trends (and explain whether the market is growing larger than typical—or slower). The results are intended to help the sign and visual communications industry “anticipate the future.” The ISA Market Monitor tracks large format printers, dynamic digital signage, electric signs, and wayfinding, and its numbers related to the second quarter of 2014 denote stronger than average growth in these four fields. Batter up! Electric signs. The ISA Market Monitor tagged electric signs as showing the most growth of the four key segments with a .74 index in 2014 and a strong growth in 2015 (with a factor of .48). “Because of a close correlation between end-user expenditures on digital signage advertising and electric signage, growth in digital signage advertising signals a strong outlook for electric signs,” it explains.

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; fax: 212/633-1863 jwooten@sbpub.com MANAGING EDITOR

The report pinpointed retail as one of the fastest growing sectors in digital signage advertising, primarily due to “sales uplift, dwell time, ad recall, and branding techniques many companies are introducing through digital signage systems.” Large format printers. The report cited that large format printers will enjoy “stronger than average” growth in both 2014 (an index factor of .47) and 2015 (an index factor of .59). The ISA Market Monitor attributes this increase in large format printers thanks to the expansion of the manufacturing sector (which is expected to grow 4 percent in 2014 and 5 percent in 2015). Dynamic digital signs. Dynamic digital signage also anticipates growth in 2014 and 2015 (with factors of .21 and .48 respectively). Hardware revenue should be a point of interest, particularly display mounts (which are forecast to increase an average of 2.9 percent between 2013 and 2017). Installation and project management revenue are expected to increase an average of 2.4 percent and 2.0 percent within that time period, as well. Wayfinding signs. Thanks to the addition of highways, streets, and other construction (as it grows 3 percent in 2014), the ISA Market Monitor predicts wayfinding signage will also take off (with a factor of .71 in 2014 and .45 in 2015). These mathematical results may not exactly make you the next Moneyball genius of the sign world, but they should help you go long and score in figuring out the markets and opportunities you can consider when it comes to expansion opportunities. To read the complete report and learn further what these numbers mean, log on to http://bit.ly/1riSfpb.

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

Ashley Bray

55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212/620-7220; fax: 212/633-1863 abray@sbpub.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Butch “Superfrog” Anton, Mike Antoniak, Jim Hingst, Dave Lechleitner, Mark Roberts, Lori Shridhare, Matt Wilson, Randy Wright

ART

Corporate Art Director Wendy Williams Designer Emily Cocheo PRODUCTION

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers CIRCULATION

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney ADVERTISING SALES NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR

Jeff Sutley 212/620-7233; fax: 212/633-1863 jeffsutley@sbpub.com WEST & MIDWEST REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Kim Noa

212/620-7221; fax: 212/633-1863 knoa@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. Circulation Dept. 800/895-4389

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CMY

Dispatches

Founded in 1824, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) is home to some 600,000 printed items and more than 21 million manuscript and graphic items encompassing more than 350 years of American history (including a handwritten first draft of the U.S. Constitution, the earliest surviving American photograph, and a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln). HSP was preparing to embark on a 8

$5.7 million building renovation project, which involved updating the public spaces, lobby area, and reference room. “We wanted to enhance our visibility,” says Page Talbott, interim president and CEO of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, “and help make history come alive for the general public.” HSP was intrigued with the idea of using a video wall to engage visitors. “The motion, the bright colors, and the size would all help

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

make the materials in our collection larger than life—figuratively and literally,” says Talbott. “The fact that we could show multiple pieces in the same space, or create a montage that told a more detailed story, would also be a huge benefit.” HSP spoke with Lead Architect Peter Saylor and David Searles, both of the firm SaylorGregg Architects, about how to integrate the video walls into the public spaces. Next Designer Stephen Bashore of Cloud signshop.com

ALL PHOTOS: TECH IMAGE.

History Goes Digital

Gehshan Associates (CGA) was brought in to design a stand that would incorporate two back-to-back video displays in a 3-by-3 configuration that fit aesthetically with the rest of the space. CGA also designed a 2-by-2 video wall for donor recognition that is incorporated into the permanent donor wall. CGA created the screen layouts and standards that determine where content goes and how it is presented. Joe McConahy, regional sales manager, and Vincent DiStasio, vice president at integrator Video Visions, used NEC’s fortysix-inch X463UN direct LED-backlit LCD displays throughout. Custom Display Solutions built the video walls to CGA’s specifications, which meant the sides and bottom would be fully enclosed so wiring and mounting

hardware didn’t show. The lower the heat output the less concern there would be of the units overheating and ultimately failing, especially after many hours of use. Twenty-four fans were then added to the freestanding enclosure to create a chimney effect, venting the heat that did collect through the top. Camagine’s Cameron Uhlig programmed an engaging presentation that cycles through some of HSP’s rarest and most striking artifacts. Visitors can stand in front of the wall and become immersed in 350 years of history, viewing documents, letters, maps, and photographs that are otherwise only rarely seen—if at all. For further details about this project, visit http://bit.ly/1t6w1o3.

The screens allow for the display of historical documents otherwise rarely seen.

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DSE ONE Event to Premiere October 21

September 2014

Atlanta, Georgia—DSE, the world’s largest and longest-running Inter nati o nal Co nfere n c e a n d Tradeshow dedicated exclusively to showcasing innovative digital communications and interactive technology solutions for customer- and employee-facing organizations, has announced the debut of DSE ONE on Tuesday, October 21 at the New York Conference Center in New York City. The full-day event will feature peer networking, panel presentations, collaborative roundtable discussions, and a representative cross-section of key industry vendors prepared to demonstrate and discuss the benefits of various cutting edge communications technology solutions. Chris Gibbs, president & COO of ExpoNation LLC (which produces DSE), said, “We are delighted to be part of New York’s Digital Signage Week with a brand new event that will make education and a sampling of communications and interactive technology solution alternatives accessible to senior management decision-makers where they live.” For more information about DSE ONE, visit www.digitalsignageexpo. net/dse-one.

// Sign Builder Illustrated

SignSHOW A D H E S I V E S / TA P E S Essentra Specialty Tapes Launches Finger Lift Tapes Catalog Essentra Specialty Tapes (formerly Duraco Inc. and Duraco Express) has published a new catalog showcasing its doublesided Finger Lift Tapes. These user-friendly tapes feature a release liner with a dry edge on both sides, which extends beyond the width of the adhesive strip. The extra width (dry edge) allows the liner to be removed more quickly and easily. The new Finger Lift Tapes Catalog highlights several product families, each with unique characteristics: Tissue Tapes, Transfer Tapes, Film Tapes, and Bag Sealing Tapes. The catalog contains sixteen pages of helpful product and application information and features a helpful Selection Guide to assist users in comparing applications and specifications and determining which tape is best suited for their exact need. Detailed specifications (sizes, put-ups, temperature ranges, etc.) are provided for each tape product. www.essentraspecialtytapes.com

D I G I TA L P R I N T I N G E Q U I PM E N T/ S U P P L I E S Epson Large Format SureColor T-Series Provides Unparalleled Precision and Performance Epson America introduces the Epson® SureColor® T3270, T5270, T7270, T5270D, and T7270D large format color printers. The SureColor T-Series features maximum print widths of twenty-four, thirty-six, and forty-four inches. Available now in single- and dual-roll models, the SureColor T-Series single-roll printers utilize a horizontal catch basket for enhanced output stacking, while the dual-roll printers feature a high-capacity catch basket for quick retrieval and reduced sorting time. The SureColor T-Series features the Epson PrecisionCore™ TFP® printhead and Epson UltraChrome® XD pigment ink. The printers deliver extreme line accuracy with resolutions up to 2880-by-1440 dpi at incredibly fast speeds. In addition, the SureColor T-Series thirty-six- and forty-four-inch printer models offer an optional multifunction (MFP) module, enabling PC-free, full-color scan and copy capabilities (up to thirty-six inches wide) at best-in-class speeds. www.proimaging.epson.com

Mimaki USA: New Industrial Media Handling System for TS500-1800 Textile Printer Mimaki USA has announced the availability of the MJF500-1800 industrial media handling system as an option for new and installed Mimaki TS500-1800 high-speed transfer sublimation printers. The new bulk roll media handling system adds versatility and expands the capabilities for high-speed dye-sublimation printing. The industrial design of the new MJF500-1800 system can handle paper rolls up to 600 pounds with an external diameter of 20 inches. Using the new bulk roll media handling system, Mimaki customers can become more productive by minimizing material change interruptions while also increasing profitability by printing long production runs on cost-effective transfer paper for sublimation to a wide range of textiles. www.mimakiusa.com

Roland’s VersaEXPRESS RF-640 Offers Exceptional Print Quality and Production Capability Roland’s new, high-speed VersaEXPRESS™ RF-640 large format inkjet printer incorporates a gold-plated printhead, a robust take-up system, innovative features, and high-density Eco-Sol MAX® 2 inks to deliver superior graphic results while maximizing output, ease-of-use, and efficiency. Roland Intelligent Pass Control™ controls dot placement, working hand-in-hand with GREENGUARD Gold certified Eco-Sol MAX 2 to ensure rich prints with virtually no banding on a wide range of substrates at speeds of up to 521.9 ft2/h, with an ink savings of up to 20 percent compared to previous models. Productivity is enhanced by the RF-640’s new Roland Ink Switching System, which supports continuous, unattended printing by allowing users to load a backup cartridge that automatically discharges ink to the printer when the primary cartridge is empty. www.rolanddga.com

POWER SUPPLIES/TRANSFORMERS France Power Solutions: New Mini LED Fast Pak Kit France Power Solutions has announced the release of its Mini LED Fast Pak™ Kit. The new compact kit reduces labor and installation time for all LED sign applications, includes pre-punched wiring holes, and can be mounted horizontally or vertically. The new Mini LED Fast Pak Kit comes complete and ready for quick installation. The kit is available in both a single and double power supply model. Each kit includes the compact LED-1260MPS power supply pre-wired in a wet-listed enclosure to a 20A toggle switch. UL recognized plugs are included for unused wiring holes. The kit comes with a five-year warranty on the power supply. www.franceformer.com

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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SignSHOW S I G N B L A N K S / PA N E L S / S U B ST R AT E S Rowmark Releases New Heavy Weights Products For the past decade, Rowmark has been offering Heavy Weights as a tough, heavy-gauge engravable sheet solution specifically designed to withstand the harshest outdoor elements. In response to increasing market demand for sheet materials and color options for outdoor sign-making, marine, and recreational applications, the company announces the launch of new products as part of its Heavy Weights™ product line. A three-ply polymer sheet with a textured surface, it is available in a bright palette of primary color combinations popularly used in high-traffic areas (including a new addition, Yellow/Black/Yellow). Additional new color combinations include: Green/Tan/Green and Red/Black/Red. Heavy Weights Brown/White/Brown and Green/White/Green are also now available in 1/4-inch thickness. www.rowmark.com

VINYL/VINYL FILMS/SUPPLIES Straight Fiber Now Available in 3M Wrap Film Series 1080 3M Commercial Solutions has added two straight fibers to the 3M™ Wrap Film Series 1080, bringing users an even greater number of out-of-the-ordinary finishes, textures, and color options. The two new films include 3M™ Wrap Film 1080-SF12 Straight Fiber Black and 3M™ Wrap Film 1080-SF201 Straight Fiber Anthracite. With a selection of carbon fiber, brushed metal, matte, satin, gloss, and now straight fiber options, Film Series 1080 is available in fiftyseven finishes, textures, and colors. There is no need for printing or an overlaminate, so the film can be applied as soon as the package is opened. The dual cast film has just the right amount of rigidity to allow easy handling, and it can be positioned and repositioned during installation thanks to pressure-activated adhesive and air-release channels that help prevent air bubbles. With sixty-inch-wide rolls, installers can quickly cover entire vehicle sections without seams. www.3mgraphics.com/1080

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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HOW-TO

BY MARK K. ROBERTS

Dimensional

Going to the Dogs Teaching an old dog grooming sign some new tricks.

hile working on a pylon sign at a strip mall, a very nice lady came up to me and requested a â&#x20AC;&#x153;signage makeoverâ&#x20AC;? for her sign in the pylon cabinet at her nearby dog spa business, HomeTown Paws. No problem here. We change out Plexiglas sign faces all the time; however this time, the face changes would end up being quite dramatic. The then-current sign faces were a sight to see. It seems multiple tenants had shared these same sign faces for years. I knew this because there

were several layers of vinyl adhesive remaining on both faces (along with some roadside dirt for good measure). No problem at all! We removed the two faces and transported them back to our shop for their makeover. To begin a sign face strip, we cover our workbench with plenty of old newspapers. We then put on heavy-duty rubber gloves and saturate the faces with plenty of mineral spirits. (Note: This process must be done outdoors to prevent getting lightheaded from the fumes.) Then we

Sliding in the new sign faces for HomeTown Paws.

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

HomeTown Paws pylon sign before the restoration. immediately get busy with our razor blade scrapers. Usually faces of this size would be cleaned within fifteen minutes; however because of their condition, these took about twice as long before becoming useable once again. After the mineral spirits bath, we scrubbed the faces with Ajax cleaner followed by a rinsing from the garden hose. Wiping the faces completely dry, we were now ready to apply our vinyl. The faces for the project would be cut in reverse, meaning the background would be a solid translucent aqua vinyl with the copy showing the white Plexiglas. Not being content with a simple reverse-cut message, we added some nice medium-brown translucent vinyl outlines around the perimeter of each letter. The sign faces were looking cooler as we progressed. For the icing on the cake, I ventured online to find the perfect dog image to add to the sign and chose a photograph of a Shih Tzu. After digitally printing two Shih Tzu dogs, we perimeter-cut them and placed each one on their own sign face. Since the 14

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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Laying the letter outlines before cutting.

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Removing trans mask from the dog decal.

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faces were already covered with the translucent turquoise vinyl, we had to resort to some handy knife work so that the dogs would light up against a white background. A few cuts here and a few cuts there, and voilà—perimeter cut dogs nested carefully into cutouts of the turquoise background! The installation of the faces was rather simple, except for one thing: While the horizontal retainers were still on the job, the vertical retainers must have flown south for the winter. They were gone! So I returned to our fabrication shop and quickly cut and bent the new retainers on the sheet metal brake. A quick spray with my handy Krylon® cans delivered a nice, blemish-free finish. These retainers were fastened to the sign cabinet with typical self-tapping sheet metal screws. As I looked upon the finished product, I was amazed at the difference in the “before” and “after.” In fact, one of the two owners of the dog spa gave me a big hug for transforming their old sign. Mark Roberts has been creating commercial signs in Houston, Texas for a couple of decades. Visit his Web site at www.theintersigngroup.com. signshop.com

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The blue vinyl-covered faces with bottom line weeded.

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

HOW-TO

BY JIM HINGST

Business Management

The Follow Up following up part of your daily routine.

pportunities for new business don’t often knock at your door. More often than not, it’s you that has to do the knocking. And as any experienced sales person knows, you have to knock on plenty of doors before one opens up. That amounts to a considerable investment in time and effort. For that reason, once you have an opportunity, make sure the door doesn’t slam shut. The reality is that many of us let opportunities slip between the cracks because we just don’t follow up. Sales people have many reasons and even

more excuses for their failure to follow up. One of the biggest reasons is fear. For some, making any type of call (whether on the phone or in person) is painful. Let’s face it, telemarketing is tough work, and not everyone is cut out to do it. Procrastination in making phone calls is a common manifestation of fear-avoidance behavior. Sales people often link follow-up calls with imagined unpleasant consequences, so they avoid making the call. You may want to use psychological leverage, sort of a mental jujitsu, to execute a reversal in behavior. In your mind, you need to link not making the

Creating a follow-up system, whether it’s a deck of note cards or something more sophisticated like a Customer Relationship Management program, can keep you from forgetting to make a call.

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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ALL PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM.

How to make

The Complete Matthews Paint System For Ultimate Color, Durability and Protection Developed specifically for the signage industry, the Complete Matthews Paint System is a total paint solution for the varied and extreme demands of architectural, commercial and outdoor sign applications.

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Preparation is Key to Success! Our substrate preparation guide gives step-by-step guidance for a variety of substrates including aluminum, photopolymer, steel, vinyl and PVC. Scan QR Code for Substrate Preparation Guide.

Make your follow-up call for a reason that gives the prospect some added value, such as ideas on a current design. call with an unpleasant consequence. For example, imagine not making the call with losing the sale to an aggressive competitor. Think about how painful it

will be explaining how you lost the sale to your boss. Or imagine the lost revenue that could have helped you pay your bills and avoid bankruptcy.

Some of us are afraid that frequent follow-up calls can be perceived as being pushy and will lose us the sale. I will agree that getting a call from a sales person who “just wants to follow up” is a waste of my time and an annoyance. The best way to avoid being a pest is to make your follow-up call for a reason that gives the prospect some added value. That value added might be ideas on how the prospect’s current design could be modified or an alternative material used for manufacturing the prospect’s graphics. Remember that your job as a sales person is to aid the prospect in his or her decision-making process. The best way you can do that is by providing useful information to aid in either the development or the implementation of the graphics program. Many sales people just give up before they should. Of course, you will encounter some prospects that are lost causes, but those will be few and far between. The general rule of thumb in sales is that you will make an average of five calls before closing a sale. So if you have

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Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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not made at least that many calls on a viable prospect, you have not tried hard enough. So keep on calling. Perhaps the most common reason that sales people do not follow up is that they just forget. The primary reason that people forget is that they do not have a good follow-up system in place. A follow-up system can be as rudimentary as a deck of three-by-five-inch note cards or a tickler file. It can also be as sophisticated as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program, such as Salesforce.com. It really does not matter whether you use a low-tech or high-tech system. What is important is that you have a system and that you make using it part of your daily routine. A CRM system allows you to build a profile of your prospects so you can better understand their needs and how you can provide value to their company. A customer profile should contain information such as key contacts, phone numbers, email addresses, and the scheduled call back date. Some programs will also provide you with a tool for assessing the effectiveness of your sales and marketing efforts. In working for a fleet graphics company, our CRM program allowed us to easily track how many leads were entered into our system each week and how many phone calls were made. We gauged our weekly performance against specific goals that we established for our marketing program. Using this system, we could also print a report for each sales person, listing the follow-up calls that they were required to make. In addition to making follow-up calls on new prospects, do not forget to regularly call your existing base of customers, or they will forget you. Calling your existing customers is a great way to identify new needs. It is also a great way to recognize potential threats from your competitors. That way, you can take corrective action so you can preserve the business and minimize your attrition rate. Follow up is not restricted to phone calls or face-to-face meetings. To complement your telemarketing and sales efforts, you can also incorporate newsletters, email blasts, and a company blog as part of your follow up. These communications should provide your customers and prospects with intersignshop.com

esting and useable information. If your business is primarily fleet graphics and building graphics, you could write articles using a case study format to chronicle the programs that your company developed. A problem-solution storyline is usually effective. The problem might be an outdated identity or a competitive marketplace. The story could also revolve around difficulties in implementing previous graphics programs. The rest of the story covers the solutions your company

provided. It should also reinforce why the customer or prospect should do business with you. While email is a cheap and easy way to reach a large audience, much of it does not get read. While many consider snail mail outdated, advertising executive Drew McLellan of the McLellan Marketing Group believes that direct mail is often more effective than email. A well designed direct mail package can

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

WE BRING IDEAS TO LIFE. Gemini offers a broad range of letters, logos and plaques in a variety of metals and plastics — all customizable to match your design. Plus, every Gemini product is built to last and guaranteed for life.

deliver your graphics message better than electronic marketing because it is much more visual and takes a little more effort to discard than just pressing the delete button. Direct mail does work. Famed car salesman Joe Girard, who set unbroken industry sales records, used direct mail and telemarketing to build his business and ensure a steady flow of customers. Each month, he sent out postcards to key prospects to keep his name in the forefront of their minds. When the prospect was finally ready to buy, who do you think they called? Joe Girard! You can do the same. When I worked for a large fleet graphics screen printer, we mailed hundreds of direct mail packages each week. A few days after mailing, we followed up with a phone call. Combining the phone call with the mailing dramatically improved our response rate.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

According to sales guru Andy Paul, CEO of Zero-Time Selling, “Forty to fifty percent of all inbound sales leads are never followed up.” It is hard to get a hit if you do not step up to the plate and take your swings. Responding in a timely manner is also critical to sales success. What does timely mean? For most customers and prospects, it means right now. In a face-to-face sales call, it makes a good impression on a customer if you can provide him or her with an answer immediately. There is nothing wrong with phoning from the customer’s office to make an inquiry. Now that is “follow up.” And if you can get a customer an answer right then and there, in many cases, it provides you with an opportunity to close the sale. Often your response in answering a question is a race against the response that a competitor will provide. Providing fast, complete, and reliable answers will build trust and credibility in the prospect’s mind and can earn you the business. Coming in second place in providing information can cost you the sale. By making follow ups with your customers and prospects part of your daily routine, you will have an edge over those competitors who do not follow up. And this will reward you with an increase in business. signshop.com

YOU ORDER. WE SHIP. IT’S NOT MAGIC Just face it. We live in an instant gratification world. Customers want their stuff Now. Luckily 3M Graphic Films design ed for electronic cutting are available to ship same day. FDC Graphic Films, Inc. provides the service conn ection for 3M Authorized Distributors. Our ability to provide quick turnaround improves the availability of 3M Graphic Films beyond what may be available locally. We ship the most popular series in all standard widths and colors. Ask your 3M distributor when you n e ed products quickly and be confident FDC will provide the service they n e ed to get you what you want, when you ne ed it. Contact your 3M Authorized Distributor, or go to the distributor finder at: fdcfilms.com/3M-program

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Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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SIGN MANIA

What does it take to create what may well be the world’s largest channel letter sign?

ALL PHOTOS: PROPMASTERS.

The sign starts with an event every bit as ambitious as its size and then tags in the collaborative efforts of experts at the top of their game in sign design, fabrication, engineering, rigging, and installation. All those talents were on display, front and center, when the crowd filled New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz SuperDome April 7 for Wrestlemania 30. The annual “Super Bowl of Sports Entertainment” drew a crowd of more than 75,000 fans

and attracted a worldwide audience of millions of TV viewers. Setting the tone for the event was a flashy, gargantuan, fully illuminated sign—as bold and as the cast of professional wrestlers who were competing in the ring below. “This was a big one,” says Peter Glynn of Propmasters, the Hialeah Gardens, Florida-based specialists charged with bringing the sign to life. “We couldn’t

Each letter was built as a single piece measuring sixteen feet high, eight feet wide, and four feet deep that would fit within a cube. signshop.com

September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

L-8

L-6

L-1

L-12

L-14

L-4

L-11

L-10

L-5

L-3

L-9

L-7

L-13

L-15

L-2

1 2

Top 1

BG-17 top

1 2

BG-1

BG 3417 5

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

T-1 T-2

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BG 11

T-5

T-3 T-4

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-1

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BG-1

m botto

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Top 2

BG 13

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

BG 9

BG 11 T-6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

T-7 T-8

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

BG 7 T-9

Top 4

Top 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

BG 3

BG 5 T-10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

T-11 T-12

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

BG 16

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Bottom 3

Bottom 2

BG-16 top

T-23 T-24

BG 1 T-13

Top 5

BG 4 T-15 T-16

BG 6

BG 8 T-18

T-17

BG 10 T-19 T-20

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get the Guinness people there in time to scale verify it, but 3/16 we believe it may have been the largest sign of its kind ever built.” Last year, Glynn and company transformed New Jersey’s MetLife stadium into a mini-version of the New York Skyline, complete with its own Statue of Liberty, for WrestleMania 29 (“The Main Event,” June 2013). “This year, the [WWE] decided they wanted to use their logo as the background,” says Glynn. “They provide the art of what they want, define a budget, and we take care of the rest.” The “rest” here entailed figuring out the most cost-effective and safest way to design, build, and install a sign, which when complete, measured 200 feet wide-

by-454ft feet tall and tipped the scales at more3ft than 40,000 pounds (a figure that includes 2ft the individual letters, support structure, and extensive array of fluorescent and LED lighting). WrestleMania’s plans also required Propmasters to “make the sign completely modular, in order to use the least amount of truck space,” for shipping and storage, notes draftsman Rick Sierra.

Proven Collaborators Glynn and his skilled team worked with Daniel Clark and the staff at Clark-Reder Engineering (www.clark-reder.com), Cincinnati-based structural engineers specializing in entertainment and events. “We

Part of the engineering challenge was designing something on such a large scale that could be easily divided, shipped, and assembled on site.

essentially drew what we wanted, then sent it to [Clark] for them to look over and help us figure out the best way to do it,” says Glynn. According to Glynn, part of the engineering challenge was designing something on that scale that could be easily divided, shipped, and assembled on site. “It gets really complicated when you have to base your plans on constructability,” he adds. The weight of the completed sign was

The WrestleMania logo was backlit with five-hundred eight-foot double lamp HO fluorescent fixtures. The letters were individually lit using 1,300 rolls of 16-foot RGB+white LED tape.

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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Assembly and installation required the collective skills of a team of twenty-eight during the full week leading up to the event, so open communication was critical.

another issue. “Because of the way it’s designed, the SuperDome was never meant to support this kind of weight from one place,” says Glynn. Special scales were used to monitor the weight and stress each section imposed on the dome as the assembly was hoisted into position. “You want to make it as light as possible and, at the same time, as safe as possible,” adds Clark. “And when you break something this large into pieces, it’s hard to control

the weight. “You end up with a lot of redundancy with plenty of capacity for rigging. It’s a real balancing act.” Each individual letter was built as a single piece measuring sixteen feet high, eight feet wide, and four feet deep that would fit within a cube. They were designed to be attached to a supporting background, which was divided into five sections that were again broken up into individual trusses for suspension from

the ceiling. The enclosed stadium setting—and the extravagant event—called for a brilliantly illuminated sign, flashing with a full spectrum of color as needed. The WrestleMania logo was backlit with a total of five-hundred eight-foot double lamp HO fluorescent fixtures. The letters themselves were individually lit using 1,300 rolls of 16-foot RGB+white LED tape with three-hundred four-channel decoders.

The weight of the completed sign was a big issue on this project. The sign was broken into sections that were further broken up into individual trusses for suspension from the ceiling. Special scales were used to monitor the weight and stress each section imposed on the dome as the assembly was hoisted into position.

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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Don’t Miss The Boardwalk Splash - Friday from 5 to 7 PM

October 9, 10 & 11 Atlantic City Convention Center Atlantic City, NJ See it all Printers Cutters Software LED’s EMC’s Trucks Supplies & More

Enjoy Sign World Int’l in the Fall when the weather is beautiful and the summer tourists are gone. Walk the Boardwalk, dine outside and smell the salt air. Participate in the many exciting events taking place inside the convention center. Two full days of seminars, three days to stroll the exhibit hall and make new connections, see all the latest machinery, and find new products being introduced to the market. And as if that’s not enough, you can visit the American Wrap Master pavilion where some of the best wrappers in the country will be competing. And of course in the exclusive USSC BullPen you can see gold leafing, mural painting, pinstriping and more being demonstrated. On Thursday, join us for the Meet & Greet from 6 to 7 pm and on Friday make your plans to come to “The New Boardwalk Splash” from 5 to 7 pm. This is your opportunity to network and share a drink with your friends at the same time. See you in Atlantic City!

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The Build and Install Glynn estimates it took six weeks to build the sign and transport the sections from Propmasters’ Florida facilities to New Orleans. He spent a month on site coordinating teams and plans for the project. Assembly and installation required the collective skills of a team of twenty-eight during the full week leading up to the event. Rigging, hoisting the sign into place, and then suspending it from the dome was handled by Atlanta Rigging Systems (www.atlantarigging.com), led by David Martin. “The first time they saw the sign was when they started pulling the sections off the truck,” says Clark. “[Martin] had to call me five or six times to talk things through; otherwise it went very smoothly.” Sierra notes 3/16-inch airline cable had to be custom-cut for every attachment point. “The letters were rigged with four 2-by-1/4-inch flat bars welded into the framing of each letter and held back from the outside edge,” he adds. “This way, we could hide the turnbuckles and shackles inside the letter to keep the space in be-

Failure was not an option on the sign, which was in place for the one-day event that drew a crowd of more than 75,000 fans and a worldwide audience of millions of TV viewers. tween letters as clean as possible.” The support structure included vertical trusses on the outside and every eight feet on center to support the sign-grade clear Lexan. “Then a top truss and a

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

curved bottom truss with horizontal trusses, every four feet, shorter than the outside trusses to support the HO fluorescent fixtures, which were affixed to their own frames,” says Sierra.

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On April 7, the big sign was in position to help create the over-the-top atmosphere that is WrestleMania. “The event was only one day, and by then, all we could do was pray everything went right,” jokes Glynn. Clark says WrestleMania is such a highly anticipated and watched spectacle that failure is not an option. “You have to go into these projects with the attitude it’s going to work,” he says. Once again, they pulled it off. “We don’t do anything alone,” says Clark. “We work hand-in-hand with Peter and his staff to figure out every detail—so it’s a workable project for everyone involved. Open communication is critical. There’s a window of about two or three weeks when we’re on the phone everyday.” Glynn credits everyone from the WrestleMania staff to those who contributed to the sign design, build, engineering, and installation. “Somehow we got through it all, and it worked out as planned,” says Glynn. “But that’s because the crews we put together to complete a job like this are all so brilliant.”

Many Parts Make the Big Impression Wondering if the WrestleMania 30 sign really deserves billing as one of, if not the, largest channel letter signs? Then consider this list of materials that went into its construction, provided by draftsman Rick Sierra at Propmasters: TUBING: • 500 24-foot sections of 1.25-inchby-1.25-inch-by-16-gauge steel; • 350 24-foot sections of 2-inch-by-2inch-by-16-gauge steel; • 350 24-foot sections of 1.5-inch-by1.5-inch-by-16-gauge steel; • 150 24-foot sections of 1.5-inch-by0.75-inch-by-0.125-inch steel. CHANNEL: • 50 40-foot sections of 2-inch-by-2inch-by-11-gauge steel tubing; • 20 4-foot-by-8-foot-by-0.25-inch mild steel sheets; • 130 4-foot-by-10-foot-by-0.040 aluminum sheets; • 2.5 8-by-400-foot rolls of sign-grade clear Lexan;

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• 500 8-foot double lamp HO fluorescent fixtures; • 1,300 rolls of 16-foot-long RGB+white LED tape; • 300 4-channel decoders; • 300 12-volt power supplies; • 80 4-foot-by-8-foot-by-0.5-inch white melamine (for mounting LED tape); • 12,000 square feet of backlit photographic-quality adhesive. VINYL: • 8,000 #10-by-1-inch tex screws; and • 10,000 pieces of hardware (bolts, washers, and nuts). “And a couple thousand other small pieces, too many to mention,” adds Propmasters Draftsman Rick Sierra.

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REBRAND COMMENCEMENT A university’s signage is updated with a distinct look complementing its campus.

ALL PHOTOS: KMA DESIGN.

hen St. John’s University was looking to update and rebrand much of its signage across campus, one expert design firm joined up with other sign fabricators and installers to make certain these solutions would prove academic. And for all the sign makers involved, their leap of faith here was rewarded with kudos for their dynamic-looking signage, which fits the school’s message and complements the campus. St. John’s University is a Catholic school that plays host to

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over 21,000 students at a variety of campuses (Manhattan, New York; Staten Island, New York; Paris, France; and Rome, Italy). However school officials were looking to rebrand a vast amount of signage at its campus sited in the heart of Queens, New York. The University property here is encompassed with a wrought iron estate fence, stone entrances, and arches. “These traditional design elements would influence the sign design, which emulates this detailing while enhancing the University crest at September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

the top of each sign type,” says Barbara J. Martin, founder of KMA Design, one of the companies involved in this sign rebranding project. Located just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, KerestesMartin Associates, Inc. (KMA Design) has proven to be specialists in the field of architectural signage design since its incorporation in 1996. The firm currently features fourteen full-time employees, with each one boasting expertise in signage master planning and design. The company specializes in large-scale projects and has an impressive resume of clientele from the healthcare, higher education, government, and entertainment sectors. (Note: Specific clients include: West Virginia University Healthcare, Adventist Health System, Stony Brook University, the University of Memphis, Hard Rock Casino Tulsa, and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.) KMA was invited by RefinedSight, a New York-based company with an existing reputation at the school, to design and implement the exterior campus signage. RefinedSight was in charge of overseeing project management and map art design on this project (as well as providing continuity from their previous experiences with the University) and was well aware of KMA’s expertise in designing higher education campuses throughout the country, so they asked them to provide design and planning expertise to their team. “The design had to incorporate the updated branding stand32

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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The new signage had to meet the expectations of the facilities department for longevity and budget, security for clarity of procedure and directions, and marketing to reflect the new brand and enhance the student experience for the University through aesthetics and functionality. ards (which modified the logo and fonts), as well as relate to the strong Christian values and superior reputation that the University offers,” says Martin. Initially the team presented the client with three design concepts of different colors, materials, and imagery to consider. (Note: The most traditional version was selected not only for the University’s Queens campus, but also for their locations in Staten Island, Paris, and Rome.) KMA Design executed the design for the on-site signage and arch details, preparing all construction documents and specifications. These drawings coincided with the locations and messages, which were planned for each sign type. “The bidding documents used readily found products highlighting aluminum cabinetry and individual message strips for flexibility and interchangeability,” explains Martin. “Messages are reflective vinyl, providing high contrast to the black signs. “They also maximize visibility at night without illumination 34

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

to aesthetically maintain the look and feel of the campus.” The more-than-one hundred pieces of signage designed and built for this project included directional signs, street signs, gateway signs parking lot identification, and building names, installed along the campus at six gates situated around the perimeter of the campus. “[These signs] are necessary to circulate visitors, students, and faculty to the appropriate parking lots, buildings, and departments,” explains Martin. Prior to being awarded the project, KMA proactively designated the most experienced of its staff members for work on it. These consisted of project managers, signage and graphic designers, and planners best suited and experienced in higher education campuses (particularly Catholic private institutions). According to Martin, the main challenges in the design process (like most of its other projects) turned out to be satisfying the needs of a variety of end-users. “The design had to meet signshop.com

Considering Third -Party Inks In the digital printing process, ink and consumables make up one of the highest expenses after the initial cost of the printer. So it’s no wonder then that sign shops are drawn to third-party inks primarily because of the lower cost. “Once the decision is made to switch to third-party ink, the sign shop owner is certain to save between 20 to 40 percent on ink cost,” says Ruth Zach, marketing coordinator at Bordeaux Digital PrintInk (www.c-m-y-k.com). Still some shops equate low cost with low quality, and they worry about the havoc cheap inks can wreak. “Cheap ink can result in clogging of the printheads, poor printing performance, and high wear-and-tear of the machines, so sign shop owners must consider well which third-party ink best suits their needs,” says Zach. To avoid buying incompatible or lowquality ink, shops should consider: Compatibility. “A sign shop would be safer to choose an ink aimed for their specific printer models,” says Zach. “A printer-specific ink is likely to perform better than generic ink compatible with the printhead technology but which does not target the specific printer model.” Some independent ink manufacturers even offer inks that match or exceed OEM inks in color and performance, without the need for flushing the printer or creating new ICC profiles. Application. “Some inks will have an advantage on certain media,” says Zach. “If you are not sure, you can always ask for a sample print on the specific media you are using or ask for a set of colors to try at your shop.” Manufacturers. Not all independent ink manufacturers are created equal; one of the biggest differences is whether a company resells ink or manufactures its own. “[Some] thirdparty ink manufacturers invest heavily in R&D to formulate the inks from scratch,” says Zach, “just as OEM ink manufacturers.” Customer service is another

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distinguishing factor between manufacturers. “A respectable alternative ink manufacturer should support the customer in the initial installation process and make the necessary adjustments following the installation, such as new ICC profiles,” says Zach. “Sign shops often are afraid

to take the plunge and try third-party inks because of OEM warranty rules. But as long as shops educate themselves and consider all the options, third-party inks can be a viable and cost-effective alternative to OEM inks.” —Ashley Bray

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

the expectations of the facilities department for longevity and budget, security for clarity of procedure and direction to appropriate parking areas, and marketing to reflect the new brand and enhance the student experience for the University through aesthetics and functionality,” she says. The new signage was fabricated over the course of four months by Big Apple Visual Group of New York City, who utilized the SignComp™ system for the main structure of the directional signage and customized the sign headers and university crest to meet the design details and specifications of the project. While fabrication did not present any significant challenges for the inground signage, Martin states that the most difficult sign types turned out to be the addition of the new crest to existing metal arches and gates. “These efforts required verification of existing materials and dimensions and required a synthesis of old and new that had to blend seamlessly,” she says, “so as to not appear as an afterthought.” The combination of fabricators and designers was able to achieve a successful end-result without the aid of existing architectural drawings and dimensions. Working closely with Big Apple Visual Group, the KMA design team matched materials and colors for the new work to enhance the existing campus environment. The directional, gate/entrance, parking, and street signage were installed just in time for graduation that spring. The project was phased in rapid succession. KMA started with installing the gateway signage first, followed by the directional, street, and parking, and concluding with the building identification signage. “This year’s brutal winter added a few weeks delay on foundations, but the project was kept on track and finished to meet the deadlines put forth by the University,” says Martin. Today the new, rebranded signage crafted by these sign companies and found throughout the St. John’s Queens campus of St. John’s University is an enticing algorithm of how sign experts from various backgrounds can collaborate to arrive at scholarly, academic solutions. signshop.com

ISA: Economic Impact Study Released The International Sign Association (ISA) has released the new ISA Economic Impact of the Sign & Visual Communications Industry by Ernst & Young, which shows the effect that the industry has on the U.S. economy.

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the industry. “As we more fully understand our industry’s impact on the economy and its influence across the country,” said ISA President and CEO Lori Anderson, “we can use this to affect codes and regulatory issues at the local, state and federal levels.” Among the key findings:

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+ The sign industry is estimated to have had 201,900 employees in 2012; direct and indirect employee compensation was an estimated $11 billion.

+ There were an estimated 15,385 U.S. establishments that indicated they were engaged in sign activity in 2012.

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+ The sign industry purchased an estimated $10.4 billion in goods and services from suppliers in 2012 with 88 percent coming from U.S. suppliers. The study is free for ISA and NASSD members; nonmembers may purchase it for $1,000. To learn more, contact ISA’s David Hickey at 703/797-0479 or david.hickey@signs.org.

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

M a g n e t s / BY M I K E A NTO N I A K / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Inside Opportunities

re you stuck on finding new applications for your large format digital press? If so, you may be overlooking a lucrative application for interior signage that’s printed, delivered, and easily installed on flexible magnetic material. “Normally when you mention magnetic materials, people think of refrigerators or cars,” notes John De Leon, director of Sales and Marketing for Flexmag Industries, a division of Arnold Magnetic Technologies (www.arnoldmagnetics.com) and supplier of a full line of printable magnetic substrates. De Leon continues, “Some of the newer products we’ve come up with allow magnets to be used inside as well, in homes and all kinds of businesses—wherever there’s a need to change or swap out signage or graphics on a regular basis.” According to De Leon, the process is simple after buying a roll. “You print

your image,” he explains, “and then take a utility knife and easily cut to whatever size or shape you want.”

Interior Growth Mike Gertz, marketing manager for Master Magnetics (www.magnetsource. com), reports that a lot of growth has been happening lately in the use of magnetic materials for interior signage. “This entails everything from menu boards,

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

bank signs, and grocery aisle directories to designing the full wall mural graphics required in retail environments,” he says. Many sign shop owners and other print service providers are just starting to exploit the versatility of these materials as indoor signage solutions. “With paper, you’re stuck with whatever is printed,” says Ryan Newhart, national account manager for Magnum Magnetics (www.magnummagnetics.com).

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“There’s no interchangeability.” Suppliers point to the ease with which any message can be changed as a compelling advantage of magnetic signage. “You’re able to take down one sign and put up a new one in seconds,” notes Newhart. “That’s a big part of their appeal.” That should resonate with many endusers. “For [sign shop] customers, setting up and changing out the sign or graphics is something they can easily do themselves,” says Gertz. This allows them much more flexibil-

ity in the sign message too. For example, the manager of a restaurant or coffee shop—or any retail business, for that matter—can swap out the message by the day, the week, or even the hour. A menu board can be changed to highlight daily specials for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Point-of-purchase pieces printed on magnetic materials can be as easily revised to promote daily, weekly, or seasonal promotions. What’s more, those who employ magnetic signage no longer have to settle for a

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Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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PHOTO: FLEXMAG INDUSTRIES.

New magnetic materials allow users to take full advantage of the graphics capabilities of large format printers.

stark look or message. “The biggest difference today is that we now have directly printable magnetic materials that can be run [directly] through a digital printer,” states De Leon. These new materials allow users to take full advantage of the graphics capabilities of large format printers—including highresolution photo reproduction. These high-res graphics can be used to transform interiors without the costs and disruption of more permanent installations. “You can treat magnetic material almost like wallpaper,” says Shane Colvin, business development manager at Magnum Magnetics. “You can show a fresh look in a small space very quickly. “The look of an entire wall or an entire storefront can be changed out [via magnets] on a daily basis.” Colvin notes too that adhesive-backed magnetic strips can be attached to other types of signage. “You can apply an adhesive-backed strip to the wall and another to the back of an acrylic print,” he explains. “With those strips in place, these signs can be as easily put up or swapped out as magnetic signage.”

PHOTO: MASTER MAGNETICS.

Understanding the System If all this advice seems new to you, well, you’re not alone. Suppliers recognize the need to educate sign shop owners about their latest materials. Then they can introduce their customers to ways they can use this versatile, flexible signage in their facilities and buildings. Selling magnetic signage is a little different than other services though. Unless that print is destined for a location like a stadium or a car (where there’s a surface the magnets can adhere to), this signage must be sold as a twocomponent system: (1.) magnetically receptive material, which is affixed to the wall; and (2.) the flexible magnet sheet imprinted with the sign message. The receptive material serves as a frame—in that it will hold that print. Installing a new sign can be easy as peeling off one sheet of the flexible material and laying down another. Once that receptive material is in place, it serves as a reusable sign system, with other advantages. De Leon says, “That receptive piece

Magnetic signage allow users to easily switch out messages to reflect changes, specials, or promotions. goes up without putting any holes in the walls, and the owner can easily put up a new sign message whenever they want. Because this system can be easily updated and printed with new signs, it can mean repeat business.” Newhart says, “You can justify the cost of a magnetic sign just based on what you save on labor for a sign installation.” Another selling point: Magnets are extremely durable. “They aren’t going to easily tear or wrinkle as paper or vinyl might,” states Gertz. “The results are

long-lasting, high graphic quality for impressive signs and graphics.” Gertz concludes, “The print service provider can print direct to both the receptive material and the flexible magnet sheet with solvent, eco-solvent, UV, and latex inks, saving the cost of printing on a different substrate and laminating. “Once sign shops are aware of the ability to print to magnet or magnetic-receptive materials with their printers, their creative ideas are generating more and more solutions for interior signage.”

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

Ve h i c l e W r a p s / B Y J E F F W O O T E N / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

WRAPPER’S DELIGHT: DESIGN + INSTALL

SUCCESSFUL VEHICLE WRAPS MEAN MORE than just exact measurements and seamless installations. The design of the wrap being featured on the vehicle also has to be considered, as it has to reflect the message the user is trying to get across—an ingredient that Absolute Perfection Vehicle Wrapping has, well, “perfected.” Absolute Perfection Vehicle Wrapping (www.

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in Baltimore, Maryland, that specializes in

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crafted custom vehicle wraps every day.

On this wrap, “paint splatters” seam perfectly. Even the Facebook and Twitter icons appear as part of the design.

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

designing, printing, and installing carefully

In fact, Absolute Perfection wraps a wide range of canvases—from cars and trucks to golf carts, tractor-trailers, and walls. Even though they wrap multiple vehicles at their new 5,000-square-foot facility with multiple bays, installers will also wrap off-site (when necessary). The company’s current roster of fifteen employees consists of “cross-trained” professionals involved in both the graphic design and installation processes. “We focus heavily on our design capability, then our ability to print quickly on our latex machines, and finally finish the job with our 3M Certified installation,” says Chris Fong, vice president, Applied Graphics Division, at Absolute Perfection. One reason for the company’s design success can be attributed to the fact that their on-staff designers hail from a wide range of graphics backgrounds. “They’re able to incorporate their diverse influences into each vehicle wrap project,” says Fong. Absolute Perfection treats each of its clients as a “guest” and devotes their full creative energies into helping them achieve the best wrap design possible. The design process can be handled over email or phone; however the company also welcomes customers to sit in with its designers and see the process unfold before their eyes (even encouraging them to add input and creative touches to make the design more their own). “Our first job before designing is determining what style signshop.com

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ALL PHOTOS: ABSOLUTE PERFECTION VEHICLE WRAPPING.

This food truck wrap features a “playful composition” of illustrated crab characters with Washington, D.C., landmarks in the background.

works best for each client’s business,” says Brandon Antol, lead designer at Absolute Perfection. “The main focuses are to have the company name and information be visible from a distance and to create a design that is memorable and eye-catching.” To start the design process, Absolute Perfections uses a combination of pre-made templates and client vehicle images. If they need any additional information, they’ll have the customer bring their vehicle to the shop for more measurements and further study. The company is well versed in Adobe® products and uses this family of software—Illustrator®, InDesign®, and Photoshop®—for their projects. “These programs are also used by most marketing and advertising firms,” says Fong. When it comes to wraps, Fong recommends an easy-to-read, attention-grabbing design. “There’s no point spending money on a mobile billboard for five-plus years if no one can clearly see your company information,” he says. Fong also stresses that you don’t need a lot of images and colors to grab someone’s attention. “Something as minimal as one-color typography can do just as much,” he says. When it comes to installation, Fong states that a clean, nicely lit, climate-controlled facility is a must-have. Among the tools installers use here are the basics: heat guns, torches, 3M applicators, ISA alcohol, and Olfa knives. “We also use RollePros and other advanced tools that some installers neglect to use but can increase the signshop.com

longevity of the vinyl and make for an easier installation,” he says. While Absolute Perfection takes professional videos of their installations and testimonials for the Web, Fong adds it’s also up to the client to show the wrap off. “Unlike a stationary billboard, clients have the ability to market themselves in multiple areas,” he says. “We try to give customers location ideas where they should show their vehicles.” Two recent projects for Chef Alex Tsamouras, a critically acclaimed, second-generation food vendor in Washington, D.C., further highlight the blurred lines of Absolute Perfection’s expert design and quality installation skills. First Tsamouras approached the wrap specialists about putting together an eye-catching design for a new Feelin’ Crabby food truck. “He had one truck already that was getting a lot of positive feedback and was looking to expand his jurisdiction,” says Antol. This vehicle was a modified Dodge Sprinter. “The most notable modification was the flat screen television on the passenger side showing the menu items,” says Fong. According to Antol, the design used here is a “playful composition” of illustrated Feelin’ Crabby characters with Washington, D.C., landmarks in the background. “I love the clever renderings of the characters and think the photographic image of their signature ‘Crabwich’ superimposed into one of the crab character’s claws brings it all together,” he September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

says. “The fact that colors in the sandwich are complementary to much of the design was one of those ‘happy accidents.’” Antol credits Tsamouras’s illustrator for providing “wonderful” characters and layouts. “We tried to position them as dynamically as we could, given the restraints of any vehicle wrap design,” he says. “We tried to give them some depth within the space and wanted them to look like they had at least some interaction with one another.” Installation was fairly straightforward. Because of the deep grooves, Absolute Perfection used 3M™ Envision™ Print Wrap Film 480Cv3 with 3M™ Envision™ Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8548G because of its strong adhesive and pliability. It only took less than ten hours for one installer to apply the wrap. Meanwhile Tsamouras also launched the South Meets East food truck with his friend and business partner Justin Bates and asked Absolute Perfection to wrap its Dodge Sprinter with a colorful “paint splash” design idea that would stand out from the other food trucks in the D.C. metro area. “The tricky part was in balancing the composition of the colors and shapes of the splashes of paint,” says Antol. “The final result may look haphazard, but there was a lot of time put into where each shape and color ended up so that the whole design would be harmonious without interrupting the main logo and typographic elements.” Antol even treated the Facebook and Twitter icons to look like they very much belonged as part of this design and not just “stuck on” as an afterthought, as they often appear in many wraps. Installers again used 480Cv3 film laminated with the 8548

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

overlaminate, but they had to make sure that every panel “splatter” seamed together perfectly (another example of the design-install amalgamation the company has mastered). “This is much more difficult to do on a Sprinter than on a flat surface,” says Fong. Still everyone agrees that both vans more than satisfied the client’s hunger for quality vehicle wraps.

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PHOTO: OCEAN GRAPHICS & SIGNS.

Ocean Graphics & Signs on the Crest of a Wave Ocean Graphics & Signs of East Hampton, New York, is a small company with great abilities and an even bigger potential. Established in 1989, the company came into new ownership early in 2014 when Will McLear bought it after deciding to leave the insurance industry. “I’ve always loved working with my hands and designing things,” said McLear. “When I decided to make a career change, I worked for Ocean Graphics & Signs for part of 2013 and completed the acquisition early this year.” Producing PVC signs and vinyl lettering are bread and butter activities for Ocean Graphics & Signs. “Vinyl lettering for vehicles is a standard job for us,” McLear said. “Curiously, there’s not that much demand for full vehicle wraps, but the cut lettering is steady work. The truth is, the work is highly variable.” In fact, there’s also regular work that comes from its proximity to the ocean. “There’s been recent demand for full boat wraps,” said McLear. “We also do signage for boat names and we’ve even wrapped a surfboard or two.” McLear also noted a fad for wrapping baby strollers, an application he had never before encountered. A canoe and ice-cream cart are other examples of unusual jobs that have come his way. “Working out how to do jobs like that with efficient use of materials can be tricky, but SAi’s Flexi and Flexi Design software simplify the process and using the Cloud makes things a lot easier,” he said. “At the end of the day, I can upload a design we’ve been working on and access it from home on my laptop and fine-tune the design. It also means that it’s clear to everyone what the latest version of the job is.” The Cloud is also a great asset to McLear when visiting customers. “I can be at a customer site and make changes to designs on the spot, get immediate approval, and advise my team that they can start production,” he explained. “The job might even be underway by the time I get back.” McLear is also a strong advocate of cast vinyl and is always looking for new colors and effects to offer his customers.

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“By choosing the right materials, the overall effect can be enhanced,” he said. “Cast vinyl has great depth of color, and new colors, metallics, and clear vinyls with gloss, satin, or matte finishes can differentiate our customers’ image. “Next to good vinyl, print looks like a sticker.”

September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

P r o j e c t M a n a g e m e n t / BY J E F F WO OT E N / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

IT BUILDS IN THE FAMILY Three generations of sign makers sign up for a Father’s Day project.

itchfield Township, Ohio is a small town of 3,250 people located just south of Cleveland. When community officials wanted to replace four long-standing “welcome to” post-and-panel signs, three generations of sign makers worked together to make this request a reality—and in the process, a very special Father’s Day. Chris Eppolito is a third-generation sign maker and the owner of Eppolito Signs (www.eppolitosigns.com) in nearby Medina, Ohio. Eppolito moved his residence to Litchfield Township last year and recently stopped by the town’s Service Department to talk with them about having his front ditch

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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To keep the project costeffective, Eppolito Signs decided to only repaint the posts and replace the four sign panels.

The sign panels were built from pre-painted .063 white aluminum-covered plywood using a circular saw and a jig saw.

ALL PHOTOS: EPPOLITO SIGNS.

After cutting the sign out and sanding them, Eppolito sealed all the edges and capped them off with edge-cap via silicone adhesive. He then applied the vinyl to the faces.

re-dug for drainage. However this conversation soon turned to signage. “They mentioned that their signs were in bad shape and needed replacing,” says Eppolito, noting that the weathered and faded sign panels in question were mounted between six-by-six posts that were still in good shape. “However the posts had been up for over ten years, so none of them were perfectly straight anymore.” One of Eppolito’s focuses is in “sign restoration,” and as often as he can, he likes to give the customer the option to restore their existing sign—“providing that it’s in good shape,” he says. According to Eppolito, the main goal of this project was signshop.com

to find a cost-effective way to update and replace all four signs entering Litchfield Township, so he decided to only repaint the posts and replace the four sign panels. This update would be an affordable method compared to a total replacement. The previous sign design featured only a “boring” tree at the top, so Eppolito took the opportunity to “spruce” up this look. One of the community’s most prominent landmarks is a gazebo that sits in the middle of town, so he incorporated this image into the new design instead. For back up, he provided town officials a few other sketches of different design ideas. “However after a meeting with all the members, they picked the sketch with the gazebo,” says Eppolito, September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

Eppolito (with his older son Michael) transported the signs in the bed of his truck, placing cardboard between them.

“which also happened to be the one I liked the best.” He built the new sign panels using aluminum-covered plywood. Basic tools and materials were used to fabricate these signs. The panels were all cut out using a circular saw and a jig saw, while the die-cut lettering and the gazebo image were made out of cast vinyl. After cutting the signs out and sanding them on the first day, Eppolito sealed all the edges and capped them off with edge-cap via silicone adhesive the next day. Then he applied the vinyl. Eppolito also had to make custom aluminum brackets to retrofit the new signs between the existing posts. Using a shear

Chris Eppolito’s youngest son, Christian, repainted the posts with white enamel paint.

and brake, he sheared each piece of pre-painted .063 white aluminum to size and then bent them on a 90-degree angle and mounted them to each side of the signs (four brackets per sign). Each bracket was thru-bolted using stainless steel. “The signs couldn’t have fit better,” says Eppolito. “The aluminum brackets had some ‘give’ to them and mounted perfectly flush to the posts.” As mentioned earlier, signage literally runs through Eppolito’s bloodlines. In fact, Chris’s late grandfather Sam Eppolito, Sr., started this business some sixty years ago. Today Eppolito’s father, Sam, is a semi-retired sign painter. “How-

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1. Choose up to 10 categories of interest and check off on card. 2. Select up to 28 suppliers and record InfoDirect # on card. 3. Mail card to start getting info! InfoDirect #

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Ability Plastics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 44 AdamsTech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 54 Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 54 ARaymond Tinnerman . . . . . . . . . . 20 A.R.K. Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Biesse America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Brooklyn Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 CAO Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Central States Signs . . . . . . . . . . . 55 ClearPath/Rowmark Inc. . . . . . . . C2 Duxbury Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 ER2 Image Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 EstiMate Software Corp. . . . . . . . . 55 FDC Graphic Films . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Flexmag Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . 39 Gemini, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 GH Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Hartlauer Bits.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 J Freeman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Magnum Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Marabu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Master Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Matthews Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mimaki USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 M&T Displays LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 MultiCam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Mutoh America, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Nova Polymers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Orbus Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Outwater Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Principal LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Roland DGA Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Scott Sign Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 SGIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

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InfoDirect #

Company

Page

InfoDirect #

39 Sign America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 40 Sign Bracket Store By Hooks 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

and Lattice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Signs365.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 SloanLED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Small Balls, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Stamm Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Stouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 SunRise LED Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Syntech of Burlington Inc. . . . . . . 37 US LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 USSC (United States Sign Council) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 VKF Renzel USA Corp. . . . . . . . . . . 54 Wilkie Mfg., LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3

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Companies in Sign Show 53 54 55 56 57 58 59

3M Commercial Solutions . . . . . . . 12 ClearPath/Rowmark Inc. . . . . . . . 12 Epson America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Essentra Specialty Tapes . . . . . . . 10 France Power Solutions . . . . . . . . 10 Mimaki USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Roland DGA Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

The new sign panels were installed on Father’s Day, which made the project even more of a meaningful family affair.

ever he is always offering to help with any painting or installation,” he says. Meanwhile Eppolito’s son Michael, 17, daughter Alyssa, 13, and son Christian, 8, are all showing signs of interest in someday taking over the business. Everyone pitched in to handle the smooth installation of these four 32-inch-tall-by-72-inch-wide signs. Two signs are currently located on Route 18 (the east and west entrances to Litchfield Township), and the other two are on Route 83 (north and south entrances). Eppolito placed the signs in the bed of his truck for the ride from the shop to the install site, placing cardboard between them for added protection.

The slight “give” in the aluminum brackets was enough to make up for any differences between the posts so the panels fit.

Chris Eppolito and his son Michael did most of the removals and lifting, while his father Sam did much of the painting and was in charge of the leveling. His son Christian repainted the posts with white exterior enamel paint out at the job install site. Some of the signs were located on lawns and some in fields off the road. “We took a weed-trimmer with us to trim around each post before painting was done,” says Eppolito. The biggest challenge was to fit each sign between the existing posts. “Since the posts had been up for over ten years, they had all moved slightly and were not perfectly straight,” says Eppolito. “We cut each sign differently, to match the differences between the posts. The signs were marked per their location and installed accordingly.

Eppolito Signs has been a family affair since it was started nearly sixty years ago. Today Chris Eppolito’s three children show interest in someday taking over the sign business. “As I mentioned earlier, the slight ‘give’ in the aluminum brackets was enough to make up for any differences in the posts. They fit like a glove.” Judging from the success of this family affair, it may be surprising to learn that the original plan actually didn’t involve the multiple generations working on this sign project. Instead it was a night-before-Father’s Day call from Chris’s father that sparked the team effort. Eppolito says, “My [dad] called me and asked, ‘Why don’t we install the signs tomorrow on Father’s Day?’ I really liked that idea. That Sunday ended up being the nicest day of the week, after rainfall each of the other days. “We needed a good day for the install and painting,” says Eppolito, “so it turned out to be an even better Father’s Day.” 50

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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B u s i n e s s M a n a g e m e n t / B Y D AV E L E C H L E I T N E R / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

YOU CAN’T MANAGE WHAT YOU DON’T MEASURE

Tracking key performance indicators can lead to shop improvement.

PHOTO: FASTSIGNS.

f you are a business owner, you may be very familiar with the old adage, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Specifically, if you are the owner of a job shop or a contract manufacturing facility, it is critically important to understand the current state of your business through the use of real-time key performance indicators (or KPIs). The challenge for many job shop owners is understanding first what to measure, then setting a goal or standard metric by which your current state is signshop.com

measured against (also known as benchmarking), and then putting corrective actions into place to help you achieve or surpass these goals in a regular, sustainable fashion.

What to Measure Key performance indicators should be uniquely personal for your shop. However for most small- and midsized manufacturers, there are the obvious indicators that every shop should consistently measure at least on a monthly (or even weekly) basis. These

indicators should represent a cross-section of your business—focusing on the key elements of customers, productivity, vendors/suppliers, and financial. For example, when a business establishes their customer indicators, these indicators should focus on quote backlog, quote win rate, order backlog in weeks or dollars, new orders placed this week/month, on-time performance, etc. When the shop establishes productivity metrics, these indicators should focus on utilization by work center or department, efficiency by work center

September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

or department, overbooked or underbooked work centers, rework hours, scrap cost, direct vs. indirect hours, and throughput in days both from a production standpoint (lead days from first time entry to first shipment) and administrative throughput (lead days from order date to first shipment). For vendor metrics, the shop should establish metrics for vendor on-time performance, average lead time by vendor, acceptance rate by vendor, and valuation

of stock and WIP inventory. Finally key financial indicators should focus on customer and vendor aging, past due invoices, average days to pay (customers and vendors), and current cash position.

How to Measure Now that you have established the “what” to measure, you will want to spend time evaluating “how” to measure. If you are like most small companies

and have even a small number of key performance indicators, you should quickly come to the conclusion that, without some level of automation and a system to capture the data in real time, there will be significant manual efforts required to get the data that support the compilation of these metrics. As a result, you will want to evaluate ways to acquire this data in real time through automated means that are tightly integrated with your shop management or ERP solution.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

Establishing key performance indicators is critical for driving continuous improvement in your shop. Every shop employee should be aware of how the shop is performing against these key indicators and be rewarded for their level of contribution in meeting or exceeding these goals. The data should be posted on a shop bulletin board or, better yet, through the use of real-time data on monitors posted in strategic locations throughout the shop. The data should be presented in such a way that it is easy to understand (pie charts and graphs are the best), is timely, and illustrates the overall trend of the company. Finally these results should be used by key managers to drive decision-making and improvements from the shop floor to the top floor.

Conclusion Today’s economic environment has dictated a change in owner and manager mindset. You can no longer afford to run your shop “on the back of a napkin” or based on one person’s gut or intuition. The stakes are too critical and the implications are too monumental. Every shop should embrace the continuous improvement cycle of measuring what is important for the business, establishing metrics and benchmarking against those metrics, and rewarding employee behavior that directly impacts the accomplishment of those metrics. Only then can you expect to grow your shop to the next level. Dave Lechleitner is director of KeyedIn Manufacturing Excellence and Presales, www.keyedinsolutions.com. signshop.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

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September 2014 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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B Y M AT T W I L S O N

Magnetic Materials

The Attraction of

Magnets

agnetic media offers one of the easiest applications for temporary advertising to install, remove, and reuse. Some of the most common uses for magnetics are vehicle doors, menu boards, and promotional displays. Magnetic material comes in a variety of thicknesses, finishes, colors, printability, and magnetic strength. Regardless of the features of these magnetic sheets, they cannot attract through materials or have an air gap. They must also be in direct contact with a ferrous surface. The most popular thickness of magnetic sheets are between 0.020-inch and 0.030-inch, due to their general all-purpose light weight, magnetic strength, and low cost. Thicker and thinner options are available for economic reasons or when more magnetic strength is needed. Surfaces come in either glossy for eye-popping graphics, matte for easier visibility in bright lights, or just plain brown sheets and rolls to help make a magnetized surface. Cut vinyl may be easily applied to these non-porous surfaces to create short-run basic graphics and logos including pre-colored magnetic sheeting that comes in the basic primary and secondary colors. Most magnets come with a generic white PVC coating, but manufacturers have also made polyester (PET), polypropylene, and paper surfaces that are digitally printable with eco-solvent, solvent,

UV-curable, and latex ink for full-color images. A magnetic-receptive sheet with an adhesive and liner can also turn a display into a magnetic board. Customers can then use a digitally printed magnetic material to attach to the receptive sheet. There are many different methods used to determine the strength of a magnet. The most common are pull strength, grade, and gauss. Pull strength refers to how much force it takes to remove the magnetic from a surface. The makeup of the surface may vary between manufacturers. Grade ratings (C1 to C12) refer to ferrite and neodymium magnets and how well they withstand high temperatures before losing their magnetism. Gauss refers to the density of the magnetism of the product over a specific area. The higher the density, the more force it has on the surface the magnet is being applied to. Many companies now offer printable magnet media up to forty-eight inches wide, and the industry has plans to expand to sixty inches (which includes the magnetic-receptive materials as well). To decide which magnetic product to use, start by considering your application and the most important feature required for the display. Having samples to show and test for end-users is also helpful. Matt Wilson is Product Development-Materials Specialist at Advantage Sign Supply.

Sign Builder Illustrated // September 2014

PHOTOS: (TOP) ADVANTAGE SIGN SUPPLY; (BOTTOM) MASTER MAGNETICS.

Magnets make a great choice for just about any short-term signage.

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