August 2017 Sign Builder Illustrated

N u m b e r 266

The How-To Magazine

Au g u s t 2017 | s i g n s h o p.co m

Fantasy SIGN BUILDER

illustrated

Wrap Colorful Food Truck Goes to NY Comic Con

S i g n B u i l d e r I l lu st r at e d

How-To: Window Graphics; Designer Spectrum​

Sign Panels: Exhibiting at Museums

Halo Glow: au g u st 201 7

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Contents August 2017

Vol. 31

No. 266

How-To Columns

16 17 18

36

THE NEXT GENERATION

By David Hickey Sign Manufacturing Day helps one sign company find local talent.

HOWDY, NEIGHBOR!

By Mark K. Roberts Some local marketing ideas to help your sign business.

THE DESIGNER SPECTRUM

By Brooke Albring Capitalizing on the diversity within your design department.

departments

8 12 44 47

EDITOR’S COLUMN

With an expected delay on OSHA crane certification, Editor Jeff Wooten puts up some thoughts about how you should prepare.

IN THE INDUSTRY

LED fixtures bring nighttime drama, and digital engineering on display.

Sign Show

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

SBI Marketplace

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

Shop Talk

Ashley Bray takes a look at some common permitting pitfalls.

Features

24 28 30 36

49 2

Sign Builder Illustrated

August 2017

39 49

FANTASY WRAP

By Jeff Wooten A wrapped food truck feeds the New York Comic Con.

ORDER UP!

By Ashley Bray Coordinating graphic installations across twenty-four restaurant locations.

EXHIBIT A

By Lori Shridhare Designing a multi-sensory museum experience.

HALO GLOW

By Peter Perszyk Design ideas for LEDs.

INTO THE GROOVE

By Jeff Wooten Inserting LEDs into architectural extrusions.

2017 SBi Buyer’s Guide

Contact information for sign-related manufacturers and distributors. signshop.com

Cover Photo: Printed Pixel, Inc.

6

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See it live at the Canon booth #1213 at Print 17 on September 10-14, 2017 or at SGIA Expo booth #2525 on October 10-12, 2017

Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Océ and Océ ColorWave are registered trademarks of Océ-Technologies B.V. in the United States and elsewhere.

All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. © 2017 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved.

What two components would you like to see team up more in sign projects?

August 2017, Vol. 31, No. 266 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Subscriptions: 800-895-4389

executive offices

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr.

“I already love sleek wraps on cars, so I get even more excited when I see them decorating digital displays!”

Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 55 Broad Street, 26th floor New York, NY 10004 212-620-7247 ; Fax: 212-633-1863 “Wraps and accent lighting would seem a natural pair, especially when it comes to enhancing an already creative atmosphere.”

editorial

Editor Jeff Wooten 323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 212-620-7244 jwooten@sbpub.com Managing Editor Ashley Bray 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com

“I’d like to see more done with LED lighting and carved/routed signs.

When combined, they make for an impressive effect.”

Contributing Writers Brooke Albring, David Hickey, Peter Perszyk, Mark K. Roberts, Lori Shridhare

art

Creative Director Wendy Williams Art Director Nicole Cassano Graphic Designer Aleza Leinwand

production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers

circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney

advertising sales

Associate Publisher/East Coast Sales Jeff Sutley 212-620-7233 jsutley@sbpub.com Mid-West & West Coast Sales Monica Boutros mboutros@sbpub.com Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher.

To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Art Sutley at 212-620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.

Sign Builder Illustrated (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 2161-4709) (USPS#0015805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St. 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.

Prices are subject to change.

Pricing, Qualified individual working in the sign industry may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions Print version, Digital version, Both Print & Digital versions: 1 year US/Canada/Mexico $50.00; foreign $99.00.

Single Copies are $15.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only.

For Subscriptions, & address changes, Please call (800) 895-4389, (847) 7639686, Fax (847) 763-9544, e-mail signbuilder@Omeda.com, or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 3135, Northbrook, IL 60062-3135.

4

Sign Builder Illustrated

August 2017

COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2017. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information, contact: Arthur Sutley, Publisher (212) 620-7247 or asutley@sbpub.com

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 3135, Northbrook , IL 60062-3135.

Instructional information provided in this magazine should only be performed by skilled crafts people with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all readers to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to-activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein.

signshop.com

Editor’s Column

AGENDA

By Jeff Wooten

August 2017 AUGUST 11-13:

The Tri-State Sign Expo commences at the Downstream Casino Resort in Joplin, Missouri. (tristatesignexpo.com)

September 2017 SEPTEMBER 10-14:

The PRINT 17 exhibition and conference returns to McCormick Place South in Chicago, Illinois. (graphexpo.com)

SEPTEMBER 28-29:

The 2017 NSSA Northeast Sign Expo, featuring over seventyfive exhibits, will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford. (nssasign.org)

Up in the Air

OSHA crane certification experiences a hang up.

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August 2017

doesn’t mean that the rule is never going to be enforced. This certification regulation will still eventually see the light of day. The inevitable can only be delayed so often.

So while there technically may be a delay in OSHA certification enforcement, there should be no delay in getting ready for it sooner rather than later on your end.

“Proper training and certification are best-work practices and will enhance safety on the job,” says Cara Eccleston, marketing coordinator at Elliott Equipment Company. “We recommend operators be certified just as if this regulation were in force today. Doing so will eliminate the stress of procrastinating until next year, as well as improve safety now.”

Even with a potential one-year delay, the International Sign Association still recommends implementing steps today to make sure your employees will be able to pass the certification requirement: determine the number of your employees needing to get trained and certified; research the available companies that offer training at sites near you; and schedule the exams with enough time in advance to make sure your operators have enough time to take them again in case they don’t pass the first time.

Jeff Wooten Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com

October 2017 OCTOBER 10-12:

SGIA Expo is taking place at the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. (sgiaexpo.org)

OCTOBER 19:

The Arizona Sign Association Tabletop Trade Show will be conducted at TopGolf in Scottsdale, Arizona. (arizonasign.org)

OCTober 31-NOVEMBER 3:

The automotive SEMA Show rolls into the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. (semashow.com)

November 2017 Photo: Shutterstock/Bychykhin Olexandr.

Y

ou know how the old saying goes about the “best laid plans?” Well, in the sign industry, maybe this should be amended to “best laid plans...again.”

After three years of build-up, anticipation, and preparation (stemming from the industry pushing back on initial regulations, deeming them “arbitrary”), the compliance date for an OSHA rule requiring construction crane operators be certified by a third-party evaluator and designated as “qualified” is expected to be delayed once more, moving now to November 10, 2018 at the earliest.

A key committee member of the ACCSH advisory group voted to recommend that OSHA extend the requirements for crane certification for another twelve months, which would give OSHA enough time to clarify and fix confusing language in the current rule.

By the time you read this, OSHA Directorate of Construction Dean McKenzie will have made the decision whether to maintain the 2017 date or extend it to 2018, yet all the tea leaves and expectations indicate that a delay is indeed coming. (Note: Be sure to check signshop.com for a final decision.)

Phil Doud of Altec Sentry comments, “It would be prudent to remain alert for any changes in OSHA’s guidance in the finalized rule.”

However, for sign installers who operate cranes, the best piece of advice may be to act like no delay is coming.

After all, the potential one-year delay

NOVEMBER 30-DECember 2:

USSC Sign World International is scheduled to be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (ussc.org/signworld.php)

signshop.com

www.osram-americas.com/signage

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For more information, visit www.osram-americas.com/signage

Light is OSRAM

In The Industry

LED FIXTURES BRING

NIGHTTIME DRAMA M enasha, Wisconsin—Lighting is typically used to highlight and illuminate signage on a building, but on this recent project, it was used to highlight the building itself.

One Menasha Center, a new eight-story office building in Menasha, Wisconsin, was built to be a gleaming catalyst for economic growth. The $12.6 million, 115,000-square-foot tower anchors the downtown business district.

Although built on an extremely tight urban site, One Menasha Center gra8

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August 2017

ciously stands back from the lot line, thanks to the building’s uniquely angled northeast corner.

It was the building’s unique angles that led the developer to decide, midway through construction, that he wanted to make a statement with light.

The developer wanted to highlight several signature elements of the building, including the “tiara” shape of the roofline as well as a triangular “slant wall” section of custom metalwork at the base of the building.

It was up to the design team to deter-

mine how to achieve his vision.

Evan Blakeman is project manager with Faith Technologies, an electrical and specialty systems contractor that occupies Menasha Tower’s upper seven floors.

Along with the architecture team at Performa, Blakeman began searching for a product that would not only replicate the appearance of neon but also be durable.

They eventually settled on iLight Plexineon Blue. “We saw samples and some detailed drawings, and we liked signshop.com

Monument Contest

Blue lighting highlights the building’s unique slant wall.

S

The lighting adds drama at night, but during the day, the fixtures aren’t visible. the way it looked,” explains Blakeman.

“It seemed like just the right fit for the application.” iLight worked with the design team to execute this project on a very tight timeframe. “They even gave the option to provide custom-fit pieces and pieces trimmed to fit to minimize field cutting,” says Blakeman.

Today 1,204 linear feet of iLight Plexineon Blue LED fixtures traces the angled roofline and the slant wall of One Menasha Center, all of which gives even greater presence to the tallsignshop.com

chnecksville, Pennsylvania— Peachtree City Foamcraft announces the winning entries in their annual Monument Sign Design Contest.

“There were nearly four-dozen entries this year,” said Michael Fetter, sales manager for Peachtree City Foamcraft. “The competition was tough, but at the end, the decision was unanimous and three designs rose to the top.”

The Crawford (pictured) , a custom monument sign designed by FASTSIGNS Norcross, Georgia took home the grand prize of $1,000.

The design incorporated metal, fa u x- sto n e e l e m e n ts, ra i se d dimensional letters, and a unique architectural sign base.

Eastwood Baptist Church by Southern Sign Systems took second place and a prize of $500. The fauxbrick base holds up a customdesigned foamcore monument with raised graphics. The structure also incorporates a changeable copy board and illuminated cabinet.

Peddlars Fork, an architectural wayfinding monument designed by Resource 4 Signs, took home the third-place prize of $250. This foamcore sign boasts white raised graphics, a hand-sculpted fauxstone base, and a custom-textured background that simulates the look of redwood.

est building in the immediate vicinity.

The lighting adds drama at night—but just as important—the fixtures aren’t visible during the day, even when viewed at eye level.

The developer liked Plexineon so much that he’s even had the fixtures added to three other buildings he owns in a nearby town.

“The Plexineon really increased the prominence of the building,” explains Blakeman. “Everyone was very happy with the product and how it helps this new landmark stand out.”

August 2017

Sign Builder Illustrated

9

In The Industry 6,000th Router

B

Engineering

ON display

D

allas, Texas—Galleria Dallas welcomes more than 19 million shoppers annually to its two hundred stores and restaurants, award-winning Westin Galleria Hotel, and ice rink.

Simon Property Group manages Galleria Dallas and decided it wanted to install a digital display above the Galleria Dallas Ice Skating Center, an attraction surrounded by shops and restaurants at the center of the mall.

The project would not be a typical display installation. First a glass roof covers the Galleria Dallas Ice Skating Center, and hanging a 4,000-pound display on glass presented an immediate challenge.

Second Simon needed the display to be mobile. Each holiday season, the Galleria Dallas installs an enormous ninetyfive-foot-tall Christmas tree in the center of its ice rink. Simon required that the display could be easily moved to make way for the Christmas tree.

Simon engaged Gable, a visual solutions company in Baltimore, Maryland, to take on the project.

Gable’s design and engineering teams conceptualized a solution for Simon that would hang a high-resolution, doublesided 4.8mm LED screen from the glass roof above the Galleria Dallas Ice Skating 10

Sign Builder Illustrated

August 2017

Center. The plan entailed reinforcing the steel structure on the glass roof to hang the 18-by-12.8-foot LED screen. Gable also designed the structure hanging the screen to allow the screen to rotate 359 degrees. Finally Gable designed a specialized, motorized track to allow Simon to move the display fifty feet away from the rink during the holiday season.

Stephen Gottlich, Gable’s digital visionary and senior vice president of Digital and Strategic Alliances, called the solution a “major engineering feat.”

Over three nights, Gable installed and activated the LED display. Gable’s digital technology professionals also connected the display to a full AV system that allows Simon to monitor the screen with two remote cameras. The AV system also allows Simon to easily program content to the screen, including movies and other live video.

“Gable creatively attacked the challenge and engineered a one-of-a-kind screen built on a track,” said Angie Freed, general manager for Simon Properties at Galleria Dallas. “The [dynamic] screen captures the attention of Galleria’s many customers and, with the custom-built track, allows those customers to still enjoy their holiday traditions at Galleria Dallas.

This is a win-win-win for everyone!”

urlington, Ontario—AXYZ International celebrated the delivery of its 6,000th machine at its AXYZ Router Table 6,000 Event held at the Burlington, Ontario plant on June 21, 2017.

During the event, Delviro Energy, Inc., the customer who purchased the 6,000th table, was acknowledged. In addition, AXYZ employees were recognized and treated to a BBQ. Several community members attended the celebration, including Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring and others.

The company first started making CNC routers at its Burlington, Ontario facility in October 1994.

Currently AXYZ builds in excess of 400 machines per year for their customers around the world and has a celebration for every 1,000th machine produced.

“We recognize the longevity of our staff by how many machines were manufactured in the time employees have been with the company,” said Greg Jenkins, vice p re s i d e n t o f S a l e s a t A X Y Z International. “Every business depends on its employees for its success. We recognize our employees because it’s significant, and we value their contributions to the company.”

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Sign Show LASER ENGRAVERS New Laser Source from Trotec Offers More Options for Marking Metals and Plastics Trotec offers the MOPA fiber laser source as an option for its SpeedMarker galvo laser marking systems. MOPA technology allows the user to select pulse durations (between 4 and 200 ns), which provides a wider range of laser parameters; more options for creating high-contrast, homogeneous markings; and the ability to mark colors on some metals. A MOPA laser can make lighter markings with higher contrast and less burning and foaming. Using adjustable pulse durations with high peak power also subjects the material to less heat, which leads to less burning/melting in the edge area of metal engravings, less heat during annealing (which means less corrosion later), fast marking on reactive plastics, brighter marking on dark plastics, etc. troteclaser.com

LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS Create Sign Layouts Quickly with Principal LED’s eZLayout Builder The new online eZLayout Builder from Principal LED allows customers to create sign layouts using various P-LED products, perfect for standard channel letter and cabinet signs. The online program is offered at no cost and can greatly reduce the time it takes for a sign company to estimate the products needed for their next sign. The eZLayout Builder will offer recommended products based on the sign height, width, and depth input to the system. It then lays out the products in the sign drawing for optimum coverage and product performance. It offers over twenty-five font options for channel letters. Cabinet signs up to thirteen inches single-faced and thirty-one inches double-faced can be populated. p-led.com/ezlayouts

12

Sign Builder Illustrated

August 2017

signshop.com

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JPPLUS.COM • 1-800-869-7800

Sign Show POWER SUPPLIES/TRANSFORMERS Universal Completes ESR Series of Electronic Sign Ballasts with Series-Wired Model Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc., expands its ESR Series of electronic sign ballasts for magnetic replacement with the addition of rapid-start, series-wired ballasts. The ESR Series is a direct replacement option for magnetic ballasts in existing T8HO and T12HO illuminated signs. The ESR Series ballasts provides superior lamp life even in cold-temperature environments. Universal developed the ESR Series to fill a ballast replacement need left in the market due to energy efficiency rules from the U.S. Department of Energy that make traditional magnetic sign products obsolete. The ESR Series Electronic Sign Ballasts are wired for four-foot to eight-foot of one-to-six lamps. unvlt.com

SIGN SUPPLIERS Rowmark Adds New Company to Its Points Plus Partner Network Rowmark welcomes a new supplier, wholesale sublimation distributor SEPS Graphics in Birmingham, Alabama, to the Points Plus Rewards program partner network, the industry’s first points-based rewards program. SEPS Graphics customers can now join thousands of other Points Plus members already earning reward points on their everyday purchases. Existing members will earn more points when they shop the expanded network of program partners. Customers earn rewards across a wide range of everyday products and services and have a choice in suppliers, including Direct Color Systems (DCS), Johnson Plastics Plus, and Marco Awards Group.

Members can redeem points for travel rewards, hotel points, gift cards, and more! www.pointsplus.com

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• ¼” weep holes • ¹⁄ 8” screw holes And of course, it still: • bends, flanges, notches and broaches

14

Sign Builder Illustrated

August 2017

303.798.7110, ext. 203 www.channelbender.com

signshop.com

How To Trade association

BY david hickey

The Next Generation

F

riend or foe? That’s always the question we ask when approaching government agencies. There is no doubt that they can have a tremendous impact on how we do business.

Yet I’ve found that we accomplish more when we work together. That’s been ISA’s model in approaching sign code development—by helping planners and local officials understand more about why reasonable sign codes help their communities.

Ivan Perez, director of resource development at Vantage LED (vantageled. com), has found common ground with local schools in Ontario, California.

When Vantage LED joined Sign Manufacturing Day last year, one of the first calls he made was to a contact at the local school system.

“The city said, ‘We have a lot of skilled labor looking for these types of jobs.’ We thought it was a good opportunity to show that we’re a full-blown manufacturer that also does software development, sales, and technical support,” he says. “Bringing people in to see what we do can help them see the career opportunities here.”

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August 2017

The city sent out information about Sign Manufacturing Day to a variety of area schools. “We had busloads brought in,” says Perez. “Schools want to encourage their kids to strive for something.”

And that something can be a good job offered in the sign, graphics, and visual communications industry. We need those students to consider these careers.

It wasn’t that long ago that, whenever Vantage LED had a job opening, Perez had to wade through 300 to 400 applications. Then the economy improved, and the challenges of finding workers intensified. “Now it’s not necessarily the pool that it used to be,” says Perez.

So in 2016, Vantage LED participated in ISA’s Sign Manufacturing Day. The event created a perfect opportunity to work with the local community of Ontario.

Vantage LED runs an alternate work schedule, and Friday is typically a day off.

But the company paid overtime to support the event. Sales reps and managers served as tour guides and took small groups to stations to show them what each specialized job requires. “They could get a little

taste of what we do and the opportunities that are out there,” says Perez.

Having enthusiastic tour guides—and sales people certainly fit that bill—adds to the excitement of the day. “Sales people know how to sell the company and what we do,” says Perez. “You can see the kids light up when they hear something. They’re learning more about how we do more than build signs. We build somebody’s business identity, their future. They get a kick out of that.”

While Sign Manufacturing Day has created important connections with trade schools, Vantage has also started working on a pipeline for engineers by bringing in middle school students who specialized in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

“Now, whenever I need somebody, I can reach out to see if they have a student or alumni looking for work,” says Perez.

Plans are already underway for 2018, with Vantage hoping to start on the marketing earlier. “We’d like to double or triple the attendance,” says Perez.

Participating in the event also provided a great opportunity to showcase the strength of manufacturing. “Everybody has this perception that those jobs have gone overseas or are lost to automation.

But there are still plenty of companies that need skilled labor, people who have a passion and drive to create things and make things work,” says Perez. “These types of events show this to the world and especially to the younger community. These are things that still exist.”

Sign Manufacturing Day offers another opportunity to show our local communities the value that we bring.

This year, it will be held Friday, October 6. If you’d like to learn more about participating in this year’s event, please contact workforce@signs.org.

David Hickey is vice president, Government Affairs, at ISA (www.signs.org). signshop.com

Photo: Vantage LED.

Sign Manufacturing Day helps one sign company find local talent.

How To

Digital printing

BY MARK K. ROBERTS

Howdy, Neighbor!

Some local marketing ideas to help your sign business.

Photo: Shutterstock/SFIO CRACHO.

A

re you getting your share of the profit possibilities that are at your fingertips? If not, let’s examine some scenarios that will help enhance your bottom line.

Your favorite product to produce would actually be the easiest for you to market and promote; it would also provide you with a nice rate of return.

For instance, my favorite sign products are roll labels digitally printed in quantities of 250. Needless to say, we have definitely perfected this product. We have several sizes of roll labels to accommodate any requirement a client may have.

We begin with a single printed label.

We test the color, the size, and the precision of the perimeter cut. We also inspect the consistency of the print run to ensure the quality our clients are expecting.

Label sizes we work with run the range of 0.25-inch all the way up to 48-by-96 inches. Our labels are set twelve to a row, digitally perimeter cut, weeded, and rolled onto a core of a quantity of 250.

From there, we package the roll of 250 labels into a box (our clients specify what signshop.com

they require). Our digital process ensures flawless quality. Some labels are laminated with a clear protective covering that gives them an extra layer of protection.

Your favorite product to produce will be the easiest to market and promote.

We always make sure to feature these products in a lot of our marketing promotions. We like fulfilling these requests, so it’s something that we should heavily promote to make certain we continue to do so. Make sure you feature the product(s) you like producing best in your marketing plans.

Another easy marketing scenario is

window lettering. This can be as basic as simple white lettering all the way up to full-color lettering with borders and a digitally printed graphic on the door.

To begin the proposal, take “before and after” photos of the window(s) to show your client the dramatic difference.

Ask to speak to the manager at any of the businesses you frequent often for your own day-to-day needs. You will be amazed at how receptive they will be since they know you are their customer too!

For example, when you sit down for your next haircut, converse with your barber/hairstylist about updating the possibility of updating their windows. I have found they are very appreciative of new marketing ideas for their business.

The next time you visit your dry cleaner, let the manager know you are a regular customer who owns the local sign shop. Work up a before and after photo of their windows prior to stopping by and show it to them.

Another great opportunity to promote at your shop is vehicle lettering. Take notice of the vehicles in your part of town that look like they could use some updating. If you are able to take a picture and come up with a new idea to present to the owner, you will have a foot in the door to making your sale.

The opportunities here are endless.

(Note: Plumbers always seem very receptive to vehicle lettering.)

Recently I approached a day care in my neighborhood. Their vans looked horrible with old, faded lettering. I took pictures of the vans and made a new proposal with fresh ideas. The day care owner was thrilled with my proposal and anxious to get started on the changes.

These aforementioned ideas can help you acquire added business just by being more proactive in your community.

Mark K. Roberts is the owner of The InterSign Group in Houston, Texas.

August 2017

Sign Builder Illustrated

17

How To Design

BY BROOKE ALBRING

The Designer Spectrum Capitalizing on the diversity within your design department.

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August 2017

where your department may have a need for specific designers, and how particular individuals could be better utilized.

Sign shops should distribute projects according to designers’ strengths and weaknesses.

The Conceptual Designer What to look for: These designers tend to be incredibly artistic and playful—not just in signage but in a variety of other areas. They may have outside hobbies that revolve around art, and they can be

The Production Designer What to look for: These designers love thinking more mechanically and are happy to pay close attention to details. Typically Production Designers are Type A individuals who don’t mind spending extra time to fine-tune their drawings. You’ll notice them digging into projects that have larger quantities of signs or speeding through permitting requirements with ease.

With a tendency to be a bit more structured and rigid than Conceptual Designers, you may notice them less emotionally attached to their projects and easily receptive to input or changes.

Strengths: Think of Production Designers as quality assurance agents.

Their mathematical brain is essential in translating a sign from conception signshop.com

Photo: Dreamstime by Alphaspirit.

O

ur industry has fallen into the habit of using “designer” as an umbrella term. Setting actual talent level aside, this has created the expectation that every designer can learn, excel, or create all sign-related projects equally.

Sign companies should be assessing their designers’ strengths and weaknesses and distributing projects accordingly.

Instead it’s common practice to hand out projects to whomever is freed up at the time. Not only can this create additional backlog within the department, it also can directly affect the quality of the design and ultimately determine whether or not your company gets the job.

The correlation between our projects and where designers sit on the Designer Spectrum (shown on page 20) is a necessary understanding in helping sign companies further profit from their design departments.

As you read the following descriptions of our industry’s main designer categories, visualize which of your staff members demonstrate these special strengths,

a bit more passionate or defensive when receiving feedback on their work.

They typically do well with minimal input or direction and love to push designs to new creative levels. Aesthetically inclined, they know how to make customers enthusiastically say “yes!”

They typically don’t enjoy the nittygritty details or even the finalizing of projects. However they do greatly enjoy brainstorming alternative ways to engineer their ideas.

Strengths: Think of Conceptual Designers as being able to create a “wow” factor. They give your customers a reason to buy and return. These designers should be on high-dollar projects working directly with sales and the client to develop signs that are impressive.

They are best utilized on projects that require high creativity, intense problem solving, or out-of-the-box design. Watch these freethinkers take monuments, pylons, environments, and even your layout presentation to new heights when encountering these challenges.

Weaknesses: Packages, maps, and sign detailing or specifications.

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to fabrication.

These designers work beautifully on projects that require precise attention to every detail and on packages that evolve from multiple blueprints or lists. Utilize their special talents for doing revisions, alternative viewpoints, call outs, dimensions, maps, packages, ADA signs, and all technical drawings.

Weaknesses: Projects with few guidelines or directions, jobs that require starting from scratch, and abstract signs or solutions.

ADHESIVES Designer Spectrum

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Type of Designer

CONCEPTUAL DESIGNER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Creative/Abstract “Out of the Box” Small Quantity of Sign More Visual Than Words Minimal Direction/Guidelines Monuments/Pylons/Main IDs

Organized/Studious Heavy Typography Company Branding/Logos Artistic Detailing/Final Touches Some Direction/Guidelines Print/Secondary Signs

Mechanical/Technical Analytical/Mathematical Larger Quantity of Signs Lots of Details/Specifications More Direction/Guidelines Packages/Maps/Revisions

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The Graphic Designer What to look for: These individuals could be considered a blend of Conceptual and Production Designer, but they still have a unique voice. You’ll sometimes find these designers utilizing multiple software types and adding flair to their designs through color or

4

Project Type font choices. They frequently spend time artistically detailing and perfecting their drawings, and they favor printed project types.

Generally these designers are highly

skilled at both giving and receiving feedback and enjoy discussing their designs.

More studious or organized in their design approach, you’ll notice them taking extra time to research a client before

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How To Design

BY BROOKE ALBRING

starting a project. They also tend to prefer creating logos and maintaining the integrity of a client’s brand.

Strengths: Think of Graphic Designers as towards the center of the design spectrum. They are good for a variety of project types, and they have the stamina to deliver on harsh deadlines.

Utilize these designers on projects that need a lot of artistic details, flashy styling, and especially on any project that requires branding. A skilled graphic designer will be able to create a visually appealing layout for just about any project that comes their way, but they really excel when it comes to printed projects such as banners, vehicle wraps, and printed vinyl applications.

Weaknesses: Structural design and sign detailing or specifications.

Hiring Tip When it comes to hiring for your design

department, consider your client and project types first, then progress your

designers’ portfolios, giving them a project to “test drive” their design skills, and simply asking them which category they would place themselves in.

When hiring, consider client and project types first, then progress your designer search accordingly.

Conclusion Being able to distinctly identify designers and their strengths and weaknesses will allow departments to distribute projects in the most effective manner.

If faster turnaround times, profitability, and high-quality art are your goals, then putting designers where their creative skill set is strongest is essential to achieving them.

designer search accordingly. Try to recognize any of the characteristics mentioned above by reviewing prospective

Brooke Albring has over ten years of conceptual design experience and is CEO of BA Innovative, a design firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida. For more information, log on to bainnovative.com or email brooke@basigndesign.com.

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Feature WIDE FORMAT Name

By JEFF Author WOOTEN

T

he three-day New York Comic Con takes over the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in the heart of New York City each fall. The largest pop culture event on the East Coast, it brings a bevy of related movie and TV guests, comic book creators, cosplayers (fans who dress up as characters), interactive exhibits, and “geek”-inspired vendors.

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With a record number of fans attending last year’s event (180,000 announced), you can only imagine that it would take something super-special to stand out even more. Thanks to their fantastically wrapped Step Van food truck, one vendor did just that.

Fandom powered by Wikia is a popular, forum-based online presence that sets up each year in several different ways. Last

year, they partnered with BBC America to create an interactive escape room for Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and teamed with Twitch to host sci-fi/fantasy/ animation discussion panels.

And for the third year in a row, they set up their Fandom Fantasy Food Truck, which brings popular foods from fictional series to life and distributes them for free to New York Comic Con attendees. signshop.com

Photo: Printed Pixel, Inc.

FANTASY WRAP

A wrapped food truck feeds New York Comic Con. This truck is wrapped, allowing them to showcase their brand in a “big way” to a “massive audience.” Previous graphics on wraps featured fan-favorite properties such as Fallout, Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, Warframe, and Geek & Sundry.

Past food trucks proved such a hit that Fandom/Wikia held an Internet poll months prior to the show so fans could vote on what they wanted served at the signshop.com

food truck. This “Fantasy Food Bracket Tournament” welcomed over 250,000 votes. The top four vote-getting foods would be served at the show.

The foods dished out and featured on this Fantasy Food Truck wrap included: Together Breakfast (Steven Universe) – A mini stack of waffles, topped with a piece of popcorn and a strawberry gummy;

Pitt Cola (Gravity Falls) – A peach cola with a chocolat pitt inside; Pawpsicle (Disney’s Zootopia) – A cherry popsicle in the shape of a paw; and Yoyle Cake (Battle for Dream Island) – A special bright purple, green, and yellow cake filled with buttercream frosting.

The creators of the animated series Battle for Dream Island and Gravity Falls, along with other celebrities, stopped by the food truck to sample these desserts and savor the wrap.

The company responsible for making this colorful cartoon wrap a reality was Printed Pixel, Inc., of South Amboy, New Jersey.

Overseen by Director of Operations James Kennedy, Printed Pixel, Inc., is a graphic print and installation company that started up in 2012 and boasts over eighteen years of experience in the industry. The company specializes in corporate transport fleet installations, promotional vehicle rentals, custom RVs, tradeshow exhibits, and point-ofpurchase items. They have accredited installation professionals on-site as well as an entire network of installation professionals across the country.

“We work with clients ranging from local small businesses such as landscapers and contractors to global brands such as American Express, Converse, UBER, Benefit Cosmetics, and the Four Seasons,” says Art Director George Kern.

Fandom/Wikia sent an EPS file to Kern with the images of the characters they wanted to include in the wrap.

These types of vehicles are always a little tricky because of their unique shapes and sizes, so the biggest challenge for Kern was perfecting the template before laying out the design.

“Every one of these vehicles has so many customizable options and variations that there isn’t a one-templateworks-for-all solution,” he remarks, noting that their templates are “meticulously created” right down to the rivet lines and any extruded bolts that may stick out and make small copy illegible.

“We made a detailed custom template built 1:10-scale in Adobe Illustrator® to ensure everything ended up in its exact location,” says Kern, “and then laid it out in Photoshop®. The color-matching August 2017

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Photo: Printed Pixel, Inc.

for some of these graphics kept us on our toes.”

Printed Pixel printed out the colorful cartoon wrap onto Avery Dennison® MPI 1105 and DOL 1360Z overlaminate using their HP Latex printer with OEM ink managed by Onyx RIP. They also used a Seal Laminator.

“While this was going to be a very temporary graphic, Avery Dennison MPI 1105 and DOL 1360Z speed up the installation and removal process too much for us to even think about using something different,” states Kern.

With great wrapping power comes great responsibility. Printed Pixel wrapped the Step Van food truck in their 5,000-squarefoot facility—a controlled environment big enough to accommodate oversized vehicles for wrap installations.

Installers began by stripping the already existing vehicle graphics for a previous promotion from the vehicle.

They then removed any hardware or obstructions from the outside of the

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food truck.

The company also supplied Wikia/ Fandom with a bunch of removable decals that they printed up to apply over the food truck menu to denote an item was sold out for the day.

Wikia/Fandom sets up the food truck next to a big stage on the show floor.

Since they’re handing out free items, this obviously means a lot of people are going to be on the lookout for it. “Who doesn’t love free food?” says Kern. “This wrap is designed to disrupt an event that is completely saturated with ads, vendor booths, celebrities, etc.”

Since their facility is strategically located just forty minutes outside of New York City and is easily accessible to major highways within Central New Jersey, Printed Pixel drove the wrapped Fandom Fantasy Food Truck to its destination.

“During our drive out there, people were beeping their horns and giving a big thumbs up to it,” beams Kern.

VW Bug Gets Fitted for Braces Dr. Frank Nia (braces-braces.com) had just purchased a brand new 2017 VW Beetle and wanted to turn it into a fun, eye-catching marketing opportunity for his chain of orthodontics clinics.

Enter creative wrap specialists TCS, The Color Spot (tcs-ink.com) of Atlanta. Their job is to help bring their clients’ visions to life by creating wraps that will make their phones ring off the hook.

Dr. Nia explained that he wanted to advertise his Braces-Braces clinics, of which there are seven around the Metro-Atlanta area, with this car. Seeing as how they are orthodontists, he asked, almost in a kidding way, “Can we put braces on

the car”? Of course, their answer was they would love to!

So began their creative journey which took us into the world of orthodontics and 3D printing. TCS custom 3D-printed dental brackets and installed them over their graphic wrap including SS wire, rubber bands, and of course eyelashes.

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Feature Name VINYL

By ASHLEY AuthorBRAY

Order Up!

R

oti Modern Mediterranean, a Chicago-based restaurant chain serving “Food That Loves You Back™,” has experienced considerable success and now serves wholesome meals to customers across twenty-five locations in New York, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Chicagoland area.

When Roti decided to roll out a rebrand across every one of their locations, 28

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however, their geographic reach suddenly posed a challenge.

Roti wanted to create eye-catching, durable murals that reflected their “Food That Loves You Back” brand tagline across all of their locations and on a variety of unusual surfaces—brick, stone, slate, concrete, wood, painted soffit, and more.

Could cohesive, long-lasting graph-

ics be successfully installed across a wide variety of substrates in twentyfour stores located throughout several states—and within the company’s onemonth rollout timeline?

To accomplish this tall order, Roti teamed up with a partner they’ve worked with since the restaurant’s inception: Graphic Alliance, Inc., full-service marketing firm in Arlington Heights, Illinois signshop.com

Photos: Mactac.

Coordinating graphic installations across twenty-four restaurant locations.

that specializes in printing, graphic design, Web design, and vehicle wraps.

“We have partnered with Roti since they opened their first store roughly nine years ago,” says Eric Grossman, CEO of Graphic Alliance (graphicallianceinc.com). “The timelines are often tight, but the scale and diversity of substrates involved in this project made it unique.” signshop.com

Graphic Alliance started by working with Roti to determine what needed to be installed where.

“Roti sent us spreadsheets outlining the size of each location where graphics would be placed and whether it was brick, stone, tile, cement, drywall, or windows,” says Grossman. “They also helped us with the coordination of scheduling.”

Graphic Alliance turned to Mactac for this project and used ten of their products to install the wall murals, window graphics, countertop graphics, and backlit displays across the twentyfour locations.

The products used included: REBEL High Tack, B•free GRUV™, B•free Window Frosted, ROODLE, and RoughRAP. “With so many surfaces, locations, and minimal production time, we had to feel confident that the materials we used could accommodate every substrate we came across,” says Grossman.

Roti supplied the artwork to Graphic Alliance, which was designed by Make & Co. (makeandco.com). The artwork was sent as vector files to ensure a scalable printing process.

The graphics were printed and cut out from Graphic Alliance’s Roland SOLJET PRO4 640-XR large format printer using eco-solvent inks.

Each installation varied depending on the particular graphic, the placement, and the surface where it was

being applied. In general, the weeding process took about six hours per print, and then each installation ranged from five to ten hours.

Throughout the process, Mactac was available to assist Graphic Alliance with anything they needed on the material side of the job.

“We had a Mactac rep not only on call to answer our questions any time, but who also flew out to see us and personally ensured delivery of correct part numbers and samples for our customer,” says Grossman.

In the end, every one of Roti’s rebranded locations looked fabulous.

Compliments came pouring in from employees, patrons, and senior executives.

“The project may have been uniquely challenging, but the strong results achieved were exactly what we have come to expect from working with Mactac products,” says Grossman. “I am proud to say our team was able to complete a project, which has, thus far, been the highlight of my twenty-oneyear career.”

To view videos of the production and installation process, visit http://bit.ly/2rZoDny.

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Feature SIGN PANELS Name

By LORI Author SHRIDHARE

Designing a multi-sensory museum experience.

A

G

allery-style exhibits may still be in vogue at famous museums or prominent art shows, but gone are the days when smaller museums, zoos, and other visitor centers could rely on simple displays to entice a steady flow of visitors.

Today it’s imperative to create dynamic experiences filled with vibrant sign panels, props, and interpretative displays.

“People want a memorable, thematic experience. They don’t want to look at case after case of static artifacts,” says Samantha Osborne, marketing manager and senior graphic designer for Taylor Studios, a designer and fabricator of museum-quality exhibits. “People need a compelling reason to spend their leisure

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time at these facilities.”

Based in Rantoul, Illinois, the awardwinning firm was founded in 1991 by Joe Taylor and Betty Brennan with a mission to create products and experiences that inspire people.

With expertise in molding and casting reproductions where scientific and historical accuracy are paramount, Taylor Studios quickly became established in the artifact reproduction business and, soon after, expanded to their current focus on interpretive planning, exhibit design, and fabrication.

In this thriving field, sign companies have an important role to play as intricate sign panels and custom displays are needed not only to provide backdrops

to the main display but also to enhance visitors’ experiences. Similar to the complexities of tradeshow exhibits, signage provides the framework and architecture upon which a seamless exhibit—and user experience—is built.

As part of each exhibit project, Taylor Studios offers signage planning, design, and fabrication services.

“Interpretive signage is often a big part of each exhibit project, whether it’s scenic, artifact-based, or entirely graphic-based,” says Osborne. “Sometimes the museum or facility has a visual identity already in place, and we build upon and/or complement that in our work.

If they don’t have identity materials in place, we take that into consideration signshop.com

Photo: Indiana State Museum.

Exhibit

forges meaning, authenticity, and unforgettable experiences from their visit.”

One project for a visitor’s center demonstrates how building a custom exhibit for a specific audience—in this case, pet lovers and children—requires an eye towards the experiential.

Working on Purina Farms’ visitor center in Missouri, Taylor Studios was

charged with renovating the exhibit room that sees thousands of people each year. For this audience, the client requested that the firm design an exhibit that would be participatory with a mix of both high-tech and low-tech activities.

As visitors enter, they are greeted with several large graphic displays that tell the story of Purina Farms and educate about

Photo: Purina Farms Visitor Center.

when we begin their project.

“In whatever graphic package we devise for the client, they may also apply and utilize it in their branding and identity, if they so choose.”

As non-profit and state-run museums and other visitor centers have seen their funding reduced, the challenge is to find new ways to draw in visitors.

The key, according to Osborne, is to make accessible, multi-sensory design a priority.

“These exhibits must allow visitors to have memorable, captivating experiences, otherwise these institutions will cease to exist,” she says. “Not all visitors learn through reading; some learn by doing, others by hearing.

“It’s important to offer an environment that provides visitors with a multitude of sensory learning experiences and that the environment is highly accessible to visitors of all needs. Including visitors in the environment, through co-curatorial experiences and/or as active participants,

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screens with fascinating facts.

Meanwhile nutrition exhibits feature interactive flip doors that teach about obesity and the ideal weight for pets.

“At another exhibit, an oversized 3D food bowl is surrounded by oversized dimensional models of a dog and cat,” says Osborne. “Through an interactive activity, they build block puzzles by arranging nine large cubes into various configurations.”

Photo: USS John C. Stennis Exhibit.

pets. Interactive displays include one that allows visitors to touch the screen to learn about the many breeds of dogs and cats.

“They answer questions to learn which breed they are most like, and a built-in camera captures that guest’s face and morphs it with that particular breed,” says Osborne, adding that cubes themed “Did You Know?” allow visitors to place their hands on the objects, which respond to touch by lighting the

In working with museum educators and/or interpreters on designing projects, the team at Taylor Studios usually finds there’s broad awareness of the need for accessible design.

“If we’re working with someone who’s not directly involved in education, they tend to be less aware of the need,” says Osborne. “That’s why we do what we do—having over twenty-five years of expertise in-house, we’ve pooled all of the most relevant research and guidelines pertaining to learning styles, visitor behavior, durability, and accessibility so that each project we create helps our clients achieve their goals and objectives, all while truly inspiring their visitors.”

Nonetheless the firm believes in employing an elegant, timeless design in all its work while incorporating advanced methodologies and data-driven practices.

For example, at the USS John C. Stennis Exhibition at the Puget Sound Navy Museum in the state of Washington, Taylor Studios was charged with

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designing, fabricating, and installing the museum’s new permanent exhibit about the aircraft carrier to help educate the public on the life of sailors aboard it.

“The exhibit presents a dynamic, immersive, hands-on experience interpreting life aboard this important ship, which docks in the Navy shipyard near the museum,” says Osborne.

To tell a compelling story in this exhibit, large format and backlit graphics, immersive spaces, original artifacts, multiple hands-on interactives, and uniformed mannequins were employed to give voice to the incredible men and women who live on this small “city at sea” for months at a time answering the call to duty.

“Different rooms in the gallery interpret the whole onboard experience—from the tight living quarters to the complex nuclear reactor to the dangerous flight deck— all in a manner that’s both immersive and educational,” says Osborne.

The gallery was designed to reach visitors who have diverse learning styles,

In launching any new project, Taylor Studios always starts by focusing on its ultimate goals.

“Whether we’re working with a corporation, a museum, or a park, we begin by establishing goals and objectives for the project, analyzing their resources, and collaboratively developing a central theme that all drives the design process,” says Osborne.

The central theme is a key element that

incorporating video, audio, and tactile experiences. Interactive kiosks and touchscreens allow for digital engagement, while visitors also have the opportunity to meet actual sailors via LCD monitors, as they describe their jobs.

“Large touchscreen interactives invite visitors to explore different areas of the ship, and a spin browser interactive lets visitors loop through a take-off and landing sequence,” says Osborne.

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organizes the messages to be expressed in the exhibit. “It creates the framework for interpretive design and a context for visitors,” says Osborne. “A compelling central theme links all the exhibits and stimulates the interests of the visitors.

“Once formulated, interpretive themes are the driving force behind all of our de-

signs. They’re jumping-off point for creative brainstorming and the inspiration behind solid exhibit concepts.”

Osborne states that the need for timeless design remains for museums and parks. “Design of branded environments that push the envelope with trendy, sleek materials and cutting-edge technology

won’t work when translated into most museums and interpretive centers,” she says. “The designs quickly date themselves, and technology is too difficult and costly to maintain.”

In developing exhibit ideas, instead of focusing on incorporating the “coolest new tech gadget,” the team asks themselves questions such as, “What is the best way to engage the visitor on this theme?”

Key to this approach is a focus on conveying narrative rather than raw information. “Visitors remember content when it’s relayed thematically within storyline,” says Osborne, “not when it’s presented as a mere fact.”

In choosing materials, top on their list of qualifications are cost effectiveness, durability, and quality. “While durable high-pressure laminate panels may have the longest lifespan, they are costly and expensive to update and replace,” she says. “Powder-coating is wonderful, but if it does chip, it’s nearly impossible to touch up without recoating the whole piece.

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August 2017

Expertise

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Photo: North Dakota Heritage Center.

www.troteclaser.com

“So we weigh the pros and cons with each application depending on the needs of our client. We like to directprint to a variety of sign panels for indoor applications given this eliminates potential for peeling corners or visitors picking at the print.”

When it comes to branding, Osborne says that, though important to any nonprofit’s identity, this might not need to be featured heavily within an exhibit itself.

“Specific to individual exhibits and exhibit halls, branding may not always be necessary,” she says. “You want to give visitors an authentic, memorable experience—to make them a part of whatever story you’re telling.

“For example, reminding them that they’re at the state museum on every other graphic may hinder their immersion into what otherwise would be a compelling Civil War story.”

Osborne believes that when visitors are excited by their experience at a facility, that’s how you build a brand here.

“Visually a nice reminder of identity and brand may be introduced early on and culminate at the end of the experience,” she says.

Not surprisingly, on the top of Osborne’s list for best practices is accessibility. “Pay attention to contrast, legibility, and length of text. Represent something visually when you can (an infographic, for instance), rather than with a paragraph or two of copy,” she advises. “Strategically use headlines, sub-headlines, call-outs, photo captions, and more—these are where visitors’ eyes go first.

“Aligning the concept with your theme is also very important.”

To guide sign professionals looking to improve their exhibit skills, Taylor Studios produces free resources on their Web site, including a copywriting cheat sheet, a graphic design cheat sheet, a guide to multi-sensory exhibits, an exhibit expert secrets guide, and more at: taylorstudios. com/resources-and-downloads.

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Feature Name channel letters

By Peter Author Perszyk

Reverse-lit channel letters have long been an elegant way to provide signage for that special client.

Halo

GLOW “H

alo glow” channel letters, or “reverse-lit,” have long been an elegant way to provide illuminated signage for that special client.

However the incorporation of LED lighting into these letter types has created a new need for designers to understand and reevaluate the relationship between several factors here—the letter shape, the letter size, the letter depth, and (most especially) the quantity of 36

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light exiting out the back.

The surface that a set of halo glow channel letters is attached to also plays a key factor in achieving uniform illumination. This necessitates adding some more factors to the discussion: What type of surface are the letters being attached to? What does the surface look like? What is the distance between the letter and the mounting surface?

Have you ever walked through a mall

looking at its illuminated interior signage and thought that you’ve spotted a real service opportunity? Or have you noticed how the letters in an airport concourse don’t shine as brightly as they do elsewhere?

There is no real criticism intended here, but there are some newer haloglow letter styles that look just as good when their lighting is actually turned off.

A portion of this situation can be atsignshop.com

Photo: Peter Perszyk.

Design ideas for LEDs.

Photo: Dave Forrest.

tributed to the interior ambient lighting. To compensate, the illuminated sign needs some additional lighting to help it, compared to those letter sets installed under the darkness of the nighttime sky.

This brings up one of those learning curve items that LED sign lighting has brought anew to the sign industry. How much light is enough light? Or how well do reverse LED channel letters illuminate in such lighting conditions?

Unlike neon (a continuous light with illumination that radiates 360 degrees along the tube as the glass snakes uninterrupted through the letter shape), LED lighting starts as a point source light.

So to make this LEDs work in halolit applications, you’re going to need to look at direction, diffusion, and distance.

Direction In halo glow applications, you’ll need to point the LEDs inward so that the light exits out the back and is reflected a greater distance from the source to surface.

Rule of Thumb #1 is to have plenty of light to start with. Compare ribbon LED lighting on the inside of a letter return versus a wired string of modules stuck to the inner backside of the face, as an example.

Multi-row ribbons of LEDs also give the lighting a punch compared to a single-installed strip. Ribbon lighting may not be the trick for exterior letters, but the close continuous spacing of these LEDs will help smooth the illumination.

You still won’t end up with a continuous light as you would with neon, but you’ll achieve lighting that’s closer together.

Some ribbon lighting systems have the LEDs aimed 90 degrees to the backing tape. The intent is to direct the illumination parallel to the surface (i.e., the letter return). Point these same LEDs inward with the interior painted white (a plus when the letter does not feature a lot of depth).

Without the need for glass tube supports, neon tubes, and electrode housings, thin letters are much easier with LED lighting. You don’t lose light when the direction is a reflection.

Diffusion One traditional halo glow option that will signshop.com

assist in diffusing LED lighting is a white polycarbonate backer. This also doubles as a simple method of attachment.

Look at this as a channel letter in reverse. If you understand the depth required to make a face-illuminated LED letter look good—with smooth uniformity—simply flip it around. This style may require a letter with a thicker stroke, where the mounts and the LED

led lighting starts as a point source light, so to make it work in halo-lit letters, look at direction, diffusion, and distance. modules could be centrally located and the reflected light exits backwards along the perimeter.

Alternately the design could be illuminated with what we affectionately call “LED triple-headers.” This type of sign

lighting product takes several LEDs together as a unified group (arrayed modules) with the resultant output a wide spread up to 180 degrees. (Note: This isn’t a bad result, but keep in mind that the neon you are replacing and/or replicating is 360 degrees.)

Lens LEDs with optics are another new sign industry solution. A lens over the diode takes the emitted light and alters the original beam, spreading and diffusing the point source. This is builtin LED light control.

In some cases, the optics are created to pitch the light a longer distance (as would be installed in a long, narrow sign cabinet). In other designs, the lens serves to spread the light into as wide a pattern as possible.

In fact, lens technology from several suppliers has created LED sign lighting modules that work quite well in letters as thin as three inches.

Distance Distance may be the method of creating uniformity in the LED lighting as light spill moves out letter to letter and hopefully around the mounting method.

Further away, the glow spreads until it reaches a point of diminishing returns.

In general, the further away from the background the sign is mounted, the wider and smoother the band of light.

To experiment with distance, start with

Without the need for glass tube supports, neon tubes, and electrode housings, thin letters are much easier with LED.

August 2017

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37

ply hold the letter away from the wall may interfere with the uniformity of the illumination exiting the back of the letter and onto the wall behind.

An acrylic letter back with threaded stud mounts that are centrally located is a solution to many halo glow lighting issues. This type of fabrication and illumination has worked well in the past with neon.

Depending on the style of LED used, a removable letter with an affixed back should give the installer an easier time with the installation. Service would also be easier, even if marketing thinks of LED lighting as extremely long lived.

LED halo glow letters with a full open back and perimeter L-bracket stand-off mounts can create unwanted dark spots (for both neon and LED) though. Clear letter stand-off mounting systems are available that are interesting attempts to eliminate spurious shadows while still providing an easyto-mount shape.

From easy-to-change, direct-print magnetic graphic systems to a wide selection of powerful fastening magnets, we have it all.

The surface a set of LED halo glow letters is attached to might play a key factor in uniform illumination.

Then there is the soon-to-be-released Magic-brand Invisible Sign Supports that make one wonder what is actually holding letters off the surface. In fact, you may have to slide a hand in back to fully understand the trick. You know something is there, but you’re just not sure what.

Hopefully my ideas here have helped you to put your thinking in reverse when it comes to proficient channel letter illumination.

Rely on Master Magnetics for competitive pricing, fast delivery and expert advice. We’ll help your projects stay on time and budget.

To learn more, go to magnetsource.com/one or call 888.293.3534.

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August 2017

Booth 3751

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Photo: Peter Perszyk.

a sample letter flat on your workbench.

Set it on top of a material that is comparable to the intended mounting location.

How does it look just sitting there? If there is a thin line of light around the perimeter of the letterform, pull it away, increasing the distance from the surface.

This distance check also works for testing the quantity of light.

Use a symmetrical letter, like a Helvetica Bold “H.” Install different brands of LED modules on the back of each side and compare; maybe even use different quantities to compare. Some experimentation is a necessary component in the LED mounting process, simply based on the variety of products available.

The correct distance for LED illumination with halo glow letters is still quite a variable. You may consider closer to be beneficial, creating a defined glow that utilizes the letter shape to advantage.

Keep in mind that the mounts for reverse-lit letters need to be thought out differently. Stand-off supports that sim-

EXTRUSIONS

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Into the All Photos: Aragon Graphics.

Groove

F

Inserting LEDs into architectural extrusions.

or certain sign makers, inspiration can lead to experimentation, and experimentation, in turn, can lead to brighter solutions to offer their customers.

Cesar Aragon, owner of Aragon Graphics (aragongraphics.com) in Garland, Texas, is one shining example of this mindset and skill set.

The Aragon Graphics motto is, “If you can imagine it, we can produce it,” signshop.com

and Cesar’s shop is well equipped to handle all sorts of jobs.

On their shop floor, you’ll find production hardware such as CNC milling machines, digital printers, mechanical engravers, and a Speedy 400 Trotec laser—all used to work with plastics, metals, woods, papers, and acrylics (“Engraved Messages,” May 2017).

The sign-and-graphics company has been successfully implementing LED

illumination into engraved glass projects for several years now.

“We place the LEDs inside a box mounted to the back of the mirror,” says Cesar, “and this creates a very nice reverse-lit effect.”

Cesar first became attracted to the idea of combining light with glass and mirrors four years ago after his visit to Paris, France.

While there, he noticed that the mirAugust 2017

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39

ror in his hotel room was illuminated.

Upon further investigation, he found this effect was being generated thanks to two bars of light attached behind it.

“So when I [arrived] back at my shop, I started experimenting with sandblasting mirror and attaching illumination to the back to create an edge-lighting effect,” he says.

Today he and his shop use the Trotec

laser engraver to create ADA signs featuring similar LED lighting effects.

This all came about because, two years ago, Cesar read an article about LEDs where it stated that the federal government was going to mandate illuminated ADA signs in the near future.

As cities become even more crowded and people grow even more distracted, a feeling exists that this could lead to

ADA signs being neglected.

“The ADA law exists to help people who need help,” says Cesar. “And what better way is there to do this than illuminating the signs?”

LED illumination also helps to address a common misunderstanding about ADA signage that has existed since the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted back in 1991. The misconception is that, with the Act’s emphasis on Braille, these types of signs are made and installed for the sole benefit of blind people. However, it should be noted that this Act also covers signage that affects sighted people with poor vision.

“So by being able to see the illuminated images on restroom doors from farther away, senior citizens and the vision-impaired are able to identify that they’re going to a restroom,” explains Cesar.

Cesar once worked in a picture framing gallery, so he was quite familiar with

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how extrusions could help him enhance sign displays though illumination.

His shop makes and powder-coats aluminum extrusions. For their illuminated extrusions, Aragon Graphics makes one that accommodates 1/4-inchthick acrylic and another 3/8-inch-thick acrylic. Cesar adds them to the top and bottom of sign panels to help create this illuminated effect.

“We create cavities on the frame for the LEDs to go in and then we add another cavity for the dowel pins,” explains Cesar.

This universal edge illumination extrusion sign solution actually features two panels.

Aragon Graphics uses their Trotec laser to cut out graphics and images on the top acrylic panels, which are then placed over the acrylic backing panel.

They have even created hand-made patterns and scratches on the materials to help reflect the light underneath.

“Doing this allows us to let the light

segments to the extrusion cavities. They avoid backlighting modules in these applications because they’re too bulky.

“We’ve found success using either white or RGB modules,” says Cesar. “It just depends on what the client wants.”

Working with these materials and extrusions also allows them to stay as flush to the wall as possible.

“The ADA requirement is that you

escape where it needs to escape,” says Cesar, citing male and female shapes on a restroom wall being outlined with LED lighting. “The end-result is very pretty.”

Cesar finds that combining LED technology with extrusions is a natural fit.

“All you need is 5W of power to easily illuminate these signs,” he says.

Aragon Graphics attaches peel-andstick mini-LED modules in four-inch

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can project no farther out than 5/8-inch from the wall,” says Cesar.

Experimentation has even allowed Cesar to develop desk plate and business card holders with LED lighting that can go on desks and another type that can go on walls. These feature a sole aluminum base that houses a slot for the LED lighting to shine upwards and another for the cards to fit in.

Cesar is currently featuring these selfmade, LED-illuminated framed panel extrusions in his shop’s showroom to show off to customers. They have an AC-to-DC power supply unit and split it to handle 24v, 12v, or 5.7v power.

“I like the idea of keeping it 5.7v,” says Cesar, “because this means the unit can be plugged into any phone charger. Those are the least expensive.

From there, you can use 12v, but then you require a power supply.”

Although the size of the sign dictates the power supply, Cesar finds that 5.7v is a very interesting current for making economical signs.

“If you move up to a 12v, that’s going to cost somewhat more,” he says. “And while 24v will be brighter, you’re going to pay more for power supplies.”

He finds that the ability to illuminate a 1/4-inch-thick sign with LED technology featuring low energy consumption is great. “And the fact that it’s easy to install is even more awesome,” he says.

Aragon Graphics has already supplied lighted extrusions for wayfinding signage in hospitals and other venues.

“Any wayfinding sign benefits from being illuminated,” he says. “Building numbers on apartment complexes are always dark. With LED lighting, all the numbers will become brighter and more visible.”

Cesar has continued to experiment with these illuminated extrusions in his shop, and he is now able to mount them on different angles all the way up to 360 degrees.

“I’d like to also do windows eventually,” he says, “like lighting the windows for patios and aquariums.”

Cesar has big plans for his small shop.

He is refocusing their direction and has generated patents for these edge-lit Tecto™ architectural signage extrusions that he plans to market to suppliers by the end of this year.

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USSC Scholarship Winners Announced

Photo: Shutterstock.com/DRogatnev

Bristol, Pennsylvania— Reflecting their commitment to promoting education, the United States Sign Council (USSC) awards scholarships each year to deserving college students. This year’s recipients are: * Sydney Gregory; * Jackson Schall; and * Jacob West These annual $1,000 scholarships are exclusively available to employees of USSC member firms or dependents of an employee at a USSC member firm. This year’s winners are associated with member companies N. Glanz & Son, LLC; Budget Inks; and G.A. West, Inc. “The USSC is delighted to have the opportunity to support these students,” said USSC Board President Adam Brown. “Each of these students is a shining example of creativity, strong academics, and hard work.”

Once a student has been chosen by the Scholarship Committee as a scholarship recipient, he or she may renew the scholarship for three additional years providing the student maintains a 3.0 grade point average.

This means that a student could earn up to $4,000 towards college tuition costs while pursuing their undergraduate degree.

For more information, call (215) 785-1922 or visit www.ussc.org.

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InfoDirect Your Direct Source for Sign Information Receive vital product and service information from manufacturers and distributors by visiting www.signshop.com/infodirect

InfoDirect #

COMPANY PAGE InfoDirect #

COMPANY PAGE

1

3M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

32

Safety Speed Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

2

AdamsTech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

33

Saw Trax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2

3

Alpina Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

34

SGIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A-F

4

A.R.K. Ramos Mfg. Company . . . . . . 44

35

Sherwin Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

5

Asante Sign Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

36

Sign America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

6

Brooklyn Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

37

Sign Bracket Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

7

Canon Solutions America Inc. . . . . . . . 3

38

Signs365.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4

8

Chemical Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

39

Sinalite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

9

Custom Foam Fabricators Inc. . . . . . 26

40

Small Balls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

10

Duxbury Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

41

Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

11

Echod Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

42

Stamm Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

12

Fastenation Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

43

SunRise LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TAB B Trotec Lasers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

13

Fisher Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

44

14

G2G Lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

45

USSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3

15

Gemini Letters & Logos. . . . . . . . . . . . 19

46

Vantage LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, TAB A

16

Gravotech Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

47

YJ Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

17

Hendrick Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . 42

18

Ideal Stitcher Company . . . . . . . . . . . 41 J. Freeman Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

20

Johnson Plastics Plus Inc.. . . . . . . . . . 13

48

Direct Color Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

21

Magnum Magnetics Corp. . . . . . . . . . 27

49

Johnson Plastics Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

22

Manhattan Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

50

Marco Awards Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

23

Master Magnetics Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

51

Principal LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

24

Mutoh America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

52

Rowmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

25

NSSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

53

SEPS Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

26

Orbus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

54

Trotec Laser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

27

Orbus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

55

Universal Lighting Technologies . . . . 12

28

Ornamental Post Panel & Traffic. . . .44

29

Osram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Outwater Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

31

Quality Manufacturing Inc.. . . . . . . . 50

STEPS 1. Go to our website at, signshop.com

COMPANIES IN SIGN SHOW

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30

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2. Click on our InfoDirect box on the website

3. Request info about advertisers & products

46

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Shop Talk

Building Brothers, Inc., of New York, New York

Permitting Pitfalls

Photo: Installer: Paul Signs; Permit Expediter: Building Brothers, Inc.

Why your shop is having trouble securing permits.

F

ounded in 2004, Building Brothers, Inc. (buildingbrothers. com) is a top sign permit expediter in New York City.

The company has worked on many iconic New York City signage projects, including Yankee Stadium and the Comcast Building.

President Sam Pruyn says the company has “the history, the knowledge, the expertise, and the systems in place to handle any project, no matter the size or scope.”

Based on his knowledge, Pruyn shared the top three challenges to securing a sign permit: 1. Size: “The number one reason [a shop doesn’t secure a permit] would be that they want to install a sign that’s larger than the sign restrictions for a parsignshop.com

ticular zone,” he says.

2. Landmarks: If the specific process and requirements for landmark buildings aren’t followed, the sign permit won’t be approved.

3. Illumination: Not an uncommon issue to the sign industry, those shops looking to put up an illuminated sign in a non-illuminated zone will find themselves without a permit.

Aside from these three challenges, Pruyn says issues in the permitting process also occur at locations under the jurisdiction of an entity other than the city—such as the Loft Board or the Port Authority—since they have a distinct process for securing sign permits.

The Loft Board and Port Authority may be specific to New York City, but the issues can occur anywhere. “Most

By Ashley Bray

townships obviously have their own codes, and they all have their unique restrictions,” says Pruyn.

Sign shops should also be aware of the challenges in securing permits for multiple signs. “Good coordination and good communication becomes optimal because there’s going to be a large influx of locations at one time, and tracking all of those individually and as a group can present its own challenges,” says Pruyn.

“Luckily we have good systems in place to provide some unique services to our customers in that regard.”

So just how can your shop avoid all of these permitting pitfalls? “Good due diligence at the outset before the project is too far along,” says Pruyn.

Partnering with a sign permit expediter in your local area is another solution.

“We leverage the fact that we’re in this process and have boots on the ground every single day,” says Pruyn. “We provide services, such as code checks, so that our customers can have an idea of what’s allowed at a particular site before they even commit to something with their customer.

“Partnering with us allows them to focus on those other issues related to the manufacturing and installation timetable, and we can help ease the burden of the permits and the municipal requirements.”

To find a sign permit expediter in your area, Pruyn recommends turning to sign associations for recommendations, getting a reference from other sign companies or manufacturers in your area, or simply doing an online search.

Good due diligence at the outset of a project can prevent common permitting pitfalls.

August 2017

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SIGN BUILDER

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BUYER’S AT-AGUIDE GLANCE See Our Ad On Page 7

A Positive Forecast

Cover Photo: Universal Lighting Technologies.

W

hether you are trying to purchase new equipment, stock up on materials, set up your shop to get more noticed in your local market, or become more familiar with regulations, our annual, exclusive Buyer’s Guide At-AGlance will help you achieve any of these goals, regardless of the medium you are working in.

Over the following pages, you will find contact information for manufacturers, suppliers, and sign-related organizations and associations (organized alphabetically by company name and product categories, of course).

And the good news is that our efforts to provide you information for running a successful shop does not stop with this Buyer’s Guide At-A-Glance directory.

I want to make certain that you are aware that you can also utilize the InfoDirect service hosted on our Web site, www.signshop.com. This 24/7 online tool can help you narrow your search even further in finding the best products for your sign-making needs.

While at our site, also be sure to check out the bevy of signage news and product announcements. You will also find an Industry Resources section containing white papers and video demonstrations teaching about a variety of topics in the industry.

And what an industry we’re working in! The sign and graphics sector appears to be on fire, according to the latest ISA Sign Industry Quarterly Economic Report for the second quarter of 2017. This report, compiled by IHS and Vandiver As-

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.

sociates and sponsored by the National Association of Sign Supply Distributors (NASSD), shows a “strongly positive outlook” for this year and next.

It noted that business fixed investment increased at an annual 11.4 percent rate in the first quarter, which is the strongest gain in five years. And while it forecast that construction spending would drop during the second quarter of 2017, it is predicted to “rebound solidly” in the second half of this year and post sizable gains early next year as spending from additional infrastructure kicks in.

Another encouraging trend, according to this report, is that the end market for architectural signage is expected to continue to capitalize on favorable conditions through at least the end of next year, while the outlook is positive for suppliers in the printing industry following a down year last year.

It’s looking pretty sunny out there! So it is now more opportune than ever to dive into the signage pool and offer your customers not only what they’re looking for, but also what they don’t yet know they need.

And the Buyer’s Guide At-A-Glance is here to help you do so.

ART SUTLEY Publisher, asutley@sbpub.com

Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 55 Broad Street, 26th floor New York, NY 10004 212-620-7247 ; Fax: 212-633-1863

editorial Editor Jeff Wooten 323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 212-620-7244 jwooten@sbpub.com Managing Editor Ashley Bray 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10004 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com

art Creative Director Wendy Williams Art Director Nicole Cassano Graphic Designer Aleza Leinwand

production Production Director Eduardo Castañer

advertising sales National Sales Director Jeff Sutley 212-620-7233 jsutley@sbpub.com Mid-West & West Coast Sales Manager Monica Boutros 212-620-7225 mboutros@sbpub.com

Sign Builder Illustrated welcomes all comments, questions and suggestions about the Buyer's Guide.

Write us: Sign Builder Illustrated, 55 Broad Street, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004 or FAX: (212) 633-1863. Email address: signbuilder@sbpub.com

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2017 Buyer’s Guide

Sign Builder Illustrated

51

COMPANIES The following companies are arranged alphabetically. These companies provide a variety of services or manufacture/supply sign making equipment, supplies, and/or finished signs.

Phone: 773 777-7100 Fax: 773 777-0909 E-mail: sales@awt-gpi.com Web Site: www.awt-gpi.com

AXYZ INTERNATIONAL INC.

A.W.T. WORLD TRADE INC

4321 N Knox Ave Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 773 777-7100 Fax: 773 777-0909 E-mail: sales@awt-gpi.com Web Site: www.awt-gpi.com Michael Green, Pres Bryan Green, National Sales Mgr A.W.T. World Trade, Inc. is the world leader in the screen printing equipment industry, combining state-of-the-art engineering expertise with outstanding customer service to provide quality, consistency, & value to screen printers for more than 40 years. Designed for maximum productivity & engineered for years of reliable performance, A.W.T.’s complete line of screen printing equipment, accessories, parts, & supplies delivers unrivaled convenience while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy & image quality.

PRODUCTS: Dryers; Drying and Storage Racks; Ink - Screen Printing; UV Curable; Pad Printing - Equipment; Routers Vacuum Tables; Safety Equipment; Screen Printing - Equipment/ Accessories; Exposure Units; Flash Dryers; Floodbars; Machines; Pallets; Presses - Manual; Scoop Coater; Screen Cleaning Biodegradable Cleaners; Screen Cleaning - Equipment; Screen Washers; Squeegees; Supplies; Tensioning Table; UV Curing Systems; Wholesale; Screens Drying Cabinet; Nylon Mesh Fabric; Polyester Mesh Fabric

ADAMS MAGNETIC PRODUCTS

One Whatney Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: 800 747-7543 Toll Free: 800 222-6686 Fax: 630 617-8881 E-mail: info@adamsmagnetic.com Web Site: www.adamsmagnetic.com Alice Martin, Dir of Mktg Craig Myers, Sales Mgr Jim Miller, Sales

PRODUCTS: Magnetic - Assemblies; Bases; Blanks; Rolls; Sheet; Stock; Sign Blanks - Magnetic Additional Offices: 21600 8th St East Sonoma, CA 95476 Phone: 800 222-6686 Fax: 707 935-1231 E-mail: info@adamsmagnetic.com 807 Mantoloking Rd Ste 203 Brick, NJ 08723 Phone: 800 222-6686 Fax: 732 451-0339 E-mail: info@adamsmagnetic.com Adams Magnetic Products Co. 140A Metro Pk Ste 9 & 10 Rochester, NY 14623 Phone: 800 222-6686 Fax: 630 359-9437 E-mail: info@adamsmagnetic.com

Additional Offices: A.W.T. World Trade Group 4321 N Knox Ave Chicago, IL 60641 52

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2017 Buyer’s Guide

5324 S Service Rd Burlington, ON CAN, L7L 5H5 Phone: 905 634-4940 Toll Free: 800 361-3408 Fax: 905 634-4966 E-mail: sales@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com Greg Jenkins, VP Sales

AXYZ International is a leading global manufacturer of industrial CNC router systems & CNC knife systems. Designed and built at their state-of-the-art factory in Canada, AXYZ CNC routers are supplied & supported through a global network of sales, support offices & authorized dealers.

With more than 366,918 standard machine configurations, AXYZ specializes in matching machinery to customer’s unique needs & budgets.

PRODUCTS: Cutters/Plotters - Blades/Knives; Routers; Dimensional Signs Routers/Engravers; Engraving - 3-D; Tools; Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Custom Metal Fabrication; Routers - Accessories; Bits; CNC; Software; Vacuum Tables; Software - 3-D; Digitizing; Engraving; Routing; Vinyl - Blades/ Knives; CNC Tooling; Cutters/ Plotters Additional Offices: AXYZ International - Calgary 401 - 4615 - 112 Ave SE Calgary, AB CAN, T2C 5C5 Phone: 403 236-4464 Fax: 403 279-4206 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com

signshop.com

COMPANIES AXYZ International - Los Angeles 2910 E La Palma Ave Unit A Anaheim, CA 92806 Phone: 714 974-6200 Fax: 714 202-5110 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYZ International - Tampa 1911 N US 301 Ste 200 Tampa, FL 33619 Phone: 813 620-3105 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYZ International - Atlanta 1865 Corporate Dr Ste 225 Norcross, GA 30093 Phone: 678 381-2300 Fax: 678 381-2304 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYX International - New Jersey 24 World’s Fair Dr Ste D Somerset, NJ 08873 Phone: 732 469-1720 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYZ International - Cincinnati 2844 E Kemper Rd Cincinnati, OH 45241 Phone: 513 771-7444 Fax: 513 326-5283 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com AXYZ International - Montreal 1305 Boulevard Dagenais Ouest Laval, QC CAN, H7L 5Z9 Phone: 450 624-9898 Fax: 450 624-9685 E-mail: enquiries@axyz.com Web Site: www.axyz.com

www.chemical-concepts.com Craig Zelle, Sales Mgr Andrew Morris, Outside Sales Structural Adhesives, Dispense Guns, Bonding Fasteners, Silicone, One Part Urethane and MS Technologies, Specialty Hot Melts, Contact Cements, High Bond Tapes, UV Doming Adhesives, Laminating Adhesives. We have the answers for any of your bonding needs.

PRODUCTS: Adhesives - Foam; Glass Bead; Guns; High Strength; Laminating; Pressure Sensitive; Remover; Solvent Cements; Structural; Tapes; Masking Materials - Tape; Tape Application; Foam; Hook & Loop; Maskant

CUSTOM FOAM FABRICATORS

125 Cecil Ct Fayetteville, GA 30214 Phone: 770 631-4086 Toll Free: 866 412-3626 Fax: 770 631-4048 E-mail: sales@ customfoamfabricators.com Web Site: www. customfoamfabricators.com Kristin Babb, Pres Chris Babb, Mgr

PRODUCTS: Architectural Signs; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Carved; Monuments; Wholesale; Letters - Foam; Sign Blanks - Foam; Polystyrene; Signs - Dimensional; Maintenance Free; Wholesalers

E-mail: sales@fastenation.com Web Site: www.fastenation.com Justin Ferdinand, VP Corey Williamson, Sales Rep FASTENation, Inc. is the premier manufacturer, converter, & global distributor of fasteners from Velcro USA Inc., 3M™, Glue Dots® International, SilverTape®, & FASTENfoam® Adhesive Backed Foam Tapes. Servicing more than 50 countries for nearly two decades, FASTENation, Inc. provides innovative ways to fasten products together for many industries. Offering the largest in-stock product selection available nationwide, FASTENation Inc. can easily convert, fabricate, & manufacture to any customer specification.

PRODUCTS: Adhesives - Foam; High Strength; Pressure Sensitive; Tapes; Anchors/ Fasteners; Banners - Grommets; Dies; Fasteners; Letters - Foam; Maintenance - Adhesives; Weatherability; Masking Materials - Spray; Tape; Sign Blanks - Foam; Sign Hanging Hardware; Straps Cable Management; Tape - Foam; Hook & Loop; Tools - Cutting; Vinyl - Application Solutions; Welding Equipment Additional Offices: Fastenation, Inc. - Sales / Mktg Office 234 Seven Farms Dr Ste 213 Daniel Island, SC 29492 Phone: 843 606-9600 Fax: 843 606-9633 E-mail: sales@fastenation.com Web Site: www.fastenation.com

CHEMICAL CONCEPTS

410 Pike Rd Philadelphia, PA 19006 Phone: 610 662-2344 Toll Free: 800 220-1966 Fax: 215 357-2754 E-mail: lydia.zelle@chemicalconcepts.com Web Site: signshop.com

FASTENATION, INC.

120 Brighton Rd Unit 2 Clifton, NJ 07012-1666 Phone: 800 876-9922 Fax: 800 758-5424

GRAPHIC PARTS INTERNATIONAL INC

4321 N Knox Ave Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 773 777-7100 Fax: 773 777-0909 2017 Buyer’s Guide

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COMPANIES E-mail: sales@gpiparts.com Web Site: www.gpiparts.com Michael Green, Pres Graphic Parts International, Inc. maintains the world’s most comprehensive inventory of parts, accessories, & supplies for the screen printing industry. G.P.I. manufacturers & stocks vacuum tables, vacuum motors, squeegees, floodbars, pallets, rubber blankets, electrical & electronic components, infrared panels, UV lamps, dryer components, conveyor belts, & much more.

G.P.I. also manufacturers & stocks replacement parts for foreign & domestic screen printing presses, dryers, & ancillary equipment, & offers remanufactured machines.

PRODUCTS: Digital Imaging - UV Curing Systems; Dryers; Heat Transfer Equipment; Ink - Screen Printing; Neon - Vacuum Pumps; Pad Printing - Equipment; Printers - Flat Bed; Routers - Vacuum Tables; Safety Equipment; Screen Printing - Equipment/Accessories; Screen Printing - Exposure Units; Flash Dryers; Floodbars; Machines; Pallets; Presses - Manual; Scoop Coater; Screen Cleaning Biodegradable Cleaners; Screen Cleaning - Equipment; Squeegees; Supplies; UV Curing Systems; Screens - Drying Cabinet Additional Offices: A.W.T. World Trade Group 4321 N Knox Ave Chicago, IL 60641 Phone: 773 777-7100 Fax: 773 777-0909 E-mail: sales@awt-gpi.com Web Site: www.awt-gpi.com

JOHNSON PLASTICS PLUS

9240 Grand Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55420 Phone: 952 888-9507 Toll Free: 800 869-7800 E-mail: service@jpplus.com Web Site: www.jpplus.com 54

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Sam Warden, Sales Mgr Steve Gluskin, Dir Business Dev Johnson Plastics Plus has served as a leading distributor of Rowmark engravable sheet materials, UV-LED printers & equipment, sublimation equipment & products, sign frames, stand-offs & related accessories for more than 30 years.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, with nine branch sales fulfillment centers, Johnson Plastics Plus also offers Points Plus Rewards! Join for FREE & start earning Points or Miles on every purchase. Sign-up & starting shopping today at JPPLUS. com PRODUCTS: ADA - Raster Braille w/Applied Lettering; Adhesives - Foam, Tapes; Anchors/Fasteners; Architectural Signs; Badges; Boards - Dry Erase; Braille; Bulletin Boards; Castings - Bronze; Consultants - ADA; Cutters/Plotters - Accessories, Blades/Knives; Cutters/Trimmers - Manual; Digital Imaging Dye Sublimation, Hardware, Inkjet, Large Format, Toners, UV Curing Systems; Dimensional Signs - Acrylic, Architectural; Distributors - Full Line; Plastics; Easels; Engraving - Blanks, Laser, Materials, Nameplates, Rotary, Tools; Film - Laser, Printable; Ink - Digital Imaging, UV Curable; Laminates - Plastic, Printable, Wood; Magnetic - Blanks, Sheet; Paints - General, Plastics (Use on); Paper - Digital Imaging, Heat Transfer, Kraft; Plastics - ABS, Acrylic, FRP, Luminescent, Plastics; Printers - Flat Bed, Inkjet; Ribbon - Thermal; Routers - Accessories, Bits, Vacuum Tables; Sign Blanks - Exterior Panel, Magnetic, Nameplates, Plastic, Wood; Sign Boards - Plastic; Plywood; Sign Faces - Flexible Face; Sign Frames; Sign Hanging Hardware; Sign Holders; Signs - ADA; Stencils General; Sublimation Transfer - Dyes; Equipment; Supplies; Substrates - Anodized Aluminum; Engraveable; General; Laserable; Plywood; Printable; Tape - Foam; Hook & Loop; Wood

2017 Buyer’s Guide

Additional Offices: Johnson Plastics - Southwest 2840 E Mohawk Ln Ste 103 Phoenix, AZ 85050 Phone: 800 869-7887 Fax: 602 298-9051 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com Johnson Plastics - West 5159 Commercial Cir Ste B Concord, CA 94520 Phone: 800 869-7887 Fax: 925 680-0970 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com Johnson Plastics - Southeast 1075 Old Norcross Rd Ste G Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Phone: 800 869-7870 Fax: 770 236-9625 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com Johnson Plastics - Chicago Area 975 Nimco Dr Ste U Crystal Lake , IL 60014 Phone: 800 869-7840 Fax: 815 404-2909 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com Johnson Plastics - North Carolina 6210 Hackers Bend Ct Ste B Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Phone: 800 334-0427 Fax: 336 712-2526 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com Johnson Plastics - Great Lakes 7541 Pingue Dr Worthington, OH 43085 Phone: 800 869-7800 Fax: 800 869-7853 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com Johnson Plastics - South 2707 Realty Rd Ste 300 Carrollton, TX 75006 Phone: 800 869-7830 Fax: 972 418-8763 Web Site: www.johnsonplastics.com

signshop.com

COMPANIES Bed; Inkjet; Wide Format; Software - Cutters/Plotters; RIP; Vinyl Cutters/Plotters Additional Offices:

MASTER MAGNETICS, INC.

747 S Gilbert St Castle Rock, CO 80104 Phone: 800 525-3536 E-mail: flexsales@magnetsource.com Web Site: www.magnetsource.com Melissa Thompson, Sales Mgr PRODUCTS: Badges; Banners - General Supplies; Channel Letters - Tools; Fasteners; Magnetic - Assemblies; Magnetic - Bases; Magnetic Blanks; Magnetic - Rolls; Magnetic - Sheet; Magnetic - Stock; Sign Blanks - Magnetic; Sign Hanging Hardware; Sign Holders

MIMAKI USA

150-A Satellite Blvd NE Suwanee, GA 30024 Phone: 678 730-0170 Toll Free: 888 530-4021 Fax: 678 730-0188 E-mail: info@mimakiusa.com Web Site: www.mimakiusa.com Mimaki offers a wide range of digital printing & cutting systems for the signage market including eco-solvent, cut-print, UV-LED flatbed & superwide roll-to-roll, latex & solvent UV printers plus roll-based vinyl cutters & flatbed cutting plotters. Soft signage printers also available using dye sublimation transfer or direct to fabric technologies in a variety of widths.

PRODUCTS: Computers - Cutters; Plotters; Printers; Cutters/Plotters - Foam Cutters; General; Large Format; Multi-Substrate; Digital Imaging Dye Sublimation; Grand Format; Hardware; Inkjet; Large Format; Super Wide; Wide Format; Inkjet Equipment - Printers; Printers - Flat signshop.com

Mimaki USA, Inc. 2630 Townsgate Rd Ste I Westlake Village, CA 91361 Phone: 888 530-3987

Mutoh America - Southeastern Regional Learning Facility 5950 Shiloh Rd Ste T Alpharetta, GA 30005 Phone: 678 771-5890 E-mail: info@mutoh.com Web Site: www.mutoh.com Mutoh America - Central Regional Learning Facility 5410 Newport Dr Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Phone: 847 483-9107 Fax: 847 483-9108 E-mail: info@mutoh.com Web Site: www.mutoh.com

150 Satellite Blvd NE Atlanta, GA 30045 Phone: 888 530-3988 125 Commerce Dr Unit A Schaumberg, IL 60173 Phone: 888 530-3985

Mutoh America - Northeastern Regional Learning Facility 99 Rosewood Dr Danvers, MA 01923 Phone: 978 739-1576 E-mail: info@mutoh.com Web Site: www.mutoh.com

77 Rowe St Newton, MA 02466 Phone: 888 530-3986

MUTOH AMERICA, INC.

2602 S 47th St Phoenix, AZ 85034 Phone: 480 968-7772 Toll Free: 800 99MUTOH E-mail: info@mutoh.com Web Site: www.mutoh.com Mutoh America, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of wide-format printers & plotting cutters. Mutoh’s ValueJet printers are known for their speed, quality, & Smart Printing features & come in ECOSolvent, UV-LED, dye sublimation & direct to textile options.

PRODUCTS: Cutters/Plotters - Large Format; Digital Imaging - Dye Sublimation; Inkjet; Large Format; Wide Format; Ink - Solvent Based; UV Curable; Inkjet Equipment - Printers; Printers - Flat Bed; Inkjet; Wide Format; Sublimation Transfer - Equipment; Textiles - Direct Imprint Machine Additional Offices: Mutoh America - Western Regional Learning Facility 2291 W 205 St Torrance, CA 90501 Phone: 310 783-0281 Fax: 310 783-0299 E-mail: info@mutoh.com Web Site: www.mutoh.com

ORNAMENTAL POST, PANEL & TRAFFIC CONTROL

10108 Industrial Dr Pineville, NC 28134 Phone: 704 376-8111 Toll Free: 800 779-7947 Fax: 704 376-1990 E-mail: frank@ornamentalpost.com Web Site: www.ornamentalpost.com John Iyoob, Pres Frank Iyoob, Sales Mgr

We offer wholesale custom sign fabrication, Slat Signs Systems, Post & Panel Systems, Box Signs, Decorative Traffic Control, Wayfinding Signs, Banner Frames & Arms, Hanging Brackets, Sign Holders, Routed PVC & HDU, Poles, Bases, Finials, Fabrication from your drawings and much, much more. See our catalog at www. ornamentalpost.com PRODUCTS: Aluminum - Blanks;Castings; Architectural Signs; Banners Mounting Hardware; Pole Brackets;

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COMPANIES Castings - Aluminum; Dimensional Signs - Architectural; Carved; HDU; Monuments; Ornamental; Routers/ Engravers; Wholesale; Finials General; Ornamental; Frames Large Format; Real Estate; Letters Aluminum; PVC; Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Custom Metal Fabrication; Monuments; Outdoor Signs - Poles; Poles - Sign; Traffic; Sign Blanks - Aluminum; Sign Cabinets - Extrusions; Kits; Sign Companies & Contractors; Sign Frames; Sign Hanging Hardware; Sign Holders; Sign Panels; Sign Stands; Signage - Directory Non-Illuminated; Signs - Carved; Dimensional; Kits; Systems; Traffic

OSRAM

200 Ballardvale St Wilmington, MA 01887 Phone: 877 636-5267 Toll Free: 877 636-5267 E-mail: ds.support@osram.com Web Site: www.osram.us/signage Bob Ponzini, Channel Dev Mgr Ed Goff, Bus Dev Mgr OSRAM offers a full portfolio of advanced LED modules & power supplies for every signage application. Rigorously tested to meet the highest standards, OSRAM’s robust, versatile, long life, & energy efficient BoxLED & BackLED LED lighting systems & flexible linear that make them easy to identify, use, & install in both new construction & retrofit applications.

PRODUCTS: Ballasts; Lamps/Lighting Fluorescent; General; H/O Fluorescent Sign Lighting Fixtures; Halogen; High Intensity Discharge; Incandescent; LED - Border Lights; Illumination; LED Architectural Lighting; LED Drivers; LED Flex Strips; LED Modules; LED Rope Light; LED Spot Lamp; Power Supplies; Retrofit Kits; Lighting

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OUTWATER PLASTICS

24 River Rd Bogota, NJ 07603 Phone: 201 498-8750 Toll Free: 800 631-8375 Fax: 800 888-3315 E-mail: chipk@outwaterplastics.com Web Site: www.outwater.com Peter Kessler, Owner Vlad Sharov, Mktg Mgr Outwater Plastics, a Sign Industry giant for over 40 years, with East Coast location in New Jersey & West Coast Location in Arizona features: Fabric Flex Framing system for SEG; over 300 different standoffs; LED Channel Lights; Snap Frames; Illuminated & Nonilluminated Cable Display Systems; LED Ribbons in Cool White, Warm White & RGB; Nova Sheets; LED Channel Letters; & Tri-Mod, Brite Light & Magic Sheet Backlighting.

For Free Catalog visit http://form. outwater.com/mastercatalog.html PRODUCTS: Aluminum - Extrusions; Backlighting; Banners - Display Systems; Exhibit Booths - Portable; Tabletop Displays; Fasteners; Lamps/Lighting - Fixtures; LED - LED Architectural Lighting; LED Ball Bulbs; LED Channel Letters; LED Drivers; LED Flex Strips; LED Modules; LED Rope Light; LED Spot Lamp; Lighting; Neon - End Caps; Point-of-Purchase Displays; Rope Lighting; Signs - Frames - Exhibit Additional Offices: Outwater Plastics Industries 4720 W Van Buren Phoenix, AZ 85043 Phone: 800 248-2067 Web Site: www.outwater.com

2017 Buyer’s Guide

QUALITY MANUFACTURING INC

969 La Bore Industrial Ct St. Paul, MN 55110-5114 Phone: 651 484-5473 Toll Free: 800 243-5473 Fax: 651 483-1101 E-mail: qualitymfg@ qualitymanufacturing.com Web Site: www.qualitymanufacturing. com John Hoffman, VP

Quality Manufacturing, Inc. specializing in pan faces (Q.M.I.).

Is your one stop wholesale sign supplier. Complete signs of all types. Channel Letters, White Pan Faces, Decorated Pan Faces, Custom 3D Faces. Special shape pan embossed faces, Hemispheres, Domes, Prisms & more. Call us Today PRODUCTS: Dimensional Signs - Acrylic; Extrusions - Aluminum; LED Illumination; LED Architectural Lighting; Letters - Plastic; Outdoor Signs - 3-D; Plastics - Acrylic; Polycarbonate; Sign Cabinets Extrusions; Illuminated; Sign Faces - Pan

SAWTRAX

3694 Kennesaw S Ind Dr Ste A Kennesaw, GA 30062 Phone: 770 974-0021 Toll Free: 888 SAWTRAX Fax: 770 975-1618 E-mail: info@sawtrax.com Web Site: www.sawtrax.com Amy Dobry, Sales Mgr Jo Gee, Office Mgr SawTrax has the Sign Industry’s Premier Panel Saw & Substrate Cutters for Today’s Sign Shops!

With our sign maker panels saws signshop.com

COMPANIES & substrates cutters, sign shops now have one machine for all your cutting needs! Today’s sign shops needs are specialized & we offer a machine that is clean & capable.

Our dolly carts are perfect for the Sign Industry! You can move sheet goods to vinyl rolls, large channel letters & box signs.

PRODUCTS: Cutters/Trimmers - Manual; Wall-Mounted; Metal-Fabricating Equipment - Saws; Saws - Panel

SUNRISE LED INC.

598 Patterson Blvd Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Phone: 925 939-5505 Toll Free: 800 660-4414 Fax: 925 939-9998 E-mail: alice@sunriseled.us Web Site: www.sunriseled.us Matthew Kalyani, VP Sales Alice Miller, Sales & Mktg SunRise LED proudly producing quality LED displays for more than 2 decades. Quality LED at affordable prices, backed by 20+ years experience in LED manufacturing.

Standard LED displays & custom.

Give us a call and put our expertise to work for you. 800-660-4414 www.sunriseled.us PRODUCTS: Billboards; Electronic Messaging - LED; Lamps/Lighting - Fixtures; Floodlights; LED - Electronic Signs; Gas Price Changers; Hospitality Price Changers; Illumination; LED Architectural Lighting; LED Channel Letters; Networked Messaging Systems; Stock Message Signs; Video; Video Billboards; Message Boards - LED Illuminated

TECHNO CNC SYSTEMS

29 Tradezone Dr Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

signshop.com

Phone: 631 648-7481 E-mail: maryannv@technocnc.com Web Site: www.technocnc.com Roy Valentine, Sales Mgr Tim O’Connor, Sales PRODUCTS: Braille; CAD/CAM Systems - Foam; Cutters/Plotters - Accessories; Automatic; Blades/Knives; CAD Plasma Cutters; Foam Cutters; Large Format; Laser; Routers; Software; Dimensional Signs Routers/Engravers; Engraving - 3-D; Laser; Machines; Tools; Equipment Leasing; Laser Equipment; Outdoor Signs - 3-D; Routers - Accessories; Bits; CNC; Laser; Shaping Tools; Software; Vacuum Tables; Signs - Wood; Software - CAD; CAM; Waterjet Machines - CAD Routers; Cutting Equipment

VANTAGE LED

1930 S Vineyard Ave Ontario, CA 91761 Phone: 888 595-3956 Fax: 888 595-3959 E-mail: dealers@vantageled.com Web Site: www.vantageled.com Josie Salitrero, National Sales Mgr We’re disrupting a multi-billion dollar digital signage industry by designing, engineering and manufacturing innovative LED displays driven by revolutionary 100% cloud-based software backed by real human support, strong resources, amazing relationships & smart business. 7 year parts warranty, 7 year onsite service, custom content creation, automated Amber alerts, IS09001 Certified & more. We Got Your Back. Let’s Grow Your Business.

PRODUCTS: Billboards; Consultants - Digital Signage; Electronic Messaging -

LCD, LED, Time/Temperature, Video Billboards; LED - Electronic Signs; Gas Price Changers; Hospitality Price Changers; Networked Messaging Systems; Video; Video Billboards; Message Boards - LED Illuminated; Systems; Outdoor Signs - Billboards; Scoreboards; Signage - Electronic; Signs - LED; Traffic Signs

YJ, INC

PO Box 802050 Santa Clarita, CA 91380 Phone: 661 259-0700 Toll Free: 877 600-9444 Fax: 661 259-0900 Web Site: www.yjinc.com Yousif Jacob, Pres Janet Carballo, Mktg Spec YJ Inc. is a Nationwide Sign Engineering firm with responsive, accessible & pro-active problem solving engineers.

Our exceptionally fast 1-2 day turnaround & competitive pricing distinguishes us from other Sign Engineering companies. We are licensed in 49 states, Washington D.C., & Alberta, Canada. Our staff has combined 42+ years of structural engineering experience.

Please email your drawings to quote@yjinc.com PRODUCTS: Aluminum - Extrusions; Anchors/ Fasteners; Architectural Signs; Associations; Awnings - General; Billboards; Consultants Engineering, General; Dimensional Signs - Architectural, Awnings, Channel Letters, Monuments; Electric Signs - Custom, General; Electronic Messaging - Channel Letters; Flagpoles; Glass Signs; Graphic Design; LED - Electronic Signs; Light Poles; Logo Design; Message Boards - LED Illuminated; Monuments; Sign Frames; Sign Service

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PRODUCTS The following section is devoted entirely to Sign Products/Services and the companies that offer them. The products are arranged alphabetically and many appear more than once in the section.

For example, LED signs may appear alphabetically under LED or under Electronic Messaging. This format makes it easy to find products. Short product descriptions are provided to assist in making purchasing decisions. Companies in bold indicate display advertisers.

ADA - RASTER BRAILLE W/ APPLIED LETTERING Johnson Plastics Plus

YJ, Inc p 54

ADHESIVES - FOAM Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus

p 53 p 53 p 54

ADHESIVES - GLASS BEAD Chemical Concepts

p 53

ADHESIVES - GUNS Chemical Concepts

p 53

FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus YJ, Inc

Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc.

AWNINGS - GENERAL

Chemical Concepts

p 53

ADHESIVES - PRESSURE SENSITIVE Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc. Chemical Concepts

p 53

ADHESIVES - SOLVENT CEMENTS Chemical Concepts

p 53

ADHESIVES - STRUCTURAL Chemical Concepts

p 53

ADHESIVES - TAPES p 53 p 53 p 54

ALUMINUM - BLANKS Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

ALUMINUM - CASTINGS Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

ALUMINUM - EXTRUSIONS Sign Builder Illustrated

p 56

p 54 p 57 p 54

CAD/CAM SYSTEMS - FOAM p 57

CASTINGS - ALUMINUM

p 57

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 57

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 56

Master Magnetics, Inc.

p 55

CASTINGS - BRONZE p 54

CHANNEL LETTERS - TOOLS

BACKLIGHTING Outwater Plastics

p 55

COMPUTERS - CUTTERS p 54 p 55

OSRAM

Mimaki USA

p 55

COMPUTERS - PLOTTERS Mimaki USA

p 56

Mimaki USA

Outwater Plastics

CONSULTANTS - ADA

p 56

p 55

COMPUTERS - PRINTERS

BANNERS - DISPLAY SYSTEMS

p 55

BANNERS - GENERAL SUPPLIES

Johnson Plastics Plus

Master Magnetics, Inc.

CONSULTANTS - DIGITAL SIGNAGE

p 55

BANNERS - GROMMETS FASTENation, Inc.

Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus

58

p 55 p 57

Techno CNC Systems

BALLASTS

ADHESIVES - REMOVER

Outwater Plastics

Johnson Plastics Plus

YJ, Inc

Johnson Plastics Plus Master Magnetics, Inc.

BRAILLE

BULLETIN BOARDS

BADGES p 53 p 53

p 54

Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 53 p 54

ASSOCIATIONS YJ, Inc

ADHESIVES - LAMINATING

p 53 p 54 p 57

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNS Custom Foam Fabricators Johnson Plastics Plus Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control YJ, Inc

BOARDS - DRY ERASE Johnson Plastics Plus

ANCHORS/FASTENERS

ADHESIVES - HIGH STRENGTH p 53 p 53

p 57

p 53

BANNERS - MOUNTING HARDWARE Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

2017 Buyer’s Guide

p 57

CONSULTANTS - ENGINEERING p 57

CONSULTANTS - GENERAL p 55

YJ, Inc

p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS ACCESSORIES p 55

Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 57 p 57 p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS AUTOMATIC

BILLBOARDS SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED YJ, Inc

Vantage LED YJ, Inc

BANNERS - POLE BRACKETS Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 54

Techno CNC Systems

p 54 p 57

p 57 signshop.com

PRODUCTS CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - BLADES/ KNIVES AXYZ International Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 52 p 54 p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - CAD PLASMA CUTTERS Techno CNC Systems

p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - FOAM CUTTERS Mimaki USA Techno CNC Systems

p 55 p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - GENERAL Mimaki USA

p 55

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - LARGE FORMAT Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc. Techno CNC Systems

p 55 p 55 p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - LASER Techno CNC Systems

p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - MULTISUBSTRATE Mimaki USA

p 55

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS - ROUTERS AXYZ International Inc. Techno CNC Systems

p 52 p 57

CUTTERS/PLOTTERS SOFTWARE Techno CNC Systems

p 57

CUTTERS/TRIMMERS - MANUAL Johnson Plastics Plus SawTrax

p 54 p 56

CUTTERS/TRIMMERS - WALLMOUNTED SawTrax

p 56

DIES FASTENation, Inc.

p 53

DIGITAL IMAGING - DYE SUBLIMATION Johnson Plastics Plus Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

signshop.com

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS - HDU Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 54 p 55

DIGITAL IMAGING - INKJET Johnson Plastics Plus Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

p 54 p 55 p 55

DIGITAL IMAGING - LARGE FORMAT Johnson Plastics Plus Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

p 54 p 55 p 55

DIGITAL IMAGING - SUPER WIDE Mimaki USA

p 55

DIGITAL IMAGING - TONERS Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

DIGITAL IMAGING - UV CURING SYSTEMS Graphic Parts International Inc Johnson Plastics Plus

p 53 p 54

DIGITAL IMAGING - WIDE FORMAT Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

p 55 p 55

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS - ACRYLIC Johnson Plastics Plus Quality Manufacturing Inc

p 54 p 56

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS ARCHITECTURAL Custom Foam Fabricators Johnson Plastics Plus Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control YJ, Inc

p 54 p 55 p 55

Custom Foam Fabricators Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

YJ, Inc

Custom Foam Fabricators Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control YJ, Inc

p 53 p 55 p 57

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS ORNAMENTAL Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS ROUTERS/ENGRAVERS AXYZ International Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Techno CNC Systems

p 52 p 55 p 57

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS WHOLESALE Custom Foam Fabricators Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Johnson Plastics Plus

p 53 p 55 p 54

DISTRIBUTORS - PLASTICS Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

DRYERS A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

DRYING AND STORAGE RACKS A.W.T. World Trade Inc

p 55 p 57

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 52

EASELS p 54

ELECTRIC SIGNS - CUSTOM YJ, Inc p 57

p 57

ELECTRIC SIGNS - GENERAL YJ, Inc

p 57

p 53

ELECTRONIC MESSAGING CHANNEL LETTERS

p 55

YJ, Inc

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS CHANNEL LETTERS p 55

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS MONUMENTS

p 53 p 54

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS AWNINGS YJ, Inc

p 55

DISTRIBUTORS - FULL LINE

DIMENSIONAL SIGNS - CARVED

DIGITAL IMAGING - GRAND FORMAT Mimaki USA

DIGITAL IMAGING - HARDWARE Johnson Plastics Plus Mimaki USA

p 57

ELECTRONIC MESSAGING LCD p 57

Vantage LED

2017 Buyer’s Guide

Sign Builder Illustrated

p 57 59

PRODUCTS ELECTRONIC MESSAGING - LED

FILM - PRINTABLE

SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 57 p 57

ELECTRONIC MESSAGING TIME/TEMPERATURE Vantage LED

ELECTRONIC MESSAGING VIDEO BILLBOARDS Vantage LED

FINIALS - GENERAL Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 57

ENGRAVING - 3-D p 52 p 57

ENGRAVING - BLANKS Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

ENGRAVING - LASER Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 54 p 57

ENGRAVING - MACHINES Techno CNC Systems

ENGRAVING - MATERIALS Johnson Plastics Plus

ENGRAVING - NAMEPLATES p 54

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

AXYZ International Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 52 p 54 p 57

EQUIPMENT LEASING

A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 57

Mutoh America, Inc.

EXHIBIT BOOTHS - PORTABLE

INK - UV CURABLE

Outwater Plastics

A.W.T. World Trade Inc Johnson Plastics Plus Mutoh America, Inc.

p 56

EXHIBIT BOOTHS - TABLETOP DISPLAYS Outwater Plastics

p 56

EXTRUSIONS - ALUMINUM Quality Manufacturing Inc

p 56

FASTENERS p 53 p 55 p 56

Sign Builder Illustrated

p 54

Johnson Plastics Plus

2017 Buyer’s Guide

LAMPS/LIGHTING - H/O FLUORESCENT SIGN LIGHTING FIXTURES p 56

LAMPS/LIGHTING - HALOGEN p 56

OSRAM

p 56

LAMPS/LIGHTING INCANDESCENT

p 53

OSRAM

p 54

Techno CNC Systems

p 52

OSRAM

p 56

LASER EQUIPMENT p 57

LED - BORDER LIGHTS

p 53 p 55

p 56

LED - ELECTRONIC SIGNS SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED YJ, Inc

p 57 p 57 p 57

LED - GAS PRICE CHANGERS p 52 p 54 p 55

SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED

p 57 p 57

LED - HOSPITALITY PRICE CHANGERS

p 55 p 55

SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED

p 54

OSRAM Quality Manufacturing Inc SunRise LED Inc.

p 57 p 57

LED - ILLUMINATION

p 54

LAMINATES - WOOD

FILM - LASER

p 56

p 57

LAMINATES - PRINTABLE Johnson Plastics Plus

LAMPS/LIGHTING - GENERAL

LAMPS/LIGHTING - HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE

LAMINATES - PLASTIC Johnson Plastics Plus

p 56

p 57

INKJET EQUIPMENT - PRINTERS Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

LAMPS/LIGHTING FLUORESCENT

OSRAM

INK - SOLVENT BASED

Techno CNC Systems

60

p 55

HEAT TRANSFER - EQUIPMENT

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 57

OSRAM

INK - SCREEN PRINTING

ENGRAVING - TOOLS

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 55

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Graphic Parts International Inc

LAMPS/LIGHTING FLOODLIGHTS

OSRAM

INK - DIGITAL IMAGING

ENGRAVING - ROTARY

FASTENation, Inc. Master Magnetics, Inc. Outwater Plastics

p 57

GLASS SIGNS

YJ, Inc p 54

Johnson Plastics Plus

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 56 p 57

OSRAM

FRAMES - REAL ESTATE

YJ, Inc p 57

p 55

FRAMES - LARGE FORMAT Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

Outwater Plastics SunRise LED Inc.

SunRise LED Inc.

FLAGPOLES YJ, Inc

AXYZ International Inc. Techno CNC Systems

p 55

FINIALS - ORNAMENTAL Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 57

LAMPS/LIGHTING - FIXTURES p 54

p 54

p 56 p 56 p 57

LED - LED ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING OSRAM

p 56 signshop.com

PRODUCTS Outwater Plastics Quality Manufacturing Inc SunRise LED Inc.

Quality Manufacturing Inc

p 56

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

LED - LED BALL BULBS Outwater Plastics

LED - LED CHANNEL LETTERS Outwater Plastics SunRise LED Inc.

p 56 p 57

LED - LED DRIVERS OSRAM Outwater Plastics

p 56 p 56

LED - LED FLEX STRIPS OSRAM Outwater Plastics

p 56 p 56

LED - LED MODULES OSRAM Outwater Plastics

p 56 p 56

LED - LED ROPE LIGHT OSRAM Outwater Plastics

p 56 p 56

LED - LED SPOT LAMP OSRAM Outwater Plastics

p 56 p 56

LED - NETWORKED MESSAGING SYSTEMS SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED

p 57 p 57

LED - POWER SUPPLIES OSRAM

p 56

LED - RETROFIT KITS OSRAM

p 56

LED - STOCK MESSAGE SIGNS SunRise LED Inc.

p 57

LED - VIDEO SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED

p 57 p 57

LED - VIDEO BILLBOARDS SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED

p 57 p 57

LETTERS - ALUMINUM Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

signshop.com

p 56

LETTERS - PVC p 55

LIGHT POLES YJ, Inc

p 57

OSRAM Outwater Plastics

p 56 p 56 p 57

MAGNETIC - ASSEMBLIES Adams Magnetic Products Master Magnetics, Inc.

p 52 p 55

MAGNETIC - BASES Adams Magnetic Products Master Magnetics, Inc.

Adams Magnetic Products Johnson Plastics Plus

p 52 p 54

MAGNETIC - STOCK

LOGO DESIGN YJ, Inc

and distributes all types of magnetic products for industrial and commercial use. Serving customers in the U.S. and abroad, the company has over 15 million magnets in stock. They provide resources for raw material magnets and the machinery to cut, grind and magnetize magnets.

Other suppliers of this product:

LIGHTING

p 52 p 55

MAGNETIC - BLANKS

Master Magnetics, Inc. p 55 The Magnet Source manufactures and distributes all types of magnetic products for industrial and commercial use. Serving customers in the U.S. and abroad, the company has over 15 million magnets in stock. They provide resources for raw material magnets and the machinery to cut, grind and magnetize magnets.

Master Magnetics, Inc. p 55 The Magnet Source manufactures and distributes all types of magnetic products for industrial and commercial use. Serving customers in the U.S. and abroad, the company has over 15 million magnets in stock. They provide resources for raw material magnets and the machinery to cut, grind and magnetize magnets.

Other suppliers of this product:

Other suppliers of this product:

MASKING MATERIALS - SPRAY

Adams Magnetic Products Johnson Plastics Plus

p 52 p 54

MAGNETIC - ROLLS Master Magnetics, Inc. p 55 The Magnet Source manufactures and distributes all types of magnetic products for industrial and commercial use. Serving customers in the U.S. and abroad, the company has over 15 million magnets in stock. They provide resources for raw material magnets and the machinery to cut, grind and magnetize magnets.

Other suppliers of this product: p 55

Adams Magnetic Products

p 53 p 53

Master Magnetics, Inc. p 55 The Magnet Source manufactures

LETTERS - FOAM Custom Foam Fabricators FASTENation, Inc.

LETTERS - PLASTIC

p 56 p 56 p 57

p 52

MAGNETIC - SHEET

Adams Magnetic Products

p 52

MAINTENANCE - ADHESIVES FASTENation, Inc.

p 53

MAINTENANCE WEATHERABILITY FASTENation, Inc. FASTENation, Inc.

p 53 p 53

MASKING MATERIALS - TAPE Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc.

p 53 p 53

MESSAGE BOARDS - LED ILLUMINATED SunRise LED Inc. Vantage LED YJ, Inc

p 57 p 57 p 57

MESSAGE BOARDS - SYSTEMS Vantage LED

p 57

METAL-FABRICATING EQUIPMENT - CUSTOM METAL FABRICATION AXYZ International Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

2017 Buyer’s Guide

Sign Builder Illustrated

p 52 p 55 61

PRODUCTS METAL-FABRICATING EQUIPMENT - SAWS

PLASTICS - ACRYLIC

SawTrax

p 56

AXYZ International Inc. Techno CNC Systems

p 54

Techno CNC Systems

PLASTICS - LUMINESCENT

ROUTERS - SHAPING TOOLS

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

Techno CNC Systems

MONUMENTS

PLASTICS - FRP

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control YJ, Inc

Johnson Plastics Plus p 55 p 57

NEON - END CAPS Outwater Plastics

p 56

NEON - VACUUM PUMPS Graphic Parts International Inc

OUTDOOR SIGNS - 3-D Quality Manufacturing Inc p 56 Quality Manufacturing Creates sign systems, post and panel signs, illuminated displays, skylights and domes, 3D props and displays, deep draw vacuum-forming, liquid spray maskings, press break capabilities, and more.

Other suppliers of this product: p 57

OUTDOOR SIGNS BILLBOARDS Vantage LED

p 57

OUTDOOR SIGNS - POLES Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

PAD PRINTING - EQUIPMENT A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

PAINTS - GENERAL Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

PAINTS - PLASTICS (USE ON) Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

PAPER - DIGITAL IMAGING Johnson Plastics Plus

62

Sign Builder Illustrated

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

p 55

PRINTERS - FLAT BED Graphic Parts International Inc Johnson Plastics Plus Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

p 53 p 54 p 55 p 55 p 54 p 55 p 55

PRINTERS - WIDE FORMAT Mimaki USA Mutoh America, Inc.

ROUTERS - VACUUM TABLES A.W.T. World Trade Inc AXYZ International Inc. Graphic Parts International Inc Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 52 p 52 p 53 p 54 p 57

SAFETY EQUIPMENT A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SAWS - PANEL p 56

SCOREBOARDS Vantage LED

p 57

SCREEN PRINTING EQUIPMENT/ACCESSORIES A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - EXPOSURE UNITS

p 54

SCREEN PRINTING - FLASH DRYERS

p 56

A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 54 p 57

ROUTERS - BITS

2017 Buyer’s Guide

p 52 p 57

A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

ROPE LIGHTING

AXYZ International Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

AXYZ International Inc. Techno CNC Systems

p 55 p 55

RIBBON - THERMAL Johnson Plastics Plus

p 57

SawTrax

PRINTERS - INKJET

p 54

p 54

p 56

POLES - TRAFFIC

AXYZ International Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus Techno CNC Systems

p 54

p 56

POLES - SIGN

ROUTERS - ACCESSORIES

PLASTICS - ABS Johnson Plastics Plus

Outwater Plastics

p 54

PAPER - KRAFT Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

POINT-OF-PURCHASE DISPLAYS

Outwater Plastics

PAPER - HEAT TRANSFER Johnson Plastics Plus

Quality Manufacturing Inc

p 57

ROUTERS - SOFTWARE

PLASTICS - PLASTICS Johnson Plastics Plus

p 52 p 57

ROUTERS - LASER

PLASTICS - POLYCARBONATE p 53

Techno CNC Systems

ROUTERS - CNC p 54 p 56

Johnson Plastics Plus Quality Manufacturing Inc

p 52 p 54 p 57

p 52 p 53

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING FLOODBARS A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - MACHINES A.W.T. World Trade Inc

p 52 signshop.com

PRODUCTS Graphic Parts International Inc

p 53

SCREEN PRINTING WHOLESALE

SIGN BOARDS - PLYWOOD Johnson Plastics Plus

SCREEN PRINTING - PALLETS

A.W.T. World Trade Inc

A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52

SCREENS - DRYING CABINET

p 53

A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

SCREEN PRINTING - PRESSES MANUAL A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - SCOOP COATER A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - SCREEN CLEANING - BIODEGRADABLE CLEANERS A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - SCREEN CLEANING - EQUIPMENT A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - SCREEN WASHERS A.W.T. World Trade Inc

p 52

SCREEN PRINTING SQUEEGEES A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING - SUPPLIES A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc

p 52 p 53

SCREEN PRINTING TENSIONING TABLE A.W.T. World Trade Inc

SCREEN PRINTING - UV CURING SYSTEMS A.W.T. World Trade Inc Graphic Parts International Inc signshop.com

A.W.T. World Trade Inc

p 52 p 53

p 53

p 52

SCREENS - POLYESTER MESH FABRIC p 52

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 54

SIGN COMPANIES & CONTRACTORS

p 53 p 53

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

Master Magnetics, Inc. p 55 The Magnet Source manufactures and distributes all types of magnetic products for industrial and commercial use. Serving customers in the U.S. and abroad, the company has over 15 million magnets in stock. They provide resources for raw material magnets and the machinery to cut, grind and magnetize magnets.

Johnson Plastics Plus

Other suppliers of this product:

FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus Master Magnetics, Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 52 p 54

SIGN BLANKS - NAMEPLATES Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54

SIGN BLANKS - PLASTIC p 54

SIGN BLANKS - POLYSTYRENE Custom Foam Fabricators

p 53

SIGN BLANKS - WOOD Johnson Plastics Plus

p 55

p 55 p 54

SIGN FACES - PAN Quality Manufacturing Inc

p 56

SIGN FRAMES Johnson Plastics Plus Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control YJ, Inc

p 54 p 55 p 57

SIGN HANGING HARDWARE p 53 p 54 p 55 p 55

SIGN HOLDERS Johnson Plastics Plus Master Magnetics, Inc. Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 54 p 55 p 55

SIGN PANELS

p 54

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 54

YJ, Inc

SIGN BOARDS - PLASTIC Johnson Plastics Plus

p 56

SIGN FACES - FLEXIBLE FACE

SIGN BLANKS - MAGNETIC

Adams Magnetic Products Johnson Plastics Plus

p 55

SIGN CABINETS - KITS Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

SIGN BLANKS - FOAM Custom Foam Fabricators FASTENation, Inc.

Other suppliers of this product:

Quality Manufacturing Inc p 55

SIGN BLANKS - EXTERIOR PANEL Johnson Plastics Plus

SIGN CABINETS - EXTRUSIONS Quality Manufacturing Inc p 56 Quality Manufacturing Creates sign systems, post and panel signs, illuminated displays, skylights and domes, 3D props and displays, deep draw vacuum-forming, liquid spray maskings, press break capabilities, and more.

SIGN CABINETS - ILLUMINATED

SIGN BLANKS - ALUMINUM

Johnson Plastics Plus p 52

p 52

SCREENS - NYLON MESH FABRIC

A.W.T. World Trade Inc p 52

p 52

p 54

p 55

SIGN SERVICE 2017 Buyer’s Guide

p 57 Sign Builder Illustrated

63

PRODUCTS SIGN STANDS Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

SIGNAGE - DIRECTORY - NONILLUMINATED Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 55

SIGNAGE - ELECTRONIC Vantage LED

SIGNS - ADA p 54

SIGNS - CARVED p 55

Custom Foam Fabricators Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 52

TAPE - MASKANT

SOFTWARE - ENGRAVING AXYZ International Inc.

SOFTWARE - RIP Mimaki USA AXYZ International Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus

p 55

SUBLIMATION TRANSFER EQUIPMENT

Outwater Plastics

p 56

SIGNS - KITS Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 57

SUBSTRATES - ANODIZED ALUMINUM

SIGNS - MAINTENANCE FREE Custom Foam Fabricators

p 53

SIGNS - SYSTEMS

Johnson Plastics Plus

TEXTILES - DIRECT IMPRINT MACHINE

p 52

Mutoh America, Inc.

p 55

p 54 p 53 p 54

p 55

SIGNS - WOOD Techno CNC Systems

p 57

SOFTWARE - 3-D AXYZ International Inc.

p 52

SOFTWARE - CAD Techno CNC Systems

p 57

SOFTWARE - CAM

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 54 p 55

p 57

SOFTWARE - CUTTERS/ PLOTTERS p 55

p 57

VINYL - APPLICATION SOLUTIONS FASTENation, Inc.

p 53 p 52

VINYL - CNC TOOLING AXYZ International Inc.

p 52

p 54

AXYZ International Inc. Mimaki USA

p 52 p 55

WATERJET MACHINES - CAD ROUTERS p 54 p 54 p 54

Techno CNC Systems

p 57

WATERJET MACHINES CUTTING EQUIPMENT Techno CNC Systems

p 57

WELDING - EQUIPMENT FASTENation, Inc.

p 53

WHOLESALERS

p 54

Custom Foam Fabricators

p 54

Johnson Plastics Plus

p 53

WOOD p 54

SUBSTRATES - PRINTABLE Johnson Plastics Plus Top Value Fabrics

p 54 p 69

TAPE - APPLICATION Chemical Concepts

Techno CNC Systems

TRAFFIC SIGNS Vantage LED

VINYL - CUTTERS/PLOTTERS

SUBSTRATES - PLYWOOD Johnson Plastics Plus

p 53

VINYL - BLADES/KNIVES

SUBSTRATES - LASERABLE

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

FASTENation, Inc.

AXYZ International Inc.

SUBSTRATES - GENERAL Johnson Plastics Plus

SIGNS - TRAFFIC

p 55

TOOLS - CUTTING

SUBSTRATES - ENGRAVEABLE Johnson Plastics Plus

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

p 53

p 55

SUBLIMATION TRANSFER SUPPLIES

p 55

SIGNS - LED Vantage LED

Johnson Plastics Plus Mutoh America, Inc.

p 53 p 53 p 54

Chemical Concepts

STENCILS - GENERAL

p 53

SIGNS - FRAMES - EXHIBIT

Sign Builder Illustrated

p 52

SUBLIMATION TRANSFER - DYES

SIGNS - DIMENSIONAL

64

AXYZ International Inc.

STRAPS - CABLE MANAGEMENT

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic Control

Mimaki USA

TAPE - HOOK & LOOP Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus

SOFTWARE - ROUTING p 57

Johnson Plastics Plus

SOFTWARE - DIGITIZING

p 53

TAPE - FOAM Chemical Concepts FASTENation, Inc. Johnson Plastics Plus

2017 Buyer’s Guide

p 53 p 53 p 54 signshop.com

CAR WRAP CONTEST

NOV. 30 - DEC. 2, 2017 ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION CENTER

CALLING ALL WRAPPERS!

Is your shop home to the best industry wrappers? Come gather your team and enter Sign World’s second-annual vehicle wrapping competition, a three-day event happening “live” on the show floor. Show fellow attendees how it’s done while you compete for a chance at a cash prize, a trophy, and bragging rights.

ENTRY DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 24, 2017.

GRAND PRIZE: $3,000 2ND PLACE: $1,500 3RD PLACE: $1,000

For Guidelines & An Application Form: Call: 215-785-1922 Email: ussc@ussc.org

Produced By:

www.USSCsignworld.com