SBI Trendsetters Supplement 2015

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

:Trendsetters SIGN BUILDER ILLUSTRATED 2015

INNOVATORS & VISIONARIES OF SIGNAGE

LED TRENDSETTER 2015

“Delivering innovation through manufacturing and design flexibility….”

When Bryan and Blake Vincent founded Principal LED (P-LED) (www.p-LED.com), they wanted to give sign makers LED products that have best-in-class performance, reliability, and service with a focus on innovation.

P-LED focuses only on the manufacture of LED systems specific to the sign industry and has its own dedicated factory in Taiwan with assembly operations in Texas.

“From day one, we took a different approach towards manufacturing. We knew fundamentally that the more we could vertically integrate and automate the manufacturing and assembly process for our LEDs, the higher the reliability and the better the fundamental cost structure,” said J. Bryan Vincent, Ph.D., partner at Principal LED. P-LED is unique in that they use their Fusion direct mount (DM) chip attach process to create LED modules that have best-in-class heat dissipation, creating the longest-lasting LED channel letter module on the market. “Our LM80 testing resulted in zero light loss over the 6,000 third-party tests for our Fusion product,” says Vincent.

Fusion white LEDs are also binned at the module level and utilize a one-of-a-kind in-line integrating sphere photometer with robotic analysis and bin sorting directly on the production line.

Vincent also believes innovation comes through intuitive and easyto-use products and features. The signshop.com

channel letter modules contain a “Qwik” release liner that reduces assembly time in the sign shop.

More recently P-LED introduced its Qwik Stik fluorescent replacement product, which received the “Best New Product” Award at the 2014 ISA International Sign Expo. Qwik Stik is manufactured in all standard T-12 lamp lengths (from 18 inches to 120 inches) and fits directly into a standard T-12 socket with no assembly required. Qwik Stik is innovative because it removes the need for the sign manufacturer to do any additional fabrication in the shop or on-site.

Two trends that P-LED identified over the past couple of years are the need for just-in-time delivery and that more shops want to limit the amount of assembly that they do in order to be more cost-effective. Qwik Stik addresses these trends by providing a costeffective and simple way to change from LED to fluorescent with

minimal changes in the sign shop’s manufacturing or installation process.

Because Qwik Stik is assembled in the USA from a handful of basic materials, P-LED is able to quickly build to order even custom configurations, which reduces lead times. “One of the advantages of Qwik Stik is that we can provide the units not only in standard lamp lengths, but in any color or color temperature, as well as different densities of LEDs on one, two, three, or all four sides. This makes Qwik Stik the most versatile and cost-effective, ready-to-install LED solution available,” says Daryl Foreman, vice president of Sales with Principal LED. For more information on Principal LED’s line of sign solutions, please see a distributor near you or contact customer support directly at 325/227-4577 or online at info@p-LED.com.

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Command Performance

BRILLIANT COLOR. PHENOMENAL SPEED. SMART INVESTMENT.

Where Will Color Take You? Experience the power of Seiko Instruments’ leading-edge print technology unfolding right before your eyes. Download Blippar app on your wi-fi enabled smartphone or tablet and scan the printer image above to experience the performance and possibilities of the ColorPainter M-64s.

ROLL-TO-ROLL TRENDSETTER 2015

“Printing equipment is easier than ever to manage….”

Seiko Instruments’s evolution of printhead and ink technologies continue to push the boundaries for producing quality prints at higher speeds than ever before and contribute to reducing the overall running costs of a printer. Inks are now more environmentally friendly and versatile, and provide better adhesion and outdoor durability.

Technology enhancements have also made the equipment easier to manage.

Seiko Instruments collaborates with best-in-class industry resources to provide a complete line of cutting-edge print graphics solutions that, together with our printers, deliver unmatched quality, durability, and performance.

While each type of wide format printer offers clear advantages and disadvantages, these differences have begun to narrow as printhead and ink technologies continue to evolve. This can make deciding which printer to buy more challenging when considering which types of applications to offer, determining how much signshop.com

productivity is required, and calculating running costs.

When considering a wide format printer upgrade, one of the best starting points is to calculate monthly ink costs. In many cases, an upgrade is justified on the basis of a larger volume of printing at a lower cost per square foot. It is not uncommon for sign shops to save between eight to ten cents per square foot of ink coverage, running as few as three rolls of media per week and realizing savings of $700 to $800 per month.

Seiko Instruments’s line of ColorPainter™ printers delivers the world’s richest, glossiest colors on the widest range of substrates, and run two-times faster than competitors. With inks that last longer outdoors without fading, cost less per square foot, and provide excellent color density and image quality, the ColorPainter printers provide excellent ROI. The proprietary, high-viscosity ink contains more pigment (which reduces ink usage and running costs), while producing highdensity graphics with superior

durability. The industrial piezo printheads are engineered for ultra-fast printing speeds and longer wear time, which reduces waste and saves on replacement costs. Innovative print technologies produce excellent image quality at fast speeds—and on a range of substrates—for class-leading productivity.

Backed by 130-plus years of Seiko engineering quality (the industry’s leading warranty and local service), Seiko Instruments’s industrial printers deliver longevity in high-volume printing, saving you time and money at an average of 20 to 45 percent lower running costs than competitors.

You don’t have to be a big shop to afford new technology, but aligning with the right vendor and product is critical to your success.

To learn more about Seiko Instruments’s line of ColorPainter wide format printers, please contact an authorized distributor or Seiko Instruments at 800/264-1272, colorpainterinfo@seikoinstruments. com, or www.seiko-i.com.

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EC

YA

LP

PG

There is a reason more Braille signs are made with Novacryl® Designer Series Photopolymer worldwide than any other substrate.

NovaPolymers.com/Creativity PT

EX

Join us for our industry leading “Accessibility & the ADA” Webinar Series.

Focusing on the ADA and how it relates to Room Identification and Wayfinding Signage. The course objectives covered are: What is the ADA? How do ADA codes relate to signage? States and the Federal ADA, the Signs covered by the ADA, and International accessibility codes for Canada and Australia. Concluding with a discussion on photopolymer and its use in making accessible signage.

Novacryl® Series Photopolymer is the world’s leading substrate for ADA Braille and Accessible Room Identification Signage.

Novacryl® has the most diverse range of substrates available and allows for unlimited design while being environmentally responsible. Don’t sacrifice your design to comply. Novacryl® allows your creativity to flow free and make your ideas possible.

novapolymers.com

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888.484.6682

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info@novapolymers.com

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North America

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Canada

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Middle East

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Australia

ADA/WAYFINDING trendsetter 2015

“Wayfinding signage [must] comply with specific guidelines that benefit everyone....”

Few recent dates are more important to the sign design and fabrication industry than March 15, 2012, which was the compliance date established for the 2010 ADA standards affecting wayfinding signage. This date mandates by law that wayfinding signage comply with specific guidelines that benefit everyone—but especially the blind, the visually impaired, and the physically handicapped.

The ADA identified three types of signs: permanent, directional, and overhead, and it established requirements for each.

For example, all permanent signs must include Braille and tactile characters that can be read by touch and have high contrasting colors with minimum dimensions for size and shape of characters. Standardized placement of directional signs was mandated to benefit the physically handicapped, and assistive listening signage requirements were established to benefit the deaf and hearing impaired.

Compliance with ADA signage requirements as of March 15, 2012 is important—not just from a legal standpoint, but because it is the right thing to do. Implementing ADA sign requirements provides people with disabilities greater access and a more inviting environment to visit or work.

Compliance is also the law. Did you know you can be fined $75,000 for a single ADA violation?

On March 28, 2014, the Department of Justice issued a Final Rule that now adjusts for signshop.com

inflation the monetary penalties enforced by the Civil Rights Division under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For a subsequent violation occurring after April 28, 2014, the new maximum penalty is $150,000.

Over two-and-a-half years have transpired since the March 15 compliance date for ADA standards. During this time, the United States has made significant advancements complying with ADA standards. Canada and other countries are following suit with

penalties associated with noncompliance but have their clients sign a waiver stating that they acknowledge the ADA signs being made are not compliant.

Property owners ultimately pay the fine for not being compliant; but the occupants with visual or other disabilities are the real ones paying the price when facilities are noncompliant. By working together and creating strategic partnerships, these fines can be avoided.

In an effort to educate sign designers and industry

Nova Director of Education Bob Greenberger delivers an ADA Accessibility presentation. an emerging industry of sign specialists and fabricators that have developed best practices based on the ADA and their own country’s standards.

While the United States leads the way in best practices, there is still a lot of room for improvement.

More companies are manufacturing their own signs but lack the knowledge to comply with ADA regulations. Then there are knowledgeable fabricators who understand the ADA and

professionals about ADA compliance and best practices, Nova Polymers has developed a series of Accessibility White Papers and has created a Webinar series that educates on all ADA Accessibility laws and best practice.

—Mike Santos, Director of Sales & Marketing For more information, visit www.novapolymers. com/adawebinarseries.

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SOFTWARE TRENDSETTER 2015

“The Cloud is turning sign manufacturers into profit powerhouses….”

As creators of award-winning software for sign companies, my team at KeyedIn® Solutions keeps a keen eye on the pulse of the signage industry, particularly the implications of Cloud computing.

We know exactly how sign companies who want to compete leaner and realize bigger profits can leverage the Cloud.

Cloud (or SaaS) software has removed tremendous obstacles from small companies, and the technology allows them to compete like larger enterprises.

Old on-premise software is known for its high infrastructure cost of internal IT staff and equipment, long implementations, lack of customization capability, and low acceptance by team members required to use it. The result meant never realizing the advertised benefits of the system.

Because these solutions did not cater to the particular needs of the sign industry, companies bought and struggled with misfit technology.

Fortunately a Cloud solution developed specifically for the custom sign industry means that, with just a Web connection, the power of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and business management systems are within reach. With no hardware to buy or infrastructure to maintain, a sign manufacturer now has access to the most powerful, up-to-date view of the enterprise that benefits everyone from estimators to fabricators to CFOs. Work together more effectively using a system that connects signshop.com

all your key tasks and your team members, including estimating, accounting, project management, cost tracking, reports and analytics, service calls, supply chain, sales management, shop floor, and customer relationship management (CRM).

Management and team members now perform seamless handoffs between roles and steps in the process, eliminating the waste and stress of multiple tracking systems and all the associated pitfalls.

With strategic analytics relevant to business health, opportunities and threats are easier to gather and scrutinize, driving better decisions that will help your leadership team grow your profits and the company.

And because anyone with a Webenabled device can access the same information from anywhere, scaling your operation becomes easier.

Gartner analysts predict that Cloud technologies will comprise the bulk of companies’ IT spending by 2016. And this isn’t just for the

“big companies”; this trend is driven in part by specialized Cloud technology that helps small, niche competitors become agile, twentyfirst century players who are improving productivity, lowering costs, and increasing their sales.

KeyedIn Manufacturing – Sign Edition combines a proven, robust ERP solution with tools specifically designed to solve the typical business challenges of sign manufacturers. See and manage your business from end-to-end, centralize job-related information, and improve the accuracy and profitability of your estimates.

There’s no IT needed, no hardware to buy—all you need to get started is an Internet connection for secure, anytime access.

—Lauri Klaus, Founder and CEO To see a demonstration of the industry-leading solution built for just you, contact us at 866/662-6820 or visit http://solutions. keyedin.com/signwebdemo.

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Cutting Edge CNC Routing and Knife Solutions

800 361 3408 sales@axyz.com www.axyz.com VISIT OUR ON-LINE SHOP FOR ALL YOUR CNC TOOLING, CONSUMABLES AND SPARE PARTS

CNC ROUTER TRENDSETTER 2015

“Realize your sign-making potential with AXYZ digital print finishing solutions….”

The highly versatile range of CNC routers from AXYZ International make them a vital production tool for a wide variety of applications, none more so than the sign-making and print-finishing industry.

Printed heavy substrates, for instance, require a machine with a heavy construction combined with a powerful spindle, whereas a knife head system may be the preferred option for lighter materials. With AXYZ, a heavy-duty router and knife tool combination can be configured on the same machine, making it possible to process a wide range of sign-making materials with ease.

The AXYZ routers can be supplied with a combination of oscillating or tangential knife systems that deliver a clean-cut edge. Both can be used with the state-of-the-art AVS camera registration system, which recognizes registration marks along a substrate and adjusts the router’s cutting path accordingly (enabling precise edgefinishing on all materials).

Testimonials “We decided to upgrade from a smaller CNC machine that had outgrown itself last year—the main reason being to increase turnover.

We purchased an AXYZ machine because the price was good and by speaking to other machine operators in the industry who swear by AXYZ. “Ultimately the AXYZ router, being capable of a multitude of tasks from direct print cut-outs and shaped lettering to acrylic substrates and round display signshop.com

units, is opening up new avenues all the time for our business. In fact, it is proving to be worth its weight in gold!”

—Graham Danielson, BGI Retail “We chose the AXYZ machine because it is very well priced and all of the functionality with the different tools that can be run on it. The AXYZ California Service Department has made service requests faster to have our business back up and running quickly. AXYZ is very responsive to any issues that come up. With the service department in the same area, they really make it a breeze.

“Purchasing the router has drastically increased profits since its installation. Media Nation has been able to grow exponentially.”

—Jason George, Media Nation Enterprises CNCRouterCoach CNCRouterCoach is a unique series

of on-line remote training-andsupport packages offered by AXYZ, aimed at getting the best from your CNC router. On-line training offers many advantages over conventional classroom teaching, including lower cost and faster response times.

CNCRoutershop The AXYZ International customer support facility, CNCRoutershop, has added new CNC routing tools, consumables, spare parts, and accessories. In particular, these include specialist routing tools for the more complex or difficult-toprocess materials. Virtually any popular brand of router, regardless of design and origin, can be accommodated (including, of course, all AXYZ International machines).

—Greg Jenkins, VP, Sales For further information, call 800/361-3408 or visit www.axyz.com or www. cncroutershop.com.

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COUNTLESS DEMANDS.

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

EXPERIENCE THE NEW SPEED OF QUALITY. CONTACT US TODAY!

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

ONE SOLUTION.

FLATBED TRENDSETTER 2015

“It can pay to see things differently….”

No one would start a business without the intent to be successful, however success often can be elusive. Maybe that’s because you’re looking for success in all the same places as everyone else.

Canon Solutions America offers the Océ Arizona Series of flatbed UV inkjet printers that, since their introduction in 2006, have become some of the most popular large format printers ever.

With approximately 4,500 printers sold worldwide since 2006 and a total of forty industry awards and counting, you may wonder what we did to become so successful.

Before all this success, Océ (since acquired by Canon) accounted for only 5 percent or less of the mid-volume flatbed printer market. To grow our business, we had to do something significant and different.

A large degree of our subsequent success was due to taking a different approach compared with other printer manufacturers by listening to what the market valued most, identifying new opportunities, and then delivering a unique solution that provided undeniable value.

Taking the more popular “me too” approach would have been nowhere near as effective and risked commoditizing the printer market without delivering any new value or opportunities to the market.

One of the hallmarks of the Océ Arizona Series printers continues to be its stationary flatbed architecture where the substrate is held in place during signshop.com

the printing process. This enables easy production of some otherwise challenging applications (such as double-sided printing in tight registration, printing onto irregular shaped items, or printing onto many smaller items all without specially constructed jigs).

This application versatility coupled with award-winning image quality, economical operation, compact footprint, and minimal labor requirements have made for a great product. These features and benefits that have made our business successful are the same

that require the near-photographic image quality, spot-varnish, white ink capability, and the overall uniqueness of what you can print onto. Plus wrap additional valueadded services around that like design, installation, Web-based marketing, etc.

Look beyond your traditional graphics customers. While they may represent good business today, graphics can play an increasingly important part in an overall manufacturing process. Think membrane switch panels, interior décor,

ones that can help your business be more successful as you try to find new revenue streams, differentiate yourself from the competition, and avoid declining margins as a result of commoditization.

Rather than selling common graphics applications on price, look at your competition differently.

Instead of trying to beat them at what has become commoditized, try offering something on which they can’t easily compete with you—applications that only a true, stationary flatbed printer can produce. Promote the applications

furniture, packaging, promotional, recognition or award items, manufacturing templates, printed Braille, and so much more.

We encourage you to contact us to learn more about the Océ Arizona Series printers and discover what application versatility is all about.

Just take the first step….

—Randy Paar, Senior Marketing Specialist To learn more, please scan the QR code or call us at 800/714-4427, email us.info@csa. canon.com, or visit www.csa-canon.com.

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TOOLS

TECHNOLOGY

CONNECTIONS

The winning combination of tools, technology and connections.

All the sign industry’s most competitive players will be in Las Vegas in April — getting the next-level tips and tricks that will drive their businesses.

You can’t win big if you don’t play hard. Register now for ISA Sign Expo 2015.

WHERE YOUR BUSINESS WINS Education & Networking: April 8–11 • Trade Show: April 9–11 • Mandalay Bay Convention Center • Las Vegas, Nevada

WWW.SIGNEXPO.ORG Produced by:

SIGN ASSOCIATION TRENDSETTER 2015

“We’re not afraid to get into the trenches when it comes to roadblocks….”

The International Sign Association (ISA) is laser-focused on what’s happening this very second within the sign and visual communications industry. We’re also looking straight towards the future and the innovations that will soon become reality. This means we must stay on the cutting edge of technology so we can help our members anticipate changes and continue to thrive.

And we’re not afraid to get into the trenches when it comes to roadblocks that threaten our industry. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly how we get things done.

Meeting Challenges As we talk to member companies, we hear two constant concerns: (1.) The challenges of finding qualified employees, and (2.) The issues of getting signs built due to regulations.

We realized that if we wanted to find the next generation of sign builders, then we had to get creative. And we did just that

by partnering with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and creating Sign Manufacturing Day. The International Sign Association, in conjunction with our members around the country, brought nearly 1,000 students from area schools right to the shop floors where they could see our industry in action. Face-to-face interaction—that’s what helped students that day connect the dots between their interests and a possible career in the sign and visual communications industry.

When it comes to fighting sign regulations, we work elbowto-elbow with our affiliated associations at all levels of government.

A great example of this was Chicago’s vote to end its moratorium on digital signage this past summer. Kenny Peskin, ISA manager of state and local government affairs, and members of the Illinois Sign Association worked closely with Chicago city

staff and a city council task force to make this happen. It was a big win for Chicago and the sign industry. This is just one example of ISA’s commitment to fighting oppressive sign codes.

Industry Trends Digital signage is growing, and forward-thinking sign companies are embracing it. Our industry has the skills—and more importantly, the relationships—that are needed to excel in this industry.

As part of the ISA Sign Expo, we’ve devoted an entire day to helping sign professionals understand and integrate digital signage into their businesses.

We also have the Dynamic Digital Park right on the show floor, where suppliers and distributors provide access to these products and services.

The Future The sign and visual communications industry is—and will continue to be—a vital link to connect businesses to consumers.

As the largest trade association for the on-premise sign industry, it’s our goal to create thriving sign and visual communications industry communities. We will accomplish this through unique membership values that inspire growth and innovation.

—Lori Anderson, President For more information about the International Sign Association, visit www.signs.org.

signshop.com

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An Easier Way to get Your Message Across Advertise In

Contact Jeff Sutley (East Coast) at jeffsutley@sbpub.com or 212-620-7233 or Kim Noa (West, Central U.S.) at knoa@sbpub.com or 212-620-7221 Follow Us On: Sign Builder Illustrated @SBIMag

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