Sign Builder December 2020

THE HOW-TO MAGAZINE

D E C E M B E R 2020 | S I G N S H O P.CO M

SIGN BUILDER

ILLUSTRATED

HOT

LIGHTS KRISPY KREME GOES BIG IN TIMES SQUARE

SBI YEARBOOK: END-OF-THE-YEAR OVERVIEW

SERVICE VEHICLES:

BOOM TRUCK & AWP SETUP

CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2020

VOL. 34

NO. 305

HOW-TO COLUMNS

14 16

KING OF THE HDU JUNGLE

By Brad Burnett A lion and other animal sculptures take shape.

FINANCIAL AID

By David Hickey The positive effects of the PPP loan for the industry.

DEPARTMENTS

4

6 8 34 36

EDITOR’S COLUMN

As we close out 2020, Editor Jeff Wooten comments on how sign professionals can easily feel like they have stepped straight into the role of Buck Rogers.

IN THE INDUSTRY

YESCO restores the historic Vegas Vickie sign, and new styles of digital signage are installed at Bradley University.

SIGN SHOW

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

SBI MARKETPLACE

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

SHOP TALK

Ashley Bray attends the PRINTING United Digital Experience and finds the future of sign and graphics in the wake of COVID-19.

18 FEATURES

18 22 28 31

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SBI YEARBOOK 2020

By SBi Staff COVID-19 changes the industry in many ways.

HOT SIGNAGE NOW

By Jeff Wooten It’s looking bright at the new Krispy Kreme shop in Times Square.

TAKING SAFETY TO NEW HEIGHTS

By Jeff Wooten Advice for working safely with boom trucks and AWPs.

IT STILL RUNS IN THE FAMILY

By Jeff Wooten A family-run shop gets a new name and new projects.

December 2020

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December 2020, Vol. 34, No. 305 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Subscriptions: 800-895-4389

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005 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 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com Contributing Writers Brad Burnett, David Hickey

ART

Art Director Nicole D’Antona Graphic Designer Hillary Coleman

PRODUCTION

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers

CIRCULATION

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Publisher/Mid-West Sales Arthur J. Sutley 212-620-7247 asutley@sbpub.com Integrated Account Manager/East & West Coast and Canada David Harkey 212-620-7223 dharkey@sbpub.com Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Art Sutley at 212-620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.

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December 2020

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EDITOR’S COLUMN

AGENDA

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, all events listed below are subject to change. Please check each show’s Web site for any cancellations or reschedulings that may have taken place after press time.

MARCH 2021 MARCH 23-25:

LabelExpo/Brand Print Americas 2021 is rescheduled to commence at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. (brandprint-americas.com)

APRIL 2021

Year in Review: A New World

APRIL 7-9:

The International Sign Association’s ISA International Sign Expo is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. (signexpo.org)

Out of the past and into the future.

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and the sign industry was no different.

In a year that many would probably like to forget, this year’s Yearbook recap will focus on how sign makers, graphics providers, and manufacturers and suppliers responded to whole-new measures like “essential business,” “social distancing,” and “Paycheck Protection Programs.”

Yet it’s still important to remember there were still some non-pandemicrelated highlights of note over the past year. We’ve placed a few of these into a special sidebar in the Yearbook section.

Other year-in-review items of interest that I figured would be a nice place to highlight here were Canon’s Print for Action survey finding that personalization was a key trend being favored by consumers, as 30 percent of graphics professionals responded that they highly value personalization in print materials (see our February 2020 issue); interior design elements increased in popularity within the industry (March 2020); and digital signage was used more to create immersive experiences (June/July).

Here’s hoping that, when it comes to next year’s Yearbook special, we’re back to spotlighting the projects you’re creating and installing as you successfully embrace being the best sign-making Buck Rogers possible.

JEFF WOOTEN Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com

December 2020

JULY 2021 JULY 21-24:

The Mid-South Sign Association’s SignConnexion event will be occurring at the Ross Bridge Golf Resort in Birmingham, Alabama. (midsouthsign.org)

OCTOBER 2021 OCTOBER 6-8: PRINTING United Alliance, which brings together the largest and most diverse audience in the printing industry, will be taking place in Orlando, Florida. (printingunited.com)

OCTOBER 25-29:

Photo: Shutterstock.com/PixDeluxe.

D

oes anyone out there remember the pulp novel-comic strip-movie serial-TV series character Buck Rogers, the action-oriented hero who fell into a state of suspended animation in the twentieth century only to wake up 500 years later?

One of the big selling points with this classic character was that he found himself having to adjust to new technologies, new threats, and new ways of life while still managing to keep his twentieth century know-how with him. If you’re not familiar with Buck Rogers, the concept can practically be summed up as a sciencefiction version of Rip Van Winkle.

One can be forgiven if you start relating a little bit to Buck Rogers here at the end of what can probably be described as a very stressing year—only the past 365 days doesn’t literally count as 500 years (no matter how it much it probably feels like it). Yet similar to Buck Rogers, sign makers have had to adapt to servicing a whole new world with the same tools and materials that you’ve already been using.

The reason I bring up the Buck Rogers analogy this month is that we’re presenting our annual Yearbook article on page 18. We typically use this piece as a look-back at the best projects that graced our pages over the past year.

But like I just mentioned—it’s a whole new world out there.

COVID-19 pretty much dictated the course of the entire year for everyone in North America starting back in March,

The 2021 LightFair architectural and commercial lighting conference and tradeshow, which will be incorporating new safety protocols and specific mitigration measures, has now been rescheduled to occur on these new dates at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, New York. (lightfair.com)

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IN THE INDUSTRY

This kicking cowgirl has a new home.

YESCO RESTORES T TORES HISTOR T IC TOR

S

ALT LAKE CITY, UTAH— YESCO, the one hundred-year-old Salt Lake City-headquartered company known for creating, repairing, and maintaining internationally recognizable signs, had the honor of restoring the iconic Vegas Vickie sign, which serves as the centerpiece of the brand-new Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas.

The twenty-five-foot neon kicking cowgirl made her grand return on October 28 in Circa’s lobby at her namesake bar, debuting a sparkling fresh makeover carried out by YESCO’s sign fabricating experts at their Las Vegas shop. The brightly colored sign went through an extensive restoration including new paint, new neon glass 6

Sign Builder Illustrated

tubing, and a replacement of the motor that allows her to kick one leg up and down.

Prior to restoration, the original sign was extremely faded. Because the client was adamant the sign appear as close as possible to the original version, YESCO initially created a painted, scale model so the client could approve the colors prior to restoration.

Vegas Vickie was designed by famous sign designer Charles Barnard and debuted in 1980 as a component of Fremont Street’s Glitter Gulch casino. In 1994, the sign made major headlines when she “married” her neon counterpart, Vegas Vic—Fremont Street’s famous “Howdy Pardner” cowboy.

December 2020

With the goal of uniting old and new Vegas in never-before-seen ways at Circa Resort & Casino, owner Derek Stevens acquired the sign in 2016 with the intent to give Vickie a new home at the resort.

“We cannot be more excited about being a part of the restoration of Vegas Vickie and watching her kick her leg once again,” said Jeff Young, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, YESCO. “It’s gratifying to know our work will be viewed by visitors for years to come.”

In addition to restoring Vegas Vickie, YESCO fabricated the new resort’s monumental exterior “Circa” signage and two large, curved “clamshell” canopies at the resort’s entrances. signshop.com

Photos: YESCO.

VEGAS VICKIE SIGN

NEW DIGITAL SIGNAGE AT BRADLEY UNIVERSITY

N

YESCO also fabricated the new resort’s monumental exterior “Circa” signage.

signshop.com

EW YORK CITY, NEW YORK— SNA Displays provided three indoor digital displays for the newly developed 27,000-square-foot B usiness and Engineering Convergence Center (BECC) at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.

Management and installation of each of the new LED screens was coordinated by Conference Technologies, a leading provider of audio-visual, information technology, and communications services.

The BECC features twenty-eight classrooms, eight computer labs, forty-six specialized labs, and thirty collaboration and meeting spaces. It has a real-time digital stock market ticker display around the atrium of the building and sleek classrooms enclosed with transparent glass.

One LED video wall, from SNA Displays’ BRILLIANT™ line of interior display products, was installed in a glass-enclosed classroom. Two digital tickers were also installed as part of the BECC project. One ticker was placed above the same classroom’s video wall; the other ticker, from SNA Displays’ BOLD™ product line, wraps around a corner on the outside of the classroom.

For more information about this project, visit https://bit.ly/2HlRM4F.

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SIGN SHOW ACRYLICS/POLYCARBONATES

BANNERS/MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT

Plaskolite Rolls Out Flame-resistant TUFFAK CA Polycarbonate Sheet

Stacked with Options: Image One Impact Answers Your Media Storage Needs

Following the successful launches of its AMGARD, TUFFAK WC, and TUFFAK LS material, North American thermoplastic sheet products manufacturer Plaskolite LLC has announced the availability of TUFFAK® CA, a flame-resistant, optical-grade, transparent polycarbonate sheet for interior applications.

TUFFAK CA meets the International Building Code Class A flammability criteria for interior wall and ceiling finishings without compromising the impact strength and high optical clarity expected of polycarbonate sheet. The clear or tinted panels are UV stable, lightweight, thermoformable, and easy to fabricate. TUFFAK CA sheet is offered with a five-year Limited Product Warranty against breakage. It adds to the extensive TUFFAK polycarbonate sheet portfolio used in safety shields, signage, face shields, mass transportation windows, skylights, and ballistic glazing, as well as many other applications requiring a combination of strength and clarity. plaskolite.com

Image One Impact, a manufacturer and supplier of highquality products for the sign, graphics, and vehicle wrap industries, understands its customers’ challenges and helps by providing cost-saving solutions for them—one such example being their Mondo Raxx storage racks. The MJ1000 Mondo Raxx Jumbo Media Storage (pictured) holds ten rolls of anysize material and is available in an orange powder-coated finish. Meanwhile their MUHD200 Mondo Raxx Jumbo Banner Material Storage holds seven rolls of any-size banner material and is available in a yellow powder-coated finish. With both of these storage products, all you need to do is just mount rolls according to your desired width. image1impact.com

DIGITAL PRINTING EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES Epson Introduces its First Roll-to-roll Resin Signage Printers The 64-inch SureColor® R5070 and SureColor® R5070L printers from Epson leverage six-color resin ink to deliver prints on a variety of substrates with consistent, repeatable color. Ideal for print shops looking for versatility and productivity, the new printers deliver output ready for immediate lamination at true production speeds up to 290 square feet per hour. Both printers feature 1.5L ink packs for enhanced efficiency and the SureColor R5070L includes 3L per color with hot swap technology for uninterrupted printing. The SureColor R-Series printers are the first of their kind to feature multi-purpose resin ink technology to consistently deliver professional quality wallpapers, fabrics, uncoated papers, and traditional signage at remarkable speeds. UltraChrome® RS Resin ink delivers instant-dry, scratch-resistant output ready for immediate lamination at a lower cost per mL. Touting a new 2.6-inch, user-replaceable PrecisionCore® Micro TFP® printhead, the new printers are able to ensure projects with multiple panels have consistent, repeatable color. In addition, a new Quality Print Mode separates delivery of optimizer and color ink to create a stable base layer for high-quality output with crisp lines and outstanding details. The SureColor R5070L includes a hot-swappable ink system that automatically switches from an empty ink pack to a new ink pack mid-print for uninterrupted printing. To support productivity, the SureColor R5070 and SureColor R5070L incorporate a three-heater system to promote even drying with pre, platen, and post heating. A touchscreen control panel provides easy access to print functions including quick start heaters, media selection, color mode, and estimated print completion time. The replaceable fabric wiper system cleans the printhead and removes dust prior to printing, so manual maintenance is only needed monthly. epson.com/resin

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SIGN SHOW CUTTERS/PLOTTERS

LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS

Summa Releases GoSign Software to Maximize the Use of Summa Roll Cutters

SloanLED Adds High-performance Interior Light Box Application Support

Since the launch of the GoSuite software platform two years ago, Summa’s in-house software has already proven to increase the value of the Summa product range. The company knows that powerful software enables users to make the most of their hardware and keeps investing in the development of a performant, flexible, and future-proof software platform.

Therefore Summa has announced the availability of GoSign, its new software module for the Summa roll cutter series.

GoSign is the user’s first-choice cutting software that allows them to manage their preferred workflow with great flexibility.

The software includes everything a user can expect from cutting software and exceeds expectations with many additional features. Unique to GoSign software is the level of adaptability to the preferences of the user. Windows-based GoSign acts as a bridge between the design software and a Summa roll cutter. Through the additional features of GoSign, Summa is able to make a true difference (custom configuration of action sets for efficiency and automation, direct cut plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW, material manager including cutting pre-sets, job log functionality for more data insights, and flexible import of cutting files). GoSign is included with every new Summa roll cutter and can be downloaded from the Summa Web site. summa.com/video/gosign

SloanLED, leaders in light technology for over sixty years, has expanded its popular PosterBOX family with new PosterBOX ID high-performance light box illumination for interior signage and point-of-purchase applications. Illuminating box widths up to ten feet, PosterBOX ID delivers the power and brilliance of PosterBOX 3 to indoor applications—trimming unnecessary hardware and outdoor projects to offer a low-cost solution with the same quality and reliability customers have come to expect from SloanLED. SloanLED’s PosterBOX family comes with an industry-leading ten-year parts and labor assistance warranty.

PosterBOX is licensed by Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), covering installers and end-users from patent infringement and royalty fees associated with an application patent owned by Signify for side-lit poster boxes, signs, and retail displays. sloanled.com/collection/signage/sign-cabinet-box-signage

VINYL/VINYL FILMS Avery Dennison Floor Graphics Help Make Voting Safe and Smooth at Polling Locations Avery Dennison® Graphics Solutions in Mentor, Ohio, sponsored the donation of approximately 10,000 social distancing floor graphics to the boards of election in three Northeast Ohio counties to help keep people safe when they came to vote on Election Day and at earlyvoting locations. Installation took place in October at 384 polling locations across Lake, Cuyahoga, and Geauga counties. The floor graphics designated the recommended six-foot social distance based on the CDC guidelines. The graphics material was Avery Dennison MPI 2903 Easy Apply™ film with a slip-resistant overlaminate DOL 2060. MPI 2903 Easy Apply is a gloss-white polymeric calendered vinyl film that features a permanent adhesive for excellent adhesion to most surfaces and very good dimensional stability after application. It boasts excellent printability across a range of technology and inks. Meanwhile DOL 2060 is UL 410 Standard Certified for slip resistance of surface materials. “The graphics from Avery Dennison [were] a vast improvement over the alternative (making X’s on the floor with green painter’s tape),” said Ross McDonald, director of the Lake County Board of Elections. “We were able to customize what we wanted printed onto the material. In addition, Avery Dennison’s donation of the floor graphics saved Lake County over $15,000.” averydennison.com

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SIGN SHOW DYE SUBLIMATION

VINYL/VINYL FILMS

SAi FlexiDYESUB Software Now Available with Mutoh Large Format Dye-Sublimation Printers

General Formulations Expands with Five New WallMark HTR Wall Vinyl Solutions

SA International (SAi) communicates that Mutoh America, Inc., is now including a version of SAi FlexiDYESUB design and print workflow software with their large format dyesublimation printers.

SAi FlexiDYESUB Mutoh Edition and SAi FlexiDYESUB RJ Edition pack all the features of SAi’s own version of the software and are engineered to improve the design-to-print dye-sublimation workflow through design, color management, RIP, and printing.

The all-in-one FlexiDYESUB Mutoh Edition and FlexiDYESUB RJ Edition boast all of the features of SAi Flexi 19. This includes complete control over individual ink channels to facilitate the use of custom color ink sets for special applications, as well as step and repeat (two key features dye-sublimation and textile users need in their RIP software to enable easy design). Another efficiency-enhancing tool available to users is a Wizard-based color profiler designed to remove the guess work in profile creation and simplify the complicated process of ink splitting.

Additionally a useful Spot Color Mapping feature offers the ability to customize spot color formulas to match desired colors exactly. thinksai.com/products/flexi

General Formulations (GF) announces an exciting expansion of its GF Wall Film & Fabric portfolio with five new Wa l l M a r k ™ H T R adhesive products, including three all-new textured vinyl films. As paint types evolve to include washable, Low, and Zero VOC paints, wall graphic films must change as well. GF has created a line of peel-and-stick adhesive wall products that are both HighTack and Removable (HTR), developed for application and clean removal from smooth drywall surfaces that might prove challenging for traditional wall adhesives. The versatile HTR adhesive also works great on OEM painted metals, glass, plastics, and a variety of other surfaces and will remove without leaving adhesive residue behind. Included in the new WallMark HTR Textures are GF 226HTR (Smooth Matte), GF 229HTR Canvas, GF 262HTR Sand, GF 263HTR Stucco, and GF 264HTR Leather. All these films are ASTM E84 Class 1 fire rated and ideal for use in schools, retail, commercial, and hospitality environments and are compatible with latex, solvent, and UV inks. WallMark HTR joins the two legacy WallMark products, GF 226 WallMark, and GF 229 WallMark Canvas, both with LowTack Microsphere Beaded Adhesive. generalformulations.com

DIGITAL SIGNS/EMCS/VIDEO DISPLAYS SNA Displays Unveils All ASPECTS of its All-in-one Directview Product Offering The initial rollout of the new ASPECT™ all-in-one direct-view plug-and-play LED displays from SNA Displays includes four standard sizes, all in 16:9 aspect ratio and high-definition (HD) resolution: AS108, AS135, AS162, and AS216 (indicating diagonal inches). Each all-in-one display has a slim four-inch depth (including its frame) and comes pre-configured, so no calibration is required during setup. ASPECT display products are ideal for conference rooms and meeting spaces; bars, restaurants, and lounges; event booths, banquet halls, and auditoriums; media rooms; and houses of worship. The new LED displays are designed to be set up and installed by a two-person crew in eight hours or less. Each ASPECT shipment includes required mounting hardware, and SNA Displays offers free structural engineering consultation. Products are also available with an optional stand, allowing for greatly increased mobility. Other features include integrated cable management (for a clean display presentation), a handheld magnetic tool (for simple front-access maintenance), and the latest in LED processing in a minimized smartbar format (requiring no additional processing or rack equipment). Users can operate the digital displays through a variety of connection methods including Miracast, Apple AirPlay, ClickShare, Bluetooth, WiFi, and direct connection via HDMI or USB. Each ASPECT offering supports split-screen inputs where multiple signal sources are cast simultaneously to the display. Users can navigate the onscreen interface with an included remote or through other devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. snadisplays.com/products/aspect

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December 2020

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SIGN SHOW INKS

VEHICLE WRAPS

CTI Introduces New Glow-in-the-Dark Inks for Food & Beverage Packaging

Arlon Initiates a Performance Evolution with New SLX+ with FLITE Technology

With growing interest from t h e w o r l d ’s l a r g e s t consumer packaged goods brands for customerengaging glow-in-the-dark (GID) inks on food and beverage packaging, Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI), the world’s largest supplier of smart, specialty, color-changing technology that responds to temperature, light, and pressure, has introduced its highly anticipated water-based GID formulas for paper and film substrates. CTI’s new water-based GID inks offer an alternative that’s as easy to print and that glows as strongly as UV or solvent ink systems. A single print station with a 10-13 (BCM) anilox allows print operators to deliver the same glow strength as CTI’s solvent-based GID ink. CTI’s R&D team developed two formulas—one for paper substrates such as QSR cups and secondary packaging and another for film substrates typically used in food package laminated structures.

Both have great laydown and no “hard settling” in the container when handling guidelines are followed. For a limited time, CTI will support press qualifications with free water-based GID ink for select customers. ctiinks.com

Arlon is redefining the vehicle wrapping experience by delivering better precision during the cutting and weeding process, superior repositionability, and easy installation in hot and cold temperatures alike. With all of these exceptional features, the Arlon team is excited to introduce a performance evolution in its cast wrap portfolio with the launch of SLX+ featuring FLITE Technology ®. Packing all the performance benefits of FLITE Technology, SLX+ has an optimal initial tack with quick-flow characteristics for better anchoring of graphic panels. Graphics providers will experience a quick and easy installation experience as a result of the material’s cutting-edge adhesive system that ensures the same quality of work in any temperature. And because of the fast and accurate cutting and weeding of letters down to two inches, a complete vehicle wrap job can be achieved with SLX+ from start to finish with just one roll. SLX+ is rated for use on challenging surfaces, like stainless steel, giving graphic installers the performance they need for a variety of wrap applications.

In addition, SLX+ is rated for ten-year (unprinted) durability and is compatible with all ink systems (including eco-solvent, solvent, UV, and latex). slxplus.arlon.com

DIGITAL PRINTING EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES Mimaki’s Entry-level “100 Series” Features Excellent Operational Performance, Image Quality, and Speed Mimaki USA has released two new roll-to-roll inkjet printers—the JV100-160 (eco-solvent ink) and the UJV100-160 (UV-LED ink). Both feature the newly introduced Dot Adjustment System (DAS) that offers automatic alignments to ensure consistent quality and repeatability and frees up operators by performing common adjustments automatically. The JV100-160 (pictured) utilizes Mimaki’s eco-solvent inks that are known for fast-drying capabilities, superior adhesion to media, and high scratch resistance characteristics.

Easy-to-use eco-cartridges (available in 600ml or 2000ml) enable production printing and rapid ink exchanges with no mess. The JV100160 is perfect for applications requiring the highest degree of printed quality such as photographic prints, vehicle wraps, and P-O-P graphics.

The optional light black ink configuration provides enriched grey-scale gradation, higher contrast, and sharper details. The orange ink option extends the color gamut beyond that of standard inkjet printers enabling a wider range of reds and oranges as well as a smoother transition between reds and oranges. Meanwhile the UJV100-160 utilizes Mimaki’s UV LED-curable inks that produce instantly dry graphics for significantly faster production turnaround times. The UJV100-160 accommodates the widest array of printable media in the industry, including PVC, fabrics, paper without an ink-receiving layer, and PET films. Mimaki’s LUS 170 UV LED inks utilized by the UJV100-160 are perfect for conservationists and additionally are flexible enough to achieve the most popular print work including vehicle graphics, banners, stickers, and decals. The white and clear ink configuration available with the UJV100-160 makes a diverse portfolio of applications possible, including the unique ability to provide two-layer printing capabilities perfect for backlit and transparent PET film applications. mimakiusa.com

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HELPING YOUR SHOP

GROW PROFITS!

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

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ILLUSTRATED

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Sign Builder Illustrated

HOW TO CARVING BY BRAD BURNETT

King of the HDU Jungle

W

hen it comes to the king of the jungle, the lion certainly needs no introduction. But in this case, the artist behind the hand-carved lion (as well as a menagerie of other sculpted animals) at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey does.

Meet Mike Holst, owner of American Woodcarving (woodensigns.com), a full-service sign shop based in Wayne, New Jersey that specializes in all sorts of high-quality carved, wooden, and custom signs and sculptures, along with lighted signage and lettering. Holst started American Woodcarving in 1998 after ten years teaching at the American Woodcarving and Art School.

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Holst has been a sign maker and a carver for quite awhile now (beginning back in 1988). However it was his work magnificently hand carving the lion and other animals currently on display at the recently renovated entrance of the Turtle Back Zoo that keep garnering him attention.

The Turtle Back Zoo project took root thanks to Holst’s long-standing relationship with architect Greg Comito, the principal at Comito Associates. After Holst designed and built a hand-carved turtle for the zoo that exceeded all expectations, Comito partnered up with him again when it came time for a full renovation of the entrance.

In addition to providing LED-illu-

December 2020

minated pan face letters for the front of the curved entrance, Holst was also commissioned by Comito to hand carve practically a zoo full of animals—a lion, a giraffe, several flamingoes, and a waddle of penguins. “[Comito] told me what animals he wanted to use here, so I went online and looked at a ‘bazillion pictures’ of all these animals until I found a lion that was standing sideways but had his head in profile looking directly at you. So I used it as my model,” he explains.

In Adobe Illustrator, Holst draws on top of the image to make his silhouettes. “I use this as the basis of starting my layering and then calculate where the layers are going to fall,” he says. signshop.com

All Photos: American Woodcarving.

A lion and other animal sculpts take shape with American Woodcarving.

HOW TO

CARVING

BY BRAD BURNETT

Owner Mike Holst

Holst has been using HDU since 1994, though he was initially ultraresistant; ultimately the benefits of this material over wood won him over. “I’ve found it has a much easier, smoother surface, and its hand carving characteristics are very unique,” he says.

Taking two-inch-thick sheets of fifteen-pound CORAFOAM® HDU from DUNA USA and transforming them into the king of the jungle was not going to be any easy task, so Holst started the process with an oversize piece of CORAFOAM for his sculpture and cut out the profile on his 5-by-12-foot Multicam CNC router. Additional layers were glued together to build up thickness (eight inches at the tip of the nose).

Next Holst applied rough contouring through the use of an electric chainsaw with a short carving bar. “I used a chainsaw here because it was the fastest method of getting as much off as I could as quickly as possible. The goal is to get the material off as fast as you can, and how you do so is inconsequential.

I used to tell my students that I would even use a lawnmower if it meant it would be faster,” he laughs.

A total of seventy hours alone went signshop.com

A TOTAL OF SEVENTY HOURS ALONE WENT INTO CARVING THE LION, AND ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS WERE CARVED WITH THE SAME ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND CARE. into carving the lion, and all the other animals were carved with the same attention to detail and care. “We decided we would just use the neck and head of the giraffe here,” says Holst. “We concluded that if we tried to put the whole giraffe up there, then it would look just completely out of proportion with the other animals.”

Additional sculpting of the CORAFOAM animals was performed using traditional wood-carving tools, mallets, and chisels.

Holst prefers to rough sand and then prime the entire piece before beginning the final detail work in order to identify highs and lows in the carving. Done in this manner, flaws become apparent and can be addressed early in the pro-

cess. Holst did the final detailing with finer hand tools.

The lightweight carved animals were hoisted up onto the roof platform before the new illuminated lettering was added. Holst says there is a “wicked, crazy” behind-the-scenes detail that aided in installation.

“The back of the lion is concave to match the curvature of the entrance background,” he reveals. “We hollowed out the middle of the back, which was a very complicated process. But it fits flush on both ends of the background where the head and tail are.”

This project ended up being a roaring success for everyone. “It was a lot of fun to work on as an artist, as well as a welcome challenge,” says Holst.

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HOW TO

MANAGEMENT

BY HICKEY DAVID HICKEY CODES BY DAVID

Financial Aid “

T

he PPP loan was critical in allowing us to bring back our employees much quicker. And it allowed our clients to continue to pay their bills and generally allowed us the confidence to continue to invest in and improve the position of our business at a time when few orders were coming in.”

“Fortunately the PPP loan has made it feasible to keep paying everyone as if they are working fulltime, so our work force hasn’t been hurt by all this.”

The above are just a couple of the responses you’ll get if you ask members of the industry about their reaction to the Paycheck Protection Program.

The Paycheck Protection Program (also known as PPP loans) issued by the federal government’s Small Business Administration were no doubt a vital

16

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lifeline for companies in our industry and, perhaps equally as important, for our clients and customers.

Federal data, sorted by NAICS code, shows that nearly 5,500 sign companies received the PPP loan—the vast amount of which is potentially forgivable. Almost 1,000 companies received more than $150,000. That last figure, also from federal data, means that more than $150 million was received by larger sign companies. Note that the amount per loan was not available for smaller loans. That number also doesn’t account for companies in our industry that may identify in the NAICS system under another classification (such as a printer or a marketing company that produces signs and graphics).

This huge influx of cash was critical for companies large and small. Mike

December 2020

Quigley, vice president of Tampa-based Sign-Age, represents one of those companies. As we entered the pandemicrelated shutdown, he felt his company would be OK, thanks to “an unusually high backlog of business in our shop at the time.”

But when the economy closed, his company saw new sales drop for three months in a row. The PPP became a critical lifeline. It also came with a lot of confusing and rapidly changing parameters. Quigley was happy to have ISA’s staff alongside him.

“The ISA resources were a tremendous help,” he said. “Unlike a number of companies that found themselves scrambling when the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year, Sign-Age turned to ISA to help us navigate these uncharted waters. signshop.com

Photo: Shutterstock.com/Panchenko Vladimir.

The positive effects of the PPP loan for the industry.

HOW TO

MANAGEMENT “Staff was working feverishly to keep us current as things unfolded with the PPP, the CDC guidelines, and securing our status as an essential business. Having a single source for all three fluid issues was an enormous help for our company.”

Another sign company executive for a large national firm said professional insight—including that from ISA— was important guidance as his company navigated the constantly changing rules. He asked that we not use his name discussing financial matters.

This is an extreme example, but an important one nonetheless, of the roles that each of us plays.

The International Sign Association had access to expertise that would be impossible for a sign company to get on its own. We are connected with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufactur-

ers, among other groups. We were able to use those resources to provide Webinars to our members on topics like applying for the PPP and ensuring paperwork was in order to pursue forgiveness.

When PPP funding was renewed, we immediately let those who had been left out of the first round know that more was coming. From March through July, there were more than forty items in ISA’s Daily Industry Digest on the topic of PPP loans, all designed to connect companies to resources to help them pursue loans and forgiveness.

Sure a company could have hired accountants and lawyers to track down some of this information, but it would have come at a high cost. The value of membership in ISA and ISA Affiliated Associations is unmatched.

But sign companies played a part in this too.You sent questions, which helped shape our Webinars. You sought advice,

BY DAVID HICKEY

which helped us understand how the PPP was playing in your communities.

It is the same strategy that we use with other advocacy projects, like working on sign code and permitting issues.

We rely on you to keep us informed and we’ll bring our expertise to help. I hope if you are having any advocacy issues— whether related to federal aid or state and local challenges—that you’ll reach out to us at signhelp@signs.org.

Here’s hoping that 2021 does not present these same opportunities to work quite this closely together on matters of survival of our entire industry. But understand that no matter what the New Year brings, we stand ready to help you capitalize on opportunities ahead.

David Hickey is vice president of Government Affairs with the International Sign Association (ISA).

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December 2020

1/17/19 10:15 AM

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17

AWARDS SPECIAL BY

BY SBI AUTHOR STAFF

1

SBI’s Yearbook

hen it came to time to put our annual Yearbook recap together, it was obvious that COVID-19 pandemic was going to be the storyline of the year (and probably the twenty-first century so far). The pandemic changed the way sign shops, graphics providers, manufacturers, suppliers, and trade associations operated and communicated.

Suddenly “essential business,” “social distancing signage,” and “new normal” became a part of everyone’s lexicon.

So for this year’s edition, we are eschewing our main look at the memorable projects of the past year (although we do have some of these notables included 18

Sign Builder Illustrated

within) and are instead focusing on the news and trends related to COVID-19 that the sign industry encountered and how these solutions could play pivotal roles over the coming months and years.

We’ve grouped these news briefs into distinct categories to help you differentiate between them.

At the end of each item, you’ll find a citation directing you to further information either in a certain issue or on our Web site.

Here’s to hoping that next year’s Yearbook installment will allow us to be able to focus exclusively on exciting projects and notable sign industry trends once again.

December 2020

1

FINANCIAL AID The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc along the entire economic landscape. Small businesses in the United States, such as sign shops, felt the brunt of this slowdown through temporary closures of their own businesses or those of their clients.

At first, only the state of Maryland deemed sign shops as “essential.” However the International Sign Association worked diligently to get many sign, graphics, and visual communication companies deemed essential and designated as “critical infrasctructure.” (https://bit.ly/3pBfkUW) The Families First Coronavirus Resignshop.com

Photo: Shutterstock.com/Aliantsin Suprunovich.

W

2020

Photo: SpeedPro Loop Chicago.

COVID-19 changes the industry in many ways.

sponse Act (FFCRA) took effect on April 1, requiring certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19 (effective through December 31, 2020). (bit. ly/39vvYMr) Congress passed the CARES Act, which included the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This program allocated $669 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. The initial rollout was plagued with changes and hiccups, so a new Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act was signed into law to give small business owners more flexibility in how they could signshop.com

use PPP funds, more time to spend the funds, and an easier process for qualifying for forgiveness. (bit.ly/2K1oA4m) Speaking at an SGIA “Ask the Experts” Webinar in May, Andrew Paparozzi, chief economist of SGIA, predicted the best-case scenario is that economic recovery for print shops should strengthen sometime in 2021, suggesting in the meantime that print providers needed to turn their attention to the industries that have grown through the crisis—pharmaceuticals, health care, home entertainment, home fitness, etc. “Follow progress [that] medical and pharmaceutical researchers are making in developing vaccines and effective treatments,” he said.

“When we have that, the whole game changes.” (May 2020)

2

SIGN SHOPS GET ESSENTIAL Eric Lazar, co-owner of SpeedPro Loop Chicago, had the foresight to start offering preventative signs and posters related to COVID-19 for retailers, offices, and other venues and public spaces (such as homeless shelters). They put their design skills to good use, developing custom posters based off of CDC guidelines gleamed from that organization’s Web site.

He eventually turned his attention solely toward producing signage support for recognized essential businesses—floor markers and guides, warning signs, car window

decals promoting social distancing, etc.

(May 2020) Several employees at Persona Signs in Watertown, South Dakota used their downtime to make facemasks for local healthcare facilities, while Persona itself allocated a large portion of its manufacturing capacity to developing hygiene shields.

(June/July 2020) Phillips Signs of Seaford, Delaware installed a custom-designed Watchfire Signs LED display for the iconic, ninety-year-old Fisherman’s Inn restaurant in Grasonville, Maryland. The sign played a large role in the restaurant’s successful reopening following the state’s mandatory COVID-19 shutdown, allowing them to change messages directed to patrons regarding curbside pick-up, outdoor dining, and finally indoor dining when it became available.

(November 2020) Ricoh USA, Inc., teamed up with the University of Texas Athletics to produce individualized fan cutouts to help fill the stands at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, home of the Texas Longhorns football team, during game days. These cutouts, produced in conjunction with local Ricoh partner UT Print San Antonio, allowed fans to show their school spirit while respecting social distancing guidelines. A portion of the proceeds contributed to the health and safety resources for more than 500 Longhorn student-athletes, including weekly COVID-19 testing, special health monitoring, clean masks, face shields, and more. (November 2020)

3

TRADESHOW EVENTS Many large-scale tradeshow events, such as the ISA International Sign Expo, LightFair, USSCF Sign Exchange, and PRINTING United, postponed their in-person events until next year. Digital Signage Expo called it quits for good after its event management company Exponation, LLC folded after experiencing numerous delays for tradeshows across all industries. (bit.ly/35pAmxz) The PRINTING United Digital Experience took place October 26-November 12. The free, multi-faceted online experience spanned fourteen actionpacked days of segment-based content sessions that focused on apparel, digital

December 2020

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19

textile, industrial, graphics/wide format, commercial, packaging, and mailing and fulfillment. (bit.ly/2Tj9Kr8) LightFair has announced new safety protocols as well as specific mitigation measures (including wider aisles, oneway traffic, open-style booth designs, etc.) for its 2021 staging, set for October 25-29, 2021 at the newly renovated

Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. (bit.ly/38Spdrt) The Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) hosted “Present Yourself,” a weekly meeting via Zoom where graduating design students met SEGD professionals for candid portfolio reviews and helpful career advice. (bit.ly/3eVyEHr)

4

5

SAFETY At an ISA COVID-19 Update Webinar in May, J. David Krause, PhD, MSPH CIH,

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December 2020

signshop.com

Photo: IndieSigns.

SOCIAL DISTANCING SIGNAGE The biggest sign trend of the year might have been the increasing need for social distancing signage used to promote safety.

When selling social distancing signage or graphics to retail customers, Brian Meshkati, vice president of Marketing for SinaLite, said sign shops should recommend applying decals and floor graphics at important checkpoints during a customer’s journey through the store, such as the entrance, exit, cash register, or any place with high traffic. “Apply decals at eye level to ensure they are visible to customers,” he suggested, “and where they will not blend into the background.”

(June/July 2020) Indiewalls of New York City launched Indiesigns (indiesigns.com), an initiative to employ independent artists who suffered a loss of work as a result of COVID-19. These artists designed pandemic-related wall, floor, and window signage with a positive and design-forward aesthetic aimed at helping businesses reopen safely without compromising on design. (September 2020)

spoke about ways to reduce the risk of infection when sending your sign shop staff out into the field: Minimizing the number of employees riding in the same vehicle, wiping down high-touch surfaces on the job site with disinfectant before and after each use, and wearing nitrile gloves (instead of latex) and face coverings (an N95 respirator mask or higher). (bit.ly/32H7Wxm) Suzanne Rappoccio, vice president of Administration at Sign Pro, Inc., in Plantsville, Connecticut, successfully established a business continuity plan during the COVID-19 pandemic, kept employees and customers informed about their work schedules, created VPN access for critical employees, and maintained customer delivery schedules.

(May 2020) Throughout the year, OSHA released tips to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure including encouraging workers to stay home if they are sick; establishing flexible work hours (if feasible); practicing sensible social distancing; and training workers on how to properly put on, use/wear, and maintain protective clothing and equipment. (bit.ly/3brbRja)

2020 Non-COVID-19 Notables:

6

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Sign Builder Illustrated set up a COVID-19 channel on our Web site, where we posted businessand safety-related articles and information to help guide shops through the pandemic. We also created “Standing Strong With Our Sign Shops,” branding designed to show that everyone in the sign industry stands together with sign shops during this current crisis and that everyone will end up being even stronger than before on the other side of it. (bit.ly/2WY6sMZ) We also launched our Shop Talk podcast this year talking with a variety of sign shops and industry insiders. In Episode 6, we spoke with Gerri Detweiler, education director for business lender Nav, about how the world of financing has changed dramatically over the last few months thanks to COVID-19. Detweiler also provided a few simple tips to help business owners best position themselves for financing in this changed environment. (bit.ly/3kklnt2)

• THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR increased the threshold for those eligible for overtime pay to $35,568—up from $23,660.

(April 2020) • YESCO celebrated its 100th Anniversary (April 2020) • SGIA and the Printing Industries of America merged to become PRINTING United Alliance.

(June/July 2020) • NCCCO celebrated its twentyfifth anniversary (bit.ly/3njxtoc) • The Neon Museum Boneyard in Las Vegas re-illuminated the monumental Moulin Rouge letters to accurately portray how the sign was originally displayed back in 1955. (bit.ly/2ItOVap)

Photo (sidebar): Watchfire Signs.

2020 Watchire LED Sign Awards Grand Prize Winner EULESS, TEXAS-BASED Federal Heath Sign Company was named the Grand Prize winner of the 2020 Watchfire LED Sign Awards for its renovation of the Fremont Street Experience canopy in Las Vegas, Nevada (“$30 Million Fremont Street E x p e r i e n c e L E D Re n ova t i o n , ” January 2020).

The Fremont Street Experience canopy is the largest sign video screen in the world (seven times brighter than the original and four times sharper), with more than 130,000 square feet of digital signage. Adjacent to 10 casinos and more than 60 restaurants, the digital canopy is 1,500 feet long and is suspended 90 feet above a

signshop.com

pedestrian mall. A light and audio show by Viva Vision can be viewed day and night, and a zip line operates the length of the canopy.

The new digital canopy also allows rainwater to pass through the modules and provides airflow to accommodate the area’s heat.

“Our affiliation with the Fremont Street Experience renovation is a real testimony to the reputation that Federal Heath has established through our many years of serving the Las Vegas community,” said Sid Rasnick, president and CEO of Federal Heath.

Watchfire Signs established the awards program in 2014 to recognize Watchfire dealer partners who best

showcase the capabilities of outdoor digital advertising. The sixth annual awards recognize on-premise signs installed from January 1, 2019 to A u g u st 3 1 , 2 0 2 0 t h a t d i s p l a y excellence in design, legibility of digital messages, and advertising effectiveness. For a complete list of winners, visit https://bit.ly/38yngAf.

December 2020

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21

LIGHTING

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Hot Signage

NOW It’s looking bright at the new Krispy Kreme shop in Times Square.

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December 2020

signshop.com

K

Photo: Firebrand.

Caption Here

signshop.com

ning, a brand-new, state-of-the-art flagship location opened in the heart of Times Square (1601 Broadway). The new shop, which will serve more guests annually than any other Krispy Kreme location in the world, recreates the experience of Rudolph’s original Krispy Kreme—only with more modern trappings.

The Times Square Krispy Kreme shop features icing-themed floor graphics, interior and exterior digital signage, and most notably, the world’s largest Hot Light sign, spinning twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week on its rooftop.

rispy Kreme Doughnuts is a popular doughnut chain spread across the world that serves a delicious blend of glazed doughnuts and aroma-enhancing coffee. Customer experience plays a huge role in the Krispy Kreme philosophy. One of the charms of any of its shops is that customers can stare through a Plexiglas wall as they watch the doughnuts being made and added to a conveyor belt for its journey to the front counter.

Fans of the franchise can instantly recognize Krispy Kreme through a variety of means—whether it’s the shop’s red, green, and white branded color scheme, its iconographic paper hats for employees (and customers), and probably most notably, it’s red neon “Hot Light” that turns on whenever a new batch of piping-hot, glazed doughnuts is ready.

The origin of the Krispy Kreme hot doughnut takes place back in 1937 when founder Vernon Rudolph began selling hot doughnuts through his factory window to individual customers who came by his Winston-Salem, North Carolina location during production time between midnight and 4 A.M. Today the establishment has expanded to over 1,000 locations all over the world. Surprisingly one of the places that Krispy Kreme did not have as much of a notable presence was New York City (once home to six locations, since 2009, Krispy Kreme’s only New York City shop has been located on the Amtrak level in 2 Penn Plaza).

However that low-profile presence shifted big-time this past September when, after five years of strategic plan-

The “Hot Now” Hot Light Sign This giant sign reads “Hot Now” with accompanying Krispy Kreme text and circular strokes. It is nestled nearly eighty feet from ground level, measures 15-feet2-inches tall-by-17-feet-11-inches wide, and weighs 8,000 pounds. (Note: A standard-size Hot Light sign is affixed to the shop below the digital board.) It is also illuminated completely with LEDs—featuring a total of 14,000 LED modules (7,000 per side)!

The iconic Krispy Kreme neon Hot Light has served customers since 1995.

However there was a feeling that if you drove by any Krispy Kreme over the past ten years, consistency was not a strong suit—with words and/or lighting nonfunctioning. “After completing a largescale internal procurement review, we determined that our current neon Hot Light signage was becoming a challenge to both our brand and our supply chain in terms of brand consistency, rising maintenance costs, time delays, sustainability issues, and increased municipal regulations and restrictions,” says David Morris, director of Indirect Category Strategic Sourcing at Krispy Kreme.

The transition from neon to LED Hot Lights for franchisee-owned, corporate new shop rollouts and remodels has been a recent development for Krispy Kreme.

“In December of 2017, the first LED Hot Light signs were installed as part of our Experience of the Future shop design in Utica, Michigan,” says Morris.

“Since then, more than 300 LED Hot Lights have been installed across the nation, and we will continue to do so throughout the next several years.”

December 2020

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Anchor Sign, Inc., out of Charleston, South Carolina, has served as the nationwide signage vendor for Krispy Kreme for several years now. They have led Krispy Kreme’s LED Hot Light transition by designing a cabinet and face structure to maximize the LED lumen output and decrease lighting inconsistencies as well as reduce energy consumption while replicating this sign’s iconic appearance.

“The team at Krispy Kreme is doing such amazing things with their signage and branding now,” says Cade Thompson, vice president of Operations for Anchor Sign.

The company recently finished providing signage for a new Krispy Kreme shop in Harlem when they turned their sights to completing signs for the new Times Square location. While Krispy Kreme handled the large digital storefront signage, Anchor Sign, working with their long-time New York installation partner Mauceri Signs & Awnings, was responsi-

Interior view of a “Hot Now” LED Hot Light sign.

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December 2020

4/23/20 10:34 AM

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Photo: Anchor Sign.

Head to our Marketplace Section in the back of the book

ble for the rooftop, interior, exterior, carryout area, and front facade signage.

Walk-Up Window Sign One of the unique building features of the Krispy Kreme Times Square location is a walk-up window providing customers curbside ordering and access to hot doughnuts twenty-four hours a day. This LED sign is a separate design from the typical Hot Light sign (reading “Hot Doughnuts” instead). To assist in making this sign a reality, Anchor Sign reached out to FireBrand of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The two vendors collaborated to specify the best red faux neon product here and to advise on the best way to display the sign behind the glass window so it still would be visible from the exterior while also concealing the mounting hardware on the back side of the panels.

“It was important for the ‘Hot Doughnuts’ faux neon sign to give the walk-up window a life of its own beneath the large

The walk-up window sign is made from faux neon LED lighting.

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December 2020

Sign Builder Illustrated

25

video screens,” says Steve Boreman, lead designer and the creative director at Chute Gerdeman, a vendor in Columbus, Ohio that also worked on this sign.

“The street-level neon red makes it clear that something good is still happening at that end of the shop even after the front has closed for the night.”

The companies agreed that the faux-

neon carryout window signage would be manufactured on Provis Graphic’s LaserLetter™ | Profile 11N platform, starting from solid, translucent, cast block acrylic with embedded LEDs. These 33mmdeep mounted letterforms were preassembled to 10mm-thick clear acrylic panels, including attachment hardware to mount the panels onto the window

mullion systems. “Designers and brand owners love faux neon because it simply stretches the possibilities of design,” says Kenan Hanhan, president and co-founder of Provis Graphic LLC. (Note: The sign is powered by 24V UL Recognized MeanWell power supplies also provided

by Provis Graphic.)

According to John Bailey, CEO and co-founder of FireBrand, this sign was made to look as if it is floating on the glass as it faces out to Broadway in Times Square. “We also made non-lit, reverse-cut red acrylic and placed them on the back of the acrylic panels to hide the mounting hardware from view within the shop,” he says. “The backs of the panels have reverse flat cutout opaque acrylic letterforms to conceal the backs of the letters.”

In order to make sure the signage and graphics would fit their branded environment theme, Firebrand ran a very thorough technical survey to determine the proper strategy to run electrical on the mullions. They had to be extremely accurate with their dimensions because they had to fasten the clear acrylic panels directly to the mullion system.

“We coordinated with the general contractor to remove the bottom glass panels behind the counter so we could install the clear acrylic panels with faux neon from the outside in” says Bill Washington, president and co-founder of Firebrand, adding that second-sur-

Photo: Provis Graphic.

LaserLetter used for walk-up window sign.

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December 2020

signshop.com

Photos: (Left) FireBrand; (Right) Anchor Sign.

Traditional-type Hot Light sign.

face silver metallic graphics were applied behind the counter kneewall so as to hide the back of the counter from sight from the exterior street view. “The upper panels were installed from behind the glass from the inside of the shop. We then had to run conduit up the mullion system and run wires from behind the LED neon elements to the conduit concealing it from view and then up to the ceiling to the power supply.”

North Shore Neon, one of the bestknown fabrication and installation companies in the New York City area, set up the faux neon LED signage; the reversecut, non-lit acrylic; and the second-surface graphics. Bailey says that they did a fantastic job doing so safely and on time.

“The sign is large, spanning the glass from sidewalk to awning, but it doesn’t block a clear view into the shop to see the abundance of doughnut recipes on display,” says Boreman. “The intensity of the red faux neon is pushed to cut through the flashing Times Square signage and calls attention to what’s offered at the window: hot doughnuts. The message is clear and simple, and the ilsignshop.com

World’s largest Hot Now” sign sits atop the store’s roof.

luminated letters are intended to be read from across the street.”

Thanks to pandemic-related social distancing measures, this can mean long wait lines for customers outside—yet lots of eyes on the sign during curbside pickup.

According to Bailey, navigating the pandemic proved extremely challenging. “The survey was luckily completed prior to the shutdown, and production ran smoothly,” he says. “But then the shutdown delayed the project. Krispy Kreme was originally given ‘essential’ status but then that was removed for several weeks.

“They were granted status once the pandemic started to slow in New York City. Our on-site crews had to be frequently tested, and we were only allowed a minimal amount of personnel there at once.”

The Future Krispy Kreme Shop The Times Square shop is part of Krispy Kreme’s 2020 New York City expansion. For Thompson and the Anchor Sign team, it’s been exciting to watch Krispy Kreme transition from

neon to LED. “The new Krispy Kreme LED Hot Light comes with a sevenyear warranty, and every remodeled and new shop is getting them,” he says.

And Morris states that the new LED “Hot Light” serves as a perfect example of why Krispy Kreme Corporation feels they have the best Supply Chain team in the industry. “Anchor Sign’s research, development, design efforts, manufacturing capabilities, and their nationwide roll-out of our next-generation LED Hot Light exemplifies a vendor exceeding our highest standards,” he says. “We constantly look for suppliers who are industry leaders in quality control, continuous improvement, cost effectiveness, and innovation, and I am happy to say that the many vendors we partnered with on our Times Square flagship location represent these standards.”

The good news sure to thrill Krispy Kreme fans both new and old is that Morris says to expect exciting new Krispy Kreme design concepts and features, as they continue to grow their shop count.

December 2020

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↑

DIGITAL PRINTING SERVICE TRUCKS

BY JEFF LORI SHRIDHARE WOOTEN

TAKING SAFETY TO NEW

HEIGHTS

W

hen it comes to installing or repairing aboveground-level signs or vertical-oriented pylons, an articulating boom truck or a telescoping aerial work platform (AWP) are most likely going to be an essential part of your equipment portfolio. Whether you’re renting, leasing, or outright owning, these service vehicles are vital in making sure your

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workers are able to reach those up-in-theair jobs.

This month, Sign Builder Illustrated asked manufacturers to present their best advice for making sure installers stay safe when using these types of service vehicles.

It’s first important to understand the advantages (and disadvantages) of these two types of personnel lifts, as well as the types of jobs they’re best suited.

December 2020

“An articulated bucket truck can get into certain tight areas (such as between power lines), since it is electrically insulated,” explains Jim Glazer, president of Elliott Equipment, noting that these vehicles however feature limited or no material handling capabilities, limited tool circuits in the bucket, and limited side reach due to its elbow.

Bryan Wilkerson, vice president of signshop.com

Photo: Wilkie Mfg., LLC.

Advice for working safely with boom trucks and AWPs.

Photos: Wilkie Mfg., LLC; Elliott Equipment.

↑ Wilkie Mfg., LLC, says that bucket trucks offer an advantage if working near or around energized electrical areas (at an OSHA-required distance from power lines). “If someone is using an insulated bucket, there is a dielcetric test that must be preformed yearly by a certified inspector to comply with OSHA 1910.67 (c)(3) and ANSI A92.2 - 2001, Section 5 along with their normal annual OSHA inspection A,” he says.

It mainly comes down to side reach, which Wilkerson says is important in the sign industry since signs are normally located in the middle of landscaping or over a sidewalk area. This is usually limited in an elbow-type bucket. “But if you’re working in very confined spaces such as alleyways where the equipment is right next to the truck, a elbow bucket would be at an advantage, as they have a shorter swing radius,” he states.

When it comes to a telescopic AWP (also known as a straight mast boom lift), Glazer notes these platforms feature a point-and-shoot design that maximizes side reach, a larger platform size for tools and workers, an auto-leveling platform, and main boom and platform materialhandling capabilities. “However they are generally not insulated, nor can they lift as much as a truck-mounted crane,” he says.

Whichever personnel-lifting device you employ, both Glazer and Wilkerson stress that before operation, the sign installer must be properly trained and (if applicable) certified to use it. “Note that, prior to lifting people with a boom truck, OSHA requires users perform a trial lift and proof test to ensure the machine’s structural integrity and stability,” adds Glazer.

Be aware that aerial work platforms are certified to ANSI A92.2 while boom trucks (and cranes) are certified to ASME B30.5. “The stability factors of ANSI A92.2 are more stringent than ASME B30.5,” says Glazer, “but if the machine is properly set up, the user will not notice any difference.”

As far as preparation advice goes, Glazer stresses the importance of developing a pre-lift plan to help anticipate any issues that may arise on-site during the operation. “Make sure you’re familiar with your machine’s load and range signshop.com

A sign installer must be properly trained before using a boom lift or an AWP.

charts and know where you’re going and what you’ll be lifting,” he says. “Once you have a plan developed, perform a thorough walk-around inspection of your machine to ensure it is in proper condition before you begin work.”

Wilkerson adds to make sure you have all the tools and supplies that you need to get the job done, in order to eliminate unnecessary trips up and down and back to the shop. He also stresses to check your plans to make sure the dimensions are correct and that the location and direction that the sign will be facing are also correct. “Let any construction personnel working in the same area know your plans and the steps you’re going to be taking,” he remarks.

Work involving lifting equipment always needs to begin with proper lock out tag out operations.

“Since a large portion of sign installs are in conjunction with new construction, familiarize yourself with the job site to ensure that the power is disconnected to the area that you will be working in and that the area will not become energized while the work is being performed,” says Wilkerson. “There have been cases of signs or lighting being re-energized while aerial work is being performed because a photocell, timer, or electrical short turns back on after it was thought that there was no power.”

Look up for any obstacles that will in-

terfere with safe operation of the equipment—electric lines, telephone lines, building protrusions, etc. “Also pay attention to any insect nests in your work area,” advises Wilkerson. “Hornet and bee nests are never fun to encounter while on an elevated platform.”

All personal protection equipment must be put on before any worker goes up on boom or platform. “This includes fall protection such as a safety harness and lanyard, a hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, etc.,” says Wilkerson.

Glazer cautions that operating a bucket truck or AWP in a heavy traffic area increases the risk on a job but can still be done safely with proper planning and situational awareness. “Operators should

Service equipment’s side reach capabilities are important in the sign industry.

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29

try to perform these jobs when traffic is at its lightest and be set up as close to the work and as far from the road as possible,” he says. “Make sure you have your site adequately demarcated to ensure it is clear of traffic, bystanders, passers-by, and the like. Use cones, conspicuity decals, signal men, and/or lighting to maximize the visibility of the machine to oncoming traffic.”

If signage is being installed on sloped areas, ensure that the vehicle is set up level and on a firm foundation. Wilkerson says to always use pads or cribbage to level the boom truck or AWP with the outriggers. “If the equipment is not equipped with outriggers, you may have to use blocks or ramps to level the truck to avoid an over-the-center gravity situation, which can cause a roll over or an unsafe situation,” he advises. “Also be sure that the wheels are properly chocked to prevent vehicle movement.”

In today’s COVID-19 world, Wilkerson says it is important to follow CDC guidelines and use appropriate precautions, such as wearing a mask when interacting with clients on the job site.

“Make sure you have hand sanitizer on the truck since there may not be a place readily available on the job site to wash your hands,” he says. “I know of some companies that have gone to one occupant per vehicle in all company vehicles to encourage social distancing.

“Most of the time, the aerial equipment operator is working alone, and if you are up in the air, you cannot get much more socially distant than that.”

Wilkerson says it’s always a good idea to check with local municipalities ahead of time to see if there are any additional considerations to keep in mind. “I have heard of a couple of municipalities that were requiring mask and or face shields to any workers that are working,” he says.

As far as news and trends, Glazer states that, in the interest of the “environment and safety,” certain localities in New York and California are implementing regulations that will require users to retire machines once they reach a specified age.

Finally Wilkerson points out that OSHA is scheduled to ramp up inspections of aerial equipment in the coming months and that owners and operators need to be prepared for this.

30

Sign Builder Illustrated

December 2020

signshop.com

CNCBUSINESS ROUTER

BY BYBRAD JEFF WOOTEN BURNETT

Working on vinyl decals in the shop’s production area.

Photos: FASTSIGNS of Beckley, WV.

IT ST STILL LL RUNS IN THE FAMILY

B

A family-run shop gets a new name and new projects.

illie Jackson had already been running her small sign and graphics shop Daddy Rabbit Graphics in Beckley, West Virginia for eleven years when, two years ago, she made a big decision that would change not only the direction of her business but also open up a better way to manage the challenges that were coming her way.

Daddy Rabbit Graphics had been quite a family affair—Billie owned and oper-

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ated the mom-and-pop business with her husband Joe and her son working parttime. (Note: Joe has also served as a fulltime West Virginia state trooper for the past twenty-three years.)

Attending a tradeshow a couple of years ago, Billie and her husband took advantage of the FASTSIGNS discounted franchise fee for first responders and decided to convert their existing Daddy Rabbit Graphics business into a franchise loca-

tion in order to provide additional products and services to clients in their area.

But let’s rewind for a moment here: Billie initially moved into the sign and graphics industry thanks to her family being into dirt track racecars. Her son was one such racer. “On these racecars, you have to have sponsors on them,” she says, “and we needed to find a way to add these sponsors and other graphics to his vehicle.”

December 2020

Sign Builder Illustrated

31

Joe English (left) and their production specialist apply vinyl to a client’s work trailer.

The big challenge that crept up here was that Billie and her son didn’t have easy access to anyone doing vehicle wraps in their area of southern West Virginia. So she did some research and, after learning how to print wraps, made the decision to buy the machines to help her create and print these graphics.

The sponsor was impressed, and a few weeks later, they asked Billie if she could make a vinyl sign for them based off the logo she had designed and printed for her son’s racecar. That led to follow-up requests for screen-printed t-shirts for the sponsor’s workers and then embroideredstyle shirts for the executives—all projects that Billie was excited to take on.

Suddenly Billie was off and running with her Daddy Rabbit Graphics business.

However stress eventually settled in as Billie’s clients were increasing, while her time to finish projects seemed to be decreasing. Her family was part-time help. Joe would come into the business at eight in the morning, leave at three to go to work at the state police until eleven and repeat the process again the next day. Meanwhile her son was only able to help out after school and before and after races. And space at the small-sized shop limited bringing on additional help.

Realizing that she would need to expand their scope in order to grow their 32

business as technology was changing so much, Billie started her process by looking for information.

“A customer would come in and say they had saw something on the Internet and asked if we create it for them,” she says. “We would search frantically on the Internet trying to figure out how to get the materials, how to build it, and importantly, how to price it.

“By the time we would find the information and get an estimate out, the customer had moved on to someone else.”

It was during this Internet research that Billie noticed ads for FASTSIGNS, so she made it a point to visit them at a local tradeshow her family attended.

“That’s when they told us about the First Responder discount,” says Billie, “and we learned about their vendor support. It made so much sense for us to make this transition.”

Billie and Joe eventually received lots of literature about FASTSIGNS in the mail and a designated representative frequently called them and answered any questions they had—even going out to lunch with them. “He also set us up to go visiting other FASTSIGNS locations within an hour or two from us,” says Joe, “so we scheduled a few days away from the shop to go out and tour them and talk with those owners. And they all appeared

Sign Builder Illustrated December 2020

calm and happy.”

The first thing they did after converting to a FASTSIGNS was incorporate the franchisor’s showroom package into their shop layout. It had a very positive impact. “It was the best thing we could’ve done. Our customers responded differently,” says Billie. “We didn’t realize how much of an impact it would have to be able to show our products. We couldn’t display our products as a mom-and-pop because we didn’t realize the benefits of having our showroom right.”

Billie says that they had a marketing consultant work directly with them to make the transition smoothly. “We did have a few people that were concerned they weren’t going to get the same thing.

And it turns out they didn’t get the same thing—they got something better!” she says. “They learned that we were the same locally owned and operated people that they were used to dealing with but better equipped to serve them at this point with better options.”

After converting, the Jacksons still kept their FASTSIGNS at the metal industrial building location of Daddy Rabbit Graphics for awhile, but they outgrew the space within eight months and have recently relocated to a larger 3,500-square-foot space at a strip mall storefront location complete with a wrapping station and garage.

Since transitioning to a FASTSIGNS, Billie has been able to explore so many new types of sign offerings that she admits they couldn’t have done before.

“Before becoming a FASTSIGNS, we didn’t have the knowledge, the vendors, or the support that we needed to do this,” she says.

They’ve increased their wrapping capabilities to now expand into fleet graphics programs for vehicles. They’ve also moved into custom dimensional signage, even incorporating LED lighting for clients such as the Boy Scouts of America.

“We’ve also started doing a lot of digital sign installations now,” she says.

Today Joe is a full-time member of the company (having recently retired from his career as a state trooper), and they have since brought onboard a graphic designer, a production specialist, and an installer and have put out recent feelers signshop.com

for additional staff.

“We can bring anyone in and incorporate them if they fit the culture, if they have bright ideas, and if they want to be helpful to our customers,” says Billie. “We like it if they have experience, but we can train anybody how to make a sign. And FASTSIGNS offers continuing education for our employees.”

Billie and her crew recently finished up the biggest sales month ever in their twelve-month history, and they celebrated by bringing onboard a new Epson S60600 printer, as well as a new cutter, to help with their production.

“People still need signage, and we were deemed an ‘essential business’ through the whole COVID-19 shutdown. So we were there to help our customers either maintain their businesses, reopen their businesses, or get used to a whole new way of operating,” says Billie, noting they also recently fulfilled a work order of producing social distancing A-frame signage and banner stands for local schools.

MISPLACED YOUR FAVORITE ISSUE?

Billie Jackson and her husband Joe stand in front of a recent vinyl wall graphics project that their shop completed.

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Back issues are available.

Call for availability: 1-800-895-4389 or 1-402-346-4740 www.signshop.com

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December 2020

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Sign Builder Illustrated

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December 2020

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Sign Builder Illustrated

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SHOP TALK

Covering COVID-19’s Effects

The future of sign & graphics in the wake of COVID-19.

T

he PRINTING United Digital Experience ran from October 26 through November 12 and provided three weeks of new product demos and cross-segment programming.

The first day kicked off with a focus on hardware and consumables in the graphics and wide format sector.

And while there were plenty of product demos to take in, one of the most interesting parts of the day was a panel discussion titled, “The Future of Sign and Graphics.”

In this panel discussion, four leading graphics businesses talked about their view of the market and their outlook for the near term. Panelists included Brian Adam, president, Olympus Group; Greg Neath, VP Business Development – In-Store & Direct Marketing, Premedia, Transcontinental; Scott Powers, VP of Sales, D’Andrea Visual Communications; and Rich

Thompson, owner, AdGraphics.

Many of the panelists were optimistic about the industry’s ability to carry on with Powers of D’Andrea Visual Communications saying, “The printing industry is full of a whole bunch of survivors.”

The panelists also spoke about their biggest challenges; building up employee morale and relationships came up frequently—especially in the wake of temporary layoffs earlier this year.

“We’re spending a lot of energy trying to rebuild that trust,” said Powers.

Disrupted supply chains and finding access to needed materials and supplies has also been a challenge. In fact, Adam of Olympus Group said that having a robust supply chain will be important for making sales and will help to balance out any pricing pressures. “I think there will be an opportunity to sell more on value with having a reliable supply chain mov-

Sign Builder Illustrated Magazine (Print ISSN 895-0555, Digital ISSN 2161-4709) (USPS#0015-805) (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX Po Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly 11 times per year in the months of January, February, March, April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, and December with the exception of June, which is a digital-only issue, by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation, 88 Pine St. 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices.

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Sign Builder Illustrated

COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 2020. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information, contact: Arthur Sutley, Publisher (212) 620-7247 or asutley@ sbpub.com.

December 2020

ing forward,” he said.

Speaking of pricing, Adam believes that downward pricing pressure will be a big way COVID-19 changes the industry. He says a lot of printers desperate for work settle for cheaper prices. Once things return to normal, it will be very hard to push that pricing back up, resulting in new market prices that will be below what they were pre-COVID. His advice is for shop owners to figure out how to be profitable at that price point by investing in equipment, optimizing their workflows, etc.

Powers says greater internal efficiency will be needed. In the wake of COVID-19, he believes buyers will become more realistic about turnaround times.

He also cautions owners to reconsider carrying money for clients on jobs and taking the risk of not getting paid.

AdGraphics’ Thompson believes that COVID-19 will irrevocably change the client relationship and the way the industry does business. He said the concept of high-touch versus low-touch sales will change as more and more people get used to remote meetings and sales.

The panelists ended by offering advice to others in the industry. Thompson cautioned owners to be safe with their cash, plan ahead, and stay optimistic.

Adam returned to the topic of employees and said since every shop has access to the same printers and technology on the market, the only real differentiators are the employees. He said to be sure to build a team with the best and most engaged employees and use them as your competitive advantage.

Powers said to be careful about dropping prices lower than you’ll be comfortable with after COVID-19 is over.

Neath at Transcontinental advised shops to find their niche now if they haven’t already so they’ll be better positioned coming out of the pandemic. stamats.com, or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ.

Corp, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sign Builder Illustrated, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407.

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

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Photo: Shutterstock.com/ Photology1971.

PRINTING UNITED DIGITAL EXPERIENCE | BY ASHLEY BRAY

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