Sign Builder Illustrated January 2016

Border lighting

branding special

LEDs Bring Out the Color

Promotional Graphics Overview

www.signshop.com

Number 247 | january 2016

How-To

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Agenda

How-To Columns

FEBRUARY 2016 February 18-20: Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference (GOA), the largest event in the U.S. attracting key industry professionals in graphic communications from throughout North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Florida. www.goaexpo.com

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12

The Road Ahead

12 On-Premise Game Theory

BY JEFF WOOTEN

A new USSC study proves to be a real game changer.

16

The Road Ahead

BY STEPHANIE STAMM

How sign makers and wide format printers can prepare for the future.

On-Premise Game Theory

Departments 6

UpFront

8

Dispatches

Editor Jeff Wooten looks at different ways graphics providers can promise a brand that delivers.

A wrapper shares his thoughts (and projects) on the latest trends, and a SEMA wrap contest crowns its winners.

10

Sign Show

54

SBI Marketplace

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

BORDER LIGHTING

56 Shop Talk

BRANDING SPECIAL

LEDs Bring Out the Color

Promotional Graphics Overview

www.signshop.com

NUMBER 247 | JANUARY 2016

HOW-TO

Ashley Bray shows how a sign association is taking steps to ensure the future of the industry is bright.

Stand Out with

Photos: dave forrest; (inset) sai.

STAND-OFFS!

On the Cover 8,

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eO

Se

4

Ad

On

2 ge Pa

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Stacked standoffs enhance this art display at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.

Photo: Gyford Productions.

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

February 25-26: The Midwest Sign Association will conduct its winter meeting at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Toledo, Ohio. www.massn.org

MARCH 2016 March 10-12: The Southern States Sign Association’s annual conference takes place at the Holiday Inn in Charlotte, North Carolina. www. southernstatessigns.org

APRIL 2016 April 20-23: The ISA International Sign Expo returns to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. www.signs.org April 26-28: LIGHTFAIR International, the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow and conference, will take place at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. www.lightfair.com signshop.com

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Up FRONT

by jeff wooten

January 2016, Vol. 30, No. 247 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Brand X (Factors)

executive offices

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher arthur j. sutley

Promising a brand that delivers.

55 Broad Street, 26th floor New York, NY 10004 212/620-7247; fax: 212/633-1863 editorial editor

Jeff Wooten

323 Clifton Street, Suite #7 Greenville, NC 27858 212/620-7244; fax: 212/633-1863 jwooten@sbpub.com managing editor

Photo: Sign-tech.

T

he concept of “branding” has been thrown around so much in our industry these days that it wouldn’t shock me to find out that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is actually the one behind its public relations efforts. The now-ubiquitous marketing term refers to developing logos and/or designs to identify a company and their services, so of course, it’s a natural fit in the world of signage. (Brand Builder Illustrated, anyone?)

But have we reached such a saturation point that it’s even managed to break boundaries here and trickle down into the general public’s consciousness?

When it comes to branding for their businesses, hopefully many of your customers have evolved past the mindset of Mongo from the movie Blazing Saddles (“Mongo like pretty colors!”) and are already prepared to embrace new avenues in promotion.

But if any Mongo-types do walk into your shop or answer your cold calls, then the good news is that you’ve got plenty of options to offer them when it comes to design, buddy!

Promotional branding can now be found on many different hosts beyond print ads and sign faces. Today vinyls, fabrics, and directprint substrates encompass architecture, onproperty signage, vehicles, and more to get a client’s message across.

However it’s important to recognize that branding now constitutes more than just designing a logo and calling it a day for your client. One online blog, Creativebloq.com, stated recently that a trend they’ve recognized is that branding no longer focuses on coldly projecting a particular image but instead is used to create an ongoing relationship with customers. This “human touch” of branding is being embraced to illicit emotional responses to a 6

company, its products, and its identity.

As you’d expect, print graphics still remain the primary medium when one thinks of branding, which reminds me of last year’s SGIA industry survey about graphics installations where installers cited full-vehicle wraps (61.4 percent); glass-opaque, translucent, or perforated window film (56.8 percent); and walls (75.6 percent) as the application areas growing the most from respondents. (All are perfect branding platforms right there.)

Meanwhile the Fourth Quarter 2015 Industry Insight Survey Report concerning diversity in production and offerings conducted by print and graphics staff supplier Semper International found that 25 percent of respondents are investing in wide format printing (a strong hold from the previous quarter), while 18 percent indicated graphics/design and 14 percent packaging (both increases).

All of which brings me to introducing you to SBi: Branding, a special themed section starting on page 41 of this month’s issue that’s devoted to covering promotional graphics in the sign industry. In addition to new product announcements and case studies demonstrating how graphics are being effectively used in wrap and window applications, you’ll find feature articles about how designing a brand can not only aid your customers, but also your sign shop. Plus you’ll find a piece on how/why you can expand your horizons and get your footprint into the packaging/prototyping field of the industry.

So whether you’re using solvent, eco-solvent, latex, dye sublimation, or even flatbed printers, the road to wide format branding is as wide open as it ever has been. This month’s special will not only help to give you ideas in this field, but remind you that building your clients’ brand can also boost your own brand.

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

Ashley Bray

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

Butch “Superfrog” Anton, Mike Antoniak, Eileen Fritsch, David Hickey, Jim Hingst, Greg Jenkins, Mark Roberts, Lori Shridhare, Stephanie Stamm art

Corporate Art Director Wendy Williams Designer Nicole Cassano production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney advertising sales national sales director

Jeff Sutley 212/620-7233; fax: 212/633-1863 jeffsutley@sbpub.com west & midwest regional sales manager

Ian Littauer

212/620-7225; fax: 212/633-1863 ilittauer@sbpub.com Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Art Sutley at 212/620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.

Circulation Dept. 800/895-4389

signshop.com

protecting your color is essential.

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Dispatches

A green highlighter wrap on an Audi R8 using custom 3M Wrap Film Series 1080 vinyl.

Wrapper's Delight:The Latest Trends Orlando, Florida—Carbon Wraps (carbonwrapsorlando.com) specializes in car wraps of all types, so the shop is knowledgeable on the latest trends.

And what are they seeing taking off in the market right now? For one, superbright highlighter wraps. The shop recently installed a red highlighter wrap on a BMW and a green highlighter wrap on an Audi R8 using custom 3M™ Wrap Film Series 1080 vinyl sold by Feller’s.

“The installation is the same as other wraps, with the exception of being careful not to overstretch as the film will lose pigment and turn white,” explains Steve Carney, owner of Carbon Wraps. “A special care recommendation would be to laminate the product prior to installation; this will aid in elongating the vibrancy of the film over time.”

Since the neon colors in these wraps 8

are fluorescent, the outdoor color lifespan is limited. But the colors are black lightsensitive, which creates even more of a unique effect.

Another trend has wrappers going a bit “old school.”

“We have noticed that we have gone retro with the printing elements,” says Carney. “We are seeing many more custom-printed wraps. For example, rustand grunge-style wraps, artwork and artist originals, textured wraps, and shade-shift wrap films are taking off.”

A recent example of these customprinted wraps is a purple camo graphic Carbon Wraps installed on a Volkswagen Golf GTI. The shop printed the camo pattern onto ORACAL® 970RA Premium Wrapping Cast matte violet metallic vinyl using a Mutoh ValueJet 1624 printer.

To create the custom camo pattern, an

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

A red highlighter wrap on a BMW using custom 3M Wrap Film Series 1080 vinyl.

signshop.com

Shade-shift wraps are poised to be the next big thing.

A red camo graphic on a Volkswagen Golf GTI using Arlon vinyl.

signshop.com

accurate color profile that will match the initial design. We conduct test prints and adjust as needed to ensure the design comes out perfect.”

The purple camo wrap was printed with the same color in varying hues of purple, but on a wrap for another Volkswagen, the shop used red Arlon vinyl and printed varying hues of gray.

“We take into account the original color of the film when designing the prints,” says Carney. “Both contrasting and same shade methods are used.”

All of these graphics offer a singular look, but Carney views metallic and shade-shift wraps as on pace to be the next big trend.

—Ashley Bray (Below) A purple camo wrap on a Volkswagen Golf GTI using ORACAL 970RA Premium Wrapping Cast metallic vinyl.

Arlon Wrap Contest at SEMA 2015

Las Vegas, Nevada—At the 2015 SEMA Show, Arlon (arlon.com) hosted the wrap competition, “Arlon Automotive World Wrap Mania.”

The event started off with six teams, each with five installers, competing for the title of “Best Quality Wrap” or “Most Creative Wrap.”

The Arlon Automotive World Wrap Mania competition gave these top installers the first opportunity to work with the newly released Ultimate PremiumPlus™ Silver Chrome, as well as other Arlon favorites.

Each team was tasked with wrapping half of a vehicle in a limited t h re e - h o u r t i m e f ra m e , w h i c h included the most complex areas of t h e ve h i c l e . A t e a m o f A r l o n Automotive specialists judged each team’s execution on quality and creative design.

After a neck-to-neck performance from each team, The Wrap Society led by Team Captain Niel Scotto of ND Vinyl, was awarded the “Best Quality Wrap.”

“Most Creative Wrap” (pictured, above) was awarded to Team R.I.C.O. led by Team Captain Carl Brewer of The Wrap Installers.

Both teams showed exceptional skills in each category, which led to their victories.

January 2016 // Sign Builder Illustrated

photos: Lafayette Britto Photography.

in-house graphic designer created vector files while utilizing the customer’s vehicle in design programming.

“We were conscious when designing the pattern where the tiles are well blended so that installation is fluid and seamless,” says Carney. “Printing on a solid color has its challenges in depicting an

9

SignSHOW CUTTERS/PLOTTERS Think BIG: Summa’s New Flatbed Cutter is 75 Percent Bigger Summa’s F2630 cutting-and-finishing system is the largest cutter Summa has ever created. With a cutting area measuring 265 cm-by-305 cm (more than eight square meters), the F2630 cutter allows sign makers and print professionals to process ever-larger media (boards, sheets, or rolls) faster, more easily, and more accurately. Also two media rolls can be placed side-by-side on the optional roll-support system for simultaneous processing. The work surface for the F2630 has been split into twelve automatically controlled vacuum zones to firmly hold materials in place—without having to activate the entire workspace. Whatever size material is in use, the vacuum pump automatically resizes the suction area to match. The same cutting tools that proved so popular with Summa’s smaller flatbed cutter are also available on this new model (the kiss-cutting tool, multiple V-cut tools, single-edge cutout tool, double-edged cutout tool, heavy-duty cutout tool, multiple creasing tools, and more). 800/527-7778; summausa.com

LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS Announcing the OSRAM BoxLED Plus and BoxLED Plus DS Fluorescent Retrofit Adapter System OSRAM SYLVANIA has further extended the simplicity and efficiency of its BoxLED LED signage product line to include accessories to directly retrofit fluorescent T12HO fluorescent lamps in existing signage. The same BoxLED LED modules that are widely utilized in the signage industry (in both single-side and double-side versions) can now be simply and quickly installed in the BoxLED Adapter System. They are the perfect solution for replacing the T12HO fluorescent lamps utilizing the existing R17d (Recessed Double Contact) sockets. http://bit.ly/1kTEP1A

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Outwater’s Eco Series Aluminum Standoffs are Lightweight, Sturdy, and Easy to Install Offered in diameters from 1/2-inch to 1-inch and in barrel lengths from 1/2-inch to 2-inch, Outwater’s Eco Series Aluminum Standoffs are now available in eleven different colorful finishes! Suited for indoor or outdoor use, these standoffs can accommodate panels up to 3/4-inch-thick. Outwater’s Eco Series Aluminum Standoffs can be readily mounted by simply unscrewing the standoff’s threaded cap, positioning the supplied mounting screw inside the standoff’s hollow barrel, and guiding it through the small diameter hole so that the standoff can be screwed into the provided drywall anchor that has been fastened to the wall. 800/631-8375; outwater.com

v i n y l / v i n y l f ilm S New Wrap Overlaminate Series 8900 from 3M Offers Limitless Creativity Thanks to a new line of specialty overlaminates from 3M Commercial Solutions, 3M™ Wrap Overlaminate Series 8900, graphic installers and manufacturers have a new set of tools that allow them to achieve greater levels of creativity and customization than ever before. The new 3M Wrap Overlaminate Series 8900 includes Carbon Fiber and Brushed Finishes for unique textures and visual effects. Overlaminate Series 8900 is the company’s first high-performance specialty line.

These overlaminates can add a carbon fiber finish to a vehicle wrap or a beautiful brushstroke accent to any wall graphic.

The new overlaminate series is compatible with 3M films and performs as a durable protection to keep your graphics looking good. Wrap Film Series 8900 is made in sixty-inch-wide rolls (to better match your favorite base wrap film), and they are backed by the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty. 3Mgraphics.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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HOW-TO

By Jeff Wooten

Regulations

On-Premise Game Theory A new USSC study proves to be a real game

nario, looks at the possible positive and negative outcomes for participants, and uses mathematical formulas to predict the final decision that will be made by participants.

Economists, political scientists, psychologists, logicians, and even biologists have utilized the game theory model for years, and the feeling is that this concept can also be applied to sign zoning and the “science” of sign regulation.

The USSC is promoting Professor McAdams’s report as the “first of its kind” for the on-premise sign industry, particularly in how it uses game theory principles to divulge the thought processes of towns and sign regulators toward on-premise signage. Unfortunately many communities are using this model to focus solely on negative possibilities.

Crawford and late USSC Executive Director Andrew Bertucci bandied around the game theory concept for years, especially in relation to restrictive sign ordinances. “It always appeared to us that this

Photo: signsmith, greenville, nc.

changer.

W

hat in the world of CNCs, LEDs, and CADs is the concept of “game theory,” and why should you be interested in it?

To answer this question, we turn to the United States Sign Council’s (USSC) newly released study written by Duke University Professor of Economics David McAdams titled The Economics of On-Premise Signs, as well as a companion piece, Introduction to Game Theory and On-Premise Sign Regulation, penned by USSC Legislative Consultant Richard Crawford. Both pieces study game theory and its relationship to the economics of sign regulations. (Note: You can download both reports for free at www.ussc.org.)

First introduced in Theory of Games and Economic Behavior, by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern (Princeton University Press, 1944), game theory combines the “science of strategy, economics, and behavior” within a certain sce-

12

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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concept was always there,” says Crawford.

“However there remains a disconnect between what regulators think and what sign companies know to be true. We’ve set up at the APA conference every year and made headway with many planners, but there’s still a philosophical gap.

“But sign makers are about nuts-andbolts and obtaining permits.They feel there should be a framework or a rationale of why signs should be regulated a certain way versus another way. We really had nothing to offer in support of this...until now.”

Crawford notes that there’s a disconnect on the subject of on-premise signage because these case studies and marketing studies tend to fall on deaf ears.

“Zoning boards don’t want to listen to it,” he says. “It doesn’t fit into their model.

Andy and I used to call this a ‘zero-sum’ game theory model, which the [McAdams] runs with.” (Note: Zero-sum game theory posits that an individual’s gain results in losses amongst the other participants.)

For Crawford, this research paper was a starting point in helping them make headway here. “It advances a win-win scenario or positive-sum game, where there is no detriment to other sign own-

14

ers or the community when signs are of adequate size,” he says.

Some points tackled in this study are: designing sensible signage rules that benefit communities; rules that govern on-premise signs are well-justified by the “protective rationale” that, if businesses

Game theory has been used by many industries to help model and predict the behavior of participants in any given situation. are left free to display whatever signs they want, the public may be harmed; and rules that discourage businesses from displaying more understandable signs are likely to harm the communities they are intended to serve.

One common game theory concept frequently adopted by town leaders in their arguments that signage is being used by businesses to gain an upper hand is the Prisoners’ Dilemma. This metaphor

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

is based on the idea of police separating two partners arrested for the same crime and giving each two different options for confessing to a worse crime than what they’ve been arrested for—a so-called “payoff matrix” that gives both prisoners a worse outcome when they do what is in their own individual interest (by confessing) than if they were both to act against their own interest (by not confessing).

This dives somewhat into Star Trek logic: The needs of the many or the needs of the few?

Crawford notes that a lot of economists in McAdams’s vein conceptualize/ view problems in order to arrive at solutions. “One can organize and/or analyze a problem logically using the Prisoners Dilemma scenario,” he says, “and this applies to signs too.”

Crawford explains zoning board attitudes by using a pizza parlor as an example. “Zoning boards think that if a pizza parlor uses a large sign, then their competitor down the street is going to want an even bigger sign,” he explains. “But in the end, both will do the same amount of business because there’s only a finite amount of business to be done. It’s a shell game and therefore we’re going to make the sign small, not larger or adequate.”

Crawford finds it amazing how many false assumptions towns operate under.

“Towns think everyone is in competition against each other and that signs are shouting for attention,” he says. “You’ve heard that a million times, when that’s not actually the case.

“When a business gets a larger sign, is the business or the location next door damaged in any way? [McAdams] asks those questions and the short answer is ‘no.’ In fact, even if the business next door keeps the smaller sign, they can still benefit because patrons will go to the establishment with the larger sign and then notice the other one next door.”

Crawford states that this “fundamental” study is a “first step” that is intended to address false assumptions and give sign companies an expanded vocabulary helping them explain to regulators what they’re trying to do.

“It shows the challenges that sign companies have in a ‘free market’ that isn’t quite so free,” he says. “Sometimes the towns and the sign companies talk past each other. This study is a way to get a dialog going between them.” signshop.com

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HOW-TO

By Stephanie Stamm

Printing

The Road Ahead How sign makers and wide format printers can prepare for

media and technologies, like digital signage, the sign and display market’s future looks good, but it will not be a simple extension of the present.

A Challenging But Bright Future Consider the products that are currently the staple output of your company.

Among them may be vehicle [wraps], street banners, feather flags, café barriers, and colorful floor graphics. How many of these were produced twenty years ago?

There is no reason to believe the next decade or two won’t bring another wave of new applications.

The migration from screen to digital has brought many changes but even more opportunities for very short runs, lower cost production, and applications on a greater range of substrates.

Small companies, schools, organizations, and

Photo: SA international.

the future.

W

hile the gradual return of more favorable market conditions and improved business confidence is a welcome relief from the post-2008 years, the challenge for sign makers and wide format printers now is to maintain the disciplines, customer focus, and progressive initiatives that enabled their survival.

Many companies have emerged leaner and fitter from the Great Recession, but it’s also probably fair to say that major investment decisions, put on hold during the years of frugality, have remained on the “to do” list.

A look at market trends and the possible future of the sign and wide format market is critical for companies forming strategies that will shape their investment choices.

This is where in-depth discussions with leading industry hardware and software suppliers can prove to be highly valuable. Contrary to the hype for new

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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other enterprises that had never bought anything more than basic signs are now buying colorful and creative banners, displays, and other applications.

To serve these new customers, sign makers and display printers had to get out of their comfort zones and make the investments and mind-set changes necessary to respond to these new market opportunities.

Is Your Equipment Working to Its Potential?

Don’t Turn Your Back on the Tried and True Of course, new applications and markets don’t mean abandoning old skills and techniques but [instead] furthering them with the right choice of equipment, software, and media.

Data gathered from SAi Flexi users worldwide shows that 56 percent of all signage jobs use cut vinyl. What this figure demonstrates is that, after twenty years, digital printing has not become a replacement technology for vinyl but has expanded the market and created new opportunities.

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Part of remaining competitive in the future will mean stepping out of your comfort zone, and part of that process is recognizing what you already have the potential to do. This need not require capital investment, but it is about having the ability to be flexible and get the most from your existing resources.

On the hardware side, refreshing your familiarity with the features of your printers and cutters that you aren’t using can reveal opportunities. Who would benefit from applications utilizing unused features? If there isn’t an existing market for them, can you create one?

Another coming development to watch will be the emergence of niche application solutions. The inclusion of RIP and design software in printer packages is becoming increasingly common. With applicationspecific, end-to-end solutions, new markets can be entered providing quick, local production of high-value products.

Solutions for road and industrial signage, wall coverings, digital textile printing, and even printing on wood and glass are either already here or will be in the near term.

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

One of the reasons for vinyl’s enduring dominance is that handling and cutting has become easier and more efficient.

Optimum imposition to minimize waste and fast, accurate cutters continue to make the use of vinyl affordable and profitable. Weather and abrasion resistance are other factors that make vinyl attractive to sign makers and customers.

There is no doubt that sign making and wide format print markets will change— possibly dramatically—in the coming years. Apart from technological and economic factors, issues like environmental regulations, distribution logistics, energy, and others will impact businesses.

These changes and issues will not only create challenges but also opportunities for those who recognize them. The leading suppliers can work with businesses of all sizes and specialties to explore new technologies and revenue streams to build a secure future.

Stephanie Stamm is U.S. marketing manager at SAi (www.thinksai.com), a provider of professional software solutions from design to production.

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#brandUP Project Supports Communities tive solutions. Plus it fits with the LexJet character of being involved in the community at a grass-roots level, and we all had fun doing it.”

The interns met with seven local groups who were happy to receive graphics support and the printing of a variety of items to help boost and promote their brands.

LexJet interns provided Cat Depot (an organization that offers low-cost veterinary services and is devoted to rescuing homeless cats and finding them new homes) with door and floor graphics, window clings, banners, and posters promoting Earlier this year, LexJet summer interns set out to find non-

the group’s services and upcoming events.

profit organizations and small businesses that might ben-

Also involved with #brandUP was POP Yachts, an online

efit from wide format graphics. This project was dubbed

boat broker in Sarasota County, Florida, which received canvas

#brandUP and was affixed to the company’s social media

wraps, a portable banner stand, and an elevator door graphic.

marketing endeavors.

Meanwhile Matt Walden, an up-and-coming singer-song-

“This #brandUP project was a great opportunity for our

writer from Bradenton, Florida, was set up with posters pro-

interns to take a real-life marketing campaign and run it

moting his first original single, as well as banners and custom

as their own business,” says Terry Lynn Belzer, marketing

T-shirts printed on the new Epson SureColor F2000.

lead at LexJet. “Like any advertising agency, they had to uncover the needs of their ‘clients’ and find and deliver crea-

To see the next round of #brandUP projects, stay tuned to blog.lexjet.com.

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S t a n d o f f s / By Lo r i S h r i d h a r e / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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T

all Photos: gyford standoff systems.

here can be a tendency to take standoffs and other mounting hardware for granted; they are the underdogs and the unnoticed among acrylic and glossy finishes. But really, what would our exhibits, identity signage, and even P-O-P displays be without the aid of elegant, refined standoffs?

A recent installation at the Reno/Tahoe International Airport in Reno, Nevada colorfully and creatively demonstrates this point.

The airport’s Nevada Mining display is an interactive piece that shows how materials mined in Nevada are beneficial to air travel. It was built in-house by the Gyford StandOff Systems (standoffsystems.com) woodshop with photography and graphics provided by Dennis Long, founder and owner of TapWire Design (tapwiredesign.com) in Carson City, Nevada. A total of twenty 1-1/4-inch-diameter security-style clear anodized aluminum cap standoffs were used to mount the materials in place and make this exhibit “pop” even more.

The Nevada Mining display set up at the Reno/Tahoe International Airport is a mix of vinyl graphics, acrylic panels, and standoffs.

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January 2016 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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But to emulate the success of projects such as this one, it’s important to get a good idea of the different type of stand-offs and how they can be utilized in signage projects.

Standoff caps come in round, square, or hexagonal shapes and are made of aluminum or stainless steel.

Standoff barrels (also referred to as “spacers”) are used to create a layering or three-dimensional effect, which works well with artwork or even to mount glass over another surface.

Standoff hubs, also referred to as four-way hubs, are installed between a cap and barrel, allowing material to be held at 90-degree intervals.

Grippers are used for mounting signage vertically or hori-

zontally, from all sides or just one.

Finally the standoff link and traveler add attachment points to a project.

If you want to start with the basic standoff, consider the traditional cap-and-barrel system. “A barrel mounts to a wall or other surface and has a stud that penetrates the sign,” says Michael Eddins, manager of internal operations for Gyford StandOff Systems. “A cap is screwed onto the stud to complete the mount.

“If you don’t want to penetrate the sign, grips ‘grab’ the sign from the edges without penetrating the material and allow for easy removal and re-installation when needed.” (Note: Eddins adds that this might be a good choice for sales or promotional

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Stacked elements can generate added excitement about a display, as shown here for an installation at the Long Beach Convention Center. signage that needs to be changed frequently.)

Anodized aluminum is used for indoors, but stainless steel or powder-coated aluminum is the best choice for outdoor projects (and opens the door to an almost unlimited range of colors).

And while it may appear that standoffs look quite standard, when it comes to sizing and other customizing, there are some creative possibilities.

Standoffs can be sized in diameters as small as one-quarter of an inch to as large as two inches. Lengths, says Eddins, can range from one-quarter-inch to twelve inches.

There are even ways to display standoffs creatively. One such approach is a stacked panel system where elements of the sign are displayed in multiple overlapping levels, adding depth to the sign.

“This look is achieved by using a system of multiple standoffs in various sizes, layering one level on top of the next,” says Eddins.

He points to a recent large-sized art display installation featuring a number of different elements for the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in California. Oneand-a-quarter-inch caps with various barrels ranging from 1/2-

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inch to 12 inches were featured in this install of various-sized acrylic panels attached to cut-aluminum pieces.

“The facility wanted to create an eye-catching display that wouldn’t add any complications for the installers,” says Eddins.

“For this stacked solution, they had to take into consideration the cumulative weight of the panels on each connection point, as well as the surface anchors for load weight.”

According to Eddins, the stacked elements employed here generated more excitement about the display. “The viewers tend to pay more attention to the ‘forward’ elements and view the display for a longer period than they would a standard twodimensional sign,” he says.

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Installation / By Peter Perszyk ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

1.

2.

What’s the Angle?

S

ometimes concepts are not quite as obvious as they may seem. For instance, tradition has dictated that the main identification sign be located at the entrance, parallel to the building façade. This is how we design.

But one of the most frustrating things that a sign designer has to deal with are community regulations that are strict about sign size and placement; this can result in signage that’s often overlooked or just quickly driven past.

Similarly a sign that’s positioned to the building can also be visually passed over by a viewer. And viewed off-center, thick dimensional letters blur together, especially if the returns are the same color as the face.

However there is a different “angle” to solving this problem—that is, angling the placement of the sign. Here are some successful examples: Photo 1: Broadway and 7th Avenue in New York City has always put an angle on a sign to tilt it towards the viewer.

After all, pedestrians are the most-targeted audience in Times Square.

On the vertical, the signs are installed with a dedicated

24

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

Don’t be afraid to go “off the wall” with sign placement.

3.

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view—headed north or headed south.

In-between the street corners, the signs tilt down towards the sidewalk.

Photo 2: Then again, the concept of an angled sign doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the viewer logic intended for Times Square. An angled sign might simply work in order to get the graphic away from any obstruction

Some of the most frustrating things for sign designers are strict community regulations about sign size and placement.

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the architecture might be causing.

The color scheme of the building may be a big plus in identifying the establishment, long before the sign is readable. But when a sign is triangled with the lead edge towards the street, the faces of it can be seen as the driver is approaching.

Photo 3: This twin-face, full-triangle cabinet serves the viewer as a better attraction device and, with a few installed down lights, serves the proprietor with flooding nighttime illumination.

(Note: The little add-ons here are fun to decipher. Take the descending “$” on its bottom as a leading point, for example. Was this always a dollar sign? Or was it a logo that became obsolete? After all, does the portrait of Mr. Franklin not already communicate the idea behind this sign sufficiently?)

Photo 4: Here’s a sign that also doubles as the façade, but the name of the restaurant doesn’t conjure up an image of the cuisine. Instead the flat applied vinyl tag line, angled towards the viewer below, clues one into the delights found inside.

The design may have been as much about the architecture as it is about the signage. The neighborhood appears to be competing for your taste buds.

The main letters are notched-out with white returns. The angle is to catch the eye of the viewer below, while the tag line makes for a readable sign at angles to the far left and far right.

Photo 5: There are several additional details that make this an interesting angled sign. For starters, it features no perimeter frame. It looks as though the signshop.com

6.

face is not even attached to the cabinet.

The bottom edge has a gentle wave and the wash of light down from the sign is a free plus in the design. The cabinet provides the angled view as a function of its design.

Barely visible in this photo is its wellknown logo. It’s angled 90-degrees to the wall. A simple logo may also be a requirement for such a mount. One can

Angling the placement of the sign is a way to overcome the problem of signage that’s overlooked or quickly driven past because of its poor positioning.

7.

only assume that the entire assembly is supposed to be the sign.

Photo 6: The 1950s aircraft motif, with the “nice mounts” cable support, make this a complex item. The letters themselves aren’t anything special—it’s that they’re mounted to the top and angled that makes all the difference in the world here. The rivets are a nice touch too.

Photo 7: In this case, the location def-

initely had the client “in a corner.”

Yes it’s possible to use a low-tech method to angle a sign. The letters look as though they should be flat on the facade in a single file line, but the surfboard is a backer.

This example is an ingenious way to fabricate the sign. The black box behind tells the story: “We need a better view for our sign.” Simple and effective.

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C N C R o ut e r / By G r eg J e n k i n s / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Navigating the

CNC Investment

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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10

pitfalls to avoid when purchasing your CNC router.

A

CNC router is one of the most expensive investments a sign shop can make.

Yet no matter how thorough the purchasing due diligence may be— with all the appropriate and applicable questions seemingly answered—a number of thorny issues can still pop up.

These represent a virtual list of the top vulnerabilities that lie in wait for business owners and can result in unnecessary expense and the loss of time and materials for the business.

It’s important for decision makers to know what these pitfalls are and how to avoid them.

Photos: (opposite page) sean busher/rite lite signs; (this page) kdf.

Changing Technology’s Impact on the Sign Builder CNC router technology has existed for decades, and like most technologies, it continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

As a result, sometimes changes can occur during a lengthy purchasing process.

By the time the decision is rendered, a newly purchased router may be quite capable of providing controls that are currently needed but may be less likely to adapt to future requirements.

Innovative engineering has changed the capabilities of CNC routers. The same is true on the tool side with advances in casting, new materials, and construction.

Perhaps the most powerful change impacting routers and tools is the former’s transition into an Internet-controlled device. These are control technologies that enable a manufacturer and a support entity to access a device practically

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anywhere on the planet.

The days of lengthy, time-consuming and sometimes confusing phone-based walk-through troubleshooting processes are being eliminated. Businesses, recognizing the benefits of connectivity, are looking to instant Internet communications support systems to reduce production, training, and maintenance time and labor costs.

But it’s not just the Internet that’s changing the work model. The technology inside the machinery has grown exponentially “smarter” and more robust, offering more streamlined and possible growth-producing functions.

All of these advances have resulted in router costs that benefit buyers. In other

words, similar to many other facets of technology, innovation is driving down the costs of purchasing and operating this equipment.

Even in this buyers’ marketplace, there will be some apprehension for sign builders pondering the purchase of their first CNC router. It can be jarring for businesses that have relied on standard cutting tools and printers for years.

A router is, after all, a machine tool, and workers are probably inexperienced in its use. Issues may occur with the router and cutting tools for aluminum, acrylic, and other materials.

Business owners understand the need for training but worry about sufficient time for employees to fully understand

January 2016 // Sign Builder Illustrated

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Top Ten List of Purchase Pitfalls to Avoid Here is a checklist to use when considering a CNC Router purchase decision. Every item listed comes with a cautionary warning, however all of these problems are avoidable.

1. Buying the cheapest. This is strictly a short-term financial decision that may be more costly in the long run. The down-

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and embrace this new technology.

The result is an inability to use the machine to its fullest potential because software is viewed as too complex.

side to this decision may be lower performance, less reliability, and the limited availability of parts.

2. Choosing the wrong process area. Buying too large of a machine with more capacity than needed is not cost-effective nor is the purchase of a router than turns out to have lessthan-needed capacity. Buyers should seek expert advice.

3. Not planning for future production requirements. A router can play a huge part in a company’s growth, so the buyer should match the machine to future goals.

4. Misjudging various tooling required for multiple materials. Bed size and variety are likely to require different cutting heads and tooling. The router should have the flexibility to process multiple materials and utilize a variety of cutting tools.

5. Missing out on necessary accessories to keep costs down.

A router that is a productive workhorse used to its maximum capacity will pay for itself over time. Insist on factory-employed expertise to determine the right accessories and options for the business and its applications.

6. Not investigating the level of support provided by the supplier. Machines will, at some point, require servicing and occasional repairs. Know the supplier’s support network and verify its response capabilities.

7. Purchasing a CNC router that cannot be upgraded. A router should be capable of evolving with advances in technology. Insist on a supplier that can retrofit and upgrade operating systems and software on a regular basis. Usually these suppliers manufacture their own routers and software without any third-party involvement.

8. Failing to source a supplier that has its own spare parts availability. Downtime, always the bane of business, is expensive and unacceptable for either the company or its customers. Much of it can be attributed to time-consuming delays in securing needed parts. Router purchasers need to look for a supplier that operates its own online shop capable of providing spare parts preferably by the next day.

9. Failing to source a supplier that offers customized training programs. All training issues can be alleviated by working with a supplier that understands each individual application and offers a training program specifically tailored to it. It is the best way to optimize performance of the workforce and the router.

10. Underestimating the power of knowledge. Supplier expertise is essential. Buyers should ask about the supplier’s experience and ability to add to that knowledge. Look for those with dedicated application engineers who test tooling, materials, and software regularly—even daily. Having this knowledge base improves the business process and router operation.

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Conclusion Sign builders and, for that matter, most other businesses base their decisions on what can or cannot be accomplished in their current environment.

However, the exponentially advancing capabilities of CNC routers have shown how machinery can change a business.

Owners, in partnership with their suppliers, need to have a perspective based on their machinery’s ability to perform tasks that enable business growth.

Partnership is the key. Whether the need is parts, training, or router upgrades, sign builders need to select an end-to-end supplier that goes beyond the role of vendor and whose input will be valuable for nearly all business and machinery decisions.

This investment requires complete participation, and businesses should demand it from their supplier.

Greg Jenkins is vice president-sales for AXYZ International (axyz.com) in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. AXYZ International is a global manufacturer of CNC Router and CNC Knife systems. signshop.com

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The Importance Of Drill Bit Maintenance

C

reating accurate, precise holes in woods, metals, plastics, and other composite materials requires the use of drill bits. Due to the combination of speed, pressure, and torque that’s needed to bear down and penetrate these materials, drill bits are subject to quite a workout. This is why proper drill bit maintenance is recommended to ensure successful results.

Drill bits come in a variety of styles for use in different purposes and projects, including high-speed steel, carbide tipped, solid carbide, and diamond related.

Sharpening your drill bits will help prolong their lifespans and maintain their precise edges. They can be sharpened with a drill sharpener, a grindstone jig, or an oilstone. All of these sharpening items can be found at home improvement and hardware stores or they can be ordered and purchased online.

What happens when drill bits are not sharp enough? Tiny, fine drill bits can become dull with normal use, due to the hard metals they’re constantly drilling into on a regular basis. This can wear down the bit’s crucial cutting edges, making your drilling tasks more difficult and timeconsuming. Dull bits can even cause accidents and mistakes—to your materials or even yourself!

Maintaining the cutting surfaces on your bits (and all tools, for that matter) helps ensure clean, consistent cuts and fewer errors.

As you file down a drill bit’s relief area to sharpen it, maintain the angle. This is important to enable the bit to perform properly after sharpening. The cutting edges become honed and sharp by reducing a small amount of metal from each surface.

As you sharpen one side of the bit, maintain the angle then rotate the bit

(in the holding device) and repeat on the opposite relief area plane. Do this until both sides are even.

Once complete, you’ll have a newly sharpened bit. This process takes a bit of practice, but it’s a technique worth learning, so you can maintain your tools and their performance.

Investing time and attention is an important preventative against mistakes and shabby work.

—Holbren Precision Cutting Tools (routerbits.com)

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Today there’s more to the appeal of LEDs for usage as canopy lighting, highlights, and accents than just the promise of reduced energy and long-term maintenance costs.

Colorful Options 36

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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LEDs are becoming a fixture for illuminating borders and accents.

Photo: sloanled.

W

hen passing by a colorfully accented sign, bright store canopy, or dramatically highlighted building at night, take a closer look at the lighting. If it’s a recent build or retrofit, odds are that those are LEDs catching your eye.

“LEDs are helping expand the type of form factors you can put lights into,” says J. Bryan Vincent, managing partner at Principal LED (p-led.com). “With some of the newer products, it’s possible to get lights into smaller, lower profile coves where it might be difficult to put in neon or fluorescent lighting.”

Flexible LED tapes and tubing especially are creating new applications for illuminating highlights and accents—indoors and out. “These components are cuttable, bendable, and so flexible that they can be used for many different types of projects,” says Mike Bluhm, North American sales manager for SloanLED (sloanled.com).

Part of the appeal of the LED stripes, notes Bluhm, is that the colors of the tubing are bright enough to draw attention to a sign even during daylight hours.

Diverse Opportunities “LEDs are making it possible for every sign shop, even small mom-and-pop shops, to get into the electrical sign business,” says Jeff Fassett, president of Aries Graphics (neonwizard.com). “And LEDs are becoming really diverse, with a great-

Photos: (left) principal led; (right) sloanled.

Standoff caps come in round, square, or hex shapes and are made

er range of potential applications.

“LED tubing is looking and performing more like neon every day.”

Vincent says more customers are exploring the use of LED products for outdoor projects. “They’re being used to illuminate the wall or highlight specific elements of a building, monument, or sign,” he says.

“To make sure LED lighting stands out in various border design applications, it’s important to be fully cognizant of the environment the LED strips/tubes will be used,” says Joey Shimm, marketing director for Outwater Plastics Industries, Inc. (outwater.net). “For instance, if

Flexible LED tapes and tubing especially are creating new applications for illuminating highlights and accents— indoors and out.

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January 2016 // Sign Builder Illustrated

37

LED tubes and strips can be used to highlight specific elements of a building or sign.

For the two-digit IP rating of the LED, the higher each single number is, the greater the amount of protection.

Sign makers shouldn’t assume that all building and sign owners are aware of how LED

intended for outdoor use, it is imperative that the LED strips/ tubes be rated accordingly to assure the utmost safety to both the user and the structure to which it is being affixed.

“This entails that the LEDs be impervious to adverse weather conditions and other factors—including exposure to water, salt water, temperature extremes, and direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time.”

Border lighting LED components are offered in 12V, 24V,

and 120V products, so it’s important to establish the voltage that best suits the parameters of the application.

According to Shimm, 120V lighting is ideal for use in tasks in which much longer runs of lighting are required (due to lower voltage LEDs requiring supplemental power supplies over finite distances), but they’re not intended for on-the-ground use and can present a shock hazard in certain situations, if accidentally cut. “However any of the three voltages can be employed in in-

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Photos: (l-r) principal led; outwater.

technology has advanced over the years, nor the many solutions available.

When creating a halo/glow effect on a building or substrate with LEDs, stand them off one to two inches and avoid shiny surfaces.

Photo: sloanled.

door or outdoor applications as desired,” says Shimm.

And keep in mind smaller shop owners who handle the occasional LED project or aren’t interested in bringing design and fabrication in-house can turn to LED vendors.

Today project design and consultation are a standard part of services by those who cater to the sign industry, making for an easier entry into LED products and solutions.

Design Considerations When evaluating LED products as a solution for accent or highlights, several factors must be taken into account.

“First you have to think about the space you’re working with. [See] if there are any size constraints,” says Vincent. “Then look at the amount of area you want to illuminate, as well as the effect you’re trying to achieve. Those can impact both the type of LED and the required beam angle.”

Since LED tubes are more directional than neon and don’t light evenly in all directions, care must be taken if you want to achieve a halo/glow effect on the building or substrate. “LEDs are very well diffused though, so you only need to stand them off one to two inches,” says Fassett. “But watch out for shadows; also avoid shiny or reflective surfaces, as those often don’t give the desired effect.”

Fassett points out that LED tubes also have different bend angles relative to the primary direction of the light. “Some bend in all directions,” he says, “but most are designed to either bend around a corner or bend flat against the substrate.”

According to Fassett, there are two additional design restrictions that you have to keep in mind when working with LED tubes: bend radius limits and cut points.

“You cannot make a drop bend with an LED tube like you can with glass,” he says. “You have to design with a flat bend or cut the tube on a sharp corner.

“Different tubes have different bend radii. The tubes can only be cut at certain points—maybe every couple of inches.”

According to Fassett, the ideal placement of LED tubes in border lighting applications depends in large part on the viewing distance.

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sider placing the tubes along the top of the building or structure. “But if the viewing distance is much closer, such as from the sidewalk in front of the retail business,” he says, “then put the tube at eye level.”

Making sure the color of the border tubing matches the colors of the clients channel letters is another good idea to aid people in helping them find a business.

In fact, the choice of LED color impacts the overall aesthetics, even when the project calls for white light.

LED lighting is most often offered in three shades of white. “Cool White (6000K6500K) is equivalent to noon sunlight with a slight bluish hue,” says Shimm. “Pure White/ Natural White (4000K-4500K) produces a natural, accurate, and realistic color rendering, while WarmWhite (2800K-3200K) generates a warm, nostalgic feeling.”

“With white, you have to think about the color temperature and the effect you’re trying to achieve,” says Vincent.

“Accent lighting typically leans toward a warmer light, while illuminating a sign might call for a colder white.”

The choice of colors in LED border tubing can also be effectively employed when the client wants special effects.

“Some want to see a blue or a red during the day, and the color of LED border tubing can be used to achieve that,” says Bluhm. “Meanwhile the brighter whites create a rainbow of possibilities. White LED strips can be wrapped with translucent vinyl to create any color they want.”

LEDs can also be used to create special effects inside venues. “Alerting your customer to that option as a way of drawing more attention to their business creates an opportunity to up-sell them from an LED strip to border tubing,” says Bluhm.

As far as other colors go, even clients who request a specific color to complement the setting should be alerted to a system of RGB LEDs as an option, where allowed. “Some clients may not be aware of the versatility of an RGB LED system and the ease with which they can change colors or create special animation effects or fades,” says Vincent.

Also consider what the sign or building will look like during the day opposed to night. “Some LED tubes are all white, irrespective of the color of the LEDs,” says Fassett, “whereas others are the color of the LEDs. “Good contrast of complementary colors will help the tubes stand out.” signshop.com

: Branding

a supplement to Sign builder illustrated

sign builder illustrated 2016

graphics in the Sign Industry

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Graphics/branding: Project

Bus Wrap Brands Newspaper Campaign

all Photos: mon valley signs.

M

onths of work and a team effort by three South Hills, Pennsylvania companies has produced maybe the area’s most unique transportation vehicle. A full-size Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority bus has been transformed into a fortyfoot-long lawnmower on one side and a red wagon on the other.

The bus was covered by a full-color vinyl wrap advertising the South Hills-Mon Valley Messenger, a community newspaper that services the South Hills section of Pittsburgh. The graphics were put together by design firm ocreations and produced by Mon Valley Signs. The bus is seen by thousands in the area every day.

After the newspaper changed its name last year, they chose transit advertising as one of their primary marketing tactics for re-establishing their identity.

“We wanted to get people to notice us. It was important for us to continue to position ourselves as a neighborhood newspaper with a hometown feel,” says Doug Haniford, owner and publisher. “We felt like the old-fashioned wagon and [lawn] images on the bus helps bring that feel to life.”

Company ocreations designed the graphics with the goal of making the movement of the bus integral to the design. “We had carte blanche to be as creative as possible and knew we had the capability to produce our ideas through Mon Valley Signs,” said Shawn O’Mara, senior partner at ocreations.

By incorporating the wheels of the bus into the design of the wagon and mower, they achieved their objective, as well as portrayed the campaign theme of “news from your backyard.”

Mon Valley Signs, based in Charleroi, output the graphics onto 1,200 square feet of Avery 1005EZ vinyl using their Mimaki JV5160 printer with high solvent inks for durability. They also used a matching gloss overlaminate from Avery. “We used it because the

signshop.com

advertiser wanted a five-year-plus lifetime, and these buses are driven through an automatic car wash daily,” says David Zahand, president of Mon Valley Signs. “Any wrap that will be used for more than thirty days needs lamination.”

Mon Valley worked with a digital photo that they created a template from and then translated that into the design.

They also provided detailed specifications on the measurements of the bus, as well as the outside panels and clearances. “We used two installers to cover every possible inch of the vehicle,” said Zahand.

“We used primarily hand tools, like torches and felt squeegees.”

This process required months of close communication between all three companies. “A lot of hands were involved, but everyone was working toward the same goal,” said Haniford.

According to Zahand, the biggest hurdle was coming up with a design that made the advertiser and the transit authority happy. “Especially since we were blocking some of their branding with the advertisers,” he says.

January 2016 // SBI Branding

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Graphics/branding: Design | By Eileen Fritsch

Some companies don’t have stores or offices, so a vehicle wrap might be their most visible and enduring form of print advertising.

Selling Brand Wraps to Small Businesses

B

rand advertising wraps can bring big results to small businesses—but only if the wrap design delivers a clear message that is consistent with the company’s other marketing efforts.

What happens when the vehicle wrap graphics you create for small business owners cause viewers to think your client is unprofessional or cuts corners on quality?

For your client, it can mean thousands of bad impressions per day and few sales leads. For you, it means your company gets blamed for overselling the effectiveness of vehicle wraps.

Wrap specialists should be prepared to handle the uncomfortable fact that some small business owners who are eager to use vehicle wraps as a cost-effective advertising tool haven’t yet given much thought to their logo and brand strategy.

Some come into your shop with amateurish, crowdsourced graphics that you know won’t generate the type of growthoriented results they want. Others may ask your staff to come up with a fresh design (regardless of whether it matches the graphics on their Web site, business cards, or printed collateral).

So unless your business employs experienced brand design professionals, your production team can waste valuable hours 44

SBI Branding // January 2016

making multiple design revisions while expensive printing and finishing equipment sits idle.

“Most sign shops are [adept] in the fabrication of and installation of signs and truck wraps,” says wrap design expert Dan Antonelli, author of the book Building a Big Small Business Brand. “But developing an effective brand is an entirely different skillset.”

Creating decorative wraps for car enthusiasts is much less stressful than creating functional graphics that must generate results.

“What constitutes a cool-looking wrap for a non-commercial application is typically the opposite of what’s needed from a commercial advertising perspective,” says Antonelli.

Too many small business owners overlook the opportunity to use wrap graphics to convey their company’s brand promise to the targeted audience. Some business owners design wraps that reflect their own personalities without considering whether it will attract the right clients.

Today about 50 percent of small businesses are home-based.

Many target consumers and specialize in services such as catering, photography, window washing, lawn care, event planning, signshop.com

Photos (this spread): Graphic d-signs.

How to end up with projects that look good, not bad and ugly.

electronics repair, pet sitting, and junk removal.

Since these companies don’t have stores or offices, a vehicle wrap might be their most visible and enduring form of print advertising. So the wrap must be as effective as on-premise signs in making a great first impression and communicating brand values.

“We have seen how effective wraps can literally change the course of a small business,” says Antonelli. “But without the foundation that an effective brand establishes, a small business is literally just throwing their money away.

“If they’re serious about their future, they should learn why a great brand will become their most valuable asset.”

When potential clients get a positive first impression, it’s much easier to control the message and brand story through other brand elements.

Here are a few ideas for winning small-business wrap projects that will uphold your shop’s hard-won reputation for quality: Partner with ad agencies or freelance consultants skilled in small business branding. Promise to refer some small business owners their way if they will sell vehicle wraps as an effective element of an integrated marketing campaign.

Sign-Tech (signtech-signs.com), a Cincinnati-based sign graphics wholesaler and vehicle wrap specialist, recently hosted an open house for designers at branding agencies in the area. The goal was to show them what’s involved in wrap design and installation.

“We understand that wraps can be a little daunting to sell. We had our designer, installer, and production manager answer questions about how we price things and how they should make up those prices when they sell wraps to their customers,” said Doug Jacobs of Sign-Tech. “We also talked about how we can work with them on the design and what to expect during the install.”

Dan Antonelli’s small-business ad agency, Graphic D-Signs (graphicd-signs.com), helps clients develop logos, brand strategies, and visuals for everything from vehicle wraps to market-

Visuals create an emotional bond and play upon the psychological aspects of the brand.

signshop.com

A request for an updated EMC leads to landmark signage.

ing collateral and Web sites. One of the agency’s heating-andair-conditioning clients reported a lead for a $25,000 job the very first day the wrapped truck hit the streets with the brand advertising graphics.

Don’t be afraid to politely decline poorly designed jobs. Offer candid but helpful advice. If you think the client wouldn’t be getting the most bang for their buck with a certain design, tell them so. Refer them to one of your design-firm partners and remind them, “We would be happy to do the install for you.”

To support this conversation, keep examples of well-designed wraps for small businesses in your showroom and highlight the types of results that some small businesses have achieved with standout visuals that clearly convey the brand promise.

Reach out to print shops that promote multi-channel marketing services. Commercial printing firms today do far more than print marketing collateral. Many firms now help clients execute omnichannel marketing strategies that include everything from

Use wrap graphics to convey the company’s brand promise.

January 2016 // SBI Branding

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Graphics/branding: Design | By Eileen Fritsch

Web sites, mobile apps, and email marketing to data-driven direct mail, in-store graphics, and tradeshow displays.

Although these printing companies have geared up to coordinate the marketing needs of small and mid-sized businesses, many are reluctant to learn the intricacies of wrap design, printing, and installation. But because many of these printing firms do accept responsibility for maintaining brand consisten-

Follow blogs on small-business branding and link to posts you think might help your clients. For example, in a post on the “The Branding Experts” blog (thebrandingexperts.ca), small business brand expert Dan Roach stresses developing a rebranding strategy before creating new visual solutions.

“Visuals, including your logo, bring the strategy to life,” he says. “Visuals create an emotional bond and play upon the psychological aspects of the brand.”

Use your company’s blog and social media platforms to educate small businesses about some of the advantages of building a strong brand identity from the start.

You can also refer clients to the new 3M Brand You online resource (3M.com/brandyou). It includes educational content and testimonials from business owners who have successfully put their own branding into action and strengthened their business in the process. 3M launched the site to help small business owners maximize their brand awareness and impact by finding marketing methods and applications that align with their unique brand goals.

Stimpson

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®

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ISO 9001 Certified • RoHS • REACH • DFARS Compliant 46

SBI Branding // January 2016

Inc.

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signshop.com

Photo: 3m.

cy online and offline, they could send your shop pre-approved, color-managed wrap designs that you could tweak and print for installation on the desired vehicles.

Graphics/branding: Project

Transforming Glass Into a Canvas for Promotions

all Photos: contra vision.

M

ediaCity, UK, has become a hub for film, TV, and radio production, and Contra Vision® BACKLITE™ is their promotional technology of choice. The installations with diverse and highly impactful graphics have brought not only the building to life, but also program production.

Both the BBC and ITV have recognized the opportunity provided by Contra Vision BACKLITE perforated window films and Contra Vision® Performance™ Translucent White Perforated Window Film (which enables the see-through graphics to be illuminated at night using back lighting from inside the building). The end-result transforms the MediaCity glass façade into a canvas for branding or promotional campaigns day or night.

Both organizations have studios in the complex and regularly use Contra Vision materials to create striking imagery that promote upcoming radio and TV programs, with the use of these stunning design concepts from The Creative Place, a multi-service design agency and print production house.

By using Contra Vision BACKLITE, The Creative Place transformed large areas of glass into marketing and promotional space that adds vitality and visual impact to the site, while maintaining through-vision for staff and visitors inside the buildings. A variety of creative styles leant themselves to the Contra Vision treatment here—from whole façade wraps to cut-outs of presenters or colorful images of characters.

For more information, visit www.contravision.com. signshop.com

January 2016 // SBI Branding

47

Your Direct Source for Sign Information 3 Easy Steps

Receive vital product and service information from manufacturers and distributors by completing the adjacent card or visiting www.signshop.com/infodirect

1. Choose up to 10 categories of interest and check off on card.

2. Select up to 28 suppliers and record InfoDirect # on card.

3. Mail card to start getting info!

Page

InfoDirect #

1

AdamsTech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

33

Southern Stud Weld . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

2

AXYZ International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

34

Stamm Manufacturing.. . . . . . . . . . 38

43

3M Commercial Graphics . . . . . . . . 10

3

Brinks Mfg. (Van Ladder) . . . . . . . . 40

35

Stimpson Company, Inc.. . . . . . . . . 46

44

MBS Standoffs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4

Brooklyn Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

36

Stouse, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

45

OSRAM SYLVANIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5

Coastal Enterprises Co.. . . . . . . . . . 23

37

Techno CNC Systems LLC. . . . . . . . 33

46

Outwater Plastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

6

Covestro LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

38

TRC Electronics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

47

Summa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

7

Duxbury Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

39

Trotec Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

8

Echod Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

40

US LED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

9

FASTENation, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

41

Vista System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

10

Fisher Textiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

42

VKF Renzel USA Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . 55

11

G2G Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

12

G2G Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

13

Gemini, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

14

Gyford Productions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

15

Hartlauer Bits, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

16

International Sign Association. . . . 25

17

J. Freeman, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

18

Magnum Magnetics Corp.. . . . . . . . 42

19

Matthews Paint Company. . . . . . . . . 7

20

Metomic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

21

Mimaki USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

22

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffic. . 54

23

Outwater Plastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

24

Rapid Tac Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2

25

Runnion Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

26

Rowmark, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

27

ShopBot Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

28

Sign America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

29

Sign Bracket Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

30

Signs365. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4

31

SloanLED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

32

Small Balls, Inc. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

InfoDirect #

48

Company

Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

Company

Page

InfoDirect #

Company

Page

Companies in Sign Show

signshop.com

Graphics/branding: Trends | By Ashley Bray

Profiting from Prototyping

Photos: (top) shutterstock.com; (bottom) jetcomp films.

S

ign shops own some big-ticket equipment, so the goal is to have the machinery in constant use and making money. In order to achieve that goal, shops are always on the lookout for new profit avenues. One such avenue might just be package prototyping.

JetComp Films (www.jetcompfilms.com) has been providing a line of films for package prototyping for almost nine years, but it’s had its eye on the market for much longer than that. It wasn’t until the technology and quality of UV printers improved and white ink was added that they saw a chance in the digital printing market.

JetComp first partnered with Mimaki, but they have since worked with many of the major printers, including Epson, Roland, Ricoh, Mutoh, and FUJIFILM. JetComp offers a variety of flexible films that are compatible with UV, solvent, and latex printing. (Note: For more structural prototypes, JetComp Films can be laminated to boards and other stock.)

Prototyping allows shops to go beyond signs with their P-O-P clients and gets them involved earlier in the graphics project since prototyping isn’t just for packaging—it can also be for product displays. “This gets them in the door to work with them a little bit earlier,” says Edhlund.

Existing Equipment Getting started doesn’t require much of an investment outside of the materials, since shops that specialize in P-O-P signage typically already have the equipment they need—a cutter, a laminator, and a digital printer.

“It’s just a matter of plugging the media in and then setting up the proper print profile,” says Edhlund. “There are print profiles that you can use that are readily available for you to start out with. We even found good-old, generic glossy photo

Fitting In So what sign shops should take a second look at this market?

Ones that do a lot of P-O-P displays are great candidates.

“If the shop’s involved in that point-of-purchase area, it already has some sort of a client base that’s involved in marketing and branding,” says Troy Edhlund, vice president of JetComp Films. “It becomes an added value that the shop can just do more for them now.” signshop.com

January 2016 // SBI Branding

49

Graphics/branding: Trends | By Ashley Bray

50

SBI Branding // January 2016

white ink and is good for direct printing, luxury packaging that calls for special effects (like varnish or embossing) and specialty-colored stocks, since the ink is laid on top of the film.

“The UV tends to print in layers, so it gives you kind of a textured feel,” says Edhlund. “Whereas with the solvent inkjet, it jets into the membrane that we have mounted on our films, so you get this smooth, even finish that looks like the actual product on the shelf.”

With latex, the ink is also jetted on the surface of the film but with less than a three-micron dried ink layer, so the prototype remains flexible and doesn’t have a layered look or feel. Latex printers also offer the largest color gamut and a white opacity similar to UV. (Note: While latex and UV can be used to an extent, solvent printing is the best choice for shrink sleeve packaging applications.)

No matter what printer a shop elects

The boxes/cartons were printed on Mimaki’s UJF-7151 Plus printer. Bottle labels were printed on the CJV300 Series cutter/printer.

to use, “the key issue is that you have the ability of printing white ink,” says Edhlund.

The Price is Right Shops may find that they’re familiar with much of what goes into package prototyping—except for the higher media price point.

“If you compare the price of our media to your traditional signage stuff, we are ungodly expensive,” says Edhlund, helping to put this into perspective. “But if you compare it to what prototyping has been before, you may spend $800-$1,000 for that one potato chip bag,” he says. “If you had the equipment in-house, you would use maybe about $8 worth of our media to make that one potato chip bag.”

So how does a shop price a prototype?

Edhlund recommends putting a fixed fee on the file prep work the shop will have to do on the front end. The shop should then add that to the media cost.

“If you’re supplying it to them in the flat, and the customer’s just going to assemble it themselves with double-sided tape,” he says, “I tell them to go ten times your media cost.”

For shops interested in more information about breaking into package prototyping, JetComp will continue to add resources to its Web site—how-to videos on how to do shrink sleeve packaging, how to assemble a bread bag, and how to do a stand-up pouch. Reference materials on professional sealing equipment are also forthcoming. signshop.com

Photo: mimaki usa.

paper will get you started.

“Otherwise certainly any of the clear PET window film profiles will give you a good base point to work with.”

On the front end, shops don’t need to worry too much about color management like they would for a typical sign job. This is a prototype and not the final product.

“When you’re talking about market research and client presentation, minor color shifts don’t seem to bother them too much,” says Edhlund. “It’s a digital output device, and in the solvent inks, you’re working with extended color gamut in the first place.”

That expanded color gamut is one of the differences between an eco-solvent machine versus a UV or latex machine. “[Solvent] will print finer detail,” says Edhlund. “If you take your average technology that’s out there now, you get down into six-point type, barcodes, etc.”

UV printing offers a higher opacity of

Graphics/branding: Products

Mimaki TX300P-1800.

New Product Showcase The latest equipment and materials for graphics providers.

Success in the graphics industry involves effort, skill...and a well-stocked shop that can handle all sorts of customer requests. Today this involves more than just pressing “start” and sitting back. The graphics field encompasses everything from large format posters and wide format wraps to promotionals and printwear.

The following is an overview of some of the newest releases from manufacturers designed to help further your print-providing endeavors:

Printers Mimaki USA TX300P-1800: This directto-fabric printer includes a high gap setting that allows printing on thin and thick textiles (plus woven patterns or raised fiber surfaces), while maintaining accurate ink droplet placement. The TX300P-1800 uses a combination of tension bars and drive rollers to maintain the appropriate tension for any textile used. Mimaki original Sb420 dye sublimation inks are specifically designed for exceptional color reproduction on either natural or synthetic fibers for producing flags, banners, fashion textiles, performance sportswear, interior décor, and more. Disperse dye, textile pigment, reactive dye, and acid dye inks are planned for future release.

888/530-4021; mimakiusa.com Novus Imaging ULTRA: ULTRA’s steel frame and high-quality components signshop.com

coupled with groundbreaking features (outstanding gray-scale print quality and auto masking to save hours of set-up time) deliver a state-of-the-art, built-to-last flatbed printer. This industrial-grade printer is available in three models and is field-upgradeable to allow for more capacity as your business grows. Advanced UV LED curing and ink technology delivers low temperature curing and reliability without sacrificing print speed, color gamut, ink adhesion, or media versatility. 603/250-1516; novusimaging.com OKI ColorPainter Printers: OKI Data America’s newly-acquired ColorPainter line includes a new grand format printer that delivers unmatched speed and quality on media up to 104 inches wide, plus two 64-inch devices (each with distinct feature sets). These flexible

devices offer vivid, high-density color for sharp, clear, and consistent output at fast speeds and a range of offerings to meet a variety of needs and uses within digital print environments. okidata.com Pigment Inc., P60i Direct-to-Textile Pigment Ink: Developed to be used in GoTx Direct-to-Textile printing systems and featuring super-nano pigments with a new latex-derived binder for enhanced adhesion to both coated and uncoated cotton fabrics, this eight-color formulation offers brightness, color density, and color gamut generally found with traditional dye sublimation and reactive inks. pigmentinc.com Roland DGA RotaPrint Attachment: This new attachment for the VersaUV LEF-20 flatbed printer makes printing directly onto bottles and other cylindrical objects easier and more effective than ever.

Simple to install and remove, the RotaPrint utilizes the LEF-20’s existing feed system, enabling it to print cleanly and precisely onto glass, plastic, metal, or ceramic objects with a diameter between 1.6 to 3 inches. Developed by DigiGraphics, the lightweight yet incredibly rugged RotaPrint attaches to the printer via a series of magnets. The RotaPrint does not feature any motors or electrical connections; instead it is January 2016 // SBI Branding

51

Graphics/branding: Products

RA4 silver halide display film provides exceptional color depth with excellent saturation, and its properties as a recyclable, green option make it an alternative to applications where Duratrans would have been required.

The wide format material provides consistently even lighting edge-to-edge to carry the illusion of depth. It can also be printed on an HP Latex platform. cmaimaging.com

DaVinci Technologies Easy Image Wallcover.

powered solely by the motion of the LEF-20, allowing for maximum simplicity and efficiency. rolanddga.com/lef/features

Software Mutoh Edition FlexiSign & Print RIP: This versatile sofware now enables users to see the pattern in which design objects will be cut and allows it to be changed manually or optimized by Flexi Design for the best speed. It also shows how designs will be cut with an animated preview; prepares all the finishing aspects of banners with grommet marks, folds, stitch marks, and bleeds in a matter of seconds; gives fast job nesting placement across roll or sheet-fed media; and gets designs approved quickly while avoiding confusion. mutoh.com

Vinyl & Media Avery Dennison MPI 1006 Featuring Hi-tack Adhesive:The Hi-Tack adhesive allows cast and calendered vinyl films to adhere to challenging substrates such as fiberglass, powder-coated paints, low surface energy plastics, and glossy or matte finish protective clear coats. Easy Apply air egress technology makes graphic installation on these surfaces (dirt bikes, boats, industrial equipment, etc.) quicker and reduces the likelihood of bubbles during application. 800/2828379; graphics.averydennison.com CMA Imaging Perfect Trans: This environmentally friendly alternative to 52

SBI Branding // January 2016

DaVinci Technologies Easy Image Wallcover: Installation of these digitally printed, PVC-free, odor-free wallcoverings is simple: Spray the wall with water, then hang the wallcovering.

Once applied to the wet wall, Easy Image is simple to reposition so that subsequent strips can be easily lined up to match the pattern or scene. It is also dry-strippable. Simply peel off the wall with no steaming and no scraping. This is made possible because of its highly engineered nonwoven construction. easyimagewallcover.com DreamScape Ravello and Terralon Smooth: Ravello is an Artist Canvas embossed, adhesive-backed, printable wallcovering, while Terralon Smooth is a PVC-free printable wallcovering for regular solvent, eco-solvent, latex, and UV curable inks. Terralon Smooth is made with a polyester/natural fiber technology containing over 31 percent recycled materials. It also features a Class “A” fire rating in a new highly breathable, recyclable wallcovering. The breathable surface (66perms) increases resistance to mold and mildew in high-humidity environments. Both materials are ideal for wall graphics, tradeshow displays, wide format murals, and P-O-P displays.

973/625-7923; dreamscapewalls.com

a bright-white base color and is able to diffuse light, creating more-brilliant window graphics with a wider color gamut. Additionally the film is reverseprintable, allowing window advertisements to be viewed during the day in direct sunlight or at night when illuminated by store lighting. drytac.com/viziprint-illuminate.html Graphics One FlipIt Max: This new transfer paper was developed for the OKI C831-TS LED transfer printer and is compatible with most dye sublimation blanks available today. FlipIt Max transfer paper enables users to print images for transferring to dye sublimation blanks.

With thousands of blanks in the market, a user can immediately offer far more saleable products to their customers. The process is much easier than traditional dye sublimation. Just print the image to the GO FlipIt Max paper and then use a heat transfer press in the same manner as a dye sublimation transfer. graphicsone.com MACtac® IMAGin® WindowVIEW™ Cling: MACtac recognized a newfound demand for a more economical window graphic solution designed specifically for shorter-term applications. The result: IMAGin WindowVIEW Cling offers excellent lay flat and sheet ability CMA Imaging Perfect Trans.

Drytac® ViziPrint® Illuminate: This highquality 4-mil translucent matter PET film uses a mechanical bond to adhere images to glass and other smooth, flat surfaces. With this proprietary adhesion technology, there is no adhesive residue to contend with during the graphic removal process. ViziPrint Illuminate has signshop.com

and is available in two options—clear (WVC199) for a see-through appearance or white (WVC109) for opaque applications. IMAGin WindowVIEW Cling provides wet or dry installation by even the most novice installer and delivers simple, clean removability with no chance of residue left behind.

866/622-8223; mactac.com Móz Designs Digital Imagery Collection: This collection has been expanded to include creative new concepts for signage and wayfinding displays for airport terminals, hotels and resorts, shopping malls, arenas and stadiums, and more. Móz Digital Imagery integrates the visuals of a photograph or abstract art with the textural grains of Móz metals for a unique multilayered effect. Images are printed on solid core and perforated aluminum (ranging from .040-inch- to 0.125-inchthick). Durable finishes are available in gloss or matte. Móz colors and gradients can be added to create a custom look.

510/632-0853; mozdesigns.com

FDC Graphic Films 9304 Series.

Fisher Textiles ETP 2319 Athletic Mesh: This material, part of the company’s Digital Apparel fabric line for dye sublimation printing, is made with REPREVE recycled yarns produced from recycled plastic PET bottles. ETP 2319 is

4.8 oz./linear yards and is comprised of 100 percent REPREVE Recycled Polyester and 100 percent Post Consumer Waste. It is stocked at sixty inches wide, and free sample rolls are available for testing.

800/554-8886; fishertextiles.com

Fabrics 3M™ Printable Fabric 9100: This printable material provides a durable, unique, and upscale finish for awnings, umbrellas, and sign flags. 3M Printable Fabric 9100 was optimized to work with EFI™ for VUTEk® GS3250LXr, GS5250LXr, and GS5500LXr Pro Printers using EFI™ VUTEk® GSLXr 3M™ Superflex UV Inks.

The launch of Printable Fabric 9100 also features new 3M™ Scotchcal™ UltraMatte Overlaminate 9025UM for it.

800/328-3908; 3Mgraphics.com FDC Graphic Films 9304 Series: The matte white surface of this polyurethane heat transfer film is great for print to textiles, and since it’s easy to weed, processing the film is hassle-free. The 9304 Series is recommended for use on 100 percent cotton, 100 percent polyester, and poly/cotton blends. The adhesive activates at 300°F, reducing the likelihood that fabrics will be damaged or scorched during application.

574/344-5239; fdcfilms.com signshop.com

January 2016 // SBI Branding

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

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January 2016 // Sign Builder Illustrated

55

“

SHOP TALK

B y A s h l e y B r ay

Northeast States Sign Association

Making a Difference

T

he Northeast States Sign Association (NSSA) has been busy this year. It recently held its 2015 Sign Expo September 24-25 at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island where fifty-six exhibiting companies across ninety-three booths welcomed attendees from all over New England.

“The quality of the attendees was terrific,” says Jean Gavigan, executive director of NSSA. “Exhibitors have gotten a lot of great leads and some sales opportunities.”

This year, the show included a Thursday night opening as well as education seminars and expanded demos on the show floor.

But NSSA does much more than bring the New England branch of the sign community together once a year. The ISA-affiliated Northeast association also aims to address the challenges facing the sign industry year-round.

“The two biggest issues ISA has identified that are facing the sign industry are restrictive sign codes and workforce development,” says Gavigan.

The NSSA has been at the forefront of dealing with restrictive sign codes since 2006, when the association began educating planners. Once ISA saw the success of the program, they got behind it and started offering planner workshops around the country and at regional APA conferences.

“Planners get no training or information on signage when they are in school. And very often,

it is one of the first tasks that they get handed to deal,” says Gavigan. “The reason we do these trainings and go to the conferences is we want to be an information resource to help planners all around the country.”

The NSSA also strives to make an impression when it comes to the future of the industry’s workforce. This year, they introduced the Elite program, modeled off of ISA’s own recently launched program.

“With the Elite program, we see an opportunity to identify young people in the industry that are involved and are committed to the industry,” says Gavigan. “Our hope is to work with them to outreach more to younger people and to be an example of the opportunity within this industry to grow.”

The association has also participated in the annual Sign Manufacturing Day. This year, Massachusetts member companies Poyant Signs and Steel Art showed students what the sign industry offers in the way of careers.

“I love when you hear the enthusiasm of the people who work in the shops,” says Gavigan. “That’s the best part of Sign Manufacturing Day—when the kids get to meet and talk to people who love their jobs.”

NSSA plans to continue its efforts into this new year and encourages shops to do the same. “The hardest part is finding ways to block out a little time to step aside and think about the future,” she says. “It’s really important to do that.”

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Sign Builder Illustrated // January 2016

all Photos: nssa.

A sign association takes steps to ensure the future of the industry is bright. signshop.com

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