Sign Builder November 2020

THE HOW-TO MAGAZINE

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

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ILLUSTRATED

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CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 2020

VOL. 34

NO. 304

HOW-TO COLUMNS

14

ENGINEERING A PANDEMIC RESPONSE

By David Hickey Keeping employees productive through a curriculum.

25

PARTIAL VS. FULL WRAPS

By Matt Richart Selling your client the right wrap at the right price.

DEPARTMENTS

4 6

10

Cover Photo: Ricoh.

38 40

EDITOR’S COLUMN

A recent economic report offers encouraging news, yet Editor Jeff Wooten denotes some areas that still need a closer look.

IN THE INDUSTRY

A massive LED wall enhances U.S. Government events center, digital printing brings football fans to the stadium, and this year’s PUA Product of the Year winners.

SIGN SHOW

The newest products and services from sign manufacturers.

SBI MARKETPLACE

Advertisements and announcements from the sign trade.

SHOP TALK

Chris Biscuiti explores how International Minute Press of Gastonia does their best to show that print remains essential.

32 FEATURES

17

An advertorial section featuring insight and input from the thought leaders of the sign industry.

28 32

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SPECIAL SECTION SBI VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY 2021

36

A CATCH OF A SIGN

By Jeff Wooten New digital sign is key to a successful reopening after a pandemic closure.

GOAL-WINNING SIGNAGE

By Ashley Bray A sign company provides a complete signage package for a new soccer stadium.

SIGNAGE WITH SELF WORTH

By Jeff Wooten A noted U.S. Veteran turns his attention to sign making.

November 2020

Sign Builder Illustrated

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November 2020, Vol. 34, No. 304 Sign Builder Illustrated (ISSN 0895-0555) print, (ISSN 2161-0709) digital is published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Subscriptions: 800-895-4389

EXECUTIVE OFFICES

President and Chairman Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Arthur J. Sutley 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005 212-620-7247 ; Fax: 212-633-1863

EDITORIAL

Editor Jeff Wooten 323 Clifton Street, Suite #7, Greenville, NC 27858 212-620-7244 jwooten@sbpub.com Managing Editor Ashley Bray 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com Contributing Writers Chris Biscuiti, David Hickey, Matt Richart

ART

Art Director Nicole D’Antona Graphic Designer Hillary Coleman

PRODUCTION

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers

CIRCULATION

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Publisher/West Coast Sales Arthur J. Sutley 212-620-7247 asutley@sbpub.com Associate Publisher/Mid-West Sales Jeff Sutley 212-620-7233 jsutley@sbpub.com Integrated Account Manager/East Coast & Canada David Harkey 212-620-7223 dharkey@sbpub.com Sign Builder Illustrated is published monthly. All rights reserved. Nothing herein may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher. To purchase PDF files of cover and layouts or hard copy reprints, please call Art Sutley at 212-620-7247 or e-mail asutley@sbpub.com.

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November 2020

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EDITOR’S COLUMN

AGENDA

BY JEFF WOOTEN

Note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, all events listed below are subject to change. Please check each show’s Web site for any cancellations or reschedules.

NOVEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER 12-13:

SEGD Branded Environments 2020 is the virtual event for the design of brand-centric customer experiences. According to SEGD, integrating meaningful brand experiences into places and spaces provides the highest branding return on investment to owners and their users. (segd.org)

An Optimal Outlook

MARCH 2021

Q3 offers encouraging signs...if they’re noticed.

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Sign Builder Illustrated

ISA released its recent Sign Industry Quarterly Economic Report (which assesses printing and electrical/digital sign suppliers and electric/digital and architectural signage markets) sponsored by the National Association of Sign Supply Distributors and developed in partnership with IHS Markit. It found that the U.S. economy was expected to come “roaring back” with a 33 percent GDP gain in the third quarter (https://bit.ly/2TgiHBK). The report notes that IHS has improved its outlook for sign industry markets in 2020 with some sectors of the economy expecting a “stronger rebound.”

However by the time you’re reading this, the growth was projected to fade to 3.7 percent. Reasons cited for this Q4 downturn are the waning of catch-up spending, the dissipation of fiscal support, and increasing COVID-19 infections.

The stark reality is that, according to experts, we’re probably not going to experience a traditional recovery or true return of confidence until an effective treatment or vaccine arrives. It’s going to be like the “up one wave, down another” gag from the classic Tweety & green-faced Sylvester cartoon. So here’s hoping you experienced a successful Q3 and will continue to rebound in Q4…and that floor graphics will become a little more heeded.

JEFF WOOTEN Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com

November 2020

APRIL 2021 APRIL 7-9:

The International Sign Association’s ISA International Sign Expo will be returning to a to-be-announced venue in Las Vegas, Nevada. (signexpo.org)

MAY 2021 MAY 16-20:

The 2021 LightFair architectural and commercial lighting conference and tradeshow, which will be incorporating new safety protocols and specific mitigration measures, will be occurring at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York CIty during the citywide NYCxDesign Week. (lightfair.com) Photo: Shutterstock.com/ Bakhtiar Zein.

I

know our magazine has made it quite a point to sign makers and graphics providers over the past six-or-so months (which, from an emotional angle, feel more like six-or-so “years”) that social distancing floor graphics are items that can be offered and provided to their business clients for implementation.

I’m not certain how the experience has been in your area, but here in my neck of the woods, I’m starting to feel maybe we should have provided this information to the general public as well, particularly if recent visits to a nearby grocery store are any type of small sample indication.

There were times I seriously had to dodge traffic and look down to make sure the wayfinding graphics weren’t gaslighting me. However I did notice that some of these floor directionals either didn’t stand out enough or just weren’t as myriad in number. (Then again, maybe some people are just going to people, regardless of what’s being posted.)

If you provide these types of products and you’re finding this a potential problem in your encounters, this could be an opportunity to get even more involved in the design process or to point out how quantity and quality should not be mutually exclusive.

Speaking of signs someone may have missed, what sign maker would have ever thought that social distancing floor graphics were going be a thing back in the first quarter of the year, much less still going strong here in the fourth quarter?

Another sign you may have missed:

MARCH 23-25:

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

OCTOBER 2021 OCTOBER 6-8:

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

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IN THE INDUSTRY

MASSIVE LED WALL

ENHANCES EVENT SPACE

F

ORT MYER, VIRGINIA—Conmy Hall, the historic events space used by the United States Government, recently underwent a significant transformation with the installation of a massive 144-by-14-foot Christie® CorePlus LED wall that spans the length of the venue. Spearheaded by The Bridge Group (thinktbg.com) and integrated and installed

by Quince Imaging (quinceimaging.com), the video wall is powered by a Christie Spyder X80 image processor with content management handled by a suite of Christie Pandoras Box solutions.

“Conmy Hall was originally built in 1934 as an indoor equestrian facility used

by General George Patton,” says Cathy Arevian, CEO & Managing Director, The Bridge Group. “But as the mounted 6

Sign Builder Illustrated

cavalry was phased out, the Hall was converted into a gymnasium and later into an indoor ceremonial area. It’s now the U.S. Army’s principal performance center, used for Presidential functions and military ceremonies as well as hosting multiagency briefings and strategy sessions.

“The Hall, which seats 1,200, also hosts U.S. Army band concerts and productions by the Military District of Washington, both of which are open to the public.”

Prior to the renovation, the space used two projection screens and large, vinyl-printed maps for multi-agency briefings and strategy sessions. “The equipment and processes became inadequate given the expanding needs and advancements in technology,” says Are-

November 2020

vian. “After conducting several events using large format rental equipment and projection, it became clear that the versatility available using this equipment was worth the investment.”

In 2015, the project began, as various technology and configurations were considered. “We knew it had to be stateof-the-art and configurable to meet the changing needs of the space,” says Scott Williams, COO, CFO, and Co-Founder, Quince Imaging.

The Bridge Group, Quince Imaging, and project manager VCB Events LLC designed and installed the massive 12-million-pixel Christie CorePlus LED video wall, which is divided into three sections—a center twenty-six-foot array, with a sixty-one-foot array on each side. signshop.com

SIGN PANELS USED FOR PHILLY MURAL

H

ATFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA— M u ra l A r ts P h i l a d e l p h i a re c e n t l y wo r ke d w i t h Laminators Inc., on artist Jared Owens’ newest inspirational mural, PhilaGuernica, which is located at 12th Street and Callowhill Street in the city.

The organization adhered the painted parachute cloth material to 32-by-12-foot 3mm D-Lite™ sheets on the surface of the wall.

Manufactured in the USA, D-Lite™ is one of Laminators’ thinnest panels and is ten times more rigid than .040 aluminum. D-Lite is comprised of a high-density corrugated polypropylene that will not swell, corrode, rot, wick water, or delaminate—making it perfect for all outdoor or UV-exposed indoor applications.

“This piece is particularly important because it was created as part of our Reimagining Reentry Fellowship program, which gives artists impacted by the justice system the opportunity to share their experiences through art-making,” said Mural Arts Philadelphia Project Manager Brian Campbell. “We hope this mural will be on display for the public to enjoy for a very long time.”

The center array is a pull-out entryway that is suspended on a trolley, which can be retracted with the push of a button.

Managing the Christie CorePlus LED video wall are two Christie Pandoras Box servers and one Pandoras Box manager.

“Pandoras Box also manages the buttons and houses the wireframes and templates, so a user can easily select one of a dozen looks for the wall,” says Williams. “We used Pandoras Box Widget Designer to configure these solutions.”

The Christie Spyder X80 multi-windowing processor manages the inputs from Pandoras Box and the output to the LED wall, as well as sending return feeds to HD broadcast trucks. “It also manages other displays at the facility, as well as camera inputs,” says Williams. “The signshop.com

Army has a HD truck that comes in on short notice, and they wanted a plug-in solution to augment the production capabilities in the building.”

According to Arevian, “The result is a magnificent, completely configurable, and versatile LED display that delivers an immersive experience and provides an amazing backdrop for the military ceremonies. The client is impressed with the clarity and sharpness of the images and the ability to have many standard templates pre-programmed and ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

Disclaimer: This press release is neither paid for nor sponsored, in whole or in part, by any element of the United States Government.

November 2020

Sign Builder Illustrated

7

IN THE INDUSTRY RICOH BRINGS FOOTBALL FANS TO

THE STADIUM

PUA 2020 PRODUCT OF THE YEAR WINNERS

F

E

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

“The fans make Longhorns Football what it is, so the thought of not having the full force of that cheering spirit in the stands was simply unacceptable. We needed to be innovative to deliver for our team, school, and fans,” said Chris Del Conte, vice president and director of Texas Athletics. “When we decided we wanted to have fan cutouts, we of

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course reached out to our par tner, Ricoh, to make it a reality. As we worked out logistics, it became clear we could produce the cutouts locally and put the proceeds toward supporting health and safety, all while giving fans a chance to show their pride.

“This [project] quickly turned from a morale booster to a true investment in the community—one that wouldn’t have been possible without our partnership with Ricoh.”

The program is already widely popular.

In fact, fans bought more than 500 cutouts within the first 24 hours of the promotion.

To support this high demand, Ricoh helped manage the overall process while working closely with Texas Athletics and UT Print San Antonio. This approach reinforced Ricoh’s ongoing commitment to growing alliances with partners and customers, while helping ensure collaboration between experts at each organization was seamless.

UT Print San Antonio prints the cutouts in-house on its fast, versatile RICOH Pro T7210 flatbed.

November 2020

AIRFAX, VIRGINIA- PRINTING United Alliance (PUA), the largest and most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in the United States, announces the winners of its annual Product of the Year competition. The award-winning solutions were produced by PRINTING United Alliance member suppliers and were available for sale in 2020.

Over 200 entries were submitted across 85 categories. Product of the Year judging was conducted for both output and non-output devices. For output devices, a printed target produced a scorecard that determined winners where some categories were determined by just tenths of a point.

Non-output categories were scored by a panel of judges, all experts within their respective realm of the printing industry. The diverse group of judges worked to identify the best products, many submitted in highly saturated categories.

“I’m proud to be part of this competition and to provide the opportunity for manufacturers to compete and showcase their products in this tough time,” says Ray Weiss, director of digital print programs, PRINTING United Alliance.

To view the complete list of this year’s winning entries (as well as a new dedicated virtual gallery), visit https://bit.ly/3nqQtlH.

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HELPING YOUR SHOP

GROW PROFITS!

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

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SIGN SHOW LAMINATING EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES

LASER ENGRAVERS

Protect Your Signage from Graffiti with New Marabu ClearShield Liquid Coating

A Closer Look at CO2 Lenses That are Designed for Cutting Acrylics

Marabu’s new ClearShield® Anti-Graffiti is an innovative liquid laminate designed for use as a protective coating on digitally printed signage, billboards, and banners that are at risk of destruction from graffiti. Graffiti can hurt business, impact the ability to communicate important messaging, and devalue property, and this amazing new coating provides protection from aerosol and latex paint. With ClearShield Anti-Graffiti, spray-painted graffiti can be removed with acetone or paint thinner without harming the printed substrate below. ClearShield Anti-Graffiti is a two-part, water-based liquid laminate offering industry-leading UV protection and chemical- and marresistance. This coating is specifically formulated for severe exterior applications where hardness, flexibility, and superior protection are required. (888) 893-4668; marabucoatings.com

A l i n e of d i re c t f i e l d replacement CO2 lenses that are especially designed to fit lasers used by sign- and trophy-makers when cutting different-size acrylics is now available from Laser Research Optics.

Laser Research CO2 Lenses feature focal lengths from 1.5-inch to 7.5-inch in 0.5inch increments that are optimized for 10.6 microns to match exact acrylic sign-making requirements. Designed to produce clean, crisp edges, the shorter focal lengths are ideal for making precise cuts on thinner materials, and the longer focal lengths are suited for deeper cuts on thicker materials. Offered in 0.75-inch to 1.00-inch sizes, Laser Research CO2 Lenses are A/R coated, while dual-band coatings are available to assist with system alignment. Conforming to OEM and ISO-10110 specifications, these drop-in field replacements are compatible with Coherent®, Kern®, and similar lasers. Copper and silicon mirrors are also available. Laser Research CO2 Laser Lenses and Mirrors for cutting acrylic are priced according to configuration and quantity. laserresearch.net

LED MODULES/TUBES/STRIPS Keystone Technologies Goes Outdoors with Its Fixture Line Lighting solutions manufacturer Keystone Technologies has now added outdoor fixtures to their XFIT fixture product line. The initial offerings include energy-efficient floodlights, traditional wall packs, full cutoff wall packs, and small low-profile wall packs. All are designed with features that both dramatically reduce SKUs and make installation easy. The compact, rugged design of the floodlights makes them ideal for a wide variety of applications. Lower wattage floods include yoke and knuckle mounts, while higher wattage fixtures include slipfitter and trunnion mounts. The traditional wall packs provide an easy one-for-one upgrade to LED, fitting neatly atop the footprint of the legacy product. The full cutoff wall packs also seamlessly cover the existing fixture footprint with an updated design, while hiding any unsightly marks and fading. The newly designed full cutoffs eliminate undesirable sky glow and glare with dark sky-friendly performance. The small low-profile wall packs have a contemporary, compact design and can be mounted virtually anywhere for general safety and security illumination needs. The floodlights and each of the wall packs are DLC Premium, making them eligible for utility rebates where available. They are all built with a Keystone 120-277V LED driver that provides 0-10V dimming and ample surge protection for increased versatility and reliability and are protected from the elements with an IP65 rating. KeystoneTech.com

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November 2020

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SIGN SHOW VINYL/VINYL FILMS

VINYL/VINYL FILMS

Get to the Core of Storing Your Vinyl Rolls with Image One Impact

Thirteen New Custom Colors Enhance the Spectrum of Lumina 3710 Vinyl

Image One Impact, a manufacturer and supplier of highquality products for the sign, graphics, and vehicle wrap industries, understands its customers’ challenges and helps by providing cost-saving solutions for them. One such solution that they offer is their MR16 Mobile Floor Rack. The MR16 Mobile Floor Rack features a three-inch core for storing and moving vinyl rolls ranging in size from twelve inches to sixty inches. It holds up to sixteen rolls of vinyl with a maximum total weight of 1,000 pounds. The heavy square tube construction enables excellent durability, while heavy-duty nylon casters encourage easy transport around the shop. The three-inch core MR16 Mobile Floor Rack is available in a powder-coated silver vein (black) finish. image1impact.com

FDC Graphic Films, Inc., has added thirteen new custom colors to their premium ultra-metallic cast vinyl film Lumina® 3710— diamond dust, coral, medium burgundy, wild card red, rose gold, desert taupe, lavender, dark blue, sapphire blue, breakfast blue, sea foam, dark green, and brown. Each of these new custom colors is available now. The Lumina® By FDC brand is known for providing choices at a great value such as this. Lumina 3710 is manufactured for use in general signage, RV and marine applications, automotive aftermarket graphics, and striping.

This 4-mil film offers dynamic graphic accents due to its large metal flakes, high surface gloss, and exceptional color depth.

Standard rolls are available in 15- to 60-inch widths as well as 12-by-12-inch standard size sheets as part of FDC’s sheeting program, which is ideal for craft and do-it-yourself projects. You can request a sample of one of the complete roster of Lumina 3710 twenty-two custom colors by contacting FDC directly.

(800) 634-7523; fdcfilms.com

WALL COVERINGS Two New GraphiTex Wall Fabrics from General Formulations Increase Your Coverage Options Peel-and-stick adhesive fabrics have a huge role in wallcoverings where non-PVC materials are needed or where the look and durability of fabric is required. Because of this, General Formulations (GF) has now expanded its GF Wall Film & Fabric portfolio with the addition of GF 253 GraphiTex Opaque and GF 295 GraphiTex Ultra to their GraphiTex™ repositionable/removable wall fabric line. GF 234 GraphiTex has been a go-to solution for over a decade in the graphics market. Building on the excellent printability and performance of GF 234 GraphiTex, these new offerings enhance your capabilities for wall decals and décor by adding the high-opacity and block-out features of GF 253 GraphiTex Opaque and the Type II Durability and brilliant image quality of GF 295 GraphiTex Ultra. The new fabrics are safe for all spaces with Class A fire rating and are in compliance with REACH, RoHS, and California Prop 65. GraphiTex products utilize a Repositionable Wall Adhesive designed for application to smooth painted drywall and are designed for use with latex, solvent, and UV inks. generalformulations.com

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November 2020

Sign Builder Illustrated

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SIGN SHOW 3D PRINTING EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES Large-scale 3D Printer Complements Mimaki’s 3DUJ-553 Fullcolor and 3DFF-222 Desktop Models Featuring Gel Dispensing Printing technology, the 3DGD-1800 printer from Mimaki USA provides three times the processing speed of conventional FFF (fused filament fabrication)-type 3D printers, producing a 70.8-inchhigh figure in just seven hours. Its assembly-based design enables creation of massive objects exceeding the size of the formation area, and its dualhead configuration provides for simultaneous output of two different structures, reducing production time. The 3DGD-1800 can produce objects with a hollow interior much faster than conventional 3D printers because it does not require support material for the interior structure, which can later accommodate infill material or be left open. The light-transmittable material lends itself to applications that are internally illuminated using LED modules. Software is included for effortless 3D object creation, and standard 3D file formats are supported. The 3DGD-1800 printer can be used to create interior illuminated signage, museum/P-O-P/window displays, channel letters and logos, interior design elements, vacuum molds, and more. Its surface can be decorated with output from Mimaki inkjet printers, offering a complete solution for 3D printing of large-scale objects. Specialty graphics producers can add a Mimaki 3DUJ-553 full-color 3D printer or a 3DFF-222 as supplementary printers for producing smaller, fine-detail 3D figures and models. mimakiusa.com

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Sign Builder Illustrated

November 2020

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SIGN SHOW VINYL/VINYL FILMS Thicker, More Stable Liner Improves Mactac IMAGin StreetTRAX Printing and Installation Mactac® Distributor Products has announced the availability of a new, thicker liner for its wide format-printable IMAGin® StreetTRAX® non-skid outdoor floor graphic media.

StreetTRAX (STX1528v2) is designed to produce outdoor sidewalk and parking lot “floor” graphics on unsealed pedestrian traffic surfaces such as concrete, cement, and asphalt.

The change in product construction replaces the product’s previous 60# polycoated liner with a new 90# polycoated liner. Upon adjusting printer run settings to meet the specifications of the new liner, printers will find StreetTRAX has better layflat and more stable backing. The new liner also ensures added stability and support for installers during graphic installation. In addition to the new 90# liner, StreetTRAX features a durable 13.5-mil outdoor stabilized white non-PVC film that is top-coated with a non-skid printable clear aggregate. It has an aggressive, permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive that bonds extremely well to flat or slightly rough concrete and asphalt surfaces. StreetTRAX meets and exceeds ANSI/NFSI B101.1 and B101.3 specifications for slip resistance/high traction by the National Floor Safety Institute— eliminating the need for an overlaminate and delivering exceptional high traction on either wet or dry floors. It is an extremely versatile and cost-effective solution for promoting high-impact images and other creative messages and is ideal for high pedestrian traffic areas such as marathons, races, parades, fairs, college campuses, sports arenas, entertainment venues, convention centers, and more. StreetTRAX has an outdoor application life of one month to one year and is printable with solvent, eco-solvent, latex, and UV-cured inkjet printers. (866) 622-8223; mactac.com/graphics

What’s inside matters.

DON’T LEAVE INTERIOR SIGNAGE OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. Customizable letters and logos, plaques and ADA/wayfinding solutions from Gemini offer endless possibilities for your customers’ sign projects, indoors and out. Our wide range of capabilities, materials, special finishes, coatings and color match expertise will inspire and enhance any project. Plus our superior service, tools and resources are available every step of the way.

Capture more interior signage business with expert solutions from Gemini.

Learn more about partnering with Gemini.

GeminiSignProducts.com/Interiors

www.geminisignproducts.com

signshop.com

US: 800-538-8377 | Canada: 800-265-0426

November 2020

Sign Builder Illustrated

13

HOW TO BUSINESS BUSINESSMANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT| |BY BYDAVID DAVIDHICKEY HICKEY

Engineering a Pandemic Response

H

arold Pedley, president and owner of Sign Engineering LLC in Puerto Rico, is accustomed to getting things done in-house. The company’s 102 employees handle just about every aspect of their vast business on their own.

“We are an old-school sign shop,” he said. “We still bend neon in-house. We do our permits in-house. We do our own engineering and architecture in-house. We even do our own fleet mechanical work, including diesel and hydraulics, in-house.

“We pride ourselves in that we have full control of the entire process—from project management to all types of fabrication and install all the way through to routine maintenance—all done by our full-time employees.”

Sign Engineering also does most of its training in-house. When COVID-19 struck, Puerto Rico was one of the first and strictest governments in the United States to impose lock-

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down orders. Sign Engineering wanted to keep its employees “productive,” so Pedley purchased a company package of ISA’s online learning.

“We started off thinking we were only going to do it for a few middle management-level employees,” Pedley said. “Then we ended up with about twenty-three employees in the program—from field supervisors to our Human Resources manager and vice president of Operations.”

They are hoping to expand it even more in the future. They developed a “core curriculum” of approximately twenty of the seventy-five courses, covering a broad variety of topics that each Sign Engineering employee is required to complete prior to moving on to additional courses.

After employees complete the core, they then begin to specialize in their area of expertise. After completing their specialty, they are free to take as many courses as they would like in whatever fields they choose.

November 2020

“The core curriculum helps each department better understand how the company should be operating as a whole.

It also creates a better dynamic between employees since they better understand each other’s jobs,” said Pedley.

To help with social distancing, the staff is rotating days in the office. As things return to normal, the plan is to have regular weekly roundtable discussions about each course so that employees can share what they’re learning.

Already, though, Pedley has found dramatic improvement in developing a more common language of communication and an increased understanding of the overall process of the company.

“The ISA program gives us the ability to provide a more formal education that, as a small company, we are not easily able to create on our own. It also gives us the ability to better cross train/expose employees to other areas of the company that they are not normally directly exsignshop.com

Photos: Shutterstock.com/Matej Kastelic.

Keeping employees productive through a curriculum.

RISE ABOVE YOUR COMPETITION

SIGN BUILDER

ILLUSTRATED

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

@SBIMag

Sign Builder Illustrated

HOW TO BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | BY DAVID HICKEY

posed to,” said Pedley. “People perform their jobs better when they understand the other roles in the company that they interact with. Exposing operations people with account management and vice versa is huge. It is much easier to relate with

people when you’ve walked in their shoes a little bit.”

The ISA online learning has aligned with Sign Engineering’s philosophy of investing in their employees. “We like to do as much training as possible in-

house. Before the ISA program, historically suppliers (and even our customers) had been our biggest source of education. With the support of the ISA education program, we are now able to educate our people in ways that were previously just not available,” said Pedley.

While the investment in the program was designed to keep employees productive during the pandemic-related shut down, Pendley believes it will pay off for the future.

“Our people are our greatest resource and asset. The average tenure of our over-one hundred employees is almost fifteen years,” said Pendly. “Many have been with the company for more than twenty-five years. In thirty years, we have never laid off one employee.

“Maintaining our employees is our highest priority. Better education will bring better employee retention, [and] better retention will bring higher quality and higher productivity. If you educate, empower, and retain your employees, you will also have a wonderful company and life.”

We have spent a lot of time focused on what the pandemic has cost us—and that is a tally certainly worth counting. But just as ISA has built programs and resources that will stand the test of time—such as receiving an essential business designation for our industry— Sign Engineering proves that, with the right focus, we can come out of this even stronger.

I have no doubt that Pedley’s employees are better trained and ready to take on what 2021 brings—and they’re even more committed to his company.

Sign Engineering’s experience should be a lesson for us all. As we look into the coming new year—with all its hopes, promises, and uncertainties—we keep our focus on the long-term investments that will pay dividends no matter what short-term disruptions come.

David Hickey is vice-president of Government Affairs at the International Sign Association.

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November 2020

signshop.com

AN SBI SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

2021

OF THE INDUSTRY

The Thought Leaders of Signage

Nova Polymers Preferred Fabricator AGS manufactured face shields to address the nationwide shortage of PPE.

VOICES 2021: ADA How COVID-19 Disrupted the Signage Industry

BY KELLY BOEDER (DIRECTOR OF SALES OF NOVA POLYMERS)

M

any industries were going strong prior to March 2020, and the signage industry was no exception. Backlogs were large, and sign shops were bustling (many with four- to six-week lead times on average). In mid-March, many sign shops were forced to close temporarily only to re-open 18

Sign Builder Illustrated

once they could prove they were an essential business and ensure their employees could work in a safe environment. Starting in mid-March, the following changes occurred in the signage industry that may be disrupters for the industry’s future.

The Quick “Pivot”…The Need for “Essential Worker” Supplies Most signage shops have a vast supply of different materials, substrates, and production equipment. Many sign projects

November 2020

are “custom,” and workers can design and make almost anything.

When COVID-19 cases increased and healthcare, grocery, and other industries needed workspace dividers, face shields, and other PPE, the signage industry was quick to respond and help. As soon as signage shops learned of local hospitals and industries in need of supplies, you could see and hear CNC routers cutting PETG, acrylic, and polycarbonate daily.

Assemblers were working overtime to fassignshop.com

tals/clinics, etc.

Signs fabricated by Preferred Fabricator Park Place Sign Systems using Wilsonart laminates. ten face shields and make workspace dividers. Skilled workers were now welding and cutting for new industries. Sign shops with printers were making printed floor graphics and temporary signage. All of this was in addition to making “typical” signs currently in their backlog. This change to the signage industry may be the first “disrupter” for the future.

Now that sign shops know how to make these products quickly and efficiently, it has introduced them to certain industries that were new to them before COVID-19.

Signage shops that were strictly supplying to offices are now working with hospitals, retail, restaurants, etc. As chaotic and uncertain as March and April were for many signage shops, the additional “essential worker” product manufacturing has added new customers and industries to the product offering mix.

Diversification of End-Use Customers/ Industries An additional disrupter for many sign shops was the quick diversification of end-use target customers.

For many years, certain sign companies only worked with specific customer types like hospitals or retail stores to stay focused and have lean production facilities. In March and April 2020, many sign shop owners learned that focusing on specific end-use customers can be detrimental.

For example, one sign shop that manufacturers ADA signage for office spaces has seen their business slow dramatically for obvious reasons. Over the past few months, we’ve heard from customers that now work with any/all customer types making ADA signs for casinos, assisted living, schools, hospi-

Sign fabricated by Preferred Fabricator Kroy Sign Systems using Novacryl® PT series Black PETG. signshop.com

New Products Driven by Labor Force Changes Prior to March 2020, many sign shops were having difficulty finding skilled laborers. Limited painters, CNC router operators, and designers have limited growth at many companies.

When the labor force was unable to work in-person in many sign shops, owners were scrambling to find other ways to complete projects and finish signs.

Products that were already available in colors, patterns, finishes were beneficial, and the use of these products have become more popular. For example, Nova Polymers’ colored products, such as our photopolymer PETG and laminate LP series, continue to grow due to no painting required. Additional colors will be added as more sign shops are in need of less time/labor used per sign.

The current pandemic has shown the overall flexibility and adaptability of the signage industry.

Sign shops were required to reevaluate their processes and quickly devise new ways to sustain their bottom line.

COVID-19 shutdowns and changes to businesses accelerated innovations in the signage industry in order to meet the ever-evolving needs of our target markets. Equipped with these changes, the signage industry is now prepared to forge ahead and adapt to the current and post-pandemic world.

For more details, visit www.novapolymers.com.

Novacryl® LP Series School Sign, from Preferred Fabricator Welch Signs, fabricated using Formica Laminates.

November 2020

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VOICES 2021: CNC ROUTER The New Trident Router Revolutionizes Signs & Graphics Industry

W

hoever said “less is more” was not a CNC fabricator living in today’s hightech signs and graphics world. More features and more options make you more versatile—a critical component to success if you’re trying to stand out in a competitive marketplace.

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This is why hundreds of companies around the world are proud owners of an AXYZ Trident router. Since launching in 2015, its hybrid and knife configuration has been offering customers unparalleled versatility and speed, unmatched by the competition. As new materials and applications become more popular, the demand for greater automation and speed is increasing. This demand for “more” instigated the release of a new Trident machine.

November 2020

THE NEW TRIDENT – BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE! The new Trident comes loaded with features that will improve production quality, increase productivity, and expand business opportunities—limited only by your imagination! Benefits include: 1.

Longer lasting tools due to a new calibration device. A new knife tool calibration device easily measures the length of the knife and corrects the signshop.com

and higher stroke length is desirable to improve the cut quality or to achieve high speeds.

Luke Hansen-MacDonald President, AXYZ angle of the knife blade. This saves loads of time by removing the manual setup normally required to qualify your knife tools. More importantly, your tools and consumables are kept in better shape for longer, due to the device’s ability to precisely correct the angle of the blade. An added bonus is that the device is compatible with all standard oscillating knife tools.

2.

Faster cutting with multiple knife options. The new electric knife on the Trident oscillates at 11K oscillations per minute and can be used to process rubbers, foam boards, and corrugated carboards at greater feed rates. Alternatively the router can be equipped with a pneumatic knife, which has a higher stroke length but lower oscillation rate. For certain kinds of foam, lower oscillation speed

3.

Easier processing of denser, more robust materials using a variety of high-speed spindles. There is a choice of collet-type or tool changecompatible high-speed spindles with horsepower options ranging from 3HP to 15HP. The machine can process solid aluminum, aluminum composites (ACM), high pressure laminate (HPL), hardwoods, and plastics with ease.

4.

Optimizes high-volume productivity with new tool changer. The addition of a new four-position tangential knife tool changer to the Trident keeps the router running continuously without the need for operator input. Simply program your jobs to use multiple tangential knives cutting tools and the machine will store all necessary parameters. Tangential knives are great at creasing or performing v-cuts or cutting textiles with the circular pizza wheel. The multi-purpose tangential knife device, alongside the new tool changer, brings a new level of automation to your business.

CASE STUDY: LANDMARK SIGNS Using the Trident to cut pre-printed graphics is much simpler and cost effective with a Vision Registration System.

For AXYZ customer Landmark Signs from San Francisco, California, adding this option to their Trident provided

them with the opportunity to create four very large portals with huge pictures of carnival characters for the Burning Man International Arts Festival (2015), located in the Nevada desert.

To create the portals, the Trident had to cut twelve pieces of plywood, each measuring four-by-eight feet. “We had to use the UV printer and camera targets and cut them out with the router,” explained company Owner Bill Stender.

Trident perfectly matched the camera registration, and the pieces were cut to precision. “All twelve pieces, when you put them together, fit perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle,” Stender said. “Before this, I was never able to have registered printed sheets to cut that matched so well.”

Since the festival, the company has been taking advantage of the larger area for cutting provided by Trident and its knife configurations, effectively eliminating the previous problem of size limitations. Stender believes that the Trident has revolutionized his company’s ability to produce cut graphics on practically every kind of substrate.

“I foresee an even greater range of products and services for our customers,” he said. “This has to be one of the strongest suits of the machine.”

CONTACT US To find out how the Trident can improve your business, complete the online contact form or call us at (800) 361-3408.

For information about tools, parts, and accessories, visit CNCShop.com and check out the latest promotion.

Trident Router.

THE DEMAND FOR GREATER AUTOMATION AND SPEED IS INCREASING. signshop.com

November 2020

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Sign Builder Illustrated

HOW TO FEATURE NAME

VEHICLE GRAPHICS BY MATT

BY RICHART AUTHOR

Partial vs. Full Wraps Selling your client the right wrap at the right price.

All photos: Digital EFX Wraps.

W

e all love to sell full wraps, but it can be beneficial to provide your clients with a range of different wrap options that fit their respective budgets, including partial wraps. In fact, you may find that providing partial wraps or die-cut spot graphics can be just as profitable—if not more profitable—than full wraps.

Clients may initially think that we only do full wraps and won’t touch a smaller decal kit or partial graphic kit. For this reason, it’s important to educate your clients on what they can achieve on their vehicle in terms of coverage area and pricing.

Getting Precise with Price We all get that monthly phone call from a potential client asking, “How much will it cost to wrap a vehicle?”

To answer such a vague question, I try to educate our clients by letting them

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know we can do five to ten different graphic packages for that exact vehicle depending on what it is they are looking for and what they want to achieve.

For example, if a client comes to us with a 2020 Ford® F-150 pickup truck

and would like it wrapped, we don’t just give them one price. We let them know that for $3,900 we could wrap the entire truck, or for around $1,500 to $2,300, we could do a nice partial wrap on that same truck.

A partial wrap can be just as profitable as a full wrap.

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HOW TO

VEHICLE GRAPHICS BY MATT RICHART If both of those options are more than the client is able to spend, we suggest doing a die-cut and cut-vinyl kit for $800 to $1,200, or perhaps a standard lettering job with two or three colors for $350 to $550.

Providing a range of options lets you know what road the client would prefer to drive down in terms of budget. Getting clear on the type of coverage the customer wants prior to starting the design process will save your company time with not only design but also production and installation.

For the first five years we were in business, we would just design before even knowing what the client could afford.

Eventually we got smarter!

it will be easier than a full wrap.

Design your partial wrap to avoid any difficult areas that may distort the leading edge of your graphics. An example would be doing a stripe kit on a wide Dually fender or trying to install a complex die-cut graphic on a bumper. The more

Additional Considerations Another thing to think about when helping your client decide what type of wrap to purchase is how many vehicles they want to have wrapped.

If you are dealing with a potential fleet account, going with partial wraps will allow them to spread their budget over many vehicles. Doing partial wraps for a fleet account will also allow you to ship kits and repairs out nationally, if needed.

The main issue we get into with partial wraps is when the existing paint color of the client’s vehicle doesn’t match the desired color scheme or design. This automatically requires you to cover all of the paint with a full wrap. Other clients may need a base color that matches their company’s branding guidelines, which will also require that the entire vehicle be wrapped.

Time is Money While doing full wraps will allow you the opportunity to make more money on the material side, such jobs will take a little longer to print and install than partial wraps or spot graphics (although some of you may be faster than others at installing graphics).

We don’t claim to be very fast, but we do know how long it really takes to achieve a high-quality install that will last. Keep in mind that just because you are installing a partial wrap doesn’t necessarily mean that 26

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November 2020

sneeze guards

you can educate your client—not only on what they should do but also what they shouldn’t do—the better off you’ll be here.

It’s also very important for clients to understand the durability and longevity of their wrap. In my experience, being transparent and educating your clients goes a

sanitizing stations & stands

partition walls & dividers signshop.com

HOW TO

VEHICLE GRAPHICS BY MATT RICHART long way toward retaining their business.

Tips and Tricks Maximizing your prints will save the client money and save your company material.

If you are printing with a fifty-four-inchwide printer, you can print both side pan-

els of a twenty-six-inch-tall partial wrap together. If you are printing with a sixtyfour-inch-wide printer, you can print both side panels of a twenty-nine-inch partial wrap together.

The “print and cut” feature on all of our Roland DG printers allows us to print/cut

EXPANSIVE

RANGE OF

PPE PRODUCTS

our clients’ Web sites, phone numbers, social media icons, and any other graphics that will match the partial wrap colors.

Sometimes you can even find a vinyl that matches your custom-designed print.

If I’m wrapping a vehicle fully, I always make it a point to let the client know that the hood and roof will not last as long as the sides. When selling a partial wrap, I try to talk the client out of wrapping the hood and roof, as environmental conditions (which vary depending on what part of the country you live in) can reduce the lifespan of the wrap.

When working with a fleet client, I try to sell a full wrap, but I also design and offer a partial wrap for the rest of the fleet to give them two different looks.

Wrapping Up Whenever a new potential client calls with a basic question about pricing, be sure to give them multiple pricing options to consider. Also require that they stop by for a vehicle inspection to set their expectations and really find out what they’re after.

In addition, make sure you are charging adequately for your time to ensure that you will make a profit. Remember, we’re all designing, printing, and installing “custom-tailored suits” for vehicles, regardless of whether the jobs are partial or full wraps.

With that in mind, price yourself to match your talent, skill, and worth!

Matt Richart of Digital EFX Wraps in Louisville, Kentucky, is an expert installer and a veteran instructor for Roland DGA Corporation’s “Born to Wrap” workshops.

& SOLUTIONS

Partial wraps generally avoid vinyl on the hood and roof of the vehicle. signshop.com

November 2020

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27

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

BY JEFF WOOTEN

A CATCH OF A SIGN

F

isherman’s Inn in Grasonville, Maryland has been a well-known, go-to restaurant located on the Chesapeake Bay for ninety years now. The main restaurant hosts seafood lovers year-round, while its outdoor dining area, known as “The Crab Deck,” is accessible from April through October (to take advantage of seasonal demand).

However this past spring, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the owners of Fisherman’s Inn to temporarily close its doors due to shutdown mandates from the State of Maryland. The

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closure came at an inopportune time, as they were just starting the process of looking to replace their very-long-standing flat readerboard sign (which was in need of serious repair) with newer, stateof-the-art sign technology.

Undeterred by the closure, the owners pressed ahead during this period of time to invest in a brand-new, doublesided identity sign that incorporates a combination of illuminated channel letters, custom cabinets, and probably most importantly, a Watchfire LED digital display. And this decision paid off for

November 2020

the owner when he was finally allowed to reopen this past summer.

The new 23-1/4-by-17-foot Fisherman’s Inn and Crab Deck identity sign includes the Fisherman’s Inn and Crab Deck logos above a 5-foot-4-inch-by-10foot-3-inch, 8mm high-resolution Watchfire display. The tight pixel pitch of the sign allows the restaurant to display stunning photos and graphics that showcase the meals and beverages they offer.

The changing messages on the Watchfire LED display over the various reopening stages have also allowed Fishersignshop.com

Photos: Phillips Signs.

New digital sign is key to successful reopening after pandemic closure.

man’s Inn to let people know that they have reopened, directed patrons regarding curbside pick-up and outdoor dining, and let them know when indoor dining became available. In addition to showcasing seasonal fish, Fisherman’s Inn uses the sign to advertise job openings and to promote its inside and outside dining options.

“When it came time to open the Seafood Market and Crab Deck, we cranked up the sign so people knew we were open for carry out, and then we were able to add messages when outdoor dining resumed,” says Andy Schulz, co-owner of the restaurant with his two brothers.

“When indoor dining was allowed, we advertised that Fisherman’s Inn was finally open. We couldn’t have picked a better time to have the digital sign. Customers stopped in just because they saw the sign and knew we were open.”

The new landmark sign was designed, built, and installed by Phillips Signs Inc. (phillipssigns.biz) of Seaford, Delaware.

This full-service sign company has been providing commercial-grade signage, message centers, and service plans for almost forty years now, developing a solid, good reputation along the way amongst its clients and the public at large. And the sign company has been specifying Watchfire displays exclusively now for twenty-five years, citing their reliability and support system.

Providing added visibility for this sign company has been their investment in TV commercials that promote their services. “The owner wanted an LED sign from the beginning and saw one of our televised ads,” says Ben Phillips, president and owner of Phillips Signs. “Since we feature a lot of LED jobs in our commercials, he gave us a call.”

Schulz did look at a number of sign companies and ideas before awarding the business to Phillips Signs. “I didn’t just want to plunk a message center in an old sign; I was looking for a new design. This was a big investment for us, and I wanted it done right,” says Schulz.

“We liked Watchfire because we knew the sign would be supported and the warranty is really good.”

Phillips has installed Watchfire LED displays at over 250 locations. He hands signshop.com

Cranes were used to lift the sign sections into place over pre-existing poles.

out a contact list featuring many of these end-user customers to any possible clients interested in their LED sign installations. “[Schulz] called some of those people, and they spoke highly about us,” he says, noting these phone call recommendations proved to be another big selling point in his shop winning this major job. “Another big selling point was being able to show him the actual 8mm display on-site using the Watchfire demo truck.”

Phillips says that, when it comes to sign customers, each one is different.

Some know exactly what they want, so his shop can have a project up and running in three to four weeks, if so wanted.

“The Fisherman’s Inn was a completely different animal,” laughs Phillips. “There were two brothers and a sister along with [Schulz] trying to make this decision, and everyone had their own opinion. We went through such an incredible amount of drawings and design changes initially that I was really wasn’t convinced they were ever going to commit.”

However Phillips admits that, in the long run, if you can pull out of the customer exactly what they want and successfully build and install it to their specifications, then a sign shop will end up with a much better project for their portfolio, which turned out to be the case here. “This sign has all the right

elements that give it that look,” he says, “and you don’t always get that. Some people just want ‘Plain Jane’ signage, and it’s much more exciting to provide a sign that has lots of thought put into it from the customer. “[Schulz] is the kind of guy that, if he was out on vacation or on the road and saw an element on a sign that he liked, then he would stop and take a picture of it and ask us if we could add that.”

And while Phillips jovially indicates that this sometimes led to headaches having to deal with yet another change, he appreciated having a customer that cared. Besides everything worked out in the long run. “A lot of times, it comes down to having patience,” he says.

Phillips Signs built the new Fisherman’s Inn sign as two sections, which they painted using Akzo Nobel EFX-LV Satin paints. The sections were fabricated from welded 1-by-2-inch aluminum tube with 1/8-inch aluminum face panels.

The top 8-foot-1-inch section holds the channel letters, a channel case featuring the new Fisherman’s Inn logo, and an 8-inch-tall halo-lit curved top.

Phillips Signs used Hanley LEDs and power supplies to provide this illumination. Meanwhile the 8-by-14-foot section below it hosts the 8mm high-resolution Watchfire display.

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29

The sections were built to fit on the three 20-by-80-inch existing poles for the previous readerboard sign. These poles could not be moved or resized because of zoning issues. “That gave us a starting point for the design of the sign,” says Phillips, “and everything was built around those three poles.”

Phillips credits his shop for having great fabricators and great designers. “I’m really blessed that the best ones in the area have migrated to my sign company,” he says.

All the channel letters were built inhouse using their Accu-Bend 260 and a couple of CNC routers. Meanwhile they attached the 8mm Watchfire Sign to an angle iron frame on the sign panel using the mounting rail system behind the display and bolted them together from within.

Phillips Signs started out the daylong install by removing the existing readerboard sign from the three sign poles.

Next they repainted the poles to match the incoming sections. Then they used their Elliot Equipment crane truck to lift

up these heavy sign sections and their bucket trucks to guide them into place over the poles.

“The customer had an existing panel on-site which made the installation easier,” says Phillips. “He also had an electrician there assisting us, so when the sign was done, it was ready to power up.”

Phillips credits doing extensive surveying ahead of time as being key to alleviating any potential installation problems upfront. “Because we went out and studied and measured the sign poles, we premade all the sections to be able to slide down those existing poles and welded them together,” he says.

The new Watchfire LED sign works even better since it is located in a perfect spot. “It stands at a main highway exit that comes out right in front of the restaurant, about forty feet away from the stop sign, which makes it very visible,” says Phillips. “And on the other side of the sign is an actual bike and foot path that the community uses so they are right

up on this sign.

“You couldn’t ask for a better spot as far as people being able to see it.”

According to Phillips, location also played an important role in the customer going with the higher resolution 8mm LED display. “Resolution is all about distance of viewing,” he explains.

“There are some locations I would never recommend an 8mm digital display because viewers wouldn’t be close enough to it to notice the difference. The client would be wasting their money.

“But this sign is just so close to the highway and by a stop sign, so drivers can really take it in. And the foot and bike path behind it puts those people right up against it. The clarity of the Watchfire 8mm display is gorgeous. It’s almost like a TV screen.”

And while the Fisherman’s Inn could have instead opted to save money by going with a lower-resolution 16mm screen, Phillips credits Schulz for taking the chance to really get some “pop” out of his investment that will last for years to come.

“He sees right now that he knows he made the right choice,” says Phillips. “So many people told [Schulz] that they didn’t know he was open until they saw it on his sign—and it has made all the difference in the world!”

The Fisherman’s Inn and Crab Deck is successfully using their Watchfire sign to get their message out to the public that’s affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However Phillips has found that, if anything, the COVID crisis has actually increased his digital signage sales.

“I think [digital signs] have become indispensable in this age of constantly changing rules and mandates,” says Phillips. “You’ve got to be able to get this information out there so the public knows where the end-user stands and what better way to do this than with a digital sign?

“A lot of my other customers with digital signs are so glad to have them because they can easily put this information out there.

Note: Portions of this article appear in a previously written press release.

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November 2020

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FROM THE

CROWD

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

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Sign Builder Illustrated

SIGN BUILDER

ILLUSTRATED

DIGITAL PRINTING SIGN PACKAGE

BY ASHLEY LORI SHRIDHARE BRAY

G OA L-W I N N I N G

W

hen the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky opened this year, it became the largest soccer-specific stadium in the region with a capacity of more than 15,000. It also boasts a standout, all-encompassing sign package thanks to Rueff Sign Company, Inc., also located in Louisville.

The sign company has done it all over its century-plus in business including neon, painted, electric signs, and high-rise installations. Today the full-service sign company has installed signs on nearly every skyscraper in Louisville, and it continues to produce custom creations of all types—despite hurdles like the current pandemic.

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“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us in a wide variety of ways,” says Carl Rueff, sales representative/project manager at Rueff Sign Co. Inc. “First we have all learned a lot about viruses and how to stay safe with this one in particular.

Second it allowed us to flex our resiliency muscles when [our] governor mandated a shutdown of all non-essential businesses.

We could only work on signs that were deemed essential or on construction sites.

“We had to temporarily furlough 75 percent of our labor force for seven weeks until businesses were allowed to start opening back up. Since then, we have continued to stay busy and healthy by following the state’s health guidelines.”

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In fact, Rueff Sign Company was working on the signage package for the Lynn Family Stadium project right through the shutdowns. It was brought in on the project after its request for proposal was accepted. “One of the main components of the RFP was a statement of qualifications, which I found out later was a shining factor in why we were chosen,” says Rueff.

“In addition, we also were able to provide a more cost-competitive proposal since we would fabricate all of the signs in house.”

The statement of qualifications stood out since it demonstrated they’re capable of working under time crunches on big jobs.

It also compared signage they had built and installed on other large-scale projects signshop.com

All Photos: Rueff Sign Company, Inc.

SIGNAGE

The signage package included letter forms and color-changing channel letters.

A sign company provides a complete signage package for a new soccer stadium.

to proposed signs for the soccer stadium.

(Note: You may remember Rueff Sign Company from our January 2019 story, “A Sure Sign Bet,” which covered their work on the Derby City Gaming signage.)

Due to a delayed stadium opening, the project went into overtime, with Rueff Sign Company getting approval in March 2019 and finishing the job in May 2020. “We waited until the soccer stadium was filled out and you could go and measure things, field verify everything, etc.,” says Rueff.

“We really started getting heavy into production in January, February, and March.”

While the majority of the signs were built and installed before the COVID-19 shutdown, the sign company still had a decent signshop.com

amount of signs that needed to be made and installed before the clock ran down.

“In order to complete these signs on time, Owner Bob Rueff, Foreman Alan Rueff, and myself (the project manager) had to switch gears and start fabricating and painting the signs,” says Rueff. “In other words, the remaining few employees had to buckle down and put on a few more hats.”

Rueff says working with partners on this project—Messer Construction, Hollenbach-Oakley, and Lou City Soccer—that were willing to find solutions made getting the job done easier.

As for the signage itself, the company was tasked with creating and installing every sign in the stadium except for the Daktronics LED message boards. “This includes all of the directional signs, ADA signs, branding signs for the soccer club, concession signs, naming rights signs for the stadium itself, etc.,” says Rueff.

Channel Letters. Rueff Sign Company provided three sets of illuminated channel letters reading “Lynn Family Stadium”— two sets on the east and west sides of the outside of the stadium and one set on the scoreboard. The letters spelling “LYNN” measure four feet, two inches tall, and the letters making up “Family Stadium” measure three feet, eight inches tall. The swooped logo element beside “LYNN” measures 10 feet, 3 inches high. The entire length of each sign is sixty-nine feet long.

All three channel letter sets were con-

structed from 5.3-inch black channel coil for the cans, which were hand bent. For the faces, .177-inch white polycarbonate with two-inch black Jewell trimcap was used.

Allanson’s RGB3 color-changing LED illumination system was used in the logo swoop as well as the letters in LYNN. Both elements can light up and change color separately from the rest of the sign. Principal LED Street Fighter Middleweight true white LEDs were used in the other letters.

Although fabrication was the same across the three channel letter sets, the scoreboard letters required some additional work. For one, part of the logo swoop rises above the scoreboard frame, making the backside visible, so Rueff Sign Company made sure both sides were illuminated. “It’s actually a double-faced channel letter with square-

Triad flex-face panels were installed on either side of the LED display.

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33

To install the channel letters, Rueff Sign Company used their 115-foot Sky Hook Crane and a Genie S-85 straight boom lift.

tube framework for rigidity,” says Rueff.

In addition, the gray background behind the channel letters and the Modelo logo at the bottom of the scoreboard wasn’t originally planned. But when Rueff Sign Company realized there was going to be no background to fasten these elements to, they got to work building a backer made out of twoinch-thick aluminum pans and two-inch

thick-aluminum square tubes. The backer was painted with gray Matthews Paint.

The shop mounted and installed the backer in sections to a 4-by-33-foot custom steel frame with three-inch square tubes that they also built. Two of these frames were also installed to the vertical I-beams of the outside of the stadium for the other two channel letter sets.

Scoreboard Additions. Rueff Sign Company also fabricated two sets of flex-face sign systems with triad panels for either side of the LED display. Each triad flexface sign was constructed in one cabinet from aluminum and measured 24 feet, 4 inches-by-13 feet, 3 inches. Each of the three sections features a printed flex face internally illuminated by Principal LED Street Fighter Middleweight true white LEDs. The tri-pans were installed using Rueff Sign Company’s 115-foot Sky Hook.

The Cerveza Modelo elements at the bottom of the scoreboard were fabricated in much the same way as the channel letter sets, except Rueff Sign Company used its SDS Automation Super ChannelBender.

“It was helpful on the little lions because those lions were really intricate,” says Rueff.

These elements were lit with white Principal LED Street Fighter Middleweight

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LEDs. Installers were able to stand on the roof to access the install site.

were then anchored into reinforced concrete with Hilti epoxy.

Letter Forms. One of the more unique elements of the sign package is the eight-foot tall letter forms the sign company created spelling out “Our City.” The “I” in city is missing to enable someone to stand in place and serve as the letter for a photo-op.

The faces are routed from 1/8-inchthick aluminum. The shop then custom formed the 30-inch-deep returns from .090 hand-bent aluminum using hand rollers.

“We welded the returns to the faces with 1/8-inch-thick gussets and inside retainers to keep them straight. We inserted the fourinch aluminum square tube into the baffles.

All of the components were welded extensively, and finally we screwed on the routed 1/8-inch-thick backs to aluminum angle retainers,” says Rueff, noting the letters were painted white with Matthews Paint.

To secure the sign, Rueff Sign Company used 3/4-inch-thick 6061 aluminum plates bolted onto 1/2-inch all-thread rods, which

Concession Signage: Makers Mark.

Rueff Sign Company also made a variety of concessions signs, including a sign for Makers Mark hand carved from 7/8-inch American White Oak in a nod to whiskey barrel manufacturing. The woodwork was done by Luke Stenson, who joined six-by-one-inch planks of wood together with wood glue. He used hand tools to create the illusion of hand-hewn lumber.

A penetrating stain was applied to the material, providing a rich color to the wood grain, then several coats of spar varnish were applied for protection.

The company bolted stud-mounted 1/4-inch-thick aluminum letters painted with Matthews Paint to the face. To install it, they used a 2-by-2-inch painted steel angle to catch the 6-by-10-inch steel square tube.

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Fifth Third Club. The club’s signage in-

cluded a two-inch-deep aluminum pan logo sign stud-mounted to the building. It features printed vinyl graphics with the 5/3 logo, which were completed on a 64-inch Roland SOLJET Pro 4 XR-640 printer/ cutter. A UV-protectant laminate was applied to the graphics using a KALA 1650 65-inch Laminator. It’s lit by Principal LED Street Fighter Middleweight LEDs. A nearly ten-foot length of channel letters runs down the side of the building spelling out “Fifth Third Club.” The aluminum letters were bent on the shop’s SDS Automation Super ChannelBender and measure one foot at their tallest. They were stud-mounted to the building.

The sign company is proud to be a part of a project where the signs have become landmarks themselves thanks to features like the interactive color-changing LED lights that can reflect holidays and current events (the sign was recently green for COVID). “We’re happy to be a part of such a big project that transformed the skyline and energy of our city,” says Rueff.

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FEATURE SIGN PANELS NAME

BY JEFF AUTHOR WOOTEN

SIGNAGE WITH SELF WORTH ing Street is one of the more notable districts in beautiful, historic Charleston, South Carolina. This street houses a colorful, personable collection of fine dining restaurants, art galleries, and shopping.

Speaking of “personable,” if you visit the Vintage Lounge wine bar on King Street, you’ll find, among the selection of cocktails, drinks, and appetizers,

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Sign Builder Illustrated

a glittering on-premise identity sign highlighted with halo-lit LED lighting that serves as a perfect spot for patrons to take selfies in front of to show that they are at the “Most Beautifully Designed Bar in South Carolina” (according to Architectural Digest).

This standout sign for this King Street hotspot was designed, crafted, and installed by Justin Myers and his crew at Signs By Veterans, a full-ser-

November 2020

vice custom sign company also located in Charleston. Myers and his designer happened to be visiting the open space at the establishment and noticed a fence with faux greenery on it. They approached the owner with the idea of incorporating a sign there that would add extra conversation and attention.

“The purpose was to generate a branded sign for patrons to take selfies at and post on social media,” says Mysignshop.com

All Photos: Signs By Veterans.

K

A noted U.S. Veteran turns his attention to sign making.

ers. “The majority of the design was already in their branding, so we used the [Vintage Lounge] logo to come up with the design for this sign.”

Signs By Veterans used a combination of 3mm Brushed Gold DIBOND®, 6mm Black DIBOND, and Hanley LEDs for this sign. They carved out the DIBOND pieces using their CNC router. “We then used 3M adhesive to attach the LEDs to the back of the sign and to stick the brushed gold letters to the black backer panel,” explains Myers.

To install the sign, Signs By Veterans used Gemini Studs and Pads as well as a two-part adhesive (for the studs and pads to stick to the back of the sign) to projection-mount attach the sign to the fence. “Originally the stud length was too short on the back of the sign, so the light did not disperse properly,” says Myers. “So we had to replace all of the studs with longer ones. We also added more LEDs to the back of the sign before installing it onto the fence.

This new selfie sign is not only a very high-end brand asset at the Vintage Lounge, but it also creates an even more positive energy throughout the venue. “They have become very well known throughout the food and wine industry in Charleston, which also happens to be one of the largest industries in the United States,” says Myers. “This selfie sign engages visitors and encourages them to spread their experiences here.”

Myers has experienced quite a journey on the road to founding Signs By Veterans. He is a disabled combat veteran who served for over six years as a Gunners Mate in our U.S. Navy. He is well known for his gallant actions during the 2010 pirate attack on the amphibious dock landing ship, the U.S.S. Ashland. His valiant efforts led to the first judicial conviction for piracy in over 200 years, thus gaining him the nickname “Pirate Hunter.”

Since transitioning out of the service, Myers has used his military skill sets to progressively develop into a sales and business operations professional in the civilian world. He attended Charleston Southern University, and today, he serves on its Board of Visitors as well as contributes to veteran scholarships that aid students venturing from military specialists to business professionals.

Myers soon served as vice president of TheSignChef. com, Inc., providing top-quality signage for many Fortune 500 companies, as well as over 190,000 small businesses across the United States and internationally.

Three years ago, Myers decided to resign from his position and devote his time to helping the veteran community elevate their lives. He started up his award-winning Signs

By Veterans company where he closely continues veteran development through selfless service for their clients. “I believe that generating purpose in veterans will truly decrease the suicide numbers down from the current twenty-two a day,” he says.

His self-proclaimed intonation, #ExcellenceExpected, is not just a hashtag but also a mindset for his company. “At Signs By Veterans, our expert team designs, prints, ships, installs, provides service, and repairs nearly any kind of signage and banner anywhere in the country,” he says. “We offer a standard fast turnaround, rush orders, and a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee on all services.” signshop.com

November 2020

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39

SHOP TALK

Caring About Customers Showing that print remains essential.

D

uring the COVID-19 pandemic, local business owners like Pam and Bill Joles of the International Minute Press printing franchise in Gastonia have worked harder than ever to adapt and serve their communities. Pam says, “We have always been right here, and we remain in service to our local business and community every day, all day.”

For Pam and Bill, orders from clients did not disappear since print is an essential business, and their full-service design, printing, and marketing center was allowed to remain open throughout the pandemic. Their “roll with it” attitude helped lift up other businesses who depended on them.

“There was never a thought that we would stop working on behalf of our clients,” says Pam. “We prepared ourselves for anything during this unpredictable time. We don’t have a big team, but we

talk every day about area challenges and solutions and finding new ways to keep COVID-19 guidelines respected and orders coming in.”

When International Minute Press in Gastonia received a rush order from local schools for thousands of educational packets, they jumped right in to help.

“Everything was shutting down when the school system came to us and told us, on a Saturday morning, that they needed educational packages together

by Monday,” says Pam, noting this was the defining moment for their business and showed just how essential printing can be for the local community.

Her team worked back-to-back twelvehour weekend shifts with all of the latest print technology up and running. By Monday morning, thousands of packages were ready on behalf of area children.

Pam also signed up with “Reboot, Recover, Rebuild” (R3) and is listed

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

Print & Digital versions: 1 year US/Canada/Mexico $50.00; foreign $99.00.

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

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For Subscriptions, & address changes, Please call (US Only) 1-800-553-8878 (CANADA/INTL) 1-319-364-6167, Fax 1-319-364-4278, e-mail signbuilder@

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

November 2020

under “marketing services” in Gaston County. “The R3 Program is funded by a North Carolina State grant through community colleges,” she says. “We are providing marketing strategy counseling so small business owners can get their products and services out in the marketplace, starting with branded door hangers, EDDM, rack cards, flyers, coupons, and brochures.

“It doesn’t pay a lot, but we are building ties by getting to know new people and adding more all the time. I advise people to sign up for R3 for their own savings if they call us first. Then we help them build up their business strategy right away.”

For example, a local tire company came to Pam for advice, and she told them to expand on the use of branded hand sanitizer. “They are giving out hand sanitizer with their logo along with service cards with the promise that customers can return and refill the empty bottles from a dispenser in the shop,” she says. “This way, people are returning to their location regularly. He ordered 500, and people are loving the idea.”

As the sun starts to shine on the new business day, Pam and Bill help shape it. “Face masks, shields, and gloves are going to be part of apparel for a while, so most businesses are smart to have it all tell their company stories. Companies, colleges, and local schools will have more spirit and success with their logos imprinted on PPE when possible.”

Pam says they are following government guidelines and even looking ahead on behalf of the people in their area. “We will be making customized labels using our dye sublimation machines and wide format printers to create face shields,” she says. “The addition of these shields is helpful behind the counter and maybe even to make eye-to-eye networking possible sooner.” stamats.com, or write to: Sign Builder Illustrated, Simmons-Boardman Publ.

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

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

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

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Photo: International Minute Press in Gastonia.

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