TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Month’s SBI Trivia Question Stumper:
What company is the first in the industry to install digital billboards for 100 customers?
For the answer, scroll to the bottom of the newsletter.
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Industry News
[[HOT TOPIC]] Lucite® Acrylic Preserves Ronald McDonald House Memories
Lucite® Acrylic has many applications, but it is being used for a special project in conjunction with the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis, Tennessee. The House provides a “home-away-from-home” for children and families receiving care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Lucite International (www.lucite.com) has donated clear Lucite acrylic squares for children to put their handprints on. The art is decorated, framed, and placed throughout the House as a way to help remember their time there. “The kids and their families are our main focus,” says Caron Byrd, executive director. “However, with an average occupancy rate of 98%, maintaining the House is a big priority for our staff, as well. Not long ago we started looking for an alternative way to capture the kid’s handprints, so that we could repaint the walls from time to time.”
The acrylic squares offered the chance to create a long-lasting, artistic reminder of the kids’ time at the House, as well as allow for routine maintenance and upkeep without erasing any of those memories.
Earlier this year, Lucite International employees Lenore Torres, marketing assistant, and Jane Nash, LuciteLux Sales, toured the House. “We were so moved by the fact that our product is being used by these brave children to capture their memories,” says Torres. “Of the many beautiful products created from Lucite acrylic all over the world, perhaps none carry as much emotion as these handprints.”
DSF Offers Educational Initiatives for QSR Operators
New FDA menu regulations have many Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) slowing down to take a second look. The regulations require operators to publish nutritional and calorie information on menu boards. Although the guidelines won’t be finalized until March 2011, and they only apply to chains with twenty or more locations, those watching the legislation suggest that there will be an “opt-in” program requiring owners with less than twenty locations to file with the FDA.
As a result of these new regulations, the Digital Signage Federation (DSF) has launched an initiative reaching out to chain restaurant operators and offering assistance in understanding how digital signage can help them find affordable business solutions to deal with the new FDA menu regulations.
The DSF will have a page on its Web site where restaurant operators can familiarize themselves with the basic benefits of digital signage, consult a brief checklist overview of what to consider in the purchase process of digital menu boards, and have the option of posting general questions to DSF’s Advocacy & Outreach-Committee to help point them in the right direction.
“We want to help facilitate the business discussion between chain restaurant operators and our members and make it easy for those who will be affected by this legislation to understand that there is a cost-effective solution,” said Jack Sullivan, chairman of the DSF Advocacy & Outreach Committee, “they can educate themselves, have the questions in-hand that they need to ask, and contact any of our members, all online on the Digital Signage Federation Web site.”
To view this information, visit http://bit.ly/dx1j3y and www.digitalsignagefederation.org.
CAO Group Lights Up Running Aces Harness Park
The CAO Group Inc. (CAO) leant some shine to the new Running Aces Harness Park highway sign in Columbus, Minnesota with its Dynasty® S14 LED lamp.
The high-profile, outdoor, flashing marquee sign measures 38 feet wide-by-16 feet high and uses nearly 2000 Dynasty S14 LED lamps. It was completed in July and has the capabilities to flash and chase.
Thanks to the LED lamps, the sign is also energy-efficient. “The Dynasty S14 LED lamp will save Running Aces more than 80 percent of the energy and last eight to ten times longer when compared to incandescent lamps. The retrofit was as easy as untwisting the old and twisting in the new Dynasty,” said Kerry Moore, LEED AP, general manager of Solid State Lighting Division of CAO. “The new Running Aces sign will save a lot of money in energy and maintenance in coming years.”
These features plus Dynasty S14’s four-year warranty made the LED lamps the right choice for SignArt Company, the sign company who handled the project. Brightway Supply Company, a local distributor for CAO LED products, recommended the product to SignArt. “We were trying to come up with a product that would mimic traditional chase-lights but have the minimal energy use and longevity of LEDs. The CAO product was the only one we could find that offered a suitable warranty and had any type of reliable track record,” said Kevin Snyder of SignArt. “CAO came through with the quantities we needed and in the time-frame the customer required.”
For more information, visit www.caogroup.com.
Mutoh Offered Live Wrap Demonstrations at SEMA
The SEMA Las Vegas 2010 tradeshow recently wrapped up in Las Vegas, and during the show Mutoh (www.mutoh.com) hosted live vehicle wrap demonstrations by Sign-A-Rama that drew in large crowds.
“Mutoh had one of the busiest booths at the show! Performing car wrap demonstrations drew in the crowd and helped us gain new clientele,” said Ashley Robbins, owner of Sign-A-Rama in Redding, California.
The wraps used for the demonstrations were printed using SAi RIP software on Avery Dennison’s MPI 1005 Supercast Easy Apply RS. The material was then run through a Neschen Americas SEAL laminator to give the product a sharp, clear look.
Also on display at the show were Mutoh’s ValueJet 1614 64-inch “The Wrapper’s Choice” printer, as well as its ValueJet 1304 54-inch printer, which features Patented Intelligent Interweave Printing that eliminates banding and uses Eco-Ultra inks. Mutoh’s new Kona Cutters, which allow for easy vinyl handling and the finest cutting quality, were also at the show.
First :Anapurna M 2050 Printer from Agfa Sold in North America
Agfa Graphics (www.agfa.com) announced that Digital Reprographics Solutions, Inc. (DRS) (www.digitalreprographics.net) in Doylestown, Pennsylvania is the first company in North America to purchase the :Anapurna M 2050.
A high-speed, six-color plus white, UV-curable inkjet printer, the :Anapurna M 2050 printer is designed to give users a cost-effective solution for display printing. It has eight print heads, 8192 nozzles, and the ability to print both uni- and bi-directional modes without compromising speed or quality. With a maximum resolution of 1440 dpi and a print output of 247 feet2/hour, the :Anapurna M 2050 accommodates rigid materials up to 6.5 feet-by-9.5 feet and rolls up to 6.5 feet wide.
:Anapurna M 2050 will provide DRS with expanded capabilities for color reproduction with greater efficiency, and the ability to offer competitive pricing.
Sign Biz Contributes to Operation Finally Home
Operation Finally Home is an effort to give injured Iraq and Afghanistan veterans homes of their own—mortgage free. Led by homebuilder Dan Wallrath, Operation Finally Home has built nine new custom homes and has ten more planned or under construction. Recently, the international Sign Biz Network (www.signbiz.com), an organization of more than 180 brick-and-mortar sign companies, joined the cause and is contributing to the effort.
“Our entrepreneurs and their graphic designers and other team members have joined together in this cause, and we are grateful for Don Smith, our business owner in McKinney, TX and owner of Imagination SIGNworks, for pointing us in this direction. This hits home, for all of us,” said Teresa M. Young, president and CEO of Sign Biz, Inc.
Most recently, Operation Finally Home helped retired U.S. Army Sgt. Alexander Reyes and his wife by giving them a home. Reyes sustained severe blast injuries that led to his medical discharge and ended his dream of a military career.
“As part of the Sign Biz Network for the past two decades, I experience firsthand the power of this chain to improve the world around us,” said Young. “We will answer this call, for some 38,000 returning war veterans who are injured and need our help. We can support each event, across the country, that raises awareness of this worthy effort.”
Businesses and donors interested in contributing to Support Our Troops/Operation Finally Home can visit www.babasupport.org.
Recognitions & Awards
International Sign Association
Five companies have received the Gold Level for Excellence in Education through ISA’s International Sign Academy: CNP Signs & Graphics (San Diego, Calif).; Color-Ad, Inc. (Manassas, Va.); Sure Light Sign Company (Elgin, Ill.); Canedy Sign & Graphics (Cape Girardeau, Mo.); and Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) (Salt Lake City, Utah).
The companies each earned between 51 and 75 Professional Development Units (PDUs) through participation in ISA educational programming. In addition, twenty companies have reached Silver Level, while more than sixty have achieved Bronze Level.
Each PDU earned is based on the amount of time required for completion of a course, as well as the level of interaction required by the course. “This is truly a remarkable achievement for all of these companies, but especially those that have received the Gold Level,” said Tracey Cook, ISA director of Education and Communications. “It definitely shows their commitment to ensuring that their employees excel in all facets of the sign industry.”
For more information about ISA’s education offerings, visit www.signexpo.org.
Specialty Graphic and Imaging Association
SGIA (www.sgia.org) presented the Howard A. Parmele Award to Michel Caza, owner of Michel Caza Erul, at the 2010 SGIA Expo’s Thursday Night Dinner Party. An industry veteran for more than 50 years, Caza was selected for his extensive contribution to screen printing and the SGIA community.
WAC Lighting
WAC Lighting (www.waclighting.com) has received two Best of the Best Awards from tED Magazine and the NAED—one for Brand Awareness and one for Merchandising.
The Brand Awareness award was presented to WAC for its Responsible Lighting campaign, which consisted of responsible citizenship, responsible production, and a “Responsible Lighting Defined” ad campaign.
The award for Merchandising was awarded to WAC for its versatile point-of-purchase display boards as well as for its countertop and other in-store merchandisers that feature product demonstrations and literature.
New Appointments
CET Color has hired Kevin Howes as West Coast Sales and Marketing director. Howes will be responsible for developing new markets and assisting an ever-expanding network of value-added resellers in that region.
HP has appointed Gail Galuppo as senior vice president of Worldwide Strategy and Marketing for the Imaging and Printing Group (IPG). Galuppo will lead IPG’s marketing strategy, planning and execution on a global basis across all customer segments and the group’s four business units.
MACtac® has promoted Ed LaForge to vice president of sales and marketing for MACtac North America. LaForge previously held the position of vice president of marketing for North America. In his expanded position, he will oversee the sales operations for MACtac North America through account planning, customer relationship development, and new business development.
Mutoh America Inc. has appointed Michelle Pugh as the newest marketing coordinator. She will be responsible for coordinating tradeshows and Mutoh’s Hands-On School of Wrap. Previously, Pugh worked for IKEA Tempe.
SEGD has named Jessica London the new Chief Executive Officer. London previously spent four years leading the French Heritage Society, and before that she served as vice president of Capital Campaign & External Affairs for the Museum of Arts & Design in New York. In addition, she has held leadership roles at a number of institutions.
SGIA has made numerous appointments to its Board of Directors. Michael C. Mockridge was named Chairman for the 2011 Board of Directors. Also appointed were First Vice Chairman Gordon Brown of New Vista Image; Second Vice Chairman Lynn Krinsky of Stella Color; and Third Vice Chairman Pete Gallo of Vista Color Imaging. Elected to a three-year term on the Board are Claudia Barbiero, Hewlett Packard Company; Christopher Bernat, Vapor Apparel/Source Substrates; Christopher Howard, Durst Image Technology US LLC; Bill Kujawa, GFX International; and Steve Urmano, Mimaki USA Inc.
W2 Architectural Lighting has appointed Kenneth Neppach to eastern regional sales manager. Neppach will work closely with architects, designers, and specifiers to develop innovative lighting solutions as well as coordinate the activities of the company’s eastern commercial and specification sales agencies. Timothy Vislay was also appointed to western regional sales manager, and he will oversee the sales activities in the western region.
Meetings and Events
DECEMBER
December 2-4: The USSC’s Sign World International event will be conducted at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. For further information, check out www.ussc.org/main_signworld.html.
December 9-11: Take part in the last Hands-On School of Wrap Class for 2010 with professional car wrapper Justin Pate. Classes are sponsored by Avery Dennison, and there will be a two-day beginner class and a one day advanced class. Students will leave with an in-depth understanding of graphic installation mechanics and a competitive advantage in the vehicle wrap industry. To register, visit www.mutohcarwraps.com/mutohschoolofwrap.html.
FEBRUARY
February 22-25: Digital Signage Expo (DSE), the world’s largest International Tradeshow and Conference dedicated to digital signage, interactive technology, and digital out-of-home networks (DOOH), is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more about this event, be sure to visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.
February 24-26: The Printing Association of Florida is pleased to announce that, for the first time ever, the Graphics of the Americas (GOA) Expo & Conference will be held in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center. For additional details or to register, call 800/331-0461 or log on to www.GOA2010.com.
February 24-26: FESPA Americas 2011, the first FESPA-branded exhibition to take place in North America, will run alongside the established Graphics of the Americas (GoA) show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. To learn more, check out www.fespa.com.
Sponsored Links
Chief Enterprises — Chief Enterprises, Inc. introduces the Little Lok 1200 fastening machine. The Little Lok 1200 fastens up to 6” deep channel letters, with UL recognized tooling. Also, aluminum coil and steel sign blanks! www.chief-mm.com
Radocy Inc. — For over 50 years, Radocy Inc. has been a sign industry source for telescopic cranes that are user friendly, cost effective and dependable.
www.radocy.com
This Month’s Trivia Answer:
The first company to install digital billboards for 100 customers is Watchfire Digital Outdoor. The 100th customer was GR Outdoor of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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For in-depth coverage of these topics and other sign industry topics, check out
www.signshop.com
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS:
Coming up in the December USSC Show 2010 issue of
Sign Builder Illustrated,
feature articles on:
ADA Codes
Channel Letters Installation
CNC Router Production
Digital Printing Hardware
EMC Installation
Gold Leaf Materials
Sign Cabinet Lighting
Service Equipment- Aerial Platforms/Cranes
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS and SUBSCRIBERS:
Coming up in the January 2010 issue of
Sign Builder Illustrated,
feature articles on:
Dye Sublimation Digital Printing
Channel Letter Lighting
Spray Paints
Sign Supplier Businesses
Vehicle Graphics Installation
Supplement: Going Green
Contact your ad sales representative to reserve your space today.
As the premier e-newsletter for the sign industry, SBI Update encourages readers to send feedback on what you like, what you’d like to see, and any other comments you might have. To do so, send an e-mail to Associate Editor Ashley Bray at [email protected].
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© 2010 Simmons-Boardman Publishing
345 Hudson St., 12th Floor • New York, NY 10014
212-620-7200
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Tetra PowerStrip LED Lighting System Tetra PowerStrip LED Lighting System from GE Lighting Solutions replaces fluorescent tubes in box signs. This new mounting system makes installation easier than ever in single and double-sided box signs. Tetra PowerStrip and Tetra PowerStrip DS also help sign owners slash energy costs by up to 83% over T12HO fluorescent and drastically reduces maintenance expenses by lasting up to 4 times longer than fluorescent. Tetra PowerStrip |
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Get New Clients with ADA Signs Welcome to the most powerful sign engine on the Web – signmojo.com! We have over 30 sign styles, 56 sign colors, and over 1,800 products. Customize, proof, and order your signs online; it’s that simple! Plus, most of our orders ship in 10 days or less. Connect with new customers, expand your business, and be open 24/7. Go to www.signmojo.com/signup to register. By adding our “Registered Distributor” link, you and your customers can place orders. We make the signs and then send you a check! For more information, visit www.signmojo.com/signup or call 800-348-1349.
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Stimpson Self-Piercing Grommets and Washers Stimpson Self-Piercing Grommets when set with their matching washers, pierce and set in a single action without the need for a pre-punched hole. Stimpson Self-Piercing Grommets and Washers are available in brass and can be furnished with a nickel or dull black chemical finish. They can be set with Stimpsons No Hole Needed tooling or with the existing self-piercing tooling widely available in the marketplace. Stimpson Grommets and Washers are unmatched for quality and supported by on-time delivery and attractive pricing. Please call one of our Customer Service Representatives at 877-765-0748 or visit:
Stimpson
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Sign America Inc. specializes in illuminated channel letters and custom shapes, non-illuminated flat cut letters, and graphics. We are continually upgrading our Richmond, OH 30,000 sq. ft. plant with state of the art equipment and materials. Sign America has an experienced workforce along with outstanding customer service. We serve all U.S. states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. To learn more, click: Sign America Inc. USSC Booth #724 |
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Cutting out digital prints has never been easier! With the MultiCam MultiVision Digital Registration System, easily cut print files without worrying about image rotation or distortion. One of the easiest digital registration systems to use, MultiVision lets your business speed up workflow without sacrificing quality. 972/929-4070. To learn more, click here: MultiCam USSC–MultiCam East Booth #529 |
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Laser Technology for Everyday Business Needs Universal Laser Systems® offers a broad range of customizable laser cutting, marking, imaging and engraving solutions for signage, dimensional letters and more. Systems are designed to grow with you as your business expands. See us at USSC Sign World International in Atlantic City – booth 431. Configure your system online at www.ulsinc.com! For more information, email [email protected]. ULS |
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Introducing the new AVS AXYZ Vision System. This all-new Vision System is totally integrated within the AXYZ A2MC machine controller to give supreme ease of use and high performance. This makes the AVS ideal for all Print to Cut applications, and allows any programming system to be used, whilst correcting for misalignments and distortions on the fly during machining. The low cost AVS is available as a retrofit to all existing AXYZ machines.
Click here for more details: www.axyz.com, or email: [email protected] for more information. |
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Going Green? Go LED Power! Class 2 / UL 879 SAM / UL 8750 (LED Power Source)
Mean Well’s 3,000 Power Supply models have been serving worldwide customers, since 1982. If you are thinking green, Mean Well’s LED Power Supplies have 9 series with dozens of models, which will provide the best power solutions for your needs. Mean Well |
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Sign Builder Illustrated
Buyer’s Guide 2009
Published twice per year in October and April, the Buyer’s Guide lists manufacturers, distributors, and sign companies that comprise the industry in the U.S. and Canada. SBI Buyer’s Guide |
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Sign Builder Illustrated
Goes Digital With live hyperlinks to video clips, advertiser information, and other features, SBI Digital offers the newest online technology with the familiar layout of a hardcopy issue. To view an example, click on:
SBI Digital Magazine |
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Sign Builder Illustrated:
The How-To Book Vol. 1 Learn secrets to fabricating neon, illuminating with LED, sandblasting signs, applying paints, cutting and printing vinyl, and more in this 288-page, full-color reprinting of Sign Builder Illustrated’s trademark How-To articles. To visit the How-to Book Web site, click on: SBI How-To Book |
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Sign Builder Illustrated presents: Check out this special SBI supplement that takes a deeper look into vehicle wrap design and installation. Learn how to avoid typical problems when installing wraps, see some of the latest and greatest wrap designs, and get a glimpse at new trends in the industry. Check out the digital version here: Wrapped Up! |
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