In our search to learn from and partner with international fabricators, our 24-day journey east kicked off with a fast-paced and intense short week in Tokyo, Japan. From the airport to The Tokyo Sign & Display show, Elizabeth and I were immersed in every sign type imaginable. We were quickly enamored with the beautiful and effective wayfinding signage in the airport, only to then find ourselves slack-jawed by the insanely advanced capabilities and creativity of Japanese sign manufacturers. While we’ve been focused on going big with illuminated signs, they are proving that smaller, lighter, and thinner is way cooler. (If you missed our article “From Texas to Tokyo” in December’s edition, be sure to look back to get caught up.)
The idea for this trip spawned from unexpectedly seeing one of our very custom and unique sign designs showcased in a Chinese fabricator’s booth at the 2023 ISA Sign Expo.
To reintroduce myself: Hi, I’m Russell. My wife Elizabeth and I own Studio Dzo, a sign & design studio based in Austin, Texas committed to disrupting the sign industry by putting design first.
After discovering that one of our local fabrication partners chose not to disclose that, they used a Chinese fabricator to build our sign, our initial feelings of deception quickly turned to curiosity. If there’s opportunity and profit in working with international fabricators, what are the challenges and the benefits? In short — Is the juice worth the squeeze? This led us to connecting with two Chinese sign manufacturers, one large and one smaller, both focused on serving the U.S. market and building partnerships with American sign shops. We operate under one mission: “Do good work with good people for good people.” Before we could establish any sort of partnership, we needed to see the facilities for ourselves to determine if their quality, practices, and values aligned with ours.
The second leg of “Signs Beyond Borders” had me and Elizabeth boarding a three-hour flight from Japan’s largest city to China’s — Shanghai.
It was no surprise that Shanghai, being a major industrial and commercial hub with a population of over 25 million, was buzzing with luxury electric cars, towering skyscrapers and signs. Lots and lots of massive interior and exterior digital displays. Our hotel was located in The Bund district on Nanjing Road. Known as one of the world’s busiest shopping streets, Nanjing Road spans over three miles and is packed with high-end hotels where the leaders of the world stay, global fashion brands and luxury retail stores and literally everything else you could imagine. All of them beckoning passersby with mesmerizing signs and beautifully curated storefront windows. Huawei, unavailable in the U.S., has an impressive multi-story flagship store in Shanghai.
A stellar example of natural materials and technology, they showcase computers, tech wearables and even electric automobiles that could be mistaken for luxury pods for space travel. I found the coffee shop located on the third floor to be the most impressive. Much like Las Vegas, Shanghai is an epicenter for conferences and expos and we were excited to attend Sign China. We expected the Sign China expo to be big, but walking into the Shanghai International Convention & Exhibition Centre after going to the Tokyo Sign & Display show just a few days before shattered every expectation. While ISA in Las Vegas and Orlando are quite expansive with roughly 16,000 attendees, they pale in comparison. The Sign China expo was more than 70,000 square meters (about 754,000 sqft) and over 800 exhibitors spanning four separate buildings with over 31,000 attendees from more than 130 countries and regions.
Contrasting the polite, unassuming etiquette that we experienced at the Tokyo Sign & Display show, the booth reps at Sign China were very enthusiastic. The moment we stepped foot onto the tradeshow floor we were welcomed with all manners of handouts, samples and demonstrations. What was surprisingly not present were business cards. In China, WeChat and WhatsApp are essential applications for almost everything. These apps allowed us to exchange contact information, translate messages, share photos and videos, and were required at almost all stores and restaurants. Whenever we engaged with anyone on the floor, which surprisingly most confidently spoke English, they were quick to ask for our WeChat or WhatsApp info.
Within minutes of our exchange, we were sent catalogs, product spec sheets, photos and videos of the various products and items we discussed. This sort of quick response and efficiency in engagement was quite impressive. While at the Tokyo sign expo we were disappointed to find that none of the Japanese fabricators were able to ship to the United States, we were excited to find that everyone we met at Sign China was open to shipping directly to our studio back in Texas.
It was no surprise to see hundreds of booths showcasing every imaginable element, screw, fastener, or piece of equipment used in sign manufacturing. Channel letters were being hand-bent and tack-welded with exceptional precision. Digital printers twice the size of anything I’ve ever seen at ISA were printing, plotting, and spitting out Hello Kitty stickers for all to take. We were invited to test the strength and durability of interchangeable LED panels by walking and jumping on them.
People were lined up to take pictures with giant HDU foam teddy bears. Sign China was a carnival of wonders for anyone in the sign industry. A busy and noisy wonderland buzzing (quite literally) with what’s possible in sign design and manufacturing today. Our biggest regret was stuffing multiple tote bags with the samples, books, and giveaways. In all this excitement, we completely forgot that we would be lugging this stuff around for three more weeks before making the 7,500-mile journey home.
Having attended several ISA Sign expos over the years and now traveling to Asia to attend two sign expos back to back, some advice I would give myself and anyone looking to make the absolute most of your time, energy, and luggage space would be:
Be comfortable — Sure, you might be representing the company you work for or even your own business, but even in another country the expo floor of a sign show isn’t a fashion runway. Remember, everyone out there is already eager to meet and talk with you so there’s absolutely no need for you to compromise your comfort and wellbeing to make a fashion statement. You’re going to be walking a lot, it gets warm with all of the people and equipment in use, and you’re going to be talking with strangers, which can make some people nervous. Wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident and shoes that you can walk and stand in for hours.
Attend the education sessions — The expo floor might seem like the place to make connections, but the real partnerships are forged in the breakout sessions. For obvious reasons, we didn’t attend any education sessions at the Japan or China sign shows, but at every ISA Sign Expo our entire team fills the day with the invaluable education sessions that are offered. The sign industry is vast, and it’s been because of the education sessions and panels that we’ve met some really great people doing amazing work.
Pack light — When you walk onto any expo floor there is no need to carry anything in with you. Waters and snacks will always be available, and most of the time provided free of charge by the various representatives you’ll meet. Weighing yourself down with backpacks, purses, water bottles, cameras, or anything else that isn’t necessary only exhausts you. Bring only the basics: phone, wallet, and business cards. Or if you’ve paid any attention, you can just use WeChat or WhatsApp to exchange contact information and free yourself of distributing and collecting business cards.
Don’t be shy — Everyone is here to meet people. Whether you are aiming to make a purchase of big equipment or you’re just really interested in learning more about the industry, everyone is excited to talk to you. While the Tokyo Sign & Display Show forced us to initiate discussions, and the China Sign Expo had us being overwhelmed with the number of people approaching us, both extremes proved that no matter where you are from, what language you speak, or what you look like, you and your money are always welcome. Unless they don’t ship to your country, then I hope you’ve got a great personality and are quick to give a compliment. I’m still holding out hope that a few Japanese manufacturers might reconsider working with us.
Only take what you’ll actually use — Branded hats, bags and bandanas. Fun stuffed toys, 3D-printed figurines and tiny magnetic cranes. Notebooks upon notebooks and pens. When it comes to promotional items and giveaways, the list is endless. While we were at the Tokyo Sign & Display show I won the most unusual door prize ever — a completely full liquid soap dispenser along with a refill! While walking the expo floor of any sign show, you’ll be offered lots, especially on the last day. You probably don’t need anything, well maybe a soap dispenser. Any initial excitement of getting something for free will likely fade as soon as you start packing to head back home. Do yourself and others the favor of only taking what you will actually use. Hand sanitizer, measuring tapes, and quality vinyl squeegees remain some of our favorite promo items.
Excited to attend a sign show? This year’s ISA Sign Expo is happening April 23–25, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV. Learn more and register at signexpo.org.
We’re excited to share in detail all that we saw and learned from the facilities tours of the Chinese fabricators we visited in the April edition. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @studiodzo to learn more about us and all the good work we’re doing.
View more photos from the trip below!
