Vol. 5, No. 3 | March 16, 2010 ®
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Industry News [[HOT TOPIC]] Gearing Up for the ISA Show The ISA International Sign Expo 2010 in Orlando, Florida is fast approaching! The tradeshow runs from Thursday, April 8- Saturday, April 10. There will be a full day of educational sessions on Wednesday, April 7 to kick off the show. In addition to the many exhibitor booths on the show floor, attendees can take advantage of one or all of the special events that ISA has to offer. The American Wrap Star Competition, ISA’s New Product Showcase, and the Keynote Luncheon, are just a few of the exciting events happening over the three days of the show. Sign Builder Illustrated talked with Tracey Cook, Director of Education & Communications for ISA and Brandon Hensley, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for ISA, to get the full scoop on what to expect at the show this year. What are your expectations for the show? Despite the recent concerns of those in the tradeshow industry over attendance and the number of exhibitors in a down economy, the ISA is hopeful about their show. “We are gaining ground,” says Hensley. “Right now we’re going to have a larger show floor than what we had in Vegas last year. We’re closing our gap rapidly on the attendance side, so that’s making us feel really comfortable. We’re selling more seats for our education program, which we’ve expanded this year, and it’s the largest I think we’ve ever done. We’re really becoming optimistic.” Hensley expects the number of attendees to jump in the remaining weeks before the show, and says that the show floor could grow even larger, as well. Check it out: Can’t-Miss Events at the International Sign Expo A big change to the ISA Show schedule this year is the number of educational sessions. With double the number of workshops, there will be plenty of opportunities for attendees to expand their knowledge of the industry. “The variety is tremendous, and there’s really something for everyone,” says Cook. Topics for the sessions range from solar-powered signage to graphic design to sign installation. For a complete schedule, visit www.signexpo.org/Education. In addition to putting their thinking caps on, attendees can check out the American Wrap Star Competition, which runs all three days of the show. The wrap off will be co-sponsored by software provider Digital Designware. “There are 1000s of dollars of prizes that have already been sponsored by different folks,” says Cook. “In fact, this year each competitor gets between $1500 and $2000 worth of prizes just for being in the competition.” Be sure to stop by the competition to see who takes home the title. On Friday, April 9 from 11:30 am-1:30 pm, the Keynote Luncheon will be held. “We also have a great keynote session this year. Our Chairman [Troy Crocker], of course, will be reporting on the state of the association, but then we also have as a guest speaker, Roger Shultz, who was a runner-up in one of The Biggest Loser programs,” says Cook. “We’re really excited about that.” The Sign Design Competition winners will also be announced at the luncheon. What’s New? ISA debuted their New Product Showcase at the 2009 International Sign Expo, and now they’re expanding it to include the Green Product Showcase, which will be held from 8:30-9:30 am on Saturday, April 10. “What we’re finding is that not only are people really proud of the new products and services that they bring to the industry, but sustainability products are becoming more and more vital to the sign industry,” says Cook. “So we’ve decided to set up a very similar competition to the New Product Showcase where companies can display and demonstrate their green products and/or services. And then attendees will be able to vote on the green products just like they vote in the New Product Showcase.” ISA also started a new contest: The Make Us Look! Video Competition, which invites fans of the International Sign Expo to submit a video explaining why the International Sign Expo is the can’t-miss industry event. Entries will be accepted until March 29, and the winner will be announced at the show. “On the marketing side, we really focused on trying to leverage social media this year,” says Hensley. “One of the things that ISA as an organization is typically noted for in our membership survey is our use of technology and trying to push the envelope. So I think this contest is one of those examples where we continue to try to push the envelope with our communication.” To register for the show, go to www.signexpo.com. Be sure to stop by Sign Builder’s booth #1515 to say hi! Panasonic Installs Some “Sporting” Displays In the past few months, Panasonic has been busy working on two sports-related projects. They’ve installed displays at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim and at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Let’s take a look at how Panasonic enhanced the fan experience in both baseball and NASCAR. Angel Stadium of Anaheim As a part of a recent upgrade to Angel Stadium, Panasonic installed a new audio/visual system. In total, the company installed 350 Panasonic HD plasma and LCD displays, which provide views of the game as well as promotional messaging. In addition, a state-of-the-art, 20mm large screen LED board measuring 35-feet high and 47-feet wide was installed. The LED board is a part of the team’s Big A message board, which sits adjacent to the 57 Freeway. “The Angels organization sets a great example of further enhancing the fan experience throughout Angel Stadium with the latest advances in display technology,” said Jim Doyle, president of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions. “When fans attend Angels’ games, they will be entertained by an impactful video experience.” Panasonic worked with Angels’ executive and facility management to come up with the right system for the stadium. Most of the installation took place during the 2009 baseball season, and did not interrupt the fans’ viewing enjoyment. “As the leader in HDTV systems technology, Panasonic was the natural choice for our display system upgrade,” said Dennis Kuhl, chairman, Angels Baseball, LP. “We are excited about the upgrading of our display systems with Panasonic, and look forward to providing fans with the best in HD imaging moving forward, particularly for next year’s All-Star Game here in Anaheim.” Homestead-Miami Speedway The Homestead-Miami Speedway is home to the NASCAR and IndyCar Championship finals in 2010, and Panasonic has increased the action at both of these events by installing a double-faced large screen LED board tower. The tower stands 150-feet tall, and each face measures 16.2-feet wide by 90.1-feet high. There is a cap display at the very top of the tower that is 20.8-feet wide by 13.9-feet high. The display has a pixel pitch of 22mm, and visibility is ensured even under the bright Florida sun. The tower will display live video and scoring information, and it uses a front-end video system. The system allows the display to interface with the track timing system so fans can follow live action, driver stats, point standings, race position, speed, and other elements. A unique aspect of this installation was the need to remove and transport the LED boards on the tower. NASCAR facilities host only a few major events each year, so the boards have to be able to be transferred from the Homestead-Miami Speedway to other tracks. “The plan is to build identical structures at multiple tracks. The LED boards are constructed in a way that will allow them to be transported between facilities. This efficiency allows [the Speedway] greater usage of the equipment and will lower their organization’s costs,” said Doyle. Panasonic developed a transportation and winching system that lowers the LED boards on rails, where they are then loaded into a truck and delivered to the next site for installation. “Our goal always is to improve the racing experience for our fans,” Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer said. “The size and resolution of these new LED panels is incredible and results in sharper images and a more engaging spectator experience, regardless of seat location. The response from our fans has been overwhelming.” For more information on these and other projects, visit www.panasonic.com/experience. GE Edison Award Finalists to be Announced GE Appliances & Lighting will announces finalists of its annual GE Edison Award global lighting design competition for the first time ever. The finalists will be revealed at the Light+Building 2010 tradeshow. The show is from April 11-16 in Frankfurt Germany. GE plans to make the announcement of finalists a permanent lead-in to the award ceremony. “Our announcement of the finalists at Light+Building 2010 is fitting because the GE Edison Award competition draws entrants and interest from around the world,” said Mary Beth Gotti, director of the GE Lighting & Electrical Institute, GE Appliances & Lighting. The GE Edison Award has been given out for twenty-six years, and in the past three it has drawn about 30 percent of its applicants from outside of the US. “We see this as a great opportunity to expand the global stage that our competition provides,” said Simon Phillips, commercial director of lighting for GE Appliances & Lighting in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The award recognizes excellence and quality in professional lighting designs that significantly use GE light sources. Entries are judged in a variety of categories, including functional excellence, effective use of state-of-the-art lighting products and techniques, and energy effectiveness. Finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony on May 11, 2010 in Las Vegas, where the winner of the award will be announced. To learn more about this award, log on to www.GEEdisonAward.com. Omnivex Takes Home Two APEX Awards Omnivex Corporation (www.omnivex.com) recently won two APEX Awards for deployment of its digital signage software at the 2010 Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. The annual APEX Awards honor innovation in the development and deployment of technology in the global Digital Out-of-Home industry. Judging is based on the creative or technological solution to a digital signage installation challenge and the accompanying result. Gold, Silver and Bronze APEX Awards were presented to winners in eight categories, from a field of 57 outstanding entrants. Omnivex won a bronze APEX Award for the deployment of its Moxie software at Portland Trail Blazer’s Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon in the Hospitality category. The Trail Blazers use the software to manage over 250 screens that are positioned in all of the concession stands to display menu items and pricing, advertising, a live game feed, and other messages for the thousands of visitors to the arena each year. “We selected Moxie from a long list of software vendors and have been thrilled with our decision,” said Chris Dill, chief information officer, Portland Trail Blazers. “We have seen tremendous results from the digital signage network and this award just proves that what we have accomplished at the Rose Garden is truly innovative. We are honored to have won this award.” Omnivex’s second award was a bronze in the Stadiums and Arenas category for the digital signage network implemented by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. With the help of integrator Digital Display and Communications, MLSE installed over 300 screens in high-traffic areas. The screens were configured in intricate arrangements to create a distinctive fan experience while improving the aesthetics of the venue. Moxie software runs all of the screens, and MLSE chose the software for its ability to handle complex playlists. “We wanted to transform the fan experience and make Air Canada Centre come alive and felt that the right digital signage system would help us realize our vision,” said Dwayne Brown, manager of Venue Services. “This award and the feedback we have received from the fans and our corporate partners confirm that we have succeeded in what we set out to achieve with our deployment.” This is the second consecutive year that Omnivex has won an APEX Award. “It is a great honor for Omnivex and our customers to be recognized with these awards,” said Jeff Collard, president of Omnivex. “It further reinforces our position in the industry as a forward-thinking and innovative software company.” Mutoh Teams Up With Fesler Mutoh America donated wraps to Fesler Built’s Rig for their 2010 Tradeshow Season. Fesler is a company that specializes in restorative options for cars of any kind from any era. The wraps were printed using a Mutoh ValueJet 1614 64-inch printer on Avery Dennison’s MPI Supercast Easy Apply RS media. They were laminated with Avery Dennison’s 1030 Digital Overlam. The wrapped Fesler Rig can be seen at the following car shows: • 1ST SPRING NATIONALS: Mar. 12 – 14, Westworld – Scottsdale, AZ. • 28TH ALL AMERICAN GET-TOGETHER: Mar. 27- 28, Alameda County Fairgrounds - Pleasanton, CA. • 10TH DEL MAR NATIONALS: Apr. 9 – 11, Del Mar Fairgrounds - Del Mar, CA. • 4TH ORANGE COUNTY GET-TOGETHER: May 15 -16, OC Fair and Event Center - Costa Mesa, CA. Keep an eye out for video of the graphic installation process on the Fesler Rig! Get Ahead With the Gerber EDGE Roadshow Hit the road this summer with Gerber Scientific Products! The 2010 Gerber EDGE® Roadshow schedule has been announced, and it will be offering free seminars in 23 locations. The seminars will show users how to expand sales and improve margins in this challenging economy. Attendees will explore ways to create new sales opportunities and learn how to use eight specific applications and materials to increase profit margins. Plus, new functionality in Gerber’s OMEGA software that will improve productivity and enhance output will also be discussed. Each company that attends will receive over $1000 in free goods including an EDGE Font Pack or Library, the Sign Shop Helper clipart DVD, the Sales Opportunity Book with printed samples, a ten-yard roll of Gerber 220 vinyl, a material swatch book and color card, and an action-planning tool to help users to turn new ideas into reality. Each seminar will also offer a drawing for a free OMEGA upgrade. Find out if the Gerber EDGE Roadshow is coming to a city near you and register at www.gspinc.com/roadshow or by calling 800/222-7446. Come Jam Out With ShopBot! The ShopBot 2010 Jamboree returns to Durham, North Carolina on April 23 and 24 at the Loehmann’s Building. Current and soon-to-be Shopbotters, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in digital fabrication, distributed manufacturing, serious Do-it-yourself, sign making, or cabinetmaking is invited to take part in two days of application demonstrations, show and tell, vendor presentations, and networking. In addition to learning the ways in which ShopBots can enhance their CNC-based businesses and hobbies, attendees can also learn more about ShopBot’s most recent project, 100kGarages. 100kGarages is a network of workshops and designers with resources and infrastructure to help facilitate action and the development of new products and projects. The Jamboree will also feature the chance to see demonstrations of the new compact, small-format digital fabrication system, Tyro. This system aims to bring the manufacturing capabilities of larger, more expensive systems to garages and workshops at an affordable price. Tyro increases the speed and accuracy of production, allowing users to bring their designs to the next level. A variety of presentations will also be offered by presenters such as Christopher Gergen from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and Brian Moran from Vectric, a CNC-software solutions company. The cost of the Jamboree is $25 a person, which includes coffee and light breakfast and lunch on both days. To learn more, visit www.shopbottools.com/jamboree.htm. Win Big With Sign Industry Contests Awards season may be over for the entertainment industry, but it looks like it’s still going strong in the sign industry. Check out some of the latest contests: Why Do You Use Roland Inks? Enter Roland’s Contest and Win Big! Calling all Roland customers! Roland DGA announces its first-ever Why I Use Roland Inks video contest. Send in a YouTube video that explains why you use Roland inks for the chance to win a variety of Roland materials. Roland’s creative team will judge the video entries. The grand prize winner will receive a year supply of Roland Inks—a $5,000 value. The first place winner, the most viewed video, will be awarded $1000 in Roland media. Entries are due May 31st. In addition to posting a video to YouTube, participants much fill out an online entry form. The winners will be announced June 14th on the Roland Web site, Twitter, and YouTube. To view the complete rules and enter the contest, visit www.rolanddga.com/gallery/contests/inkContest. Inca Digital Celebrates Its Birthday with Inca Digital Excellence Awards To celebrate its 10th birthday, Inca Digital has launched the new Inca Digital Excellence Awards (IDEAs). To showcase what companies and their Inca digital presses can produce, Inca has developed five IDEA categories that highlight the potential of digital print through a wealth of applications in many industries: POS/POP, Display Graphics, Décor, Decoration/Speciality Products and Special Effects. A panel of independent judges will evaluate the entries based on creativity and delivery. Inca customers can submit production jobs that were in the market between February 1st, 2009 and January 31, 2010. The deadline for the contest is April 30. The winners will be announced at Inca’s 10th Birthday Party, and each will receive a VIP trip to FESPA Munich 2010 held from June 22-26. To learn how to enter, contact Wendy Woodward at wendy.woodward@incadigital.com.
New Appointments
Andy Bertucci of the United States Sign Council (USSC) has announced his decision to retire as executive director of the Council. He has held the position since the founding of the USSC, and will now fill a role that requires less involvement with day-to-day management activities. Bertucci will also continue to direct the USSC Foundation. Nancy Maren will assume the executive director position. She has been involved with the USSC since its founding, and previously served in a number of executive positions including member resources and communication, financial management, and trade show planning and registration. A new company, Color-Logic Inc., has been formed to bring a range of color communication systems, design software, and print solutions for special effects to the printing industry. Based in West Chester, Ohio Color-Logic brings together three executives with broad experience in color management, color communication and special effects. Richard Ainge, Technical Director, has almost 20 years in prepress experience; Mark Geeves, Sales and Marketing Director, has almost 30 years experience in color measurement and control; and Dave Bowden, Operations and ecommerce Direction, has over 30 years experience in advancing technology for printing, color and appearance, and e-ink markets. FLEXcon has promoted Michelle Ostiguy to market development specialist of the Photovoltaic Program. Ostiguy formerly served as project manager of the program, and will now be responsible for all rigid and thin film photovoltaic opportunities. She will identify, develop, and commercialize consumer-specific and market-based photovoltaic products. FLEXCON has also promoted Keith Condon to the full-time special assignment of photovoltaic technology manager. Condon will be responsible for all technical, product, and process development aspects of rigid and thin photovoltaic film initiatives. Grimco, Inc. announces the acquistion of Signs and Blanks Ltd. in Akron, Ohio, effective immediately. Signs & Blanks’ aluminum blanking operation has positioned them as a major converter of aluminum coil into sheets and blanks, and the acquisition should provide customers of both companies a competitive advantage, specifically in aluminum products. The Signage Foundation, Inc. has appointed Dr. Mike Kesti to the Board of Directors. Kesti will work to further develop strategic collaborations with academic institutions. He previously worked for seventeen years at 3M in adhesive and product development and commercialization.
Meetings and Events
APRIL April 7-10: ISA International Sign Expo 2010 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. For more details, visit www.signexpo.org. April 16-18: Pinstripers, hand-letterers, custom painters, gold leafers, and other craftsmen will be attending the Palmetto Pinstriping Letterhead/Pinhead Meet at #1 Sign Designs in Laurens, South Carolina. For additional information, call 864/682-7210 or email 1signdesigns@backroads.net. April 23-24: The ShopBot Jamboree returns to Durham, North Carolina. For further details, log on to www.shopbottools.com/jamboree.htm.
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