Vol. 4, No. 4 | November 18, 2009 ®
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Industry News [[HOT TOPIC]] Calling All Readers! Sign Builder Illustrated needs your feedback! We want to hear what you think about the Dispatches section of our magazine— what you'd like to see covered, what you feel needs improvement, etc. This is your chance to tell us what you want to read, so click the link below to take a short survey about this section. We appreciate your help! Click Here to take survey It's That Time of Year Again! USSC's Sign World USA is Almost Here! The United States Sign Council's Sign World USA is just a few weeks away. On December 3, 4, and 5, the sign industry will meet at the Atlantic City Convention Center for three days jam-packed with exhibitors, workshops, and seminars serving the industry. With 125 exhibiting companies registered, attendees will have plenty to see. Exhibitors will be busy, as well. “It appears that our attendees will remain about the same, which is most encouraging. We're getting the same pre-registration we always get,” says Andrew Bertucci, executive director of USSC. “We generally have about 7500 sign company attendees, and I suspect that we'll be in that general ballpark. So the exhibitors who come will be very busy.” A new addition to Sign World USA this year is the Showtime Theatre, which will give free presentations of sign making tips. Some of the presentations include: Thursday, Dec. 3, 7 PM: Francis Lestingi, “Gold Leaf Enhancement of Formed Letters.” Friday, Dec. 4, 1 PM: Tramp Warner, “Pinstriping in Paint & Vinyl.” Saturday, Dec. 5, 2 PM: Steve Greer, “Sculpting Signs.” For a complete listing of the free presentations, visit the Sign Builder site at www.signshop.com. Sign World USA is also offering the chance for some hands-on education. Check out one of the two interactive workshops, which will be repeated throughout the show: Car and Van Vehicle Wrapping—David King, The Market King. Learn all the points of vehicle wrapping so your wrap will be successful the first time. Large Format Vehicle Vinyl Application—Ward Schneider, Schneider Graphics. Learn how to apply vinyl to vans, trucks, and fleets, and how to wrap around those problematic rivets, seams, and curved surfaces. In addition to workshops, USSC has a full schedule of seminars. The number of seminars have been increased by nearly 1/3 from last year, and some highlights include: Thursday, Dec. 3, 11 AM-12 PM: Seminar 103: All About ADA Signs with Dave Miller, Nova Polymers. Get an in-depth overview of current ADA requirements for room identification signs. Friday, Dec. 4, 3:30-5 PM: Seminar 210: Understanding Electrical Safety in thee Workplace with Randy Wright, USSC Electrical Consultant. Learn the latest National Fire Protection Associate safety standards. Saturday, Dec. 5, 10:30 AM-12 PM: Seminar 302: Sign Lighting—The New Rules with Richard Crawford, USSC, and Philip Garvey, Pennsylvania State University. Learn how to make sure your illuminated signs comply with emerging mandated requirements. Attend multiple workshops and seminars and earn your USSC Educational Certificate of Achievement! Certificates are awarded to attendees who have accumulated at least ten points. Seminars are worth two points, and workshops are worth three. And don't forget about the Bullpen! Free with admission, attendees can see some of the world's finest sign making skills performed by some of the most talented sign makers. Check out pinstriping, hand lettering, airbrushing, vinyl decorating, a large panel sign painting competition, and much more! Plus, all of the signs created in the Bullpen will go to Project Learn, a nationwide project by the Boys & Girls Club to help kids achieve who have difficulty in school. The program includes homework help, parental involvement, and high-yield learning activities. All work and no play makes sign builders extremely dull, so be sure to get out and see some of what Atlantic City has to offer! From casinos to restaurants to museums, there is something that is sure to please everyone. Visit http://www.ussc.org/main_signworld.html for a complete list of seminars and workshops and to register for the show. Hurry and register before November 20, and you will receive a tote bag of gifts containing $4-5000 worth of savings and other goodies. If you miss out on this pre-registration offer, you still have a chance at the two grand prizes of a $1000 stay in Atlantic City, which will be given out on Friday and Saturday in the last hour of the show. Don't forget to stop by and say hi to the Sign Builder Illustrated staff (booth 611). You can pick up the latest issue and our Buyer's Guide while you're there. See you in Atlantic City! Omnivex Wins Its Third DIGI Award Omnivex Corporation's newest software suite, Moxie, was recently awarded the Best Premise Based Content Management Software at the fifth annual DIGI Awards, which were held at The Digital Signage Show/KioskCom. This is Omnivex's third consecutive DIGI Award, which honor innovation in the digital signage industry. Moxie introduces the concept of intelligent content, the ability for the software to decide what to present on screen based on internal and external information or pre-defined business rules. This ability saves hours of content creation and scheduling time, while also reducing distribution costs. The software also provides updates to increase the effectiveness of its messages, and parameters such as size, position, opacity, and color can be tied to real-time data so they will appear and change based on current events. “We know that effectively engaging audiences to inform, motivate and persuade is not just about creative content, it's also about timing, environment and relevance. In a word, it's about context,” said Jeff Collard, Omnivex president, in a press release. “Contextual communication is critical to every business and Moxie provides the software tools to deliver messages to their intended audience at the most effective time.” Moxie software was release in March, and more information about the product can be found by visiting www.omnivex.com. Agfa Shows Three New Printers at SGIA 2009 At the 2009 SGIA Expo, Agfa Graphics demonstrated the two newest additions to its :Anapurna family of UV inkjet systems: :Anapurna M2 and :Anapurna Mw. It also exhibited its high-speed flatbed inkjet printing press, :M-Press TIGER. “Agfa has steadily developed and invested in our inkjet portfolio,” said Peter Wilkens, President of Agfa Graphics.. “So whether its a small sign shop that needs photo-quality signage, or high volume operation looking to do short run, POP or other specialty printing, Agfa's inkjet solutions provides the widest spectrum of capabilities, an array of new business opportunities, as well as timely solutions to costly operational challenges.” Speed is what sets the :Anapurna M2 apart, and at up to 247 square feet/hour, productivity is greatly increased. The printer is great for applications such as banners, POP, and architectural and interior decoration. The six-color printer includes a powerful fastscan motor driving a shutter with six Konica Minolta print heads at 1024 nozzles each. In addition, the :Anapurna M2 system has an automatic vacuum system that allows for smooth substrate transport. The printer also includes shuttle safety sensors, which prevent the print heads from touching the substrate. This prevents damage to the print heads. An ionizing bar eliminates electro-static loads on the substrate, which ensures optimum ink droplet control. The :Anapurna Mw also includes an automatic vacuum system and shuttle safety sensors, but what makes this printer stand out is its ability to print white. Single pass pre-white and multi-pass post-white are available options, and this printer opens up new capabilities for printing on transparent backlit material or for printing white as a spot color. Users even have the option to print on dark substrates using only white ink. The printer is ideal for use in applications like backlit/frontlit displays, mirrors, and POP. The creative possibilities are endless. Agfa also had the :M-Press TIGER on hand at SGIA. The future of screen printing is in digital, and with the :M-Press TIGER UV inkjet shuttle, Agfa has combined analog and digital on one printer. With a Thieme Screen Printing base, the :M-Press TIGER can print 17,000 feet/hour and boasts a 300 percent increase in productivity. It also has an optional Universal Print Table that enables 48 different vacuum zones, which allows the operator to run media of different sizes and apply a minimum of taping. The press includes optional in-line traditional pre or post screen printing stations. Perfect for users with high-volume POP providers, the press can deliver primers, varnish, spot and metallic colors, and much more. To learn more about these and other Agfa products, visit www.agfa.com. ANC Sports Slam Dunks Four New Signage Agreements ANC Sports Enterprises announced new courtside signage and marketing agreements with four National Basketball Association teams for the 2009-2010 season. This increases ANC's NBA client roster to 19 teams. The Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder extended their existing partnerships and upgraded traditional rotational signage to the DLP® Digital Courtside Signage System. The New York Knicks and Charlotte Bobcats became the two newest teams to partner with ANC. ANC will serve as the official courtside rotational and marketing partner of the Bobcats, and will bring in revenue for the team by placing sponsor advertisements on the televised advertising system and in additional locations. ANC's partnership with the Knicks has already led them to become the first NBA team to use LED technology courtside. The DLP and LED courtside systems, which run on ANC's VisionSOFT software, feature an unlimited inventory and are capable of displaying real-time statistics in conjunction with a sponsor's message. For the four teams who have entered into new agreements, ANC will produce graphic content and provide game-day operation of the digital signage systems. “We are committed to developing the most advanced technologies that will maximize the revenue and entertainment value of courtside inventory,” said Jerome Cifarelli, president and chief executive officer of ANC Sports Enterprises. “ANC's different courtside signage systems offer our partners multiple options that support and create marketing opportunities based on individual team objectives.” Gemini Helps Macalester College Facility Achieve LEED Platinum Certification Markim Hall, of St. Paul's Macalester College, recently became the first college or university facility in Minnesota to achieve the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification. Markim Hall achieved this distinction with some help from Gemini Incorporated (www.signletters.com). Markim Hall opened in July and is home to the college's Institute for Global Citizenship. The LEED certification was announced in September, right before the convocation of the new facility. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, which provides third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across areas such as energy savings, water efficiency, and improved indoor environmental quality. Platinum is the highest level of certification. Gemini uses a variety of earth-friendly materials and manufacturing processes to make its products. Plus, 60-80 percent of its flat-cut aluminum letters and logos are manufactured from recycled aluminum, and the company recycles all scrap produced in the flat-cut metal process for use in the production of its cast metal letters. By using Gemini's ¼-inch thick flat-cut aluminum letters for its dimensional signage, Markim Hall came closer to the certification they eventually attained. Other sustainable features of Markim Hall include reduced energy and water use, improved indoor air quality, environmentally friendly construction and furnishing materials, native landscaping, innovative storm water management, and public education.
New Appointments
Bulbrite has appointed Cathy Choi to president. She will be responsible for all operations of Bulbrite and will coordinate sales, marketing, administrative, research and development, and manufacturing activities. Ms. Choi previously served as vice president, and before that, as national sales manager. Bulbrite also promoted Andrew Choi from president to Chairman. Mr. Choi served as the founder, president, and CEO of Bulbrite for 38 years. Graphtec America, Inc. has promoted Glenn Liebner to Western Regional Sales Manager. Liebner will be responsible for FC8000, CE5000, FC2250, and CraftRobo cutter sales, and all other aspects of product management for the Graphtec cutter product line. Liebner previously served as Product Planning Manager, and is an industry veteran in the sign making, graphics, apparel and rapid prototyping markets. Jim Logan, who has over thirty years in the marketing field, has formed a new independent marketing consulting and sales representation firm called Logan Marketing. The firm will provide advertising, promotion, and publicity services, as well as sales representation for small and mid-size client firms. It will focus primarily on business-to-business marketing in the technical materials industry. Initial representation projects will include PVC-coated polyester webbing and structural keder, which will be distributed through Seattle Textiles. Nexxus Lighting, Inc. has appointed Jeff Murphy to vice president. He will focus on expanding the growing momentum for the Array Lighting brand. Jeff brings over 20 years of commercial lighting and national account experience to the position. He previously served as vice president of sales for Holophane/AEL, and before that, as national sales manager in contractor & energy sales for Cooper Lighting. Due to increased demand and global synergies, Sawgrass Technologies Inc. has divided into two business units: Sawgrass Consumer Division and Sawgrass Industrial Division. Darcy Mauro has been promoted from vice president of sales and marketing to president of the Consumer Division. In addition, Dr. Mickael Mheidle has been appointed as president and CEO of the Industrial Division.
Meetings and Events
NOVEMBER Nov 20: Benchmark Foam will showcase its new 65,000 square-foot building at 401 Pheasant Ridge Drive in Watertown, SD from 1 PM-6 PM. The event is open to the public, and guided tours will be given by Benchmark Foam team members. To learn more, visit www.benchmarkfoam.com.
DECEMBER
345 Hudson St., 12th Floor • New York, NY 10014 212-620-7200
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USSC Sign World USA
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