by Ray Smith, Exhibit City News
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. You couldn’t miss them pointing the way to ISA International Sign Expo 2023 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, starting near the Shark Reef, and directing traffic through the convention halls to the 200,000-square-foot show floor.
That’s where 525 exhibitors showcased the latest products and trends in 3D printing, graphics, digital signage, LEDs, wide format advertising, and vehicle wraps. The expo, presented by Alexandria, Va.-based International Sign Association, runs April 12-14, and alternates between Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., though it was held in Atlanta last year.
Chris Davis, owner of Action Signs in Waterloo, Iowa, was asking questions and taking notes on the CALCA DTF (direct–to–film) advanced printing system, manufactured by California Global Signs Information Technology.
Cost of Printers
The technology combines a heat transfer element with a direct-to-transfer printer to sharpen graphic designs. Printers are priced from $11,000 to more than $25,000 for deluxe models.
Direct–to–film is more efficient than screen printing, which requires a lot of different steps and can be difficult to bring out details, explains Davis, who was attending his third International Sign Expo in eight years.
“You’d need 10 different servers for 10 different colors,” he says. “I’mlooking for different and new things here. It just depends on where I’m at with my business. Right now, I’m in need of new equipment and I’m interested in this.”
Prominent Exhibitors
Epson, a leading manufacturer of computer printers and wide–formatimaging equipment, was among the prominent exhibitors on the tradeshow floor. Established in 1975, the company launched a mock brand, Seventy5, for the International Sign Expo, and set up a retail store within its 50-foot-by-80-foot space to display T-shirts, coffee mugs, surfboards, and snowboards, all with graphics printed by Epson.
Matt McCausland, product manager for Epson, arrived two days before the opening of the tradeshow to make sure equipment was in place and operational, the nozzles calibrated for printing, and the product line arranged for optimal viewing.
“That’s the nature of this business,” McCausland says. “People want to see the product and ask questions about their specific applications.”
He meets six months in advance of the show with company management, logistics and product personnel to lay out plans forEpson’s exhibit. Setting up industrial printers each weighing a couple thousand pounds can present problems, but after 10 years of doing it, “We’re a well-oiled machine,” McCausland boasts.
New Construction Projects
New construction projects are coming back strong, and a lot of companies are rebranding, which means they need new signage, and trucks to install that signage. That drives business for Darrel Wilkerson, co-owner of Wilkie Manufacturing in Oklahoma City.
Wilkie has been displaying its truck-mounted remote-control cranes and aerial baskets at International Sign Expo since 1975. “If you want to maintain your presence in the industry, you’ve got to be here,” Wilkerson asserts. “It’s meeting new customers and reconnecting with current customers. Ninety-six percent of the equipment we built 50 years ago is still working, so we give them trouble-shooting tips.”
Vegas Vibe
Attending the International Sign Expo is great for business, and no two shows are ever the same, says Eric Campbell, manager of the Northeast territory for Orbus Exhibit and Display Group. Orbus ranks among the nation’s largest producers of visual communication solutions.
“Vegas has a different energy than Orlando,” Campbell describes. “It’s always a lot of fun. It’s a little bit bigger and you get a few more people.We get to find new customers who are breaking into the industry, as well as customers we don’t see in person. We’re on the phone with them or emailing. They get to see products they’ve never seen before.”
The International Sign Expo was cancelled because of COVID in 2020, went virtual in 2021, and went to Atlanta in 2022 “to change it up a little,” says Alicia Auerswald, senior vice president at ISA.
Pre-pandemic attendance peaked around 18,000 to 20,000, and though slightly smaller this year, it’s closing in on those numbers.
“We’re focusing on our goals, the quality of attendees and the diversity on the show floor,” Auerswald tells Exhibit City News. “We represent the whole industry. We really serve all the contractors throughout the world, and we help small businesses.”
A range of materials used on the show floor are actually produced by companies exhibiting at the International Sign Expo, and that’s a “unique dynamic,” the senior VP adds. She also credited host Mandalay Bay and general contractor Freeman for their “amazing” business relationships with the show.
Education and Networking
Industry experts led educational sessions sponsored by the Sign Research Foundation on sign construction, code legislation, business management, relationships with installers, and sales and marketing.
The “animosity” felt between sign installers and city planners in applying for sign permits is created by “red tape and bureaucracy,” says James Carpentier, director of government affairs for ISA.
He joined with ISA’s Kenny Peskin and GoPermit’s Jennifer Ronneburger to address the sometimes-contentious permit applicationprocess. The panelists delved into ordinances dealing with site plans, setback requirements, property lines, installation and construction, and lighting and digital display requirements. What works in Columbus, Ohio, for example, may not work in Chicago, so it can be tricky navigating permit regulations.
They offered these tips: include information in your drawings to demonstrate code compliance; show your method of calculation for signage; know the code and ask questions before applying; and provide any information that may help the plan reviewer.
Attendees learned about new products and techniques at The Wrap Experience and ISA Fabrication Experience, then competed for cash prizes in sign fabrication contests.
Learning Lounge
At the Learning Lounge, business owners gave 30-minute presentations on topics such as growth strategies, choosing the right printer, and launching a project in their business.
ISA Install, a speed networking event connecting national sign companies with local sign and installation companies, sold out at $400 registration fee. National sign companies are constantly searching for long-term installation partners, and installers are looking for lucrative new business relationships.
Each registrant meets one-on-one with senior representatives from more than a dozen leading national sign companies for five minutes, and many of them receive contracts or proposals just days after the meeting.
ISA and Sign Builder Illustrated hosted Women Leading the Industry on Thursday, exploring new paths to leadership for women, building lasting connections, and leaving with a bank of resources.
Networking opportunities included a golf tournament on Tuesday, a pool party on Wednesday, and a tour of the Neon Museum on Thursday, featuring a collection of some 250 iconic Las Vegas signs, about a dozen of which have been restored to working condition.
