Business - Applications

Two of the UK’s National Grid’s buildings, located in Leicestershire, have seen an overhaul that brought a fresh and vibrant atmosphere to employees. A combination of printed wall mounted panels and digitally printed window film on glass partitions, ensures a variety of images that reflect the values and objectives of National Grid now adorn open spaces.

Workplace enhancement specialists, Penacom, recently completed the project at the two sites, which was designed not only to fit in and comply with the company’s corporate guidelines, but also to inspire employees and offer a more productive working environment. The images consisted of traditional seasonal landscapes, Formula One action photographs, various technologies and employees in their everyday workplace environments – both on- and offsite.

Darryl Easton, Project Manager at Penacom, says, “Our design team did a brilliant job at putting together the images that were supplied by National Grid’s communications department to create various themes in the different parts of the offices, while keeping to the corporate identity. Various window graphics, which turned normal everyday glass partitions into vibrant, inspiring working environments, made out a big part of the installation and we are pleased with the opportunities it gave us in fulfilling our brief.”

Turning glaze into canvas

Glazing enhancement opens up a whole new spectrum of cost effective and flexible possibilities for architectural design and corporate branding, which is continually expanding with new products that allow more innovative privacy designs and better vibrancy of images on glass.

Coral Design & Display played an integral part in the design, printing and installation of the window graphics at National Grid sites. Commercial Director Mark Ward explains, “For National Grid’s project, we produced a series of large format prints to which the designs required both CMYK and an inline white ink, as this process enabled us to produce mirror images on both sides of the glass ensuring that the window graphics stood out visually, whilst at the same time allowing a degree of translucency to let ambient light filter through. So, in order to produce the best possible job we had to ensure that we use a premium quality film, as the film you’re printing on plays a huge role in the level of print you can deliver. ”

So, when it came to choosing the film, Mark didn’t have to think twice before choosing Lintec Graphic Film’s Vitrocolour® non-PVC process colour film.  “Vitrocolour is simply the best media for us to print to. Unlike self-adhesive vinyl, the optically clear polyester window film enables us to print with great definition, while the UV ink we use has excellent adhesion to the film. In addition, the film doesn’t stretch or shrink like PVC material, making it much easier to fit, and as it doesn’t leave a residue when it is removed, it greatly reduces the time required to take down and removes the need for using industrial solvent cleaners or abrasives scrapers.”

He continues, “The film’s hard, anti-scratch coating means that it offers greater resistance to both mechanical scratching during installation and afterwards when being cleaned, which eliminates any haze effects. The glass-like see-through quality that Vitrocolour enables us to achieve in non-printed areas is second to none.”

Brilliant results

The new vibrant designs made a significant impact on the office environments as soon as it was installed. “We’ve had a great deal of positive feedback after the installation - the new office surroundings allow employees to immerse themselves completely through the dynamic working environment” comments Darryl. “This can only be achieved by delivering a high quality job – something we’re continually priding ourselves on.”

Mark adds, “Lintec Graphic Films’ premium Vitrocolour film has allowed us to easily achieve the best quality installation on the window graphics – something we would otherwise not have been able to achieve so easily.”

Oasis Graphic Co has delivered an 'FA Cup performance' by branding London's Cumberland Hotel for RPMC whose client Budweiser was hosting a corporate hospitality event for the 2012 FA Cup Final.

Oasis MD Simon Osborne comments, "This was our first project for RPMC and a prestigious venue and brand with which to be entrusted. I am delighted to say that the client was very pleased with our work and I understand that  the event was a great success."

Chris Boyd-Leslie from Oasis attended a site visit with RPMC to the Cumberland Hotel, then oversaw the production of 40 separate graphic items that were installed to create a fully branded environment for Budweiser throughout the hotel reception and suites used for the day.

"We were thrilled that our commitment to quality and investment in graphic print technology means that leading international agencies such as RPMC have the confidence to choose Oasis," adds Osborne.

Arlon has appointed Graphic Art Mart as a new distribution partner in the Australian market. Graphic Art Mart, along with Arlon's existing national distributor Spandex, will offer the full range of Arlon Print Media, Cut Graphic and Flexible Substrate product lines in multiple locations throughout Australia.

Arlon says that the Graphic Art Mart management team is a strong partner for Arlon 'because they have vast industry knowledge from 37 years of distributing in the Australian market.'

“Arlon is very excited about the Graphic Art Mart partnership and the further opportunities it will give Arlon to continue strengthening our brand and product availability in this growing market,” states Andrew Johns, Director of Sales, Australia and New Zealand.

Cheshire-based Skin First, a specialist in non-surgical skin treatments, recently opened a new treatment clinic in Heswall, Cheshire. The location of the new premises on the main shopping street, adjacent to some busy traffic lights and amongst several competitors, meant Skin First needed to think very carefully about how best to create powerful and high impact signage to attract new customers.

The owners contacted Paul Turner from Paul Turner Displays (PTD) and commissioned the signage specialist to advise, produce and install the internal graphics and outdoor signage for this new store.

During Paul Turner’s initial visit to the premises, he quickly established that the front of the shop - which contained a small reception and greeting area - was south facing. Taking full advantage of this, Paul decided to develop a solution which would let in as much natural light as possible, as well as protect staff from the glaring sunlight – on the occasions it shines! Paul also wanted to maximise on the busy traffic lights by capturing drivers’ interest whilst stationary.

Paul Turner comments,"The strategy I devised was to produce a one-way vision applied to the outside window mounted in conjunction with a reverse cut out translucent vinyl at the base.”

The next challenge was to cover the poor exterior frontage of the clinic. By first making a framework, a 6 metre tray sign was installed, covering the damaged brickwork and transforming the appearance of the shop front in an instance, at minimal cost. A projecting sign was constructed using the same material to ensure the shop was easily visible if approached from any direction. This completed the 'corporate and professional' look of the treatment centre.

Internally, the reception desk and walls were covered with high quality digital images, softly finished in a way that was suitable for the environment they were in. Paul had to consider the high traffic areas in the clinic and produce the graphics using anti scuff laminates plus non-reflective laminates to minimise reflections.

What is most impressive is that the installation was completed in one day; the day before the new clinic was opened!

Paul concludes, “Signage is so critical to a customer’s perception of a company. Well-produced and professional graphics which clearly reflect what your business does will entice people onto your premises and make them feel comfortable in your surroundings. This is what we achieved for Skin First and are delighted the team are so pleased with the results. In fact, what is a real endorsement of our work is that future clinic openings are now planned using this template we have created.”

For more information on PTD, please visit www.paulturnerdisplays.co.uk

[photos show interior view of signage (above) and exterior view (below)]

As part of its “Do more. Be More.” awareness-raising poster campaign, the The Territorial Army (TA) and out-of-home advertising company Clear Channel approached poster printer and visual display specialist Prismaflex UK to see if it was possible to install an illuminated poster on one of the peaks of the Brecon Beacons mountain range in Wales.

The Brecon Beacons is where the TA's part-time soldiers - who have served recently in the British Army in Afghanistan and Iraq - conduct many of their training exercises.  The installation required the transportation of three and a half tonnes of kit up the mountain, Corn Du, including the poster itself, the frame and the electrics for the hoped-for illumination.  Even worse, the date chosen for the installation was a chilly and stormy February day.

“This was clearly a big test for the TA but also for us,” says managing director Tom Weaver. “We knew our posters worked on the high street but we'd never tried to put one up on a windswept mountain before.”

The intrepid TA team's first attempt was confounded by the weather when a storm made the first peak unsafe for climbers, let alone poster installers. But the second worked, even though weather conditions were still uncomfortably blustery.  Once successfully installed, the poster was switched on, with the TA's bold slogan “Do More. Be More.” blazing away over the foggy peaks of the Brecon Beacons.

Colonel Stephen Potter, head of TA recruiting, comments, “The TA is growing and we want to get the message out that we are recruiting. By joining the TA you can achieve so much more, both in your work and social life and I’m impressed by the team in achieving a really challenging task.”

Prismaflex's Tom Weaver adds, “I was amazed at the skill and commitment shown by the TA team. Their motto really is ‘nothing is impossible.’ I was pleased and relieved that we didn’t let them down.”

Derek Manns from Clear Channel concludes, “Clear Channel worked with the TA to provide a special prototype poster designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, demonstrating the TA’s tireless ability to rise to any challenge. Erecting the poster in the severe weather was a monumental achievement and will undoubtedly raise awareness for its recruitment campaign. We were delighted to work on such an inspirational campaign.”

The Signs Express Centre in Dublin has been very busy with a unique requirement for an urgent vehicle wrap.

"We received a call from Simon at Insight Marketing with an urgent requirement. This was a full wrap of a 1970’s VW Camper van for a 7UP promotion that was running Nationwide. He contacted us Friday and explained that they needed it for the Tuesday morning! This gave us just 3 days to complete the job. The van and artwork arrived late Friday evening, our guys started on Saturday morning and worked on Sunday with very early starts on Monday and Tuesday. Without hitch, the van was completed on time and collected to be delivered to the Pavilions Shopping Centre for the grand unveiling at the 7UP promotional event."

The vehicle graphics were to promote the launch of 7UP’s Minister for the Craic competition where participants have the chance to win one of six luxury holidays by enlisting themselves as a honorary Minister for the Craic.

The event was a complete success and Simon from Insight Marketing had these kind words to say:

“We came to Signs Express with a high pressure, fast turnaround job that needed to be on time and 100% quality first time. Despite throwing a number of additional artwork obstacles in their way, they still lived up to the Express in their name and delivered on time, on budget and with a smile. We'll be back, hopefully with an easier job for them next time!”