This year’s British Sign Awards proved an eventful one for Roland DG. Organised by the British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA), the British Sign Awards aims to recognise innovation and excellence in the field of sign-making.
The gala awards ceremony was held on Thursday, 8 November 2018 at the Athena Centre in Leicester, a former Odeon cinema and now a striking landmark of the city.
Along with representatives from the Roland team, the printer manufacturer also invited some Roland users to see how their craft is celebrated.
Among them were members of the Mission Motorsport team, a charity that exists to help injured ex-servicemen ‘race, retrain and recover’ by getting involved with all aspects of motorsport, from engineering to vehicle livery.
Aside from being nominated for the 2018 Vehicle Graphics of the Year award, their now-famous ‘Poppy Car’ was on display in front of the Athena. The Jaguar F-Type SVR was wrapped with a reflective vinyl featuring a poppy design that incorporates the words of John McCrae’s Poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. This was all made possible using Roland DG’s wide format printer, the TrueVIS SG-540. More details about the wrap project can be found on the Roland DG website.
The car proved to be the ideal welcome for attendees, but it stole the spotlight again later in the day when it was acknowledged in the Vehicle Graphics of the Year award. CEO of Mission Motorsport, James Cameron, was understandably delighted with the result, saying it was “An amazing achievement for those involved that reflects the emotion, hard work and dedication that went into making such a remarkable car.”
Roland were also joined by Joe McNamara, Head of Graphics for Renault Sport Formula One Team and Alex Liggett, owner of The Vinyl Guys. Although the businesses differ in terms of size, they both benefit from the capabilities of Roland’s TrueVIS range of printer/cutters, allowing them to create vehicle graphics, signage and promotional material with equal ease.
Roland DG also sponsored the 2018 Young Signmaker of the Year award, which went to Marc Kisko of Reade Signs in Aldershot. The award was presented by Roland’s UK and Ireland Head of Sales, Rob Goleniowski (who maintained his composure despite sharing the stage with snooker legend, Steve Davis, the awards’ host).
“It’s inspiring to see a fresh generation of signmakers stepping up to take the industry in new heights,” said Rob, “and I’m proud that Roland continues to help them succeed by providing new technology that can take them even further.”
