Tyler, TX (August 1, 2011)—Design Center Signs, Inc. announced they have acquired CCC Printing & Graphics, LTD. Co. a leading regional screen printing firm. The purchase will enhance Design Center Signs diverse product line by offering customized screen printing of decals, wearables, promotional products, signage and graphics.

The purchase of CCC Printing further increases Design Center Signs share of the growing decorated corporate and casual apparel market. The company currently provides embroidery and laser-etch branding of name-brand clothing through its retail and direct sales divisions and the internet. “This combination of CCC Printing and our company will provide our clients with greater economies of pricing, speed and efficiencies, “ said Paul Ingle, vice president of Design Center Signs. “We’re widely known as a single source vendor and this new partnership will allow our customers to have the very best in quality, service and flexibility from within our new Tyler facility.”

Harold Collier, former owner of CCC Printing and former employee Sol Smith will join the Design Center Signs team to oversee the screen printing division. Collier has been in the industry since 1989 and has provided screen printing for firms such as General Electric, Schwinn, Ford, Exxon, Poulan, American Standard and others. His commitment to quality and customer service was recognized with awards of “Vendor of the Year” and “Partner of the Year” during his career. “Harold and Sol have over 30 years of combined screen printing expertise and experience. Their addition to our award-winning staff will help Design Center Signs continue to exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Ingle.

About Design Center Signs

Design Center Signs is a woman-owned state of Texas HUB vendor with accreditation by NCTRCA, SCTRCA, and WBC Southwest. Since 1988, the firm has been a single-source provider of branding and identity solutions that include custom signs, graphics, imprinted promotional products, decorated apparel and business printing. Services include design, project management, fabrication, installation, and electrical sign maintenance/repair. In late August, the company will move into a new 15,750 square foot facility that will offer an all-weather interior vehicle graphics application area, a larger retail sample showroom, and additional space for sign and graphics manufacturing and assembly.

“Hey, look at me!”

Decorated apparel can be an ideal solution.

With the advent of digital embroidery machines, caps, jackets, dress shirts and polos with a colorful logo have replaced suits and dresses as the mainstream corporate culture casual wear. Each season, more colors of thread become available so that matching specific logo design styles becomes even easier.

This wardrobe even has a new term: ‘wearables’ and it allows flexibility at work, tradeshows, sport venues, travel and other everyday functions. As fabrics evolve, there are more and more opportunities for decoration; the number of items that can showcase a logo are limitless. Screen printing and direct to garment application continue to be popular for caps, t-shirts, bags and other promotional items, incentives and gifts.

DirectEtch is the next generation of wearable decoration using a laser to brand the logo directly into the fabric. Ideal for fleece, headwear and t-shirts, DirectEtch provides a tone-on-tone effect that is more subtle. The laser can also create a larger image that can overlap zippers and seams with ease.

Laser-etched Fleece

So, if you want your identity emblazoned in way that will get your firm noticed 24/7, invest in decorated wearables. They will be silent but effective salespeople that never sleep.
For more information, click on this link:

http://www.logosdirectcore.com/designcentersigns/index.php/directetch.html

More and more people, unfortunately, view purchasing graphics and signs as commodities and being “all the same.”  They will often make a buying decision strictly on price just to save a few dollars. Signage and graphics are NOT commodities; they are custom fabricated products provided by firms that vary greatly in terms of Attitude, Aptitude, Approach and Actions. Keep these big “A” differentiators in mind when shopping for a partner.

Attitude

At Design Center Signs, we are always on the lookout for energized, happy and positive employees that share our company vision and mission. With the right people, business is fun, exciting and a joy even in uncertain economic times. This translates to our customers; many have used our products and services for ten years and longer. We often hear that “we used XYZ since they had the lowest price but we’re moving our business to you since your people make the difference.” Our goal is to make raving fans of our clients so team member attitude is critical to our success.

Aptitude

We’ve been providing image and brand products since 1988. We have over 145 years of combined industry experience in architectural, production, retail and custom sign environments. We have national and regional account program management expertise and design/build contract project oversight knowledge. Our art team has won many state design awards for wraps, awnings and complex displays. We can provide comprehensive, consultative advice on any type of identity challenge from a set of channel letters to a complete wayfinding system for a university.

We are one of very few firms that is licensed (Texas Electrical Sign Contractor), insured (up to $2M) and bonded for your peace of mind. Additionally, Design Center Signs, Inc. is a woman-owned,  Texas Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) vendor for state opportunities plus has certifications with the North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (NCTRCA), the South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency (SCTRCA) and the Women’s Business Council Southwest (WBEC.) Think of us as Advisors; we can provide any level of competent education or assistance to you to help you make the best decision.

Approach

In our market, one of the key ways we set ourselves apart from our competitors is what we can provide every customer. We have a diverse product and service offering from imprinted promotional products to screen printed, embroidered and laser-etched corporate apparel. Whether you have a need for vehicle wraps, regulatory signs, neon, trade show exhibits or business forms, we can provide anything with your name on it including your interior and exterior graphics. Other services we provide include design, prototyping, site surveys, permitting, variances, fabrication, installation, maintenance and electrical sign repair. Being a single source partner saves you time, money and frustration.

We have a convenient and well-stocked showroom at our retail division location and a sales staff to meet commercial customers at their place of business. Our fleet of service and installation vehicles can handle virtually any type of project. We can provide you with a photo of your site with a new sign design or concept superimposed on it and a detailed estimate before it is constructed. We can meet your architect’s design specifications from ADA signs, cast letters and plaques to the latest LED message display. We even have an optional 3 year warranty to cover electrical components in addition to our standard parts and labor and any OEM warranty. Best of all, we can meet your budget requirements if you have a dollar range in mind. There are hundreds of ways to make a sign; we’ll help you figure out the ideal solution that meets your specific price and quality goals. We can also provide alternative financing for large purchases through third-party leasing companies that specialize in signage.

Actions

In an era of cut-backs, lean times and poor service, it is critical that ‘you do what you say you’re going to do.’ We take appointments seriously and meeting budget and installation requirements are the best form of advertising we can affect. Providing ongoing value to our customers comes only through competitive pricing, convenience, selection, craftmanship, quality products and on-time services. After 22 years of business, our dependability has become a hallmark of our organization and helps create the repeat clientele that ensures our success.

Our management team is very active in the industry; we believe in ‘giving back.’ Our Vice President has served as a director of the South Tyler Rotary and serves on the board of the Greater DFW Sign Association and the Texas Sign Association. Design Center Signs is a Gold Star Award winner as an accredited business in the Better Business Bureau, a member of the International Sign Association, the United States Sign Council,  the Tyler Area Builders Association and the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. We are constantly looking for sustainable products and manufacturing processes that help our environment. And, we consistently donate 10% of our annual sales to worthy causes and non-profit organizations that need our help.

We’ve done our job when one of our clients realizes that, “I like/trust/am impressed with this individual and this company!” This unanticipated happy surprise can create a passionate cheerleader out of the experience. By showing a true attitude of care and concern for the success of our customers, we have made many friends for life. Coworkers, neighbors and friends are often referred to us and we are honored by that faith. Buying signs and graphics isn’t difficult but it can be complex. So, don’t get caught up in the sign ‘commodity’ trap. And don’t forget the old saying: “the bitter taste of poor quality remains long after the sweet taste of a low price.”

LogoMall!

In most corporate, healthcare or educational environments, interior room signs can run the gamut of simple to complex.  While most ADA tactile signs are specified by the architect of record for a design-build or remodel/renovation project, many businesses often have questions about upgrading their wayfinding signage plan. Where do you go for up-to-date ADA requirements? What if you have mandatory green initiatives in your organization? How do meet your budget goals? What’s the difference between photopolymer and laser engraved plaques? What are the pros and cons of each product offering? What’s the best product with the longest warranty?

Ideally, your brand and identity partner is like your insurance company. They will have a variety of systems, vendors and custom ADA sign products that meet your specific needs. A good insurance firm will go out in the marketplace and purchase the ideal protection solution for your organization’s needs rather than saddle you with one or two in-house products. Flexibility is the key; you need a consultative approach that maximizes your budget, meets your brand requirements and provides a simple yet scalable identification element.

If potential vandalism is an issue, an excellent product is an integrated sign that has text and pictograms that are laser engraved or thermoformed from the background material. For schools, this keeps ’curious’ students from picking the numerals or text off the sign. Best Sign Systems (http://www.bestsigns.com) has Graphic Blast MP (melamine-interior) with a limited Life Of Building Warranty that makes it a very popular and affordable specification among architects.

Photopolymer is still an inexpensive process that is a system sign anchor used for the budget conscious. Its durability is on the lower end of the scale but it is a favorite for mass-produced restroom and other common room signs. Etched zinc metal makes durable system signs for high-traffic, public areas also.  http://www.vcgstore.com/d30615/home.php?cat=391&sort=orderby&sort_direction=0&page=2.

Laminates are popular since they can convey specific ‘themes’ from woodgrains, marble and nature-oriented materials. For more utilitarian and modern styles, curved signs are available that utilize inserts that the end-user can provide from a digital inkjet printer where employee turnover is a common occurence. http://www.vcgstore.com/d30615/home.php?cat=81966

When money is no object, digital signage systems are available (with LCD or plasma screens) that are programmable with video clips or slide shows or linked together with an oversight software application. Hotels and corporate facilities are using more of these to showcase events, cross-sell dining or inform patrons of the latest weather, sports or news stories. http://www.vcgstore.com/d30615/home.php?cat=81998

As signage continues to evolve, there are still many products that are attractive, unique and cost-effective. System signs that are customizable still lead the way in lowest cost. Custom signs will vary greatly depending on materials, the amount of embellishments and complexity of installation. Room signs with clear windows for inserts cost more whether they have paper, engraved or vinyl inserts. A rule of thumb is the larger the sign, the more it will cost.

With the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and your local state requirements, there are standards for the area around pictograms, how tall the text must be, the font types that can be used and even the contrast ratio of the background color to the text color. For more information on ADA signs, click on this link: http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.30

If you have worked in or operated a business, you are probably aware that an exterior sign is important,  maybe even critical to a company’s success. You’ve been swamped trying to open your new store and busy with the challenges of launching your life’s vision. Then one afternoon, you think about the signage. Oops. After all, how long can it take to make a sign?

Don’t feel bad; most people think of signs as a commodity sitting on a shelf and ready to go like a pair of comfortable size 10 tennis shoes. On closer inspection, there are hi-tops, lace-ups and Velcro-snapping versions. And they come in white, black, red, plum and 32 other colors. There are cross-trainers, basketball, jogging and football-cleated models in leather and mock leather. There are name brands that cost a month’s salary and even some with weird soles that make you balance like a see-saw as you walk. Why, you can even pick flat or round laces to match the colorful gel in those clear panels under your heel.

Unfortunately, signs aren’t like tennis shoes. They are more like automobiles.

If you’ve ever bought a neon channel letter set, an electronic programmable LED sign or 35 foot tall large flexible face pylon sign, you may find the task daunting. You may have an idea of what you want so you call a couple of sign companies for a bid. But, you are way over budget since you used that beautiful travertine for the floor you had to have after you saw it at Home Depot. The fixtures set you way back but you know the extra hundreds you dropped for the Venetian wall coverings will impress your customers with jaw-dropping power.

So even though you’ve spent $280,000 on finish out and permits, $19,000 on inventory and fixtures now is not the time to spend $366.00 on a new sign. Sure you could have a nice vinyl logo added to a 4′ x 4′ flat aluminum panel screwed to your wall above the door. That is a sign. But does it clearly communicate the brand you’ve spent the last 23 years thinking about creating while working diligently for someone else?

Signs are not sitting around on a shelf in a shop waiting for you to order them a couple of weeks before you open your doors. The majority of signs are custom fabricated to meet exacting requirements such as: color, type of raw materials, size, shape, illumination type, warranty, etc. Your landlord, city, electrical contractor, Underwriters Laboratory (U.L.) and others may impact how the sign must be designed.  (By the way, did you check with your landlord about what type of sign was required for your particular shopping center?)

But how are signs like automobiles?

A used 1969 VW bus and 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo can both transport you to the drugstore. Both have four wheels, an engine and many other parts in common. Both will fit in your cluttered garage. But cars, like signs, all say different things about you, your lifestyle and what you can afford. Cars are an expression of you; signs are an expression of your business. A Chevrolet Impala is affordable because it is mass-produced by one of the largest car companies in the world. It is functional, practical and appealing and probably meets most people’s needs. Why then, doesn’t every American buy an Impala? Individualism, style and cost most likely.

Signs, like cars, have an infinite range of cost depending on materials used, complexity of design, quality, craftmanship, warranty period, etc. How much does a sign cost? How much does a car cost? In sedans alone, you may see a range of $30,000 from the low-end to the high-end models. McDonald’s routinely spends $80,000 per store in signs and graphics to sell a 99 cent hamburger. Why do they invest so heavily on signage when they have one of the most recognized brands in the world? Because signs are one of their lowest cost and most effective forms of advertising! They work; they bring the customers from off the street into their stores. To learn more, click on this link: http://www.designcentersigns.com//themes/designcenter/documents/McDonalds.pdf

So signs, like cars, are not created equal. Even between fabricators, signs of the same shape and size may differ greatly in cost. Why? Because in a custom application, craftmanship and quality still impact sign costs. Paint finishes, aluminum thickness, face thickness, vinyl brand, interior light diffusion, number of lamps, engineering, etc. can create significant spreads in price for the same sign design. So don’t take the lowest price until you do your homework.

But how do you select the ‘right’ sign company?

If you make all of your decisions based on price in your life, you will be severely disappointed. The old adage, “I can give you quality, price or speed…pick the two that are most important to you” is still true. If you select the lowest bid to save $800.00 for a sign (that has a life expectancy of 15 years) but the sign company goes bankrupt next month, how much did you really save? Select companies that have a strong reputation in the region, ones with longevity and wide group of customers. Ask to see their client list. Go to their website. Call one of their customers. Meet their staff. Go to their showroom and ask for a tour. Ask them what they do that sets them apart from their competition. But do not make your decision strictly on price.

Do your homework and you’ll not be disappointed. And you’ll have a sign that brings in customers and becomes one of your best salespeople during the day and at night.

http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/operating/office/signs/obtain.html