Project Spotlight: AmpliTech 

Innovative Company, Innovative Signage

Named one of the top 10 most innovative telecom solutions companies in 2022 by Inc. Magazine, AmpliTech is headquartered right here in our own Long Island Innovations Park in Hauppauge. They design, develop, and manufacture custom leading-edge RF components for the commercial, SATCOM, space, and military markets. Signwave was proud to partner with them in 2022 to design, fabricate, and install all the signage for their new building on Plant Ave.

 

Exterior Wayfinding Signs

 It was important to the founder that we begin with the exterior monument signage, to firmly establish the AmpliTech name in the industrial park community. We determined the best solution to be a durable, double-sided, sculpted foam monument with faux stone base, aluminum faces with printed vinyl graphics, and dimensional letters on the capstone for the address. The sign is externally illuminated with ground lighting. One of the many benefits of using removable faces on the base material is that they can be easily replaced if there is any accidental damage, or if the logo needs an update. Placed prominently at the corner of Plant Ave and Oser Ave–one of the main industrial park thoroughfares–the sign stands out as a beautiful and practical tool for brand recognition.

This monument sign captures attention and markets a brand on a main industrial park road.

 
Additional wayfinding signs can also be found at the two entrance driveways. They prevent any confusion between the delivery area and parking for staff and visitors. We also created custom aluminum signs to clarify the uses for the different doors in the rear, and to mark parking spaces for visitors (using U channels) and executives (placed directly along the back wall). Printed vinyl graphics on the glass front door are standard for many of our customers, and we included that in our signage package for AmpliTech as well.

Wayfinding is easy when you clearly mark your visitor and delivery entrances.

 

Interior Signage and Design

 Once inside, you’re immediately greeted by the clean and modern lobby design. This includes a clear acrylic wall sign with printed custom vinyl graphics applied to the back surface facing out, a technique known as second surface installation. The sign is mounted to the wall using standoffs. The combination of standoffs–which, as the name indicates, raises the sign out so it “stands off” the wall, plus the second surface graphics give multiple layers of dimension to a simple but effective sign.

Second surface vinyl with standoffs gives multiple layers of dimension to this lobby sign.

One of the focal spots in the office is a beautiful full wall mural using a photograph of a key moment in the company’s history: when they were added to the NASDAQ stock exchange. It serves as both a commemoration and an inspiration on a daily basis. Unfortunately, one of the key staff members was not visible in this photo. It was very important to everyone that he be included, so Signwave’s designers stepped up to add him in using the magic of photo editing. Light, shadow, and positioning all had to be accounted for, and the work is so seamless we’d challenge anyone to pick out the “new addition.” Signwave is extremely proud of the talents of our staff designers.

A mural celebrating a company milestone brightens the office.

 Speaking of inspiration, we were also tasked with creating a motivational word wall for the break room. After going through several “word cloud” type designs. the customer landed on a motivational quote. This quote from another technology company figurehead you may have heard of, rendered in company logo colors, reminds everyone that they are important to the team’s success.

Motivational wall art is a colorful touch in the break room.

 
And not least, we created some custom gallery wrap canvas prints for the CEO’s office. Again we used our staff’s photo editing talents to create beautiful artwork that harkens back to the company’s momentous entry into the stock exchange. Installing canvas wraps in such a way that they all line up evenly is challenging, but Signwave installers are up to the task. And using removable mounting hardware means that the canvasses can be rotated out or relocated without damaging the walls.

Custom canvas gallery wraps capture some of the biggest moments in company history so far.

 

Learn More

 To learn more about AmpliTech and all they offer, visit their website HERE
And to learn how Signwave can help you promote, outfit, and maximize your new working space from floor to ceiling and outside too, give us a call at 631-761-9292 or fill out the website “Contact Us” form.
 
 
 
canvas gallery wraps

Custom Gallery Prints

Your business is unique, and when your office is the “face” you present to the customer you want it to showcase that unique quality that makes you stand out from your competition. One good way to do that is to have one-of-a-kind decor in your office space. A custom-made canvas gallery print is a budget-friendly way to decorate your office. We can use your logo, photos of your staff or facilities, artwork that you have the rights to use, or any other graphic you can imagine to create a custom-sized, bespoke piece of artwork that fits your exact needs.

framed artwork displayed on an easel

Custom canvas prints can be displayed in a variety of ways

Signwave has talented designers on staff that can create the custom artwork you want, and size it to fit the space you want to fill. We custom build each sturdy frame using exacting methods, and have a variety of options for canvas styles on which we can print your design. Once complete, the canvasses can hang directly on the wall for a minimalist look, or they can be framed or placed on an easel for display.

a graphic print on canvas displayed on an easel

Displaying your custom canvas print without a frame gives a minimalist and clean look

Gallery prints are more than just business decor. They would be welcome as part of a year-end award ceremony for meeting fiscal or production goals. Encourage outside creative efforts among your employees by having their artwork turned into a masterpiece, either the art itself or a photograph of the results, and hang them in your facility for other employees to enjoy.

One Signwave customer used a custom gallery wrap as a memorial to his father, using photographs and text. It will hang in his home for all the family to see and remember their loved one.

printed memorial with photos and text

We sized this customer’s artwork and printed a lovely memorial to his father, with a custom-built frame

They also make wonderful gifts if you have a treasured family photo you’d like to showcase.

When you’re ready to turn a special photo or piece of artwork into a gallery wrap for your home or office, call Signwave to help you get started. We’ll create a durable custom piece you’ll love.

A photograph of SEG graphic ads in a subway

Getting an edge on your competition

When your product and service offerings are changing to meet the fast pace of today’s business, one thing that might prevent you from purchasing signage is the fear of having to do it all over again within a few years, or even a few months. How do you stay current without breaking your budget?

A photograph of SEG graphic ads in a subway

Illuminated silicone-edge graphics attract attention and are easily changeable.

Just take a walk through your local mall and notice how many retail stores are using silicone edge graphics, or SEGs. These are large, usually internally illuminated fabric display cabinets that grab your attention using bright colors, bold graphics, and lighting. And they change regularly, sometimes multiple times within a season. These displays are made up of three elements: a plastic or aluminum frame, strategically placed LED lights, and a dye-sublimated fabric print.

Close up image of how to insert the silicone edge into the frame

The silicone edge easily slips into the frame for one-person installation.

Dye sublimation is a process in which heat bonds ink into the fabric so that the color is bold and long-lasting. Your graphic is printed onto and INTO the fabric, and then a strip of silicone is sewn into the edge of the fabric. This silicone strip slides securely into a channel that runs around the outside edge of the frame, holding it firmly in place so the graphic is taut. The LEDs are permanently affixed to the inside of the frame, so connect the wiring to your electric feed and voila! Your sign is ready for display. There’s only a small sliver of frame visible around the edge, so your graphic takes center stage.

Why are these signs so popular? Changeability and price. Once you have your frame, updating your fabric graphic is as easy as sending a new art file over to Signwave (or having our experienced design staff create one for you). We’ll have a new graphic printed and ready to install in no time. Even better, it doesn’t take a sign professional to do the installation. You or a member of your staff can remove the old graphic and install the new one in a matter of minutes, saving you money.

Trade show display 2

Silicone edge graphics can be illuminated (from interior or exterior sources) or displayed with no lighting.

As perfect as this technology is for retail, it works just as well for trade show graphics and office/showroom decor. An entire tradeshow display can be built from SEG signage, and it can be illuminated from behind the frame or using attached lighting at the top. After the show, the fabric can be removed and folded away, and the frames can be disassembled for compact, lightweight travel and storage. The graphics will last for years and are washable. Another option is to recess the frames into the walls of an office or showroom for an elegant and impressive way to showcase your products and services. Changing the graphics as your business evolves is simple.

Call Signwave and let’s discuss how you can integrate silicone-edge graphics into your marketing plan!

A line of brown paper packages with the text No More Boring Packages This Year It's Custom Gift Wrap

Wrap up your year with custom gift wrap

 

Custom gift wrap for corporate givingAs the holidays approach, it’s time to think about showing your appreciation to your staff, vendors, and customers with year-end gifts. What better way to keep your brand at the top of their mind than by wrapping those gifts in premium custom gift wrap festooned with your company’s logo, tagline, and website?

Signwave is offering this unique marketing tool for the first time ever this year. All we need is your high resolution logo or an art file you’ve had designed for this purpose, and we can turn it into a crisp, colorful wrap that’s both fun and memorable.

This luxurious satin finish paper delivers excellent image quality and is smudge- and smear-resistant. It’s also FSC Certified, the “gold standard” designation for wood harvested from forests that are responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious, and economically viable. And when all the unwrapping is done, it’s recyclable.

If graphic design isn’t your forte, you’re in luck. Signwave offers the highest level in professional, experienced design and can create graphics that are  playful, elegant, festive, or anything else you can dream up.

Make the most wonderful time of the year even more wonderful with custom wrapping paper for your corporate gifts!

Why do I need a custom sign shop?

No matter what industry you work in these days, you have to be aware of who your competitors are and what they’re up to. What services and products are they offering? What are their price points? What have they got that you don’t? Increasingly, we have to be aware of the growing competition from companies whose entire business is operated online.

This isn’t news to anyone, including your customers. As the economy shifts and changes, customers are constantly searching for vendors who can work quicker, cheaper, and better. Or they’re figuring out ways to do the work themselves using how-to videos and suppliers. How does a brick and mortar business survive in that world?

As a company that services businesses, we try and help our customers navigate the paths of brand visibility while dealing with that exact scenario in our own industry.

metallic lobby sign

Brushed aluminum veneer on acrylic

What’s the point of a custom sign when I can get it online?

It’s inevitable. We get a call from a potential customer who wants a particular sign, and they want us to match the price they saw online. What do we say to that? We say, “By all means, if the internet store has the exact size and color and wording that you want, buy that sign.” We don’t want to waste your time or ours proposing something that we both already know you can get elsewhere for less.

BUT…

What if the sign you saw online doesn’t include the required ADA components? What if you want your sign in a very specific Pantone color to match your logo? What if the size of the sign you saw online is just a tiny bit too large to fit the space you want it to go?

What if you simply don’t know what you want yet and need an expert to guide you through the process?

custom signs, logo signs, window signs, salon signs, sign consultationNow, you need a custom sign company.

Signwave has the knowledgeable sales staff to walk through your physical space with you, and listen carefully to your needs. We can advise you on sizes, materials, and construction. We have talented designers who have worked with innumerable sign-making materials, with the creativity to develop a project that is unique to you. We walk you through all the steps of making that design a reality, working within your budget. We work with your town to ensure all signage is legal and permitted, taking that burden off your plate.

We have the industry contacts to coordinate all aspects of your branding project, from an illuminated sign on top of a 10-story building, to the etched lettering on your office doors, even to the branded napkins you set out for your corporate events. And we have skilled installers to put everything together for a finished project that potential customers can’t ignore, no matter how distracted they are by their mobile devices.

WE are a custom business, to help YOU stand out in the crowd as a custom business. Attract the customers you want so you can keep them with your stellar service, unmatched by any faceless internet company. It’s working for us, and we can make it work for you too.

Painted HDU sandblasted sign

Textiles – Your New Branding Medium

Recent breakthroughs in the manufacture of durable fabric media have opened up a new world of printed, washable fabric options for your signage. Custom printed fabrics do more than just decorate your office and shop–they integrate with your marketing plan in any budget to create interest and spur sales.

While dye-sublimated printed fabric graphics are everywhere–airports, trade shows, retail stores–what’s new is our ability to create beautiful custom decor items for your business or home using our onsite latex printer, with a durability never before available.

Expand your vision of “signage” by imagining how custom printed fabric can enhance your office or retail shop.

Custom branded pillow

Use a simple logo on a pillow cover to make your waiting area couch a comfortable resting spot AND a marketing tool. Use it as part of a window display for your hot new inventory–imagine shoes or jewelry resting on a cloth throw with your store’s logo.

Custom-printed curtains

Window draperies can promote your brand or set a mood. Fabric creates a soft divider between office areas compared to walls or cubicles, having a positive effect on customers and employees alike. Print your logo on a large curtain that will cover the glass on your salon space or conference room, sliding easily to one side when you want an open view. Signwave can take your project from concept to production, including sewing.* Or we can deliver a printed fabric for you to craft into your own one-of-a-kind item.

For the ultimate in fabric branding, create a unique piece of furniture. Custom chair upholstery conveys a message that your company is solid, long-lived, and deserving of trust. Use your company logo and colors, or match your interior designer’s site plan.

The infinite options available through design and texture will support your marketing by creating an instant reaction in all your visitors. Whether your company style is whimsical or serious or anywhere in between, Signwave will take your vision and create for you the perfect custom fabric for your interior design projects.

Call Signwave today at 631-761-9292 to get started!

 

*Ask us about pricing for including sewing in your project. Signwave does not upholster fabric but can contract the upholstery job for you.