Economic Concerns, ADA Signs and More in December’s Inbox

Fab Circle

• We have partnered with three other very nearby shops that complement our capabilities with aluminum and steel fabrication (laser cutting, welding, bending), a high-end lumber company (large wood glue-up panels), and a signshop that has outstanding capabilities in direct digital printing and small aluminum sign cutting and fabrication. These are responsive, provide high quality work and save us millions of dollars in investment costs. — Paul Williamson, Art Sign Works, Murrieta, CA

Cover Appeal

• Love the magazine. My son actually grabbed up October’s to look at the cars and realized it was a sign mag! Here I was thinking he was showing interest in signage. — Wendy Allgood, Fsg Signs, Austin, TX

Economic Woes

• I’d like to hear how the industry is doing in general from the perspective of shops opening/closing. We’ve heard of a lot of shops in our area shutting their doors, and the rumors are that overhead costs are what’s causing it. Are tariffs and the economy doing a number on shops, or are there strategies they missed about not overextending their overhead? — Gayle Goodman Lynch, It’s A Good Sign, Dallas

Reminder to Remind

• “Oh, I didn’t know you did that” [can be a common response even] from long-time customers that I have had conversations with about the very capability they didn’t know we do. Lesson learned: Keep telling the story. — David Kaiser, Digitype Design, Tualatin, OR

Topics of Interest

• Creative (not boring) ADA signs. — Trevor Lavy, Vantage Signs, Troy, OH
• I would like to see a feature article on some alternative materials that can be used by the sign industry. — Mike McClure, Ad Art, San Francisco