LED inventor reflects, 50 years later

On October 9, 1962, Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). He was 33 at the time. Today, with the technology well-established in signmaking and many other industries, he reflects upon the discovery. When Holonyak joined General Electric’s (GE’s) team of researchers in 1957, they were working with other scientists…

+ Read More

SGIA reveals Product of the Year winners

The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) has announced the winners of its Product of the Year award competition in a variety of printing categories. All of the entries were showcased and evaluated by a team of digital imaging professionals in the Golden Image Gallery at the 2012 SGIA Expo in Las Vegas, Nev., which ran…

+ Read More

Large-format screenprinting certified for colour integrity

Dahlstrom Display has become the world’s first screenprinting company to be certified by Color-Logic for the visual integrity of its processes for printing special effects, including ‘metallic’ images. Established in 1968, Dahlstrom currently staffs more than 100 customer service, print production, sales and marketing professionals in a 7,711-m2 (83,000-sf) facility, which produces window graphics, in-store…

+ Read More

Organizations co-locate with SGIA Expo

Five industry groups chose this year to co-locate their events with the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) Expo in Las Vegas, Nev., from October 18 to 20. The organizations include FastSigns, Signs By Tomorrow and Signs Now, which are all signmaking franchise systems; the Professional Decal Application Alliance (PDAA), a community of graphics installers; and…

+ Read More

New research shows value of signs

In early October, the Signage Foundation’s 2012 National Signage Research and Education Conference (NSREC) presented information about the sign industry from a number of perspectives. NSREC is designed to bring together signmakers, their suppliers, governmental regulators, planners, students, marketing specialists and businesses that use signage. This year’s event was held at the Kingsgate Marriott Conference…

+ Read More

Bolt Signs installs industrial printer

Bolt Signs in London, Ont., has installed a Designjet L26500 industrial printer from HP Canada to help reduce its turnaround times and provide environmentally friendlier options with durable aqueous ‘latex’ inks. “We were concerned with fumes from inks, but the latex technology allows our team to work within a safer environment,” says John Carolino, owner….

+ Read More

Synnex to distribute Topaz displays in Canada

Synnex Canada has signed a new agreement to distribute Brighter Signs’ Topaz digital signage products throughout the country. Based in the U.K., Brighter Signs designs commercial-grade displays (example pictured) for advertising and point-of-sale (POS) applications. Synnex Canada will initially offer the 254-mm (10-in.) display model, based on Philips’ HalO technology, to its customers. “Having Synnex…

+ Read More