We’re Going Big in Texas
We are thrilled, proud, ecstatic and setting off recycled-confetti cannons as we announce that this past November, Harbinger added Tim O’Donnell onto the company letterhead as Executive Vice President.
Like Roger Williams, Tim is a second-generation sign man. Beginning his career in 1976 at Heath and Company in Los Angeles, Tim worked his way through the service and sales divisions, creating an impressive vendor base, developing a keen methodology for identifying qualified contractors and establishing tight client relationships. He’s lived the sign business from the ground all the way up to holding the higher positions of vice president, general manager, chief operating officer, president and chief executive officer. Not to mention, being involved in mergers and acquisitions to take a small company to $70 million a year, is no small feat. We are blown away by Tim’s experience.
Tim will be bringing his consult-style game to our new Dallas office. Cue more confetti! That’s right, dust of your boots because we’re going to Texas, y’all. Harbinger’s past tells us that we have a customer base that is west of the mighty Mississippi River and they need us to be a little closer.
The welcoming of Tim O’Donnell to create our western presence is key to Harbinger establishing a national first-class, dedicated service center that will allow us to bring life to our vision of providing an on-call vendor-partner service network, sign and lighting maintenance, LED and parking lot light retrofits, and energy management of your Harbinger products. Our Jacksonville headquarters will support our growing network to offer high-quality products anywhere in the U.S. at a fair price and with a strong support system to stand behind them.
Long-term, this comprehensive oversight of maintenance, repair and retrofit by Harbinger will benefit our clients by reducing major maintenance, repair and energy costs. We want you to get a positive return from your investment. Your business is important to you, and you are important to Harbinger’s business.
We are so happy for this New Year we are beaming … in low voltage, LED of course.
Foretelling Four Signage Trends for 2012
New Year’s Predictions for Signage Trends
1. QR code integration
Quick Response (QR) codes have invaded our culture and are not a phase or a trend. QR codes provide an affordable way to maximize information while maintaining the visual integrity of promotional material. Harbinger believes that incorporating QR codes into signage is another way for our clients to link prospective customers to their brands. A customer merely captures a QR code with his or her smart phone and is immediately transported to the information the brand wants them to have. Customers are able to connect to something that catches their eye, without having to weed through a lot of excessive clutter. Your QR code can easily be incorporated into digitally printed signs, traditional signs, vehicle wraps and any other printed item.
2. In-store graphics
Interior and landscape architects are always trying to bring the outside in and the inside out. Why? Because it creates a seamless transition from one to the other. We are able to duplicate that same idea through the use of grand scale digital prints and graphics within a retail space. The storefront can be a teaser to the brand’s central nerve that is stretched throughout the interior space. The use of interior graphics provides a fluid and encompassing experience to customers. A company’s brand can be present at all angles or focused in determined areas.
3. Green … as in, environmentally friendly
Going green is all the rage, but what does it really mean? To customers, it means that you are being sensitive and aware of the waste that you create. Going green sends the message that your brand is responsible for what it does and is committed to more than the “cheap and easy.” But what does it mean to your bottom line? It can result in tax reductions and lower monthly overhead. Something as simple as using light-emitting diodes (LED) in your new signage provides a major reduction in carbon footprint because LEDs produce more light per watt than traditional fluorescent or incandescent lights. Not to mention that the expected life span of an LED light – 25,000 to 50,000 hours – greatly reduces the frequency of service and bulb replacement for lighted signage. Your monthly power bill will thank you, too. Another way to go green and get closer to that LEED certification is through the use of low-VOC paints, which contain far fewer harmful volatile organic compounds. What does this mean? Signs painted with low-VOC paints emit less carbon compounds into the atmosphere and, in turn, are more environmentally friendly while posing fewer health risks to those around the painted surface. The use of low-VOC paints is visually undetectable in the finished product.
4. Retrofitting existing signs
What could be more green than working with something that already exists? At a time when so many of our clients are looking to minimize expenditure, retrofitting a sign with LED bulbs can have a significant impact in reducing energy and ongoing maintenance. Powered by just 12 volts, LED lighting provides an estimated energy savings of up to 80 percent. Sure, to tweak existing signage isn’t free of cost, but the long-term benefit pays off big time. You avoid the cost of an entirely new sign, and can look forward to increased monthly energy savings in the years to come. For clients, such as for multi-location petroleum retailers and convenience outlets that run their bright signage from dusk to dawn, retrofitting is a no-brainer to boosting profit margin.
5 Ways Business is Better with Gas Price e-Signs
Remember when changing gasoline prices involved the "suction cup" method of using long extended poles or climbing up a ladder to slide numbers into a plastic slot on your sign? Or when it took employees nearly 30 minutes to make a price change while exposing themselves to physical dangers and inclement weather? How about when the prices weren’t changed fast enough to be competitive?
If those are today's realities instead of the "good old days," it's time to consider upgrading to digital gasoline price signage. New signage and existing sign retrofitting is available, making upgrades a fiscal reality for nearly any budget. Also, the business benefits are numerous.
Instant fuel price updates – Gasoline price changes can be done remotely in less than a minute and connect directly to the POS system. Stores can stay competitive, never having posted fuel prices 5 cents too high or too low for any amount of time.
Labor savings – Employees can concentrate on customer service and other essential duties because they no longer have to go outside to change fuel price signs. The store is never left unattended.
Reduced liability – Without the physical aspect of changing signs, workers’ compensation claims and other liabilities related to the dangers of working at heights and around heavy automobile traffic areas can be minimized.
Attract customers – Digital signs have a wider viewing angle, which can be seen from more vantage points. Also, some consumers equate state-of-the-art signage to modern, cleaner stores.
Product promotion – Prices and promotions for in-store products, such as cigarettes, soda or milk can be displayed along with gasoline prices.
Harbinger has converted or installed more than 120 digital gasoline price signs for customers around the country since 2009. The company works with leading component suppliers, such as Daktronics, Future Media and Watchfire2 to ensure the latest LED technologies are used. New signs or retrofitting options are available.
Business Partners for 30 Years
Harbinger and Gate Petroleum have quite a few things in common – both companies were founded in Jacksonville, they are family-run businesses and they have worked together for 30 years. What started as a sign for a single location – a tennis club – has grown to managing the signage program for Gate's Southern Division, comprised of c-store and gasoline stations.
"The partnership has been successful because we've always delivered high-quality signage at competitive pricing," explained Jerry Johnson, Harbinger sales representative who has worked with Gate Petroleum from the beginning and continues to devote his part-time day solely to the account. "As well, Gate has always been very receptive to our recommendations."
One example is Harbinger's recommendation that Gate Petroleum switch to using LEDs. Therefore, two years ago Gate decided to make the change. LEDs are now used in all new locations. Harbinger also is retrofitting existing signs with LEDs and upgrading Gate to electronic gas price signs.
"The low maintenance and energy cost savings of LEDs really convinced Gate to try the new technology. Also, eliminating the need for employees to go outside to change gas prices was appealing," Johnson explained.
Today, the signage program for Gate consists of electronic gas price signs, fascia signs, pylon signs and various interior signs, including the branded Beer Igloo sign.
Quality Control to Meet Brand Standards
No two signs are alike. But to keep with brand standards of national clients, the difference should be undetectable. When seeking a sign manufacturing company to create dozens or hundreds of brand signs, inquire about its processes that ensure signage consistency.
Mike Lev, operations manager, explains the quality control checkpoints Harbinger uses when building multiple signs for a national account.
"Sign consistency and quality control begins with standards for each customer's product lines," Lev said. "Shop drawings and CAD drawings are set for every department, enabling us to perform several different fabrication functions simultaneously. When it’s time for final assembly, all the pieces are ready."
Harbinger uses lean manufacturing processes, such as cells instead of "assembly lines." When a product is moved from cell to cell, it is inspected and the work order is reviewed. Quality control measures including visual controls, templates and guides are in place at various cells to help equipment operators avoid mistakes.
Upon completion, the sign is thoroughly inspected for workmanship, safety and whether it meets the customer"s brand standards. Lastly, the product is inspected for proper labeling and destination before being loaded onto the freight truck for delivery.
"Lean manufacturing enables us to closely inspect and QC every single sign we manufacture, not just every three or five signs. As well, we provide this individual attention while actually increasing efficiency and product flow," Lev stated.
What Our Move Means for You
Moving a headquarters and manufacturing facility is a daunting task for the company making the move. But, for customers and partners, it should be nearly undetectable. That is the goal of Harbinger, which will be moving a few miles from its current location to a much larger facility this summer. By operating both locations throughout the transition, Harbinger will ensure minimal disruption in its manufacturing and shipping.
What customers and partners will notice, however, is faster turnaround and expanded services following the move.
The 51,500-square-foot building features 35-foot high ceilings to accommodate larger signage and multiple loading docks for faster shipping. The production space is 2.3 times larger than the current facility, allowing for more streamlined operations and more equipment that can run simultaneously.
Harbinger’s new facility will be based on Lean manufacturing best practices to maximize efficiency and throughput.
- The paint booth is centrally located on the manufacturing floor; as painting is the last step of production it is important that all other production areas feed into it efficiently.
- The production area of the most highly demanded products is closest to the shipping and install lines.
- Overall equipment placement and layout of the production floor is designed with efficiency and increased workflow in mind.
The new location houses a larger graphics room to accommodate additional printing technology as Harbinger becomes more multifunctional. Previously only serving to print and cut vinyl for various signs being manufactured by Harbinger, the graphics department will have the capacity to print vinyl banners and site signs, and create custom fleet graphic wraps.
Offices within the building also are designed for improved communication flow and integration between departments. More conference rooms and internal meeting spaces, including conversation “bars,” facilitate collaboration.
The company will create its new workspace to ultimately benefit its current and future customers. Producing top-quality, consistent signage in an efficient and timely manner, and offering more product options to better serve as a one-stop signage resource are the effects of this move Harbinger hopes its customers notice.
Sign of Refreshment
The Caribbean Bottling Company in Nassau, Bahamas is the market leader for non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages. Harbinger manufactured a new exterior 5-feet by 4-feet Coca-Cola brand wall sign for the company featuring energy-efficient LED illumination and Earth-friendly low-VOC paints. The sign met the stringent requirements of The Coca-Cola Company regarding its Coca-Cola brand, including color, scale and size.
Six Steps to Site Surveys
It’s not as simple as just “putting up a sign.” A successfully executed signage program is dependent on many critical factors, one of which is an analysis of the site. Following these six steps to site surveys is a good start to great signage.
- Check state, county, city and association codes and zoning laws to ensure sign compliance.
- Take photographs of the future location of the sign for onsite renderings and notations about any property issues that may affect the signs.
- Confirm property lines of the business for setbacks, easements, and sign location.
- Make sure the site plans match the actual site.
- Conduct an underground utilities location survey to identify hidden conduits, pipes, and power and communication lines that may affect sign foundation installation.
- Ensure the site conditions are appropriate and ready for sign installation.
The Lowdown on Low VOC
First introduced to the market in 1992, low-VOC paints are becoming more widely used on interiors and signage. They are sometimes required by legislation, depending on state and county codes, and for U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification eligibility.
Paint contains thousands of chemicals, with the most harmful being volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are unstable, carbon-containing compounds that readily vaporize into the air, which can cause air pollution and numerous health issues. As paint dries VOCs are released into the air. Although VOC levels are highest during and immediately after painting, they continue to be released for several years.
Low-VOC paints contain reduced levels of these harmful chemicals, making them more environmentally friendly and posing fewer health risks to those around the painted surface. Low-VOC paints are just as durable as traditional paints. Also, they can be custom-mixed to match colors and applied in the same manner. Although low-VOC paint costs more than traditional paints, the price continues to decrease as advancements in development are made.
Harbinger offers low-VOC paint as an option for its signage and continually stays up-to-date on the latest products that offer advancements in drying time, quality and durability. The company highly recommends its use when signs are designed for interior spaces.
Eye Appeal (Chain Store Age)
Edwin Watts Golf Utilizes "One-Touch" Signage Program
Harbinger helps Edwin Watts Golf in times of crises, with an ongoing "one touch" program for exterior signage and by bringing ideas to the table. Below is an excerpt from the feature case study in Chain Store Age magazine's June 2011 issue:
“The prints — we call them window clings — were Harbinger’s idea,” [Therese] Grossman said. “They’re beautiful and very impactful for our customers.”
Grossman explained that Harbinger came up with the idea of the window prints.
“It proved an economical way for us to try something new while meeting budget,” she said. “One of the benefits for a very specialized retailer like us in working with Harbinger is that they have a very broad base of experience and of doing different things that they are able to share with us. They bring a lot of great ideas to the table.”