Lean & Green – From the Archives
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. In that inaugural year Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin inspired an estimated 20 million Americans to join together and combine their pet causes on a single day, April 22, to rally and protest against the destruction of a sustainable and healthy environment. An official Earth Day team emerged and paved the way for the Environmental Protection Agency and cleared the path for the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. It was 1990 when Earth Day went global and participation really spiked. This year, its 42nd, over 1 billion people in at least 192 countries actively celebrated Earth Day.
Harbinger has used an outside consultant for years to help us analyze and adjust our own methods of manufacture, making sure that we keep our own waste to a minimum while educating us on ways in which we can recycle, repurpose, reduce and rethink how we do things in our own backyard. You know, if you wanna talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk. As technology is ever-changing and consumer needs adapt, it is an evolving exercise that keeps our business environmentally fit. In the spirit of reusing materials, we tapped into our archives for this month’s news letter about LED lights and retrofitting existing signage to take advantage of this
cost-saving, energy-saving, space-saving technology.
LEDs
Our implementation of green materials started in 2000 when we began using LED products specifically designed for channel letters. At that time, the energy-saving benefits hadn’t reached today’s standards. The lights were only available in red, and the cost was high – nearly three times the cost of neon. Now, LED lighting costs less than neon, and the modules are available in various colors.
When we learned China, and many other countries, were migrating away from fluorescents toward greater use of LED technology, we knew it was the right choice for our clients. Members of our team traveled to China to learn more about “green” technologies.
When implemented in signage, LEDs represent significant energy cost savings for customers, particularly when used in large, single- and double-faced sign cabinets. Estimated energy savings can range between 60 and 80%. LEDs can be applied in various indoor and outdoor signage, including menuboards and channel letters, and the lights offer more design versatility because of their smaller size. Although initial upfront costs are incurred, the benefits related to operations and energy cost savings yield positive ROIs for most customers.
For our multi-location clients, Harbinger creates new LED-lit signage, and we also perform green, retrofitting services on existing signs. Currently, our team is fulfilling a contract with one of our largest clients to replace fluorescent lights with LEDs in pylon-sign cabinets.
To show clients the benefit of retrofitting their signage with LEDs, our teams conduct energy audits to assess the energy used by existing signage. An onsite consultant examines the current lighting products in use and estimates the financial benefits that LEDs could provide. Some clients can save as much as $7,000 per location per year, resulting in an 80% savings on the electric bill and an ROI of 2½ to three years.
Retrofitting signage with LEDs has represented a major portion of Harbinger’s sales in the past couple of years. As a result of this success, our company increasingly emphasizes our green program and products, and Harbinger’s long-term goals greatly revolve around green technology.
Learning about LEDs’ many benefits jumpstarted our research into other green products that could benefit our customers and our company. Harbinger has adopted additional green materials and processes, such as using low-VOC paints and practicing responsible disposal techniques. We started using low-VOC paints in 2005 to continue our efforts to produce a green, cutting-edge product. At the time, it increased our costs by 10% and required our team to learn a new application process because of the paint’s thinner consistency.
Manufacturing
Harbinger also practices green initiatives through lean manufacturing. More efficient and organized lean practices reduce waste, increase output (helping us to be more profitable) and elevate product quality.
Harbinger first adopted lean manufacturing 2½ years ago. Because lean requires an intense, academic journey and a full commitment from your team, the initial conversion posed challenges. To help make the transition, we hired a consultant. The first day, our consultant measured how many footsteps our team members were taking to walk work orders to our foreman’s office in a two-story building in the middle of our work area.
The consultant determined we spent an extra $30,000 each year marching work orders up the stairs to that office. The next morning, a wrecking crew tore down the foreman’s building.
Today, Harbinger has been recognized as a fast-moving, top-performing lean organization. Members of our leadership have been quoted as experts in lean by top publications, and the company has been recognized by the Jacksonville Lean Consortium for its hard work.
A key lean principle that has benefited Harbinger significantly is one-piece flow. One-piece flow is a first-in, first-out philosophy in which one workpiece at a time moves between operations within a workcell. This method has helped us cut the turnaround time for standard products from 30 days to nine. Benefits include a higher quality product, because we can easily monitor each
process and each piece that goes through the cells.
Our manufacturing space is divided into several, independently operating cells, each of which produces a specific sign component, before the product moves on to the next cell.
Each cell is set up with the concept of “everything has a place, so everything is in its place.” Each tool board has a photo that shows where and how the tools should be placed. If something is missing or out of place, our manufacturing team
notices immediately. For example, we’ve even outlined, on the floor, where the trashcan goes. This has made our team more efficient because they can quickly and easily find the tools that they need.
Future plans
We continue to invest in research and development of green techniques and technologies. Harbinger’s team members travel to China often to research the latest in advanced lighting technologies. They bring back and test anything that could be a fit for our business. We’re testing many new products now and look forward to releasing more information on this in the near future.
Harbinger anticipates that, like the other green solutions we’ve implemented, an increase in green offerings will lead to continued growth and success. In the past year, Harbinger’s sales have increased threefold, largely due to our use of green products and services.
In addition to increasing our green-product offerings, we also hope to expand our internal green practices, including recycling a greater percentage of our waste and having team members go through the LEED-certification process.
read the whole article at www.signweb.com
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.
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.
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.
Leading National Sign Manufacturer Rebrands Itself, Launches New Website
Quality Sign Company, a national sign manufacturing company serving some of the nation’s most recognizable multi-location brands, has a new image and name -- Harbinger. Meaning “sign of the future,” Harbinger reflects the company’s rich, 48-year-history while establishing a new brand identity system to better express its forward-thinking approach.
“As we’ve continued to grow and expand nationally, we wanted a name that showcases our commitment to innovative, lasting and cost-effective solutions,” said Steve Williams, president of Harbinger. “Our new name promises what our company has always stood for—a more intelligent signage program from a proven organization.”
Harbinger has launched a new website to coincide with the rebranding. The site features advanced navigation and speed, an enhanced portfolio gallery and detailed information on Harbinger’s expertise, including environmentally friendly signage and lighting, multi-location signage programs and custom large-scale sign fabrication.
Environmentally friendly LED lighting is available in all of Harbinger’s signage, and the company is a leader in the creation of double-faced, LED-illuminated pylon signs. Harbinger was the first company to implement LEDs in these types of signs, which are most commonly used by convenience stores, gas stations and restaurants. Recently, they worked with longtime client, 7-Eleven, to create green LED signage for all the convenience store chain’s new, standard locations across the country. The use of LED lights in these signs will mean significant reductions in carbon footprints and an estimated 60 to 80 percent in energy costs. Harbinger also uses low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and provides complimentary energy audits.
Harbinger specializes in multi-location signage, creating products that remain true to a customer’s design standards while also differentiating them from competition. This is achieved through in-depth consultation, planning and coordination with the customer. These efforts are supported by Harbinger’s nationwide service network. The company is licensed to operate in all states and provides efficient installation and brand consistency on every site.
The sign manufacturer also has extensive experience in custom, large-scale sign fabrication. They have worked with brands like Pepsi to produce creative and compelling, single-location signage, such as a12-foot-tall Pepsi bottle and corresponding 16-foot-diameter rotating sphere, used in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Williams, an accomplished artist, anticipates that custom fabrication projects will continue to be a focus for Harbinger.
“As large-scale art fabricators across the country are, unfortunately, closing their doors, there are fewer choices for companies seeking customized art and architectural fabrication,” Williams said. “We will continue to meet the complex needs of this market by marrying artistic expertise with innovative design engineering and manufacturing techniques.”
Though “quality” has been removed from the company name, it remains a key principal of Harbinger. Harbinger uses the highest quality materials to create products that last. This includes high-quality vinyl, high-impact acrylic paints to keep colors bright, and seamless fabrication for strength and durability.