By Melissa Donovan
Part 2 of 2
Financial institutions like banks and credit unions offer print service providers (PSPs) opportunity. Just like retail or restaurants, these environments welcome backlit signage, retractable banner stands, wallcoverings, window decals, and banners to promote marketing messages, decorate for a holiday, or address privacy in an office environment.
Digital with Screen on the Side
Timsco Graphics, of Temple Hills, MD, works out of a 38,000 square foot location with 21 employees. The business began in 1957 with only three staff members. Today it’s grown to primarily serve the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., but holds a national presence.
Offering wide format digital printing in addition to screenprinting, CNC cutting, and installation services it works with retail, non-profits, OEMs, associations, government institutions, transit, safety construction rental, event planning, and out-of-home advertising sectors.
Close to ten percent of Timsco’s work involves signage ultimately placed in banks or financial institutions. This includes window decals, polycarbonate decals, acrylic signs, heat bent PVC, and banner stands.
Calvin Prichard, sales manager, Timsco, explains why each of the aforementioned applications are ideal in a bank setting. Window decals are great for promotional advertising, as they are an easy and affordable way to advertise to walk-in customers. Polycarbonate decals are used for identification and instructions for ATMs and card readers and chosen for their scratch-resistant properties and overall durability. For higher end interior branding as well as branding found in headquarters for employee morale acrylic signs are requested. Countersigns made out of heat bent PVC are for informational or promotional purposes. Banner stands are used for internal events like team building.
The recent trend of banks changing from traditional full-service branches to cafes and casual walk-in locations is effecting the type of signage requested, admits Prichard. He believes more branding and signage is needed to differentiate each company from the competition.
“Eco-friendly or recyclable materials have been, and will continue to be, a requested product for signage and short-term displays. Dry erase finishes are also a common request for reusability and customization,” says Prichard.
To offer such an array of digitally printed product, Timsco houses Acuity HS flatbed printers from Fujifilm North America Corporation, an OKI Data ColorPainter M-64s, and a newly acquired Canon Solutions America Colorado 1650.
The flatbeds are equipped with white ink and the capability to print at a very high resolution. “This is especially helpful for sub-surface acrylic displays going inside offices that will get close viewing where the colors should pop and the text needs to be crisp,” shares Prichard.
Timsco complements its digital operation with screenprinting. This is particularly useful for white flood coats on larger runs of interior mounted window decals. Prichard says the company finds this method more cost effective than printing white digitally with a flatbed printer.
Prichard admits that Timsco doesn’t rely heavily on any one product or vendor when it comes to its media selection. However, he finds the team using the General Formulations Concept product line often because of its simple product identification.
The PSP is equipped to install signage in house as well. It owns a bucket truck and a scissor lift for challenging installations. “We found installation to be a great way to continue the sale and build customer relationships. It also helps differentiate from the competition—especially those out of state,” says Prichard.
Coin Sorting
Timsco’s work for financial institutions varies from local banks to large orders for nationwide rollouts. It recently provided signage for the Navy Federal Credit Union. The client wanted to provide identification for coin sorting equipment that undergoes heavy usage. The graphic needed to withstand everyday wear and tear from customers repeatedly rubbing and dropping objects on the surface.
The job was run on a Fujifilm Acuity Advance HS flatbed with 0.020-inch velvet/matte polycarbonate. “With digital printing we can run smaller full-color orders and the ink is never compromised because it is protected by the polycarbonate over the top,” explains Prichard.
In total 300 decals were produced for the Navy Federal Credit Union.
Standout Signage
Clients in the banking sector require a variety of signage from smaller graphics like decals to large banners or wallcoverings. The recent trend of banks becoming smaller, intimate cafe-like settings is also changing the game when it comes to signage, as these environments require specialized graphics to really make the brand standout from the crowd. PSPs like Timsco recognize these changes and are poised to take advantage into the future.
Click here to read part one of this exclusive online series, Serving the Financial Sector.
Apr2020, Digital Output
