By Melissa Donovan
Part 1 of 2
The home or corporate office is a versatile environment. As more businesses look to optimize the space they have, offices become a showroom of sorts—promoting a company’s message, branding, and initiatives. Wide format digital print makes customization of a space unique and different. Applications that offer high-quality, long lasting décor include wallcoverings, window graphics, canvas wraps, and photo prints.
Print service providers (PSPs) already versed in offering these services should turn to local offices and consider the possibilities a blank wall or cubicle may create. This two-part series looks at digital print and its use in office décor by profiling two PSPs.
On Point
12-Point Signworks, LLC began in 2008 to offer wide format printing for graphics and signage applications. Murray Johns, owner, 12-Point, had some experience in wide format, working for Hewlett-Packard in the late 1990s in the inkjet supplies business unit manufacturing printheads for desktop and wide format printers.
Watching the development of the technology inspired Johns to start his wide format business. Today, he and his staff of six in Franklin, TN, continue to find ways to creatively use the print output it produces. One of those ways is office décor.
A growing part of the business, Johns believes that the application represents 25 percent of the PSP’s current work. With the ability to not only offer printed graphics but dimensional signage as well—logo signs for example—12-Point offers a complete rebranding of a space.
“The opportunities within the realm of office décor are coming to us more quickly and at larger scales as potential clients see our work and capabilities and as we successfully fulfill projects with existing clients,” says Johns.
Potential and existing customers looking for office décor include both business owners and contractors. These requests range from decorative murals on textured wallcovering media to contour-cut wall and window graphics and wall wraps that are created out of adhesive-backed materials to conform to textured walls such as troweled mortar and painted cement block.
A recent job for the LIDS Sports Group included work on a painted block wall and two block column wraps. The primary wall was 31 feet wide and nine feet tall, with the challenge of working around a set of double doors.
12-Point received the art files directly from the client and immediately moved them into production. The graphics were printed on a Roland DGA Corporation VersaCAMM VP-540i eco-solvent printer/cutter. OEM Roland inks on a cast vinyl created a bold final design. The print width of 50 inches was beneficial, as it helped ease handling during installation.
Because of the nature of the wall texture, the 12-Point staff utilized heat guns and firm foam rollers to work the vinyl into the wall for maximum adhesion. Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions vinyl and overlaminate were used.
From file retrieval to final install, the entire process took less than one week. LIDS was so pleased with the final result, it expanded on the project a few months later and wrapped an adjacent wall around an elevator opening.
12-Point recognizes the potential in décor projects and the many applications that fall under this heading. Its recent work for LIDS is a prime example, one that led to repeat business.
In the next part of this series we spotlight another PSP creating office décor work, Columbus, OH-based Franklin Imaging.
Click on the link above to get more information on the vendors mentioned in this article.
Jun2014, Digital Output DOOD1406
