A message from our founder,
Thank you for your interest in 877 3D Awnings and Signs.com Inc. I would like to provide you with a brief history of the awning and sign business and there eventual merging into what can now be called the storefront image business for the most part along with more traditional fabric structures that perform other functions than signage like shade, weather protection, security lighting and decoration.
The awning and sign businesses used to be very distinct and separate in the late 1980’s and even into the early 1990’s. There were awning companies that did commercial work and mostly painted lettering onto canvas awnings along with an occasional logo. The world started to change in 1989 with the advent of the Gerber 4B vinyl lettering machine. Now you could make pounce patterns on paper and then use the stencil to make nicer painted graphics. You could also buy vinyl material that was only a few mil’s thick and cut vinyl lettering that could be weeded and masked onto any glue receptive surface. Unfortunately, vinyl did not stick to canvas (or acrylic Sunbrella).
There was a new material that was a tri-laminated vinyl with a polyester scrim that did accept vinyl graphics and could be internally illuminated. The best materials at that time were coming from France from a company called Dickson and the material was called Diko-Lit it was expensive but looked fantastic and shiny this revolutionary material directly competed with the sign industry that was at that time charging over $50 per square foot for a illuminated box sign that was wall mounted in front of a store. Competition heated up between awning companies and sign companies because an awning company could deliver and install an awning that could cover the entire façade of a storefront instead of just a postage stamp size and do it for way less money per square foot along with providing the client with shade, a three dimensional façade and security lighting at night.
These back-lit awnings and illuminated awnings took off like wild fire and everyone was buying them because you got more for your money as compared to a traditional flat sign and townships did not have any regulations on the books as yet to prevent the wild designs and oversized awnings that were being produced. Over time, you needed a building permit, a sign permit (for the square footage of the lettering) and an electrical seal from a licensed electrician to get an awning produced and installed legally. As a result, many small business owners opted not to seek a permit for an awning sign and simply put up the job with disregard to the seemingly over regulation and expense.
For example, in Camden, NJ where the original large awning and sign factory was located a project that cost $1600.00 installed cost well over $900.00 in permits architect’s seals, electrical seals and permit fees. The local government of the City of Camden was imposing a sort of hidden tax which prevented many business owners in the “hood” from being able to afford the high quality of signage that they really needed in order to be able to compete in a fast moving world. I created a blanket architects seal that showed all of the awning types that we made and presented it to the City Council and it resulted in each and every individual business not having to pay for an individual seal for their project saving them some money. You would think that in a down trodden City like Camden, NJ – Trenton, NJ, Patterson, NJ – Newark, NJ they would have special façade improvement programs to help business owners. Mostly that is not the case. Anyway our company helped as many small business owners to get noticed and improve their profits with great pricing and even greater service.
Over the years, sign companies caught on with fabric awnings and the last hurdle was overcome in about 1995 when Milliken Industries patented the Aluminum Staple in Extrusion System for creating fabric awnings. With the advent of the staple in system any “sign guy” could now learn how to make an awning frame and then staple in the fabric and put a plastic trim on top of it to complete the finished work. Awning fabric suppliers saw a brand new market in sign companies and marketed them heavily bringing them into the fold and showing them the ropes of the awning business.
Staple in awning systems were expensive since the extrusion was aluminum and patented by Les Milliken. We embraced the technology and offered our awnings and canopies in steel or aluminum depending on the application and the wind and the snow load required. Aluminum is not really good for large spans and high wind applications since aluminum tears and is not ductile like steel. Aluminum awning frames are great for their longevity since they do not rust in applications that are close to salt water like work done on a boardwalk or dock.
Air Shield Awnings and Signs Inc was the original company name and I am the founder of Air Shield with over twenty years experience in the field. I have renamed the company 3D Awnings and Signs Inc because of the fact that we are really in the three dimensional signage and canopy business. We have a number of new tricks to making your storefront really stand out from the crowd like the addition of full color digital graphics and a wide variety of translucent awning fabrics along with the use of projection displays, lasers, and LED full color scrolling message boards.
We have edge lighting in LED to create borders that are safer and more cost efficient than Neon borders. We have the experience and the expertise to get your retail store noticed and create the brand for your business that will be remembered by your prospects and have heart pounding, traffic stopping effects that will bring you to the forefront and make people want to visit your store. Remember, you have to get them in the store or to call you in order to make the sale.
Call us at 877 3D Awnings and Signs (877) 332-9646 and speak to one of our designers and get on the road to success in your retail business, car wash, restaurant, night club or any business location that is seen by the public or any area in which you need shade or weather protection.
Regards,
Bill Becker, Founder and CEO of 877 3D Awnings and Signs.com Inc
Beautiful 3D Awning and Sign Store Front Projects
Architects & Designers
Fax or email us the plans for your next Awning, Canopy or Sign project we will provide you with competitive prices and the highest quality awnings and signs in the industry.
3D Success Stories
"I was in business for years with a very small sign. I did not really consider an Awning for my store front until I received a flyer from 3D Awnings and Signs. Wow, my business increased over 40% and everyone was asking me if we just opened for business...