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2015 PICA Awards

2015 PICA Awards
2015 PICA Awards

Producing a high quality product is very fulfilling,
recognition from your industry peers is tremendous!

 

On April 16th at the PICA Awards 50th Celebration we gathered with many of our printing peers to celebrate “Accomplishments in Print” for the year 2015. Only one “Best of” may be given in each category. One or more “Special Judges Award” or “Award of Excellence” may be given in each category, limited to no more than one third of total entries per category.

PICA Awards
PICA Awards

A panel of out of state judges with extensive experience in printing and print production was brought in to examine the work. Each entry was judged on its own merit in a category with similar printed pieces. The judging criteria included: registration, crossovers, clarity and neatness, sharpness of halftones and line drawings, richness and tonal qualities of color, paper and ink selection, ink coverage, difficulty of printing, effective contrast or softness, finishing, bindery, and overall visual impact.

Lisa Smith & James Zambrano
Lisa Smith & James Zambrano

5 of our Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays team members, accompanied by 2 wives (Lisa Smith and Allison Gibson), represented Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays & Graphics at the 2015 PICA Awards. The evening event was held at the Embassy Suites, one of the poshest hotels in Concord, NC. Their enormous ballroom was filled with 750+ entries, with over 250 printing representatives in attendance.

PICA Awards Reception
PICA Awards Reception

The winning entries were an impressive array of samples from: commercial print, custom packaging, interior and exterior signage, event signs and banners, custom displays and wide-format printing. At the reception, I escorted my wife (Lisa) through the winning entries, explaining the complexities and variations of “Print”, how it’s applied, the equipment needed to produce the impressive samples and how Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays competes in the industry. She was amazed at the imagery and creativeness of the work, she commented on how expansive the “Print Industry” truly is.

PICA Board Members
PICA Board Members

The Presentation of Sponsored Awards was precluded by the acknowledgement of the PICA Board and the 50 years of service PICA has dedicated to the printing industry and serving our peers. Numerous recognition awards were presented to present and past leaders of PICA amongst a boisterous round of appreciative applause.

The Sponsored Award Winners included:

  • Arzberger Stationers won 5 Best of Category Awards and 5 Special Judges Awards and also won the Athens “Most Creative Use of Paper” award
  • Classic won 13 Best of Category Awards, 20 Special Judges Awards and 7 Awards of Excellence and also won the KBA “Best Catalog” award
  • Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays won 14 Best of Category Awards and 2 Special Judges Awards and also won the FujiFilm “Best Wide Format” award
  • iTek Graphics won 11 Best of Category Awards, 13 Special Judges Awards and 4 Awards of Excellence and also won the Manchester Industries “Best Process Color Printing” award
  • Loftin & Company Printers won 4 Best of Category Awards and 3 Special Judges Awards
  • Mullen Publications, Inc. won2 Best of Category Awards and 2 Special Judges Awards
  • Print Management Group LLC won 4 Best of Category Awards, 3 Special Judges Awards and 1 Award of Excellence
  • ImageMark Business Services won 4 Best of Category Awards, 3 Special Judges Awards and 2 Awards of Excellence
  • Subtle Impressions Inc. won 1 Best of Category Award
  • Westmoreland Printers, Inc. won 1 Special Judges Award and 1 Award of Excellence
Wide Format Floor Graphics
Wide Format Floor Graphics

Our FujiFilm “Best Wide Format” award was in recognition of the project we participated in for Google’s celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We printed and installed 10 portrait murals on the stairs at 6 different historic landmarks in Washington, DC. Click this link to learn more…

Heritage Team
Heritage Signs & Displays Team

The official PICA press release announcing Heritage Signs & Displays:

PRINTING EXCELLENCE IN THE CAROLINAS RECOGNIZED

Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays Announced as
Award Winner in the 2015 PICA Awards

Charlotte, NC — The Printing Industry of the Carolinas (PICA) has announced that Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays, Inc. of Charlotte is an award winner in the 2015 PICA Awards Competition. The announcement was made April 16, 2016, during the 2015 PICA Awards Banquet in Concord, North Carolina, with more than 270 industry professionals in attendance.

The PICA Awards competition is celebrating its 50th season and continues to be one of the largest printing contests in the nation.

This year, the PICA Awards attracted more than 630 entries from 47 printing companies, along with more than 125 entries from 5 graphic arts high schools and 7 college graphic arts programs from across the Carolinas.

Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays won 14 Best of Category Awards and 2 Special Judges Awards. Only one “Best of” may be given in each category. One or more Special Judges Award or Award of Excellence may be given in each category, limited to no more than one third of total entries per category. Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays also won the FujiFilm “Best Wide Format” award.

A panel of out-of-state judges with extensive experience in printing and print production was brought in to examine the work. Each entry was judged on its own merit in a category with similar printed pieces. The judging criteria included: registration, crossovers, clarity and neatness, sharpness of halftones and line drawings, richness and tonal qualities of color, paper and ink selection, ink coverage, difficulty of printing, effective contrast or softness, finishing, bindery, and overall visual impact.

Brent Thompson
Brent Thompson

For more information, call Brent Thompson at
Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays at 704-551‐0700

Since 1931, The Printing Industry of the Carolinas, Inc. (PICA) has been dedicated to advancing the success of the Carolinas’ printing and imaging industry. Working together with Printing Industries of America, the world’s largest graphic arts trade association, PICA provides training, resources, and a voice of advocacy on both a state and national level.

PICA is a trade association representing the graphic communications industry in North and South Carolina. North Carolina ranks as the 18th largest state print market in the United States with $3.5 billion in sales, 1,326 total printing establishments and 21,187 employees. South Carolina ranks 32nd in the nation, with $1.2 billion in sales, 525 establishments, and 7,776 employees. PICA is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. For more information, visit www.picanet.org.

The PICA Awards Competition, owned and managed by The Printing Industry of the Carolinas (PICA), is an annual event established in 1966 that recognizes and rewards printing and imaging companies who combine fine craftsmanship with technology in order to produce outstanding finished products. The award‐winning companies are honored each year at the PICA Awards Banquet.

Click here to watch the video

FujiFilm Award Presentation
FujiFilm Award Presentation

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Categories
Event Displays

Step and Repeat Banners, Photography Backdrops and Video Backgrounds

Step and Repeat
Step and Repeat

The most popular banners and backdrops
are printed in a Step and Repeat pattern!

Good Morning! Kevin Smith here again: Today we’ll dive into the world of conventions, trade shows, and fabric banners. The Internet has changed the way we research and purchase, but successful companies utilize trade shows and conventions to extend their brand recognition.

Build Brand Awareness with a Step And Repeat

What is Step and Repeat?

A print pattern where images, typically company logos, are printed in a repeated pattern is referred to as Step and Repeat. Most will have 2 or more logos repeated to represent multiple brands simultaneously.

Step and Repeat

Why should I order a Step and Repeat from Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays?

MADE IN AMERICA!

We are Veteran Owned and Operated with 2 production facilities located in the USA, Charlotte, NC. Our owners and staff support our military and local communities faithfully. Click here to learn more about our community involvement.

We specialize in Step and Repeat

Our Charlotte sign shop is equipped with high quality large format fabric, vinyl and rigid substrate printers. We can satisfy practically any order for step and repeats.

We eliminate the middleman

Value is a priority with every marketing purchase, avoiding a liaison significantly removes extra fees. Every fabric banner we sell are 100% produced by Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays! We are a preferred printer for many liaison agencies.

We are wide format printing experts

Knowledge eliminates mistakes, our staff has accumulated decades of design and wide format printing experience. When it must be done right, Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays is the only sign shop in Charlotte to call.

We provide the fastest turnaround time in Charlotte

Often times event vendors arrive in Charlotte only to find their step and repeat hasn’t arrived, has been damaged or even worse it’s lost. Our expedited services will have a step and repeat in your hands Super-Fast!

We are the fastest sign shop in Charlotte!

Pantone Color Matching

Compliance departments love our Pantone Color Matching; we guarantee a match your company pantone code. Our clients include: Coke, Carolina Panthers, Sealed Air, Charlotte Hornets and numerous others, all with stringent requirements on their printed marketing materials.

Step and Repeat

What kind of materials are step and repeats printed on?

First time customers don’t always realize the numerous options we provide for step and repeat materials. Here’s a list of materials and how they benefit you.

Fabric makes the best step and repeat; it is durable, folds to an easily transported size and is lightweight. Our “Top of the Line” fabric banners are printed on Ultraflex UltraPoplin® Soft Image, it’s 100% polyester with a matte finish, environmentally friendly and is 100% recyclable. The polyester yarn knit and special coatings make this an easily printable fabric that is wrinkle and crease resistant.

Vinyl is our most requested step and repeat, vinyl options include:

13oz vinyl scrim is the prototypical material we use, it is very durable and with our latex inks, provides a vibrant step and repeat that commands attention.

Mylar is the brand name for a special type of stretched polyester film that is adhered as a backing to the vinyl. Mylar provides a high tensile strength that make our step and repeats extremely durable. We use Mylar reinforced vinyl on most of our retractable banner stands.

Mesh Vinyl provides an outdoor solution for a wind resistant step and repeat. Our PVC coated polyester scrim mesh banner material allows 30% air-flow through, making it ideal for outdoor use. We can design a step and repeat with a transparent background to create 3-Dimensional effect.

Step and Repeat

What are my hardware options to display my step and repeat?

Depending on the event space and venue, there’s an overabundance of hardware options. We utilize the high quality hardware from WS Display. Here’s a list of our most requested display hardware, with hyperlinks to more information on each option.

Banners printed for hanging on a wall or draped like curtains are an affordable option. Our ability to print fabric up to 104” wide and infinite lengths will enable vendors or hosts an array of display options for a step and repeat. We can make pole pockets or insert grommets for any banner.

X Banner Stands are the most affordable option for display hardware. The fiberglass “tent-pole” style stand easily folds out from the central base hub, the built-in hooks effortlessly attach the banners grommets. X Banners come in sizes up to 6’ x 6 ½’ and are excellent for indoor conventions.

Retractable Banner Stands are the most portable banner display. Your banner easily retracts into the stands base and stores/travels in its carrying case (included with every stand). Retractables, aka “Pop Ups” are available in a collection of sizes ranging from 2’ x 6’ up to 6’ x 7’. Retractables are often seen at trade shows, helping vendors maximize brand exposure.

Banner Stands are the best display hardware option. Fabric or vinyl, these durable and lightweight aluminum frames exceed expectations. A variety of sizes from the most attractive 8’ x 8’ to the larger 8’ x 12’. Banner stands are best suited for vendor backgrounds and photography backdrops. Carrying case included

Hop Up Fabric Displays are the mammoth backdrops seen on stage and at larger venues. When you really want to be seen, a Hop Up is unequaled. These incredible units are easily set up and disassembled by 2 individuals. Sizes range up to 8’ x 14’ and have numerous options, even a built in monitor display mount! Carrying case included

Step and Repeat

How can I use a step and repeat?

Our customers have used their step and repeats in many types of events. Here’s some of the most common and a couple unique ways our banners have been employed.

Event Booths: #1 for trade show booth backgrounds. The step and repeat provides great photo and video opportunities.

Press Conference: Press conferences are conducted with a step and repeat backdrop. Either sitting behind a table or standing behind a podium, the banner is an awesome display of the brand while the speaker delivers the message. Impossible to ignore!

Photography Backdrops: The best backdrop for photos and videos, eliminates unwanted background activity, while providing the subject a stable stage.

Weddings: Planners use step and repeats to commemorate the big day. Images used: names, date of the wedding and bride and groom pictures. Great for family pictures and reception pictures.

Birthdays & Bar Mitzvahs: Take fantastic pictures with friends/family and create unforgettable memories.

Step and Repeat

Evolving smartphone technology has the need for banners and backdrops higher than ever. Step and repeat fabric banners have become an essential part of every company’s branding campaign. At every convention and trade show in Charlotte (and across the nation) you will see an overabundance of step and repeats manufactured by Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays with our Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays van.

Positively position your brand to the thousands and possibly millions of viewers, both at the event, on social media and TV with a step and repeat. With cell phones empowering everyone to capture and post images to social media, brand recognition is more important than ever.

File Upload

Upload individual Hi-Res files, up to 15MB, to yield the highest print quality. Files exceeding 15MB should use our FTP site. Click Here to upload via FTP

Fast Shipping

3 business day turnaround (following final proof approval) and expedited services available. We also deliver locally with our Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays van.

I personally extend an open invitation to tour our manufacturing facility in Charlotte. Call me to schedule a personal tour: 704-551-0700

Visit us at 2739 Interstate St.
(between Billy Graham Parkway & Freedom Dr.)
(Google map)

Fabric Banners

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Categories
News

Heritage Signs & Displays adds Mimaki Extra-Wide Flatbed Printer

Mimaki Delivery
Mimaki Delivery

Sometimes you get on a good roll and things just seem to fall into place, almost like a dream, that’s what I’ve been on since last summer! Today I’m proud to announce that we have added another impressive piece of technology to our unsurpassed arsenal of signage equipment.

The Mimaki JFX500-2131
EXTRA-WIDE Format
Flatbed UV Printer!

Career Move

It all started in August of 2015, when I made the decision to make a career change and was welcomed on as the full time marketing manager at Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays, to work at the Charlotte office. Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays was in the process of acquiring another print shop and relocating the Maryland facility to its current address in Waldorf, MD. My career move was, as expected, an exhilarating and refreshing change of pace and it has proven to be much better than I originally anticipated. We continue to improve our products, services, equipment, employees (yes, we are always looks for exceptional people, click here) and technologies.

 

Waldorf

The trip to our nation’s capital (Waldorf is just outside the Capital Belt) to visit my new coworkers and learn about the world of commercial printing and mailing services was without a doubt an unmeasurably educational and fun experience.
Read my post about Waldorf

 

NEW Envelope Press

Almost the same day I returned to our office in Charlotte, the new Xante’ Impressia envelope press arrived at Waldorf. I knew the envelope presses we own and operate are awesome, but the Impressia puts them all on the back burner.

I did the math: with the new Xante’ Impressia envelope press, we can print up to 78 FULL Color #10 envelopes per minute. THAT’S: 78 envelopes x 1440 minutes in a day = 112,320 FULL Color Envelopes printed in 1 day!
Read my post about the Impressia

 

BOSSLASER

I knew for some time that we were researching Laser cutting/engraving technology. In January the laser research ended and shortly thereafter, our new BOSSLASER arrived! The BOSSLASER carbon dioxide (CO2) laser provides exact cuts with smooth edges. The BOSS (as we like to call it) provides the ability to cut acrylics and other substrates that our CNC router wasn’t able to cut. We now have custom sign capabilities above and beyond any Charlotte Sign Company!
Read my post about the BOSSLASER

 

THE MIMAKI!

Now we really turn it up with the Mimaki! While setting the flatbed printer up in our shop, there were no less than 20 Ricoh sales representatives in and out of our office that day. The JFX500-2131 is the latest and greatest, cutting edge, flatbed printer available and most of these East Coast Ricoh representatives have seen only one and it was at the Print Expo in Atlanta. (that’s where we saw it too)

Now Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays is the showcase for Ricoh!

Mimaki Flatbed Printer

 

So what’s the BIG DEAL??

Simply, the Mimaki prints on wider, longer and thicker substrates than any of its competitors. All this with higher quality and faster print speeds! THAT is a big deal! The typical high-end flatbed printer will print 4’ x 8’ boards at thicknesses not to exceed 1 ½”, our Mimaki can print boards up to 7’ x 10’ up to 2” thick! (and all sizes in-between)

 

FAST TOO!

Having the BIGGEST horse in the race doesn’t always mean he’s the fastest, not true with our Mimaki. This flatbed printer can produce print speeds up to 646 Sq Ft per hour! That’s 20 boards (4’ x 8’) an hour, our previous flatbed printed a maximum of 7 boards an hour. That’s almost a 3 to 1 improvement. When you need it now, you know who to call!

Mimaki Flatbed Printer

 

Quality

BIG & Fast is one thing, quality is another! The first thing I learned about Heritage Printing, Signs & Displays is QUALITY!!! It’s in the people we hire, facilities we own and the equipment we use, we’re not always cutting edge like this Mimaki, but we firmly believe:

Quality People + Quality Equipment = Quality Products

 

Anti-Banding Technology

Variable drop printing, combined with Mimaki’s Advanced Pass System (MAPS) technology ensures precise and accurate print quality throughout the printing process. The MAPS technology greatly reduces the appearance of banding and the result is a smoother image.

 

What we can print with the Mimaki JFX500-2131

 

What’s Next?

Well, there’s a lot on the horizon for us. We are currently seeking enthusiastic, self-motivated individuals to add to our team, both here in Charlotte and our Waldorf facility. Re-read the quality comment and visit the careers link (1st link in this post) to see what’s currently available. But don’t stop there, if the positions listed aren’t in your preferred list, send us your resume anyway. We are firm believers in improvement and the way to improve is to surround yourself with people better than yourself. Let’s see if you qualify!

 

WOW!

Suffice to say, few people have witnessed the level of professional change that I have since the summer of 2015. To most people, change represents turmoil and upheaval. I hope those people will read this post, follow my digital journey and enjoy a refreshing point of view: Change is GOOD! 

Mimaki Flatbed Printer

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