ARCHIVE: Category Archive for: Interior Signage

U.S. manufacturing gains steam; raw material, labor shortages mounting

U.S. manufacturing activity picked up in May as pent-up demand amid a reopening economy boosted orders, but unfinished work piled up because of shortages of raw materials and labor.

Signs of the Times July 2021

Sign of the Times, a well-known publication specializing in comprehensive sign-industry news, technical information, and in-depth analysis, featured Metro in its July 2021 issue. The article, “Catch the Wave” highlights Metro’s work with faux-neon LED signage and features a sign Metro designed, manufactured, and installed for the Ryder apartment complex in Revere Beach, MA. LED sign design involves several logistical considerations including fit, turning radius, and long runs. Learn more about how Metro created this fun sign to light up the beachside apartment complex. Read the full article at: editions.mydigitalpublication.com Read Original Article

Restaurant Signage Enhances Dining and Profits

With warmer weather upon us, vaccination rates increasing, and restrictions lifting, people have been venturing out to visit their favorite restaurants in person. The pandemic hit the restaurant industry very hard — and while it’ll take time for the industry to recover from its 2020 losses, owners can take heart based on the results of a recent June survey conducted by Morning Consult: 70% feel safe eating at a restaurant, a 3% increase from the end of May 67% feel safe dining indoors 76% feel safe dining outside 59% indicated they’ll feel comfortable dining out by July Consumer excitement about eating out continues to grow and friends and family who’ve not seen each other in person for months look forward to connecting

Event signage doesn’t have to be utilitarian to be helpful. Here’s five creative ideas to use signs to enhance the attendee experience.

Who Doesn’t Love a Good Challenge?

Here at Metro, we’ve developed a reputation for overcoming challenges. In 2020, the pandemic required us to rethink our approach to projects and conduct much of our collaboration in a remote environment. Government buildings closed for weeks, which presented another challenge for obtaining signage permits and staying on deadline with project installations. Clients saw initial project budgets shrink, so our team worked with them to devise alternative signage options—in design, materials, or both. At Metro, we love a good challenge. Challenges make us better because they require us to grow and innovate—and that benefits our clients and our partners, especially when we’re faced with a new “problem” we’ve not encountered before. And let’s face it. It isn’t just us signage

Different types of plastics trends can influence what material makes sense to use for signage construction. Various plastics options — including acrylic, impact-modified acrylic (IMA), and polycarbonate — share properties but have key differences. A sign’s location should also influence material choice, because not all materials react the same to weathering. Signage manufacturers should take into consideration sign style (screen vs. digital printing) and ink types (UV-cured, latex inks, UV-LED print) when recommending what materials their clients should choose. Click here to read the original article from Sign Builder Illustrated.

2021 Signage Trends

An explosion of technology innovation has fueled and supported creativity across many industries — and the signage industry is no exception. Companies — retailers, business owners, healthcare facilities, and other entire industries — have been forced to strategize ways to remain relevant and profitable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The signage industry has been right there offering unique solutions to help companies achieve their goals in part by upgrading, rebranding, or revamping their images. But what does that look like in 2021? A return to minimalism A focus on sustainability Increased use of digital signage Diverse innovations Greater personalization Expanded faux finishes More Interaction Refreshed Wayfinding Celebrating Minimalism Constantly bombarded by messages and tens of thousands of images daily, we crave a

Many companies and brands rely on signage with channel letters to catch the attention of customers. This failsafe marketing method’s been used to display brand names or logos on building sides, in shopping malls, at trade shows, and more. But with the average American exposed to an estimated 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements daily, companies are looking at how to maximize their marketing against a whole lot of increased noise. Large format 3D printing technology has added flexibility and freedom for design. Now signage manufacturers can produce cursive words, a complete logo — or just its graphic elements, and more. This technique is also faster than traditional methods, and because it reduces manual elements of the production process, production errors also

Whenever a client requests a sign that’s a little different from the norm, the Metro Sign team gets excited. We love a good challenge! Workers Credit Union, in Littleton, MA, needed interior and exterior signs for its new headquarters and office. We partnered with general contractor Nauset Construction Corporation to create the signage package, which included a unique canopy sign. The first challenge: The canopy sign had to sit on top of a custom steel and glass canopy, which certainly limited how we could safely attach it. The second challenge: It had to look great not just from the front, but from the back, too, because it was clearly visible from a second floor conference room whose windows overlooked the

Well-designed signage allows companies — including financial institutions like banks and credit unions — to increase brand awareness and build trust among their customers. Static and dynamic signage can become powerful communications tools that help to: Build your brand and create a presence on the street Promote competitive differentiators including rates and unique services Highlight a bank’s mission and driving ideals Present information in more easily understandable chunks Offer wayfinding for people navigating by car or foot People expect to see wayfinding signs on college and business campuses, in museums and hospitals, or in retail shopping centers. Financial institutions also benefit from wayfinding, however, including exterior directional signage, parking signs, or property protection signs and interior signs that help control foot