Positive Signs for POP, Retail

“The addition of ADC increases KDM’s print production and manufacturing capabilities, expands our geographical presence in the Southeast portion of the United States, and creates further opportunities to foster growth of product offerings to our customers,” said Bob Kissel, president/CEO of KDM P.O.P. Solutions.

Randy Ladwig, one of three ADC company founders, added, “We are pleased to be able to increase our capacity with additional presses as well as apply our expertise in the [quick-serve] industry from a regional to a national level.”

This past summer, Toronto’s TI Group decided to more aggressively pursue the POP market by installing a large-format Durst Rho 1000 printer at its SCL facility in Scarborough. “This total investment of $2 million ... solidifies our position as a market leader for POP solutions and positions our company for additional growth in the coming years,” said partner Domenic Rubino.

Peter Spring, TI Group’s sales VP, explained how the Rho 1000 fills a production gap within the firm’s large-format lithography capabilities, which produces up to 73-inch work on a six-color manroland press. (The firm also added a six-color, 40-inch Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102-6+LX with UV capabilities and Prinect Image Control in late 2008.) The Rho 1000 is a continuous UV-based inkjet system, employing Durst’s Quadro Array printhead technology, with a maximum output of up to 200 4x8-foot boards per hour. “This press also adds significant capacity to our SCL facility, where we have, over the last two years, expanded our scope of services to offer product design, creative support, and kitting,” Spring added.

After all is spent, whether produced digitally, screened, or printed offset, POP advertising doesn’t cost—it pays. Wide-format printers of POP and retail signage can attest to that. Sherkey said Cushing tries to keep up with current trends, such as the increasing demand for more printing on fabrics, which his firm outsources now. “But we may need to adjust,” he noted.

Making the decision to invest in new equipment is not easy for small print firms like Cushing (annual sales are over $5 million), which is why it, along with some 300 peer companies, networks through the ReproMAX association. Before writing a check for the down payment on a large-format textile printer, Cushing management will consult with fellow members about similar equipment purchases. “There are email forums, information exchanges, and idea sharing,” Sherkey explained. “It’s invaluable to get input from other people before you make a bad decision.”