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NATIONWIDE signage company Logan Signs has grabbed a fair share of the country’s market for cosmetic brand promo windows, during its 30 years of operation. |
Its Auckland-based team of seven has over 125 years of experience between them, supported by a network of long-term contract installers around New Zealand.
The company takes on virtually any signage job, designing and creating the full range including general; vehicle; neon and illuminated; 3D lettering; promotional; boards; flags and banners; retail; and digital printing.
Commercial window signage, usually displayed for between two weeks and a month, sees the Logan Signs team of country-wide installers busy applying or removing the adhesive substrate. The time this takes, and the quality of the display’s finish affects the company’s bottom line so it aims for a quick turnaround and a bubble-free finish.
Halfway through last year, Logan Signs began using Drytac Polar Remo Gloss, supplied by Fuji Xerox New Zealand. Brendon Rogers, operations manager for Logan Signs, says, “The brand we’d been using didn’t offer bubble-free liner and had a more complex application process. We had to apply it wet to achieve a smooth finish. When you’re working with 2.5-3 metre drops by 1300 mm wide that’s not an easy task. It is an unwieldy process to move it around and get rid of the bubbles.
“By comparison, applying the Polar substrate is totally different. We do half a drop at the time. We back seal half of the print and apply it dry – so there’s no water involved. And no bubbles, ever.”
Store success
LOGAN Signs has partnered with iconic Auckland department store Smith & Caughey’s for the past decade. Recently, Logan Signs used Drytac Polar for a full-window promo at the store. To prevent disruption to the store’s business operations, Logan’s installation team has a 5am start at the Queen Street site. Previously, four installers would take 14 to 16 hours to apply the. With the Drytac Polar Remo Gloss, they completed the job in 10 hours.
Rogers says, “Polar’s bubble-free backing and water-free application sped the installation time up dramatically, and made the whole process easier. It’s made a huge difference. And the removability’s great too. It doesn’t leave any glue behind whatsoever.
“Smith & Caughey’s gave us great feedback on it. They loved the speedy install and the vibrancy of the finished product. They’re really, really happy with it.”
In Wellington, Abbey Signs contracts as an installer for Logan Signs. Mike Lerm, owner at Abbey Signs, has taken to the Drytac film. He says “The Polar bubble-free promo vinyl makes short-term installs easy. When pulling and re-sticking, the vinyl and adhesive holds together nicely without too much aggression, and it keeps its shape unlike many others. It’s really very nice to work with.”
Garry Aspinall owns Christchurch’s Classic Signs, another contract installer for Logan Signs. Aspinall says, “Drytac Polar is easy to apply, even somewhat repositionable. If it’s stretched, it can be remoulded back to flat again with a little heat. The print quality is excellent, and the graphics look great. It appears to have a permanent adhesive, which doesn’t mark the substrate. I’d definitely recommend Drytac Polar for short-term applications.”
