Fabulous, Flexible, Fantastic Graphics - Use Them To Your Fullest Advantage

Niles, IL, March 1, 2006

When you're exhibiting at a trade show - side by side with your competitors - every second counts. It just takes a quick once over and a few seconds for attendees to decide whether to stop at an exhibit. In that fleeting moment, what they see must tell them who you are and what you do. Graphics are one of the best methods to achieve drama and high impact.

"Graphics just don't enhance an exhibit, they make the exhibit. Great looking graphics add drama and make the exhibit more dynamic," reports Dave Fugiel, design director for Nimlok, a worldwide leader in the display and exhibit industry. "Graphics can enhance the structure when they are incorporated as an extension of the hardware. Even better, they are relatively portable and affordable -- a most exciting element to greatly impact the design and presentation of trade show exhibits because of their versatility."

Karen Cohen, president of Nimlok Philadelphia, agrees. "Graphics breathe life into an exhibit. With advancements in graphic software and a constantly expanding library of stock images combined with a variety of printing techniques, today's designers are pushing the envelope to create bold and dramatic presentations that reflect a company's image."

When Adams Respiratory wanted to create an exhibit to showcase their best selling product Mucinex®, a decongestant that loosens and thins out mucus and helps clear congestion, they wanted the display to reflect the product's leadership position in the market. The Mucinex logo needed to be visible from all areas of the exhibit hall while the exhibit itself portrayed the modern and contemporary look of the company. Nimlok New York City developed a display that could be reconfigured as a 20 X 20, 20 X 10, or 10 X 10, so it could be utilized at a variety of different shows. To emphasize the Mucinex brand name, large 8 X 8 graphic panels were produced and strategically placed so they could be seen from all sides of the exhibit. Additionally, most of the graphics within the display were placed at a higher level to ensure visibility.

Beyond Paper

With the revolution of Direct to Substrate Graphics or DSG Technology, printing on paper is becoming a thing of the past. Nimlok is the first major exhibit manufacturer in the trade show industry to go to a paperless printing system, by investing in Direct to Substrate Graphics (DSG). Nimlok's new DSG printer retires the old system of printing on paper and provides the capability to print directly onto any substrate. At an investment of more than $300,000, Nimlok is the only exhibit manufacturer in the industry that has the super specialty DSG printer--- a flatbed UV printer offering very high resolution printing up to 80 inches wide and printing 350 square feet per hour. It can print on both roll-to-roll and rigid substrates up to 1.75 inches thick.

"This technology has revolutionized the entire print process," says Person. "DSG prints directly onto any surface; it's extremely tough and eliminates the multiple issues with lamination."

For example, when creating an exhibit for Jack Daniels, Nimlok printed an old black and white photo directly onto plywood to create an old-fashioned, rustic looking sign. DGS technology also allows logos and other graphics to be printed directly onto carpet squares, frosted Plexiglass and wooden doors.

"Direct to substrate technology has allowed us to directly print to our client's products without the use of sticky adhesives and/or laminations," says Cohen. "The same materials you see on the sides of buses on the streets are used in the tradeshow world on applications such as a conference room. This allows for the client to see out of the conference room while the audience outside sees a dramatic image and message."

What does DSG technology mean for exhibitors?

• Superior Print Quality - This printer has a larger print head with smaller jets, which decreases dot size and grain.
• The Ability to Print on Almost Anything - It can print directly onto laminate, metal, or Plexiglas up to 1.75 inches thick.
• Eliminates Curling - Banner products are now one-piece graphics, which remain much flatter and do not curl.
• Eliminates Over-Lamination - Over-laminates are no longer necessary, so delaminating, tunneling, and color knock back are a thing of the past.

When Novalis Medical prepared for their trade show debut, they approached Nimlok Gulf Coast about creating an exhibit that reflected a contemporary and sophisticated feel, yet was sexy and cutting edge and would draw attention and traffic to their space. Large graphics would play a key role in the design. Nimlok utilized its PM4 extrusion systems creating custom shapes that made the booth totally unique. Large, eye-catching exhibits were placed across the back wall of the exhibit, while the Novalis' equipment took center stage in the middle of the booth.

"When we approached Nimlok Gulf Coast to construct our booth we knew we wanted something edgy yet sophisticated and complimentary to our industry," says Anthony M. Davis, executive vice president of Novalis Medical. "Being a new company, it was very important that our booth portray success and quality - we feel we got that and much, much more."

Venable agrees, concluding, "With the use of computers and creative minds graphics will continue to push the envelope by mixing medias and applications. Traditional graphics that were just printed on a film or paper will now start to add lighting, movement, layering, and dimension. I foresee the booth materials taking a back seat to the graphics and their materials."

In 2006, Nimlok is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Since its founding, Nimlok has grown to become the worldwide leader in the display and exhibit industry. With more than 200 authorized distributor partners in 56 countries worldwide, they offer an extensive Custom Solution product line as well as portable and pop-up displays, visual communication systems and other exhibit accessories. Manufacturing facilities are located in Chicago, Toronto and the U.K.

To learn more about Nimlok, visit www.nimlok.com.