Current News & Events for Architectural Signage

 “With respect to signage, the changes primarily affect public accommodations within the U.S., which means that over five million facilities are impacted including but not limited to hotels, restaurants, hospitals, physician’s offices, schools, stores, movie theatres, convention centers, libraries, banks, museums and airports,” noted Kelly David, Director of Marketing and Product Management at ASI. “Given that it is a federal law and that ADA compliance is such a critical part of good wayfinding, it’s important that builders, building managers and others involved in the design and remodeling of public facilities be aware of the changes and how they will affect their industry.”

The handout from ASI seeks to clarify the impending changes and provide guidance on how facilities can be in full compliance by the deadline. Just as important, the handout also offers information on how the guidelines affect signage, including sections describing the sign types that are exempt from ADA Standards and featuring examples of ADA-compliant signs. Other important information includes illustrations and descriptions of ADA-compliant wayfinding elements and signage to ensure accessibility.

Many businesses will already be in compliance with the new standards, and a number of states and municipalities have taken it upon themselves to implement and adopt the changes well ahead of the compliance deadline. Still, many organizations may not be aware of the changes and compliance deadline described within the 2010 ADA Standards. Cost, familiarization with the requirements, or having the means by which to implement them, can influence the likelihood of compliance by a facility.

“Aside from the fact that it’s a federal requirement, adhering to the revised ADA Standards doesn’t have to be painful or costly,” David said. “There are so many different options to deploy signage that not only meet the federal guidelines but also harmonize seamlessly with the facility’s branding and wayfinding needs, while also meeting your budget needs. The key is to work with an experienced and knowledgeable signage consultant well-versed in the new standards and who can translate them into a signage solution that will fulfill your institution’s wayfinding and messaging goals.”

The Susan G. Komen Foundation is a strong force in the fight against breast cancer. “This is an exemplary non-profit foundation that has so many positive strengths and ways to create awareness and find ways to encourage donations to help find a cure, “says Kelly David, director of marketing and product management at ASI. “84 cents of every dollar spent supports mission programs and services towards this cause. The donations help fund critical breast cancer research, as well as educations, screening and treatment programs locally and nationwide.” The initiative spearheaded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is known as Passionately Pink for the Cure®.

Donors can join ASI in going Passionately Pink for the Cure by contributing funds online or by check or money order. People interested in making donations are urged to visit ASI at Susan G. Komen for the Cure – Passionately Pink. ASI's fundraising goal is $3,000, and the company is matching all combined donations raised throughout the month of October up to $1,000.

On its Susan G. Komen page, ASI is offering downloadable information about the basics of breast health and facts about breast cancer. Donors can track the progress of ASI's fundraising initiative at the Susan G. Komen Foundation's page for that purpose. “Every 23 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with breast cancer and almost everyone in our organization has a friend or family member that has been impacted,” says David. “We wanted to rally around this cause to show our support and create community awareness. Each of our offices has special activities they are doing locally to help ASI reach our fundraising goal and have fun creating awareness throughout the month.”

ASI specializes in architectural signage and wayfinding solutions for diverse market segments including healthcare, corporate, education, government and hospitality.  ASI offers a broad range of custom and standard static and digital signage solutions.  ASI’s unique niche in the digital sector is its ability to provide comprehensive, turn-key signage solutions to its clients, with the expertise of over 45 years in servicing the needs of the marketplace.

Kelly David, director of marketing and product management at ASI comments, “By understanding the complexities of architectural signage market, from proper wayfinding to ADA signage guidelines and local codes to performance needs, ASI truly brings a level of expertise to clients needing digital solutions.  We are able to evaluate the facility, performance needs and communication goals and successfully recommend a digital signage solution that will perform functionally and aesthetically in the built environment.”  David further comments, “We decided to join DSA to continue our involvement in the digital community and support key contributors dedicated to the growth of this market.”

“The DSA membership is a who’s who in digital screenmedia,” said David Drain, DSA executive director. “We have a broad cross-section of members, from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Our membership includes users, vendors, network operators, agencies, brands, integrators, pro A/V firms and more. Companies join DSA meet people and companies, gain access to valuable information and to save money – in other words, to be successful.”

About Digital Screenmedia Association

The Digital Screenmedia Association was formed through the April 2010 merger of the Digital Signage Association and the Self-Service & Kiosk Association. With over 650 members, the purpose of the DSA is to advance the growth and excellence of the global digital signage, interactive kiosk and mobile community through advocacy, education and networking. See www.digitalscreenmedia.org. 

Pacific's new design accents help improve wayfinding and enhance the distinctive curved style of Pacific Interior. The design accents are available in a wide range of colors, providing an effective solution for color-coded and directory-oriented wayfinding. Pacific Interior's new accents are also available in custom shapes and can be placed in multiple orientations between the panels, providing an excellent means of directional wayfinding.

“The great thing about Pacific Interior's new features is that they give the signage a unique, eye-catching appearance, while providing more opportunities to enhance the design and functionality of an overall signage program,” said Kelly David, director of marketing and product management at ASI.

Also new to Pacific Interior is Print on Panel. With this cutting-edge technology, lettering and graphics are digitally printed directly onto the signage panels. Print on Panel allows designers greater freedom of expression to communicate their facility's brand and to better complement the architectural design as well as its unique décor. Print on Panel also gives greater possibilities for innovative and nuanced wayfinding solutions.

Pacific Interior has a distinguished history. As the first modular, curved-face signage available in the marketplace, it caught on immediately not only because of its ability to provide wayfinding solutions that were both attractive and effective but also because of its flexibility, simplicity of maintenance and unobtrusive appearance. Pacific Interior is also an eco-friendly signage solution. “The durable construction and modular design of Pacific Interior allows for more time in the life-cycle and less time in the waste-cycle,” David explained. “At the end of its life within one facility, it can be split into its individual components and possibly be reused in another program or application such as temporary signs, etc.”

“The ‘Best of ASI’ competition is a great opportunity for our individual affiliates to share with the rest of the ASI network the projects that they’re especially proud of and which reflect what distinguishes us in our industry,” said Kelly David, Director of Marketing at ASI.

During the annual competition, ASI employees are able to vote online for their favorite project, with each employee allowed one ballot. The winning affiliate receives a variety of internal awards from ASI’s headquarters, not to mention the bragging rights for the year.

“We believe that this project won because it clearly demonstrates ASI’s primary competitive advantage: our ability to create long-term partnerships and effectively service our clients,” David continued. “It’s also a powerful example of our ability to provide turn-key solutions from wayfinding to design to fabrication to create an effective signage program through exterior, interior and dynamic digital signage.”

The management at the Methodist Women’s Hospital and Medical Office Building in Omaha, NE, had turned to ASI to design and install a turn-key wayfinding signage solution for its new facilities. ASI has enjoyed a strong partnership with the Methodist Health Network for over 20 years, an experience that has allowed the company to develop a close understanding of the hospital’s wayfinding needs as it grew and expanded. The new addition, which will enhance the facility’s healthcare services to women in all stages of life, required a custom signage solution that would complement the interior design, color scheme and materials used inside the building.

The wayfinding system that ASI developed included interior and exterior signage, interactive digital signage, and a striking donor recognition wall with a distinctive “weave” pattern designed to encourage visitors to take a closer look at the contributors engraved on the panels. ASI worked closely with Methodist officials throughout the design and installation process to ensure that the signage would meet all of the hospital’s wayfinding needs and challenges and also provide branding continuity. The end result was a cohesive, functional and aesthetically satisfying signage system that could be easily modified and updated as the hospital’s needs change over time.

More details about the project and the benefits the hospital has accrued since its completion can be found here, where visitors can read the associated case study.

Another important and unique aspect of Macer Interior™ resides within the panel.  The panel uses the latest in printing technology to allow for the full printing of photorealistic digital graphics. This allows for extremely high-end graphics, textures and other subtle finishes to create unique and distinctive signage solutions.

“We are excited to offer a complete interior and exterior wayfinding and identity solution that brings a high design look with cutting edge graphic applications to the marketplace.  The design of the entire Macer product family is sleek and simplistic, with several material and finish options to develop an aesthetically pleasing signage program,” commented Kelly David, who oversees marketing and product development with ASI.

Macer Exterior™ was launched in 2010 and utilizes the same design concept; in addition the system must withstand exterior conditions such as wind loads, fading and inclement weather.  This system, when combined with Macer Interior™ creates a cohesive wayfinding and identity solution for almost any facility.
 

Before employees could move in to the new headquarters, a complete interior and exterior signage solution, including signage design and wayfinding, had to be created. Because BlueCross BlueShield wanted the new facility to achieve a LEED® Silver Certification, the solution had to have a modular functionality to make information and message updates easy without sacrificing aesthetic integration with the architectural environment.

To view more information on this project, click here.

Due to a long and successful history of working with ASI, Gensler Studio 585 asked ASI to fabricate and install the highly-designed exterior signage solution. ASI constructed the three massive 35-foot tall custom main entry pylon signs, and more than 20 smaller, interior campus pylons and monuments. Each sign has an eye-catching “prairie grass” shape cut out of the body of the sign, which is visible both day and night through internal illumination.

To view more information on this project, click here.

Client Testimonial
”Having worked with ASI at a previous property, it was easy to again select ASI to ensure a seamless process from pre-planning through installation. The ASI interactive directories are beautiful, fit perfectly with our Class-A trophy property image, and better yet, the tenants love their new ‘toy’!”
- Karen M. Gaines, Manulife Financial Property Manager

To view more information on this project, click here.

InTac Eco, the ASI Solar Series and Terra, an existing photopolymer indoor signage solution, which utilizes materials that are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified™, are all detailed in the on the new Green section of www.asisignage.com, as well in the new electronic brochure titled, “Commitment to the Environment.” The electronic brochure can be accessed from the green window of the website by clicking on the ASI Green Portfolio icon.

The ASI “Commitment to the Environment” brochure, which is an overview of the company’s green story and its sustainable innovations, also details responsible, eco-friendly manufacturing and production processes. “This commitment to green products and processes is part of our continuing effort to provide solutions to customer needs,” said Kelly David, director of marketing and product development for ASI. “We continue to see increased interest in the marketplace for eco-friendly offerings that meet performance criteria as well as tightening budgets.”

Wayfinding is, of course, more than just about signage, and few companies understand this better than ASI. Its in-house experts work closely with clients to determine their signage needs and study everything from the layout of a facility to its traffic flow to future expansion plans. Appropriate and efficient signage requires a thorough understanding of design,architecture, human psychology, and organizational behavior, and how all of these elements come together to direct visitors, guests, and staff to their respective destinations.

“Even in the early years, we knew that our job wasn’t to just make and install signs,” David explained. “We’ve really developed a unique industry and organizational expertise so that our clients go away with a full understanding of how their signage solution will handle changing traffic patterns, communicate critical information and even reinforce brand identity. It seems like a lot to ask of signage, but our clients understand that signage is a visible reflection of their institutional values.”

With 45 years of experience under its belt, ASI has been at the forefront of technological advancement in the industry. It developed the first curved-face modular signage system and pioneered the incorporation of sustainable manufacturing processes and materials in its inventory. ASI has also embraced the use of technology to improve client consultations and make it easy for companies to quickly reorder products through its proprietary Online Ordering Service. And of course, with the booming demand for interior digital signage by hospitals, colleges, universities, ASI is uniquely positioned to provide these flexible, cost-effective solutions that meet the needs of rapidly changing institutions.

Clients of ASI include JetBlue Airways, Beckman Coulter, Middlebury College, Grinnell College, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Boston, Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, Intercontinental Hotel Chicago, the Cincinnati Zoo, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Mark Twain House, among hundreds of others. As ASI celebrates 45 years of success and growth, the company looks forward to more years, more innovation and more opportunities to partner with clients to fulfill their wayfinding needs.

 Now, institutions of any size have an innovative, cost-effective and flexible solution to their wayfinding needs: digital signage. With 45 years of experience and expertise behind it, ASI has always been on the cutting edge of wayfinding technology. Now, ASI has created an extensive offering of turnkey digital signage to address the market's interest for easy-to-use digital signs.

The appeal of digital signage lies in its inherent versatility. Hospitals and clinics, many of which experience almost-daily changes in their architectural layout because of expansion and construction, love the flexibility that digital signage affords them. Directional information and graphics can be modified to accommodate these changes and the resulting shift in traffic patterns, all while maintaining the facility's overall brand identity. For many visitors and patients, the healthcare environment can be stressful enough; appropriate and consistent signage provides them with the comfort and security to help them find their way smoothly throughout the facility while also minimizes staff interruptions.

Educational institutions, many of which are also experiencing the excitement and urgency of rapid change, are also discovering the distinct appeal of digital signage. The steady flow of visitors, staff, faculty, and students throughout a campus requires an intelligent and comprehensive wayfinding solution that adequately addresses fluctuating traffic patterns. In addition, digital signage can also provide news to the campus community that can be easily updated as the need arises. Donor recognition offers yet another opportunity to maximize the use of digital signage, as donor lists can be quickly amended to reflect new information.

"Digital is complex, but we have worked to develop a streamlined, user-friendly process and provide scalable systems solutions to meet our client's needs," said Kelly David, director of marketing and product management with ASI. "We recognize that each facility has unique requirements, from traffic patterns, growth plans, expansion needs, and interior architecture. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to wayfinding, so we work with our clients from start to finish to make sure that their signage works for them and with them, not against them."

ASI prides itself on its consultative approach in finding the right solution for its clients. ASI's wayfinding experts work in partnership with clients to determine everything from a facility's traffic flow to the client's unique branding needs, from the type of material used to the client's future expansion plans. To ensure the final signage solution can be properly maintained, ASI's exclusive and comprehensive Online Ordering Service makes it easy for clients to order additional products through an online catalog customized with their logos and branding requirements.

"Whether you want to update your current signage to a digital solution, you want to find out more about how to make your visitor experience more relaxing and welcoming, or you simply want to learn about sustainable signage options, we can help you find exactly what you need," said David. "It's not about adding more signs--it's more about having relevant signs that fit your environment."

Venus is comprised of an anodized aluminum extrusion body that accepts various insert applications ranging from ADA-Ready™ to paper. Also, an optional design accent bar allows a variety of placement and finish options on each sign type present.

While maintaining sustainable benefits associated with modular systems and anodized processing, Venus truly provides the platform for a flexible system through a variety of extrusion sizes, finishes, and accent and insert options.

Venus was added to our portfolio to compliment our other curved-face extrusion system – Horizon that launched mid-2009. We wanted to develop a quality product that offered similar features and benefits with a different aesthetic application. Venus provides a variety of distinguished looks for our clients and designers to implement for a complete interior signage program.

Click here for more information on Venus.

The industrial-grade digital displays, hardware, software and enclosures that make up the Helix line have been designed to meet the needs of architectural environments, providing much more than simple LCD or digital displays. The Helix system includes information boards, wayfinder boards, interactive (touch-screen) directories and displays, and room schedulers that are designed to work together to provide continuity of information as well as a consistent design element throughout the facility.

The content for Helix is controlled by and easy-to-use back-end, web-based administration system. Clients can access the system via the internet through a single login to make updates to content and manage the entire system remotely and easily.

Click here for more information on Helix.

ASI is a leader in the signage industry and offers products and services to companies throughout the U.S. and the world. ASI’s strategic partnerships with key organizations enable them to offer proprietary products that are unmatched in the marketplace.  Additionally, ASI has the engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities to develop and introduce innovative products to meet the ever-evolving needs the industry.

The reason for ASI’s rebranding stems from its separation last year from Denmark’s Modulex A/S after being acquired by Wolfe Capital Partners of Dallas, Texas. ASI and Modulex partnership continues to be mutually beneficial, and ASI will continue to be the sole distributor of Modulex products in the U.S.

The new ASI identity incorporates the original font used in the 1965 logo to demonstrate the heritage of the organization with updated graphic elements and text to show the innovative, forward facing outlook of the company.

In addition to the new logo, ASI introduced a new website: asisignage.com. The new site is easier to navigate and includes more information specific to ASI’s products, services and capabilities.

Horizon offers pre-defined sizes to meet the most common signage needs throughout a facility.  The system is made of durable materials, meets ADA guidelines and is easily updateable – making Horizon the ideal solution for any architectural environment.  And, Horizon is made from aluminum, meaning each sign can be recycled at the end of the life.
 
“We wanted to develop a flexible, quality product that could cross into multiple markets at an attractive price point,” says Kelly David, Director of Marketing & Product Management, ASI. “We were able to achieve this goal by focusing on quality materials and construction while keeping the design simple and versatile.”

Click here for more information on Horizon.

ASI provided Infinity™ modular signage solution for the world’s first LEED^® Platinum Hospital. Infinity is a modular signage solution that perfectly complements sustainable buildings. Infinity can be easily updated by to extend, update or repair the signage with ease without disposing of the entire sign each time a minor change is needed.  To view more information on this project, click here.