Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Introducing “QU™" - The Designer’s Tabletop Display and Signage System

     Beginning today, we are placing our durable little tabletop display into the eyes and ears of top designers around the world under the new brand “QU™”. The name is a takeoff of “queue”, meaning “list of data, to stand up in line” and so on. The strikingly simple name and logo design is the brainchild of our good friend, Thomas Mills, of MillsIdeas, LLC in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
     The product was born as “Pōdia Tabletop Display” in 2004 and has been widely accepted in the hospitality business in the US under that name. But, now it’s time for the rest of the world to know about this wonderfully durable display product and we are starting with designers. The reason for this approach is simple. QU perfectly displays an 8.5” x 11’ standard printed paper. And who makes the best looking printed pieces of paper? Designers!
     The designer simply and easily composes the graphics into a standard two-column format using any graphic program, including MS Word, prints the document, folds it lengthwise and inserts it into the QU capsule for an instant display.
     The better looking the graphics the better QU looks, for the capsule totally takes on the look of the document’s design.
     How would designers use QU? For virtually any and all smaller graphic and communication needs. Of course, because they’re easily changed they’re perfect for menus, communicating hotel and resort services and welcoming guests. But, also, they’re wonderful to display photos and messages about designer’s works for self promotion, client use for trade shows, case studies and special events.
     Also, the QU model with the built-in wall mount bracket allows QU to be easily mounted horizontally on any surface where a nail or screw is installed. Please see our http://www.meetqu.com/ website for more information and to order your QU today!
Roger Lepley

Monday, October 10, 2011

Digital, Digital, Digital! Doesn’t Anybody Screen Print Anymore?!


     Yes! For exterior vertical streetscape banners, Kalamazoo Banner Works by Consort, continues to offer both screen print and digital printing. And, although the process of digital imaging on vinyl media continues to grow, the screen printed textile banner is almost in a come-back mode, according to our in-house sales force here at Consort Display Group.
     Interestingly, many of our customers have never ordered digitally printed street banners because they like the textile look, and many have ordered digital but have sworn back to the acrylic marine fabric screen printed banner. We are seeing the second category grow.
     “Screen printed is just richer looking”, says a long-time customer from Battle Creek, Michigan. “The Sunbrella® fabric colors are warmer and more vibrant than vinyl. We’ve had both digital and screened up at various times, but there is definitely a difference. We especially like the screened marine fabric at the waterfront area where the look just seems more natural."
                                     
     "Normally customers who order screen print don’t stray from that type of banner. They are a pretty loyal customer base," says Consort Sales representative, Suzy Triesenberg. 
     There is no argument that digital has some distinct advantages for more complex designs, with detailed photographic images being possible. But, as I’ve written in previous blogs (click here) sometimes designers get carried away with complexity to the point of unreadability. With screen print, the images tend to be simpler and bolder and typically easier to understand from a distance.
     For a better understanding of the look of digital versus screen print images, please view our gallery of both methods on our KBW custom banner sites: click here for digital and click here for screen print. For specific questions please contact us at Consort.
Roger Lepley

Friday, August 19, 2011

Banners in Wauchula, Florida Celebrate the City’s Sandhill Crane Heritage

     The Kalamazoo Banner Works division of Consort was pleased to be asked by the Wauchula, Florida “Main Street Wauchula” (MSW) program to assist in designing and manufacturing their new street banners in mid-2010. Earlier this year, we received some wonderful installation photos showing the fun and somewhat whimsical banners up and greeting folks to this unique and historical town.
     Our KBW Florida dealer, Cynthia Roberts of Banner Works of Florida, was our main contact who handled all the details. And, our in-house Consort design staff fielded the design concepts and requests and came up with three versions showing a sandhill crane in action.
     Here’s a portion of what the local paper had to say in explanation of the designs:

     “When Main Street Wauchula’s Design Committee set a goal to get new banners for downtown, they decided they wanted banners that were unique to Wauchula and that would welcome visitors and educate them about Wauchula’s heritage. Wauchula’s name comes from a Miccosukee Indian word meaning ‘land of the sandhill crane.’ Appropriately, the sandhill crane would become a downtown icon and the focal point of the banners.”

     To carry the theme further, the MSW Design Committee states, “This year the committee has been working hard on the sandhill crane sculpture project. This project will place 2 life size sandhill cranes in the fountain located in the Heritage Park in downtown Wauchula.
     For all the planning and effort, MSW was given the Honor Award for “Outstanding Image Campaign or Promotional Material” at the Florida Main Street Conference last fall.

Congratulations to all involved!

Roger Lepley


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Dori Pole Lake Home and Cottage Customers are Fun!

     The use of Dori Pole Pennants at lake homes and cottages is growing rapidly in North America. And, lake home and cottage owners are among our favorite customers because they almost always seem to be happy! The fact is, why not?! They’re communicating with us about a fun, unusual product (Dori Pole) for a fun place to be (their lake home)! So, when we have the opportunity we ask them how they found out about us or what prompted them to order a Dori Pole. And, if possible, we ask for a photo of the pole or poles in action.
     Here’s a great example of all that, from new “Dori Pole Friends” near Memphis, Tennessee:

     “We saw the Dori Poles around Clark Lake, Michigan while visiting there and fell in love with them! There was one on the dock of the cottage we rented and we were told it was there to scare off the geese, which really appealed to us, as we have a goose problem here on Walnut Grove Lake.”
     "Then, the next day during a boat ride, we saw lots of Dori Poles in all the different colors and we all decided we had to get them. So, when we got back to the cottage we did some serious Googling and found them on your web site. We each picked out the color we wanted and even contacted a couple of our friends back home and told them they needed to get one, to trust us, to pick out a color for them! Now we have 6 flags on the lake and they look so festive. The 7th will go on one of our neighborhood docks as soon as we have it refinished next week.” (MM, Cordova, TN)

     That's a wonderful story and as "MM" relates, there are two main reasons why Dori Poles are loved. One is the color and motion that happens with the slightest breeze, providing motion and a festive look. The other is the proven fact they the flowing pennants tend to deter geese and other nuisance birds from landing near them. Other reasons that customers give us for buying are that they help friends easily find their cottage on the lake. Also, one of my lake neighbors has four different colors of pennants that she chooses from to install depending on her mood or the seasons. We do the same thing with our three poles and on the 4th of July it’s red white and blue all the way. In fact, here’s a photo of our pontoon boat for our lake’s annual 4th of July pontoon parade. Lots of fun and lots of smiles!
Roger Lepley


Thursday, July 21, 2011

No Deposit, No Return! Dori Pole Pennants Keep Geese off Lake Docks and Rafts

     The topic of deterring geese and ducks from landing in certain areas has come up often in my world. First of all, because we manufacture the Dori Pole® Pennant System and, second, because our family has a lake cottage in Michigan where the shoreline is a favored spot for birds to gather, party, and leave untidy deposits, if you know what I mean. However, since 2005 we have installed our 20' tall Dori Poles with 15' long pennants on the dock during the summers and consequently the birds no longer land on our property. Hence, no mess!  Also, no nesting of smaller birds occurs under our Shore Station, which has a Dori Pole mounted adjacent.
     In addition, just as important and intriguing is that the smaller 12' tall Dori Pole Junior with an 8' long pennant is becoming known as an excellent and festive way to keep unwanted birds off lake rafts. Here is the latest testimonial from a happy customer:

“I bought one of your Dori Poles a few weeks back and took it to my cottage where it is mounted on the 8' x 8' swim raft, which is anchored about 100' off shore. In past years, the raft was used by ducks and geese as a latrine, so I didn't even bother putting the raft out last year. This year, so far, great success: not one bird has used the raft as a toilet! And the flag looks neat, fluttering in the slightest breeze. A recent photo is attached. My cottage and the raft are about 160 miles north of Toronto, near Algonquin Park, Ontario.” (JM in Ontario, Canada): 



Also, a friend with a lake home in Wisconsin sent a photo and this message:

"I had great results with the Dori Pole Junior on our raft. I included a picture which shows that the raft has no bird deposits, and the nice thing about the Dori Pole is that it is not in the way of swimmers using the raft. The Dori Pole is a great product, attractive, light weight and sturdy. We have 2.5 miles of open water in front of our cottage and the wind can be very strong; but the Dori Pole stands up to it just fine." (TE, Ripon Wisconsin)

     I invite you to check out other bird deterrent information on our Dori Pole website, www.doripole.com. Click on “Goose Problems?” for news and a video. Not only is this a humane and effective method of bird control, it’s also colorful and festive – it’s “excitement in the air”!

Roger Lepley

Friday, June 10, 2011

The BillsBoard™ for your Restaurant and Bar: More than Just a Table Tent

     Our new BillsBoard is a unique combination of useful tools: a table tent, a magnifier to help with reading the menu, and an LED light to brighten menus and tabs. It’s the BillsBoard Lighted Magnifier Table Tent and is now available exclusively from Consort!
     It’s the first table tent with a really useful function that the over-40 crowd will love and the younger ones will enjoy for ordering more items, signaling their friends and many other uses. Please see our video on this link: BillsBoard.
     We recently unveiled the BillsBoard at the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago and the responses and enthusiasm were overwhelmingly positive. Here are a few of the many reactions to this revolutionary new product: “I love it, table tents are usually so ordinary, but this is an attention getter for sure.” "My dad could use this." "This would be great for getting the servers attention." "My servers are asked all the time for glasses and flashlights."
     Restaurant owners expressed that their customers would really appreciate the BillsBoard given how many requests they get for larger print menus, reading glasses and flashlights.
     Even with the additional benefits of the BillsBoard, they are sleek, slim and take up equal or less space than many traditional table tents. Each BillsBoard measures 7” tall by 3-1/2” wide and will hold a two-sided 3-3/8” by 4-7/8” menu or advertising insert and the middle component can be custom-colored and pad-printed with any custom logo or message.
     The BillsBoard requires no maintenance and the LED push-button light will last well over one year with typical intermittent daily use. Order today, satisfy your customers, and keep up with the evolution of the table tent with BillsBoard.

Monday, March 21, 2011

New! 28-Page Light Pole Banner Bracket Guidebook!

Since I’ve been actively and earnestly involved in our first product line, Kalamazoo Banner Works, for over 27 years, I've developed quite a lot to say about it. I believe it is worthwhile to share, especially since we are asked questions daily about the subject of hardware for light pole banners.

The Kalamazoo Banner Works (KBW) line of BannerFlex® Banner Brackets is the oldest brand in the bracket business, and unquestionably the most innovative. Of course, I’ve written about these products many times, but now we have published the ultimate guide to answer almost any question we’ve ever received.

Our new BannerFlex Banner Hardware Guidebook is available to you in .pdf download format or by requesting an actual printed copy at info@consort.com As the preface in the guidebook says, "This information is presented especially for those considering the specification of banner brackets for use with vertical street banners, which are typically installed in communities for exterior light and utility poles."

We have especially compiled this information for anyone considering the purchase of competing products to the KBW Kalamazoo Banner Works product line. The Guidebook perfectly illustrates the considerable time and resources we've invested in the testing of our banners and brackets, including four separate wind tunnel tests. This guide is a result of that knowledge base and is intended to be a narrative for customers, engineers, utility companies and public works officials and briefly explains our products, our testing and what, in general, we know from experience about vertical banners on light poles. As always, if you need additional information, visit our website or contact your Consort KBW representative by phone or email. Our sales representatives, dealers and resellers are available to answer any additional questions or concerns.

Please Note: The installation of banners on exterior light and utility poles is serious business. The attachment of any devices above the heads of the public and above vehicles demands precision products tested and accurately manufactured and installed correctly. KBW Kalamazoo Banner Works by Consort Display Group has been innovating, testing and manufacturing these specific products since 1983.

I’d love to hear back from you after you’ve had a chance to review the information. If we’ve left anything out or if you have any questions please contact me.  Roger Lepley


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Trust the Innovators...Not the Imitators!

Preface: This information is presented especially for those considering the specification of banner brackets for exterior light and utility poles. This information is recommended for anyone considering the purchase of competing products to the KBW Kalamazoo Banner Works product line. Please Note: The installation of banners on exterior light and utility poles is serious business. The attachment of any devices above the heads of the public and above vehicles demands precision products tested and accurately manufactured and installed correctly. KBW Kalamazoo Banner Works by Consort has been innovating, testing and manufacturing these specific products since 1983.



How and why has KBW by Consort been the uncontested leader in exterior light pole banner bracket innovation?

Kalamazoo Banner Works was the first banner company in the world to actually design light pole brackets specifically with performance in mind. Prior to this, brackets consisted of steel pipe arms welded to steel collars that were then bolted to light and utility poles. The failings of this primitive method were that the steel would bend and stay bent in the wind. And, the steel collars were rarely tight enough on the varying-sized poles and subsequently easily loosened in wind storms. This resulted in shoddy installations that also allowed the banners to flop around and rip and tear relentlessly in wind gusts. Besides that, the steel rusted quickly and added one more eyesore to the installation.

The Introduction of Fiberglass Banner Arms

KBW’s first innovation was the use of fiberglass arms in 1983, the same year that KBW began business. Now, when you see a banner bracket on a light pole and you notice that it has a round, white fiberglass rod holding the banner that is because KBW was the first in the world to come up with the concept to use fiberglass. Next, we dismissed steel collar in favor of a system of stainless steel banding that took the exact shape of each light pole’s exact cross-section.

The Introduction of the Universal Pole Casting Mounted with Stainless Steel Banding
 When you see stainless steel banding holding that bracket to the pole, think of KBW as the first to provide that versatile method. This started with heavy duty Band-It® brand, tool-applied banding and now includes custom-made heavy duty screw gear banding for certain installations.


The Introduction of the “Canted” Fiberglass Banner Arm

When you are told that a bracket arm is “canted” say, 2 degrees or 4 degrees, to stretch the banner and keep it trim and taut, think of KBW as the originator of this concept in 1984. This cant avoids banner flapping and allows the wind force to immediately be transferred to the fiberglass which then deflects some of the force, depending on the KBW bracket model and the size of the banner.

The Introduction of the First Adjustable Banner Bracket

KBW first developed and patented the BannerFlex® D3 “adjustable” bracket in 1988 to allow ease of installation and banner changes and to allow the taut installation of varying size banners. This was a major innovation for the industry and this technology continues to dominate the market.

The First Full-Size Wind Tunnel Tests on Street Pole Banners and Hardware

To insure adequate strength and durability, KBW contracted to undergo the first full-size wind tunnel tests in 1984 at the GM Aeronautical Laboratory in Detroit. Subsequently, KBW has performed 4 other tunnel tests. Three smaller tests were performed at the University of Michigan tunnels in 2001 and the fourth was a comprehensive full-size test at the Jacob-Sverdrup facility in Allen Park, Michigan in 2002.

The Acknowledgement that Winds Slits in Banners are Actually Detrimental

In both full-sized tests, in 1984 and 2004, testers observed and documented that the typical wind slits and holes that some folks put into vertical street banners are not necessary or even advisable with fiberglass arm brackets. Three reasons: First, the holes set up vibrations, when the wind goes through the holes, similar to organ pipes and the vibrations can affect the life of the lighting fixture and may well be detrimental to the pole and its base over the long term. Second, wrinkles are created in the banners between the holes that actually capture more wind thereby putting greater force on the brackets and light pole. And third, the small size of wind holes typically put into banners is usually only 3 to 5%of the banner surface area. As you can see, all in all, wind holes are not useful.

The First Banner Bracket Designed Specifically to fit Ornamental and Fluted Poles

In 2005, KBW Consort introduced the Metro® bracket which was the first, and currently only, to be designed specifically to comfortably fit the majority of ornamental fluted and antique light poles. This streamlined, smaller bracket also incorporates the adjustability of the larger KBW brackets but uniquely features “inboard banding ports” for a compact, sleek look popular with architects and landscape architects.

The Most Important Advancement in Banner Bracket Technology: The BannerFlex Airow® Bracket

For the crowning achievement in bracket advances, in 2004 KBW introduced the BannerFlex Airow® bracket. This unique, patent-applied-for bracket is eccentrically-shaped pultruded fiberglass with a UV coating. The shape allows more than twice the flexibility of the standard full-round arm by providing the necessary structural support nearest the pole and less and less support nearer the outside edge of the banner, thus significantly dissipating the ultimate force on the banner, the utility pole and less vibration onto the luminaire. And, KBW continues to research this technology. Look for further advancements with the Airow soon.

The Introduction of the Only “Wind Force Calculator” Offered by a Banner Bracket Company

To compare the advantages of the Airow over standard round arms, our aeronautical engineers
consultants have placed applicable testing data into an easy to use program for our customers’ use. Try out our Wind Force Calculator on the BannerFlex website. If you require different but similar data that is not available in this program please contact your KBW/Consort Sales Representative.

The First and Only Banner Bracket Banding Guideline Providing Fastening Advice

We have compiled a “BannerFlex Banding Guideline” on the web to assist in selecting the proper size and method of stainless steel banding and bolting advice for your particular specifications. This guide gives you proven experience on what will work for exterior installations based on the size and number of banners to be installed on a pole. The options include ½”, 9/16” and 5/8” screw gear banding as well as the proven best choice of ¾” toll-applied Band-It® type banding. You should know that KBW is the only company to have 5/8” “captured screw gear banding” custom manufactured f to our specifications by Ideal® Banding.

The First Ten Year Banner Bracket Warranty

By being innovators in the business for over 27 years, we currently have banner bracket installations that we know are actually that old and which are fully functioning installations. Many of these have needed little or no maintenance beyond needing a new banner once in a while. In Kalamazoo, Michigan we are very sure that we have the world’s oldest street banner installation that has never had any attention. It utilizes our first fiberglass arm technology. That example is just one reason why we are comfortable with our ten year warranty. We have supplied well over a million exterior banner brackets around the world because the fiberglass, aluminum and glues that we use are proven time and again. Do not trust any other company who claims warranties like ours who have not actually manufactured for as long as they warrant. Why would you do that?

Other Banner Bracket Accessories Available Only From KBW/Consort

1. “Square Pole Adapters” – to place on the back of the D3 and Metro Main Castings to fit odd-shaped fluted poles or allow more banding tension on flat-faced square poles installations. There are manufactured to exactly fit our hardware cross-sections.
2., “Flower Pot Holders” – these special arms fit within the BannerFlex D3 and Metro Main Castings to allow flower pots to hang.
3., “Custom Finials” – these special fittings are available in any custom or stock shape and fit the end of any arm except the Airow.
4., "Wall Mount Plates" - for mounting our banner hardware onto exterior walls with both stock and custom shapes.
5., "BannerFlex Installation Video" - and, many other pdf. files, including our Ten Year BannerFlex Warranty available on our website.

Visit the KBW website or contact us for more information on the above.

Last but Not Least, KBW Originated the 30” x 94” (7’-10”) Banner Length for a Purpose

This longtime first is the 30” by 94” size that you often see specified. This 7’-10” length was first adopted by KBW in 1983 to ensure that exterior light pole banners could also be hung inside a room with an 8 foot ceiling. Yes, that’s it. We decided on that particular size for the largest of our stock designs based on practical use. This fact should speak volumes on the details that we consider when designing our products.

I hope that all of the above illustrates our dedication to KBW/Consort being your best possible choice for exterior banner brackets. Details, details, details – quality, innovation, experience and details. That’s our story.

Roger Lepley