This fifth edition of the popular sign design series includes the winners of recent Signs of the Times contests: electric and commercial signs for retail shops, restaurants and bars, residential ...
All signs point to a robust event in 2010.
When the International Sign Association rolls into Orlando next month for the 64th installment of its annual tradeshow, the ISA Sign Expo, it is expecting to draw a crowd of more than 18,000 participants, including representatives from 500 companies staffing some 1600 exhibit booths.
It’s this kind of involvement that points to a strong marketplace, according to the association.
“To experience a show of this magnitude in the midst of what has been a monumental economic crisis speaks volumes on a robust and resilient sign industry,” says ISA president and CEO Lori Anderson.
Indeed the event, the 85th largest tradeshow in the US according to Tradeshow Week magazine, has seen consistent growth for years, give or take a few bumps in the road in step with the constriction of the overall economy. As it has grown, the show has evolved to keep pace with the changing face of the sign business, as well. In the last decade or so, as print providers and sign shops have rapidly diversified and incorporated increasingly complex output and related technologies into their daily operations, ISA has remained nimble in order to offer a relevant tradeshow each spring.
This year is no different.
“In addition to providing the opportunity for thousands of sign industry professionals to conduct business at a global level, Sign Expo 2010 will provide an unparalleled opportunity to preview the most cutting-edge industry products and technologies, as well as participate in networking and education events that enable sign industry professionals to take their businesses to the next level,” Anderson says.
Products on parade
At the heart of the event, of course, is a sprawling exhibit hall, featuring a collection of product suppliers and service providers as diverse and encompassing as the signage and graphics industry itself. Exhibitors are classified in one or more of 29 distinct product categories—from adhesives and tapes to vehicle graphics—with subcategories specific to digital imaging that include large- and superwide-format printers and inks, large-format scanners, plotters, and inkjet media and substrates, among others.
The 2010 iteration of ISA’s Expo also captures the traditional focus on product innovations typically reserved for the show floor, and translates it to two distinct, but equally relevant, specialty showcases.
