by Evolution of Printed Signage
Printed signage has come a long way from basic hand-painted wooden boards. What started as a simple means of communication has evolved into a sophisticated multi-million dollar industry. The first printed signs emerged in the latter half of the 19th century with the invention of lithographic printing. Early printed signs utilized basic print technologies like letterpress and screen printing to display text and simple graphics on materials like paper and cardboard. As printing innovations advanced throughout the 20th century, so did the applications and production of printed signs. Rotogravure, offset lithography, and digital printing enabled higher quality, more colorful signs with photo-realistic graphics. New durable substrates like plastics, metals, and composites were also introduced, making signs more weather resistant. The digital printing revolution of the 1980s-90s transformed printed signage into a highly customized and on-demand business. Today, signs can be instantly printed on an endless variety of substrates with full-color, ultra-high resolution images.
Versatile Applications of Printed Signage
Printed signage finds use in nearly every industry and setting imaginable due to its versatile applications. Some of the main uses of printed signs include:
– Commercial & Office Signage: Signs promoting businesses and providing wayfinding in offices, retail stores, restaurants, medical facilities, and more. Examples are door signs, banner stands, window graphics, and outdoor pole/monument signs.
– Event & Exhibition Signage: Temporary signs created for conferences, trade shows, concerts, and fundraising events. They identify sponsors, direct attendees, and showcase exhibitors/performers. Typical signs are banners, name badges, parking signs.
– Road Signs: Essential printed signs installed along streets and highways to regulate traffic and provide directions. Stop signs, speed limit signs, street names, exit signs, etc. help drivers navigate safely.
– Wayfinding Signage: Printed Signage Directional signs used in public places like airports, train stations, museums, universities, and medical facilities to guide visitors. They point to key locations, services, and amenities.
– Safety & Instructional Signage: Signs communicating important safety, compliance and instructional information. Examples include evacuation maps, restroom signs, equipment warnings, and procedural summaries.
– Menus & Signage Boards: Printed menus and daily specials boards allow restaurants and cafeterias to showcase their offerings to patrons.
With such widespread usage, the printed signage industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar global market. The signs serve essential communication functions across all sectors. Their impact on daily life and commerce is profound yet often overlooked.
Materials and Printing Technology Advances
Major improvements in printing technologies and substrate materials have changed the face of printed signage over the decades. Some key developments include:
– Advent of Digital Printing: The digitization of Printed Signage dramatically increased sign customization possibilities. On-demand digital printing is now the dominating production method.
– New Durable Substrates: Previously uncommon materials like corrugated plastic, aluminum composite, vinyl films, rigid foams and cast acrylic sheets are popular sign substrates today due to their extended outdoor lifespans.
– Large Format Inkjet Printing: Industrial inkjet presses can print photorealistic signs at speeds up to 600 sqft/min on rigid materials up to 5 feet wide, like corrugated plastic. This enabled economical short and medium runs.
– UV Ink Technology: UV-cured inks have become standard for many signage applications. They dry/cure instantly when exposed to UV light, speeding up production. The inks are also highly resistant to moisture, fading and mechanical damage.
– Lenticular and Special Effect Printing: Using lenticular lenses or multilayer coating, signs can now be printed with mesmerizing 3D, flip or motion effects that grab attention.
– Outdoor LED Signage: The latest innovation is digitally controlled, full-color LED displays/scoreboards that have transformed street-level and stadium advertising.
With constant technology refinement, today’s printed signs offer unparalleled color vibrancy, image quality, durability and customization options compared to earlier generations. Both printers and sign buyers continue benefitting.
Rising Popularity and Future Prospects
The printed signage sector remains a vibrant and growing industry thanks to rising popularity across multiple avenues. This includes the expanding:
– Commercial Real Estate Industry: As retail, office and mixed-use developments mushroom worldwide, so does need for adjacent interior/exterior signage.
– Events Industry: Whether athletics, entertainment, trade shows or conferences, events of all scales require huge volumes of temporary signage.
– Infrastructure Projects: New transportation, public work and urban planning efforts all spur signage installation for utilities management, construction updates and wayfinding later on.
– Digital Signage Networks: Proliferation of LCD/LED video walls and Smart signage in malls, quick service restaurants and other public venues is revolutionizing the industry.
– Advertising/Promotional Campaigns: Marketers leverage printed signage more frequently for brand visibility, pop-up shops, product launches and sponsored events.
– Online-to-Offline Integration: Digital sign designs can now be effortlessly transitioned to physical formats using integrated software suites.
Barring unforeseen economic shocks, experts forecast consistent 4-6% annual growth for the printed signage business over the next decade. As communications needs expand and printing technologies keep advancing, signs will remain vital for navigation, marketing and compliant messaging worldwide. Their importance shows no signs of fading anytime soon.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
