Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/827403
22 • June 2017 • S I G N & D I G I T A L G R A P H I C S ARCHITECTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL It can be sliced in such a way that the board can be folded into 3D displays. "That is what is allowing retailers to look at displays and signage they couldn't do before," says Vanhorn. Gilman will tint its foam in any color imaginable so that when viewed from the side, any sign made with its foam board will make a statement. "There's a cost, but when you get tired of the same look, maybe have the edge of the sign not be white or black. Make it the company logo color," he says. Gilman's boards are also 20 percent lighter, which makes them cheaper to ship, Vanhorn says. At United Industries, Ultraboard is the number one selling styrene- faced foam board. It is mostly used for interior signage in big box retail establishments, trade show booths and for wayfind- ing signs. Ben Strickland, United Industries' national sales man- ager, says that Ultra-board is a superior foam board because of its durability, rigidity and warp resistance. "We make ours to what the standards used to be," says Strickland. He points out that many foam board manufacturers have reduced the thickness of the styrene backing on each side of the foam to reduce the cost of the product but that makes it less dent resistant and more prone to warping. Ultraboard uses UV-stabilized styrene so that the styrene doesn't yellow with exposure to light over time. The product is used to make routed letters and logos and interior signage. Its Ultra Aluminum product is a lightweight structural panel consisting of a rigid polystyrene foam core faced on one side with anodized aluminum and the other with high impact polystyrene. "It has a very high-end look at a very reasonable price because it isn't inch- thick metal," says Strickland. Companies like Lowe's, Target or Home Depot, have a dominant color Made from DUNA-USA Inc.'s high- density urethane CORAFOAM board. (Photo courtesy of Signs by Van) United Industries' Ultra Board used in the overhead signs with custom color blue styrene. (Photos courtesy of House of Signs)