Elgin sign company a bright spot in the economy

[Erik Sine]

Elgin sign company a bright spot in the economy

February 9, 2009

By MIKE SULLIVAN For The Courier-News

Sure Light Sign Co. President Martin Schaner checks a completed neon

sign at the Elgin business on Feb. 2. Schaner says his business continues

to thrive despite the nation's worst economic downturn in 25 years.

(Gus Stuertze/For The Courier-News)

ELGIN -- What recession? That's what executives of Sure Light Sign Co. are asking.

The Elgin-based business actually has thrived during the worst economic slowdown in a quarter century, Martin Schaner, its president and owner, said recently.

Sure Light, he noted, is basking in the glow of profitability after moving operations from Stone Park to Elgin about a year ago.

According to Schaner, the company originally tooled up as an electrical contractor but soon morphed into what is now one of the largest sign companies in the Chicago market.

"Although we still carry our electrical license out of the city of Chicago, we focus totally on signs and parking lot lighting," he said.

The company, headquartered in a 50,000-square-foot facility at 1225 Bowes Road, employs 35 people and reports annual sales of roughly $10 million.

Among Sure Light's list of clients: McDonald's restaurants and CVS pharmacies in a coverage area spanning four states: Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee.

Marketing Manager Terry McCloud said the company decided to move to Elgin partly because of communication snafus related to working out of three separate buildings in Stone Park.

Perfect replacement

"We were too spread out, and we were running out of space, actually," McCloud explained. "So in order to consolidate everything, we began our search for new property."

The search, he recalled, took 10 months. But the results paid off when officials toured the 8-year-old building and decided it was custom-made for their use.

McCloud said there is really no secret to Sure Light's success, despite an economy teetering on disaster.

"We are a true full-service sign company," he said.

Sure Light, according to McCloud, can deliver projects from design, including permitting and surveying. In addition to providing lifetime service, the company does its own in-house fabrication and installation, he said.

Sure Light guarantees 72-hour turnaround times on service calls and offers 24-hour emergency service.

He said some of Sure Light's competitors are brokers that do "only bits and pieces" of the work and farm the rest out to full-service companies.

He noted that the designation ensures Sure Light can handle all aspects of the business and allows the company to be cost-competitive.

[imanut]

That's funny, I just met with those folks the other day ----------

gn

[Brian]

That's funny, I just met with those folks the other day ----------

gn

did it look promising?

[imanut]

did it look promising?

Who realy knows?? Good meeting though, seemed like there might be an interest --------- so time'll tell.

gn

[signeye]

Who realy knows?? Good meeting though, seemed like there might be an interest --------- so time'll tell.

gn

Marty sure stays busy, I hope it works out for you Gary...

[imanut]

Marty sure stays busy, I hope it works out for you Gary...

Thanks---

[redarmymember]

Looks like these folks are now out of business.

[Erik Sine]

Damn,

So I guess it was like Obama showing up at Caterpillar and them saying "all is good".

What a shame

[imanut]

Actually they died after bankruptcy about two years ago. Many of their corner office people and shop guys now populate South water Signs.