Erik Sine

A word of Caution. So, I’ve been busy lately building a display for the BrightON LEDs going in over at a booth for the upcoming ISA Show and have been meaning to get this out as a word of caution. As you may know we’ve been selling Vidon / Jewelite Trim Cap for a little over a year now alongside Plasco, and now also, soon to be Guildo Trim from Italy. We had a really great start to a new relationship with Vidon Plastics, who is the actual manufacturer of Jewelite. I had really good conversations with Matthew Dube, who handles Sales & Tooling for Vidon Plastics. For those who may know, Jewelite doesn’t sell much of 3/4” Trim Cap, if you use Jewelite, chances are you’re buying 1” & 2” instead of the 3/4” even for small letters, like say 10”.....and this is hard on your fingers… So some dialogue sparked (last early spring) up and I wanted to improve their 3/4”, so I sent over some ideas and they were open to it. They had sent me out some sample versions of the extrusion changes I had suggested…and it worked out well. They said they would kick around the idea of making the changes between themselves and see what happens. I also suggested at the time, the upcoming ISA show and throwing the idea of the changes with their customers at the show. That was the last conversation I had with Matthew Dube of Vidon while also placing a very large order of 1” & 3/4” Trim Cap....it was a great last conversation. That was then, this is now. Fast forward to just this last December 2022, I needed to place another order of Jewelite Trim Cap and see what was the lastest was on the changes to the 3/4" Trim. Usually the response time from Matt was pretty quick, but pretty soon I was finding myself sending out multiple emails with no response. My phone calls about the inquiry of placing an order were never responded to. This was odd. I even reached out to the general Trim Cap sales email and another rep responded, and told me to send it to him. I sent over a PO, had to make a correction because their Gold is no longer made, and soon after revising the PO, I received no further response from this other rep. by email or phone. I was totally excommunicated for some unknown reason. To this day I have no idea why. If there was an issue somewhere, I can’t image why, usually the right thing to do out of professionalism, is reach out and communicate. But Matthew Dube, does not do that. The way they treat people trying to improve your product line to sell what not many are NOT wiling to buy? And, to be honest, I do this to myself at times. I for the most part put trust in people until they give me a reason not to. This is a flaw I have. I have to say, this doesn’t really happen where I get burned like this. I can only imagine this has to be Matthew Dube’s character, this has to have happened before somewhere, whether it’s within his what appears to be a family business or with relationships he has had with outside vendors and people he does business with. No integrity…. I don’t know, I can only guess. I mean, if it happened to me....someone genuinely and sincerely trying to help his product out…..surely it’s happened with others who may have been intertwined a lot deeper. Now fast forward… Then, today I happened to look at a social media site and I came across a post by a Yorston & Associates. They’re one of these sales reps that represent sign component manufacturers to Sign Suppliers and maybe they reach out to sign shops, idk They made a post about “Did you know Jewelite has a Paintable Trim Cap Roll”. What this rep probably doesn’t know (because they’ve never fabricated or installed signs), is that “we” as sign fabricators can paint just about any roll, we don’t need a “Paintable Trim” roll. So that was useful. My guess is, and I have no real information….somewhere along the lines with this Yorston Group, maybe Vidon excluded us, or Yorston pushed to have us excluded moving forward to break that house account. Now, it’s just an educated guess with no real information to back that up…but the chronology of events seems to line up. This Yorston may be the same group the Brown’s of Transco had told me about many moons ago…a group of sales representatives that they use to pay an absorbent amount of money to, to represent them and push sales for their sign components to the sign suppliers. They said it was the biggest waste of money they ever paid out, I just remember words like “Arrogant” and “Do Nothings” when it came to results, oh and “Conflict of Interest” when it came to representing them who also represented their competitors with like products to suppliers. So they seized employing this group or individuals that may not make up this group and reached out to smaller niche suppliers such as The Sign Syndicate who can put marketing in a true form, not bullshit sales points, but by putting the sign components in relative fashion and example. IN fact when we posted about how to use some of the products we opened a lot of eyes, because some didn’t know certain products were available or how to use them. I remember sitting in the office of a operations manager of a major sign supplier discussing the politics of the industry and in walked one of these third party sales groups like Yorston, in fact..he may have been a Yorston rep. He came in with a bag of painted trim cap screws, muttered a few words to gain interest of the operations managers who’s office I was in…..it was pitiful. The rep was nice, he was a nice person, the presentation just seemed odd. When he walked out of the office and the door closed behind him the manager rolled his eyes and shook his head, cracked a smile and something under his breath like…“useless”. Who is going to buy painted screws....for trim cap? Don’t get me wrong, there is always something for someone. It may be convenient for some, but it’s just not cost effective. Experienced Sign Shops pop hundreds of these little fasteners into cardboard or styrofoam substrate and spray them as needed for the project they are undergoing. I don’t think any or most of these reps have had any experience fabrication & installation experience in the sign industry, and it doesn’t translate well for the Sign Component Manufacturer which they serve. Because the real information the MFG needs is lost, or never gets back to them in the form of feedback about the products they are creating. But this is also a double edged sword, because a lot of times these shops, who want others to do their due diligence of homework on picking components for sign applications they build will buy products from sign suppliers just because they were read a quick sales pitch, from a sales point card that the manufacturer created for the rep, not by merit of the product itself. Ask the rep a few questions about a product is usually followed by a shrug of the shoulders followed by "I'll have to get back to you" It’s interesting, when I first started doing the Benchmark Light Testing Projects for Neon & LEDs my relationships with the Electric Sign Component Manufacturers really grew. It opened up my eyes, I really got to understand the relationships that are truly are between Manufacturer & Suppliers, and even how the Sign Associations really operated. This was the “looking behind the curtain of Oz” moment for me. To this day, there is still one thing that pops out to me, something that was said by a rep of EGL. He said that the Major Sign Suppliers and other sales reps…”are like the mob” to the Sign Component Manufacturers. It was a odd thing to hear back then, I didn’t pay much notice as that was not my ballgame, but I did see some strange hints….. but it makes total and absolute sense to me today, it’s as Clear as it can be. I’ve written about this before in past articles. Where Major Sign Suppliers that see The Sign Syndicate as a threat or competition, they would reach out to Sign Component Manufacturers and threaten them with no longer stocking their products if they continued a relationships with us. That backfired a few times in their faces, in a few cases I found out because the MFG Called me up laughing to relay the phone conversation they just had form the rather large Sign Supplier on the eastern side of our grand country. I absolutely love this industry that we’re in, I wound’t trade it for anything. Work, never seems like work to me. I’ve been blessed, truly…I feel very lucky to have known and learned from those in this industry that had a true passion, what I learned from them made me better. I’ve been in just about all phases of this Industry now…I don’t know what’s left. From starting out as a first generation’er in Fabricating & Installing Signs in 93, to starting The Sign Syndicate a “nuts and bolts” news and information website in 2005 where we started the electric sign industry Lighting Benchmark testing. Getting involved in electric sign component sales. Being asked to become a Electric Sign Technical Director for a Sign Association, though it was short, it was still an “experience” as one man put it. Now these days I’m developing my own LED Line from all the benchmark testing we did for the Neon & LED Lighting components. But in all those years, all those relationships I’ve developed….this with Vidon / Jewelite, is a first for me. I Like to help people and companies in this industry, that was my purpose of starting the SS. Again, the purpose of this was a word of caution. I hate to see what happened to me, where you invest money and time, to just see it go to waste. If it helps at least one person from a disaster, then it’s been worth the time here behind a keyboard typing this out. Oh, by the way. I encourage all to go to this years ISA Convention in Vegas. I you happen to stop by the Vidon Plastics / Jewelite booth and you’re a Jewelite Trim Cap user, see if they made the changes to the 3/4” Trim Cap….and if there is more “Mechanical fastener space” now than before, tell Matthew Dube at the booth to be sure and thank me, glad it worked out.

I was experimenting with the new revised BrightON Lightning module which is more efficient than the previous version.....more light for the same power. This BrightON Lightning module was made for very shallow lighting applications. Anyway, thought I would snap some pics and show how impressive this little module really is. This module is perfect for 3" & 5" return channel letters, even better for halo illuminated letters because of the crazy light output, perfect for Day/Night faces where you need light to punch through. This module produces Competitive Light, NOT Usable Light...so if you have a premium customer and premium project this little High-End Constant Current LED module is for you! A lot of light that will last a very, VERY long time. Here is a test channel at just 1.5" in depth, the acrylic used is 1/8" #7328 White, this is just using a Autohaus MC Grade 7328, and the result is even lighting no hotspots. LD Acrylic is real nice for LED lighting, but at 1.5" depth, this regular grade sign white light nice. 4"W x 24"L x 5"D Channel with false bottom, lighted up for a 1.5" Depth The Luminance right on the face measures something around 544 Foot Candle Average, that's some crazy brightness. Typical .6w to .72w modules for 3" and 5" returns with usable light luminance is around 200 FC's. Using these for the same you get around 300-400 FC. You can purchase these from our Online Store or Contact us to place an Order (858) 880-1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com

Basically they broke the warranty by hiring someone else to cover your warranty. I don't know why they can't grasp that, that goes for anything consumers buy. I would get what they are threatening in writing, that they hired someone else to cover your warranty.... and why they are not paying on another project. That's two different contracts, can't legally mix those or withhold payment...speaking form my state of course but I'm sure in front of any judge would see this case with basic logic.

Sound like a good laugh if I were sent the invoice, though it may not be funny to you. Seems like a break in common basic sense somewhere in not understanding who gave the warranty on the project

Ya know, sometimes here is a lack of Honor and Integrity when I comes to Sign Component Manufacturers and the outside Representative Groups that work along side them....sometimes

While Supplies Last ONLY!!!

Board Patron's don't forget to update your profiles as it pertains to your available equipment, address, contact number / email etc for the Installer map

I'll get word out. This is terrible, keep us updated.

Thanks, should be working now

Site is back up, if some things are not functioning right please reply to this email so I can check it out

I think it's a combination of other shops telling them they don't have time to the PM's thinking the quote is too high. I'd throw the high number at them and see if they bite

Going to be doing some much needed upgrades across the site so we might be down for a few days.

Correct

Yeah, the shortage on translucent continues. I hear 3M is even going to shrink their line and pallette

They are magnetic, and I have yet to have a failure. There are now only two magnetic Neon transformers made for our industry....Allanson, made in China...and France, made in the US. Transco / Ventex stopped producing.

Well, it's show off time, and I want to show off how really awesome and high efficient (Light for power)these little modules are. At just .72 watts per module the efficiency of these little modules really comes to light (No Pun Intended). Yes, these little modules at just 1.375" long x 1/2" are Constant Current...NOT (Eco / Value) Constant Voltage! The BrightON LED Modules are made for shallow projects of 1.5" and above. They are also available in 3000K All BrightON LED Module are Under Driven, which is VERY important for longevity The lettering contains BrightON - Lightning, while the Cabinets contain BrightON-III LED modules INSTALL PHOTOS Dark tile background which soaks up light and offers very little in surface reflection for signs. Rear Wall, perfect for Halo Letters. The BrightON Lightning mixed with the BrightON III Modules Halo Illuminated letters over the dark tile fascia Rear Wall Illumination- Look at flood light lighting so you know there is no over exposure of night shot. Front elevation day shot from Google Map. Coastal Medical took over Pigtails (As Shown) Zoom out comparison night pic. Even on the dark wall BrightON LEDs outshine signs that are on much lighter walls. I should note.....and excited to announce.... We just updated our BrightON LED Lightning Modules with an even more efficient chip. The Lightning will the fist our the BrightON line to be updated with a higher efficient chip. At .72 watts per module, the Lighting will be even brighter, which will translate to no only brighter light output, but also allow you to space them further apart BrightON Lighting Spec Sheet.pages

Not good at all Sign Fallen.mp4

Just learned that all locations of Interstate Electric Sign Supply have closed, strange.

Posting some pics form users

Thought I would share some pictures of what makes the Westrim Burroughs Pattern Paper that we stock so good to use especially in unique conditions. This is a perfect case for using Westrim's Pattern Paper. External corrugated paneling. I suppose you could measure a wall out and hope it lines up doing a computer generated pattern that you will plot out and hand to the install crew, or you could use the Westrim Burroughs Pattens paper, cut a small strip out and make a real time field pattern. Bring back to your shop a accurate pattern of the corrugated paneling capturing every angle, void and clip system of each locking paneling and putting along side the sign pattern with ease marking all those obstacles so you know where your mounting holes and pass thru's will need to be so your install crew has an easy day installing that sign! Product Pictures Courtesy of West Coast Sign Company, CA Corrugated paneling consisting of 45˙ & 60˙ angles with locking clips Matching up the field pattern (lower) with the actual Letter Pattern Accurately place all mounting & pass thru holes where they need to be Give your install crew an easy Install Day! Product Pictures Courtesy of West Coast Sign Company, CA The Westrim Burroughs Pattern Paper can be purchased through our online Store Here Or feel free to call in or order your order (858) 880-1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com

Some project pics of our High Performance, High Brightness, Constant Current 24v 175˙Optics BrightON II LEDs powered by France Lighting Solutions True Power LED Power Supplies. Our 24V BrightON LEDs have half the current running across the PCB Boards which means HALF the heat and resistance of a 12V system, this equals out to a already long life Constant Current System to thrive even longer! BrightON LEDs are Constant Current NOT Constant Voltage like Principal LEDs and Sloan Value Line LEDs for shorter life The Project Results....Even, Bright Competitive Lighting for the sign in a shopping center that will last the ages! Pictures Courtesy of West Coast Sign Company More Information on BrightON II LEDS The BrightON LEDs can be purchased from our online store HERE, or you can order over the phone (858) 880-1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com

JEWELITE TRIM CAP NOW IN STOCK!!! I am very proud to announce that we NOW stock Jewelite (Vidon) Trim Cap We just brought in a good sizable stock load of both 1" & 3/4" Trim Caps. One of the awesome things about Jewelite is, it's now of the few components in our trade that is actually made right here in the Good ol' U.S. of A Our Current Sign Syndicate Trim Cap Pricing as follows: 3/4" x 150' 6+ Rolls $46.75 each 1-5 Rolls $51.25 each 1" x 150' 6+ Rolls $56.75 each 1-5 Rolls $61.25 each **Discounted shipping on orders of 6 or more rolls. You can call in/email your order 858.880.1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com or try our online shopping cart

As most of you know Raw and Electrical Components like LEDs, Power Supplies, etc have soared just this year not even counting what's happened since COVID. One low cost component we can continue for now are Toggle Switches. With oil pricing rising we can expect a lot more costs to rise in the near future...DON'T WAIT! What's a good price today, can't be guaranteed tomorrow! Toggle Switches for $4.23 each in boxes of 25, FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the Continental US For orders 858-880-1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com or use our online CART

Well the ship has landed. To compliment our High-End BrightON LED Module Line we brought in nothing but the best when it comes to LED Power Supplies, hence France Lighting Solutions. For those that don't know, the France LED power supplies are True Power, which means they are 100% Loadable. No more loading a LED power supply to 80% or 85% to be on the safe side....well...I take that back you had to underload for the PS to survive. These....France PS's are 100% Loadable! We've been stocking the 24V for some time for our 24V BrightON, but since we also have 12V BrightON LED modules we brought in 12V versions as well. We also have the new France Atlas 12V 120W (Dual 60W Channel) units, which are IP68, Wet Location (no need for a PS box) and have onboard LED Lamps for displaying trouble shooting, normal/overload use. France has always been know for their High Performance Neon Transformer Products, the France Lighting Solutions Eco & Atlas LED Power Supplies are no different. We carry the Complete France Lighting Solutions TruPower LED Power Supply Line 24V France Eco 24V 60W - TruPower DRV-2460-E (24V/60W) France Eco 24V 96W - TruPower DRV-24100-E (24V/96W) France Atlas 24V 60W - TruPower DRV-2460-A (24V/60W) 12V France Eco 12V 60W - TruPower DRV-1260-E (12V/60W) France Atlas 12V 60W - TruPower DRV-1260-A (12V/60W) France Atlas 12V 120W - TruPower DRV-12120-A (12V/120W) Dual 60W Channel The France Lighting Solutions LED Power Supplies can be purchased from our Store or feel free to call your order in (858) 880-1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com

It was asked for so we did it. The BrightON Lightning now also comes in 3000K. We had a feeling the BrightON Lightning would be a popular seller and so far it has been. Users seem to like the sizing of NC LED Reckless LED Modules along with the spacing. As I've said a few times, the Lightning captures that module sizing but with larger spacing between modules. The Reckless was a Constant Current .92w 2Diode Module, our Lightning is a 3 diode, .72 watt module. The difference is, the chip efficiency in the Lighting is much much better....you get more light for lesser power. With the Lightning you get much brighter light and spread than the Reckless. BrightON Lightning Article You can purchase the BrightON Lightning from our store or feel free to call in an order (858) 880-1400 | orders@thesignsyndicate.com