Industry Articles

May 10, 2013—DCI-Artform, a retail marketing company that is a member of DCI Marketing Group, has selected nine area college students interested in shopper marketing for a new, highly competitive summer associate program. Called “InVisionship,” the program organizes students into competing teams to address some of the unique challenges facing DCI-Artform’s clients.
 
These nine will be in DCI-Artform’s Milwaukee headquarter location for 10 weeks this summer putting their talent, creativity, and insights toward opportunities provided by DCI-Artform’s clients and sectors:

• Quintin West – Industrial Design at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
• Kelly Olson – Marketing at UW-Milwaukee
• Alex Dorsch – Communication Studies at Marquette University
• David Monzingo – Graphic Design and Photography at UW-Milwaukee
• Amy Malcolm – Graphic Design at UW-Milwaukee
• Kyle Gilbert – Marketing at St. Norbert College
• Morgan Edwards – Graphic Design and Communication at UW-Stevens Point
• Carlyse Mayfield – Marketing at UW-Parkside
• Allison Miller – Advertising and Marketing at Marquette University

Part competition and part apprenticeship, the InVisionship program is meant to give college students real-world experience, top-tier references, portfolio case studies and a chance to apply critical thinking and creativity to produce designs and digital implementations for major brands. DCI-Artform provides guidance and access to resources as mentors lead the teams toward final presentations that are judged by a panel of retail marketing experts, both from the company and its clients.
 
The InVisionship program gets its name from DCI-Artform’s InVision Retail Science Lab, a working lab that allows brands and retailers to research, experiment, evaluate, test and prove the effectiveness of a marketing solution before they invest their marketing budget and roll it out to the marketplace.
 
Applications for the InVisionship were accepted for college juniors and seniors with 3.0 or higher GPAs, and educational, personal and/or professional experience in digital, design or market research. Participants receive a stipend, mileage for travel to the office and meals while in the office.
 
DCI-Artform, a member of the DCI Marketing Group, is a full-service, integrated firm focused on retail merchandising and marketing for the automotive, cosmetics, grocery, packaged goods, and electronics industries. In early March, DCI combined resources with Artform UK to create the DCI Marketing Group.

March 25, 2013—Southeastern Products, a Fountain Inn, S.C.-based provider of retail decor, fixtures, design, and product display, donated products and services toward a new Food Lion wing at the North Carolina Children's Museum in Winston-Salem, N.C. Southeastern Products built the exhibit to support the museum in teaching children the importance of learning where food comes from while experiencing the everyday operation of a grocery store in a fun, interactive way. Southeastern Products scaled down the current Food Lion décor package to fit the museum's model. It is complete with registers, lane lights, fully stocked shelves, produce bins, prep stations, meat department, and even an ice cream station. “Food Lion has been a supporter of the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem since we first opened in 2004,” said Traci Connor, director of exhibit planning and development. “It was important that the final exhibit looked like a real Food Lion store, and so Food Lion put us in touch with Southeastern Products to supply the banners, wallpaper, and signage as they do for Food Lion grocery stores."

Jan. 30, 2012—Based in Montreal, GH+A relocated its American office from Northville, Mich. to downtown Detroit's central business district. The company selected a landmark building of historical significance in Detroit’s central business district on East Jefferson Avenue. The building, located directly across the street from the General Motors world headquarters known as GM Renaissance Center, was erected in 1897 by William Metzger. It housed the first auto dealership in the U.S. initially selling electric cars, followed by the first Cadillac Motor Car Co. showroom. The loft-style building is characterized by a rich wood structure, brick walls, industrial-size windows and high ceilings, making it an inspiring space for a design company. The water tower perched atop the roof enhances the building’s unique features and acts as a distinctive icon. The move signals GH+A’s investment in the city of Detroit and its cultural and economic resurgence. They are located at 409 E. Jefferson Ave., 6th Floor, Detroit, Mich. 48226.

Jan. 28, 2013—The Retail Design Institute's 42nd International Store Design Awards Gala took place the evening of Monday, January 14th at the Times Center Stage in New York City. Over 250 of the retail design industry's top design talent, retailers, editors, and vendors joined the Retail Design Institute as they recognized the top store designs from 2012. Nine A.R.E. members won impressive awards:

• Pictured top right, GH+A, based in Montreal, won first place in the Sit Down Restaurant category for Hambar and an award of merit in Bar/Coffee Shop/Counter-Service Restaurant for the Urban Eatery at Toronto Eaton Centre. One standout feature at Hambar in Old Montreal, right, are the illuminated cured meats suspended from butcher hooks.

• Chute Gerdeman, based in Columbus, Ohio, won first place in the Hard Line Specialty Store category for Aaron Brothers (pictured below).

• JGA, based in Southfield, Mich., won an award of merit in Hard Line Specialty Store for McCormick World of Flavors. 

• FRCH Design Worldwide, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, won first place in New or Completely Renovated Department Store and the special award in Innovative Store Planning for Liverpool Interlomas Department Store.

• RGLA Solutions, based in Shiller Park, Ill., won first place in Entertainment/Amusement Retail for Chicago Sports Depot and first place in Museum Retail/Hospitality Retail for the PEZ Visitor Center.

• rkd retail/iQ, based in Bangkok, won first place in the Supermarket category for Ole' supermarket G4.

• Watt International, based in Toronto, won a first place award in the Supermarket category for Longo's Leaside.

• II BY IV DESIGN, based in Toronto, won first place in the Bar/Coffee Shop/Counter-Service Restaurant category for the Suite Lobby Lounge and an award of merit in Fast Casual Restaurant Concept for Cafe Plenty.

• Callison, based in Seattle, won first place in the Service Retail category and the special award in Innovative Sales Technology for the AT&T Michigan Ave. Flagship Store.

Announced and awarded by Brian Dyches, FRDI and the institute's international chairperson, Store of the Year 2012 was Mistral Wine Store designed by Studio Arthur Casas. For a complete list of all winners, click here. See a slideshow on Retail Design Institute's website.

Above, Chute Gerdeman won first place in the Hard Line Specialty Store category for Aaron Brothers with the theme Artist's Spirit. The prototype stores are located in Woodland Hills and West Hollywood, Calif.

Oct. 19, 2012—GH+A, based in Montreal, won two gold and two silver awards at the 2012 Canadian Shopping Centre Awards presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). The awards recognize outstanding achievement in the design and development of retail properties. in addition, gold award winners are eligible to win ICSC's VIVA Best of the Best Award presented during the RECon convention in Las Vegas in May 2013.

The Canadian Shopping Centre Awards are for GH+A's following projects:

The CORE: Maple Leaf Gold Award for an urban renewal project consisting of the redevelopment of three previously disjointed properties into a single integrated multi-use complex. The project features a canopy of structural glass, which is the largest of its kind in North America. Under the glass roof, visitors view a vibrant streetscape in natural light. It emulates outdoor plazas and promenades. It is pictured at the left.

Promenades Cathedrale: Maple Leaf Silver Award for a food court located in a unique subterranean location below a major downtown cathedral in Montreal's underground city. Completely re-planned and revamped, the food court offers a refuge of serenity amidst the urban bustle, bearing no resemblance to the former space.

Richmond Adelaide Centre: Maple Leaf Silver Award for a food court located on the lower level of a corporate office complex along Toronto's underground walkway, the PATH. Diners can choose to sit below the public courtyard with a view of the activity above through a glass floor, under a checkerboard gazebo, or under the woven metal ceiling area.  It is pictured at the right.

Toronto Eaton Centre: Maple Leaf Gold Award for the Urban Eatery, a casual dining food court within a classic modernist setting.

Founded 27 years ago, GH+A's retail design focus in on specialty store design, shopping center refurbishments, mixed-use retail programming and strategic brand positioning. GH+A has offices in Montreal and Detroit.

UPDATE: Dec. 13, 2012—GH+A's CORE project in Calgary, Alberta won the Americas property award in the Commercial Renovation/Redevelopement category at the International Property Awards gala in London. CORE is an urban renewal project that unites three disjointed properties into a single multi-user complex. It is a one branded retail destination with a cohesive identity.

Sept.19, 2012—Advanced Cabinet Systems (ACS), a manufacturer of retail fixtures and plastic laminate casework based in Marion, Ind., is investing in the future generation. Creative Director Marc Dunker plans to host educational plant tours for vocational and high school students to acquaint them with the range of careers available in a manufacturing facility such as ACS. “When I was a student, I didn’t know what was out there,” he said. Tours would give students a firsthand look at jobs from carpentry to sales and marketing.

Dunker especially sees a need in the workforce for technicians and those with mechanical skills to program instruments, operate machinery, and construct cabinets. Since schools dropped wood shop classes, fewer students see carpentry as a vocation, so personnel with woodworking knowledge are harder to find. “Hands-on jobs have been abandoned to information technology,” he said. Dunker’s program will demonstrate how technology and woodworking partner in today’s casework and store fixture industry, offering students a view of the craft that they haven’t considered.

ACS is also investing in educational research. Anna Luke, an interior design intern from Indiana Wesleyan University, spent the summer examining the effect of color and classroom design on learning styles. She found traditional classrooms are geared toward teachers rather than students, which makes learning difficult for those with various learning styles. Luke developed a presentation for architects, which ACS hopes will update trends in classroom design and better allow students to succeed. Dunker said, “We want to help the community and be a resource, even to competitors in the industry.”

To read Anna Luke's report for ACS on design and student learning styles click here.

Sept. 4, 2012—Trion Industries, a Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based manufacturer of display, scan hooks and other retail products, completed 500,000 work hours without an injury. To achieve a strong safety record, Trion offers safety incentives and an injury prevention program. For example, if plant employees work 90 days without safety violations, the entire workforce is awarded two extra hours of convenience time off. President John Thalenfeld said, "Our employees take good care of the company, and we try to return the favor by looking out for them.” Since Trion’s founding in 1965, the company has grown to more than $40 million in annual sales as is among the largest consumers of raw wire stock and metal plate on the East Coast. 

Aug. 30, 2012—Granger Contracting Company, Inc., based in Chesterfield, Mo. and owned by GNH Services, was awarded the Dexter + Cheney Innovator award for using Spectrum construction software to improve business. Information technology manager Mike Goodman said, “Spectrum’s flexibility has allowed us to integrate our custom applications into their system and to combine reporting on both. It’s been a tremendous benefit to us and our clients.” Granger’s IT department developed a CRM and workload management system, and a custom application designed to manage and execute large programs. Granger provides scalable, customizable construction, fixture installation, and maintenance services.

Granger's IT team pictured left to right are systems analyst Jeremiah Miller, IT manager Mike Goodman, and systems anaylist Jason Wagstaff.

Aug. 22, 2012—New York-based Architectural Systems Inc. was named a 2012 Small Business Awards finalist by the New York Enterprise Report in the sales and marketing category for the company's initiatives and innovative thinking, including a mix of in-person events, association participation, online blogs, e-mail marketing campaigns, and social media streams. For example, early in 2012 ASI President Nancy Jackson debuted WHAT’SNEXT® Live where she interviews award-winning designers to discuss the latest retail and hospitality trends. Winners will be announced at the Small Business Awards Gala in October. In addition, ASI is involved in several design education initiatives including serving on the board of the Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE) and supporting student designers through showroom tours.

In other news, BOFFO appointed Jackson to its board. Jackson has more than 20 years' design industry experience and involvement in educational and fundraising events for non-profits. She will contribute her knowledge and business insight as BOFFO plans to utilize pop-up art, fashion, and architectural installations. Architectural Systems, a distributor of interior finishes, was a sponsor at the 2011 BOFFO Building Fashion exhibition. “We were an early supporter of the cause, having supplied products that facilitated BOFFO’s experimental and iconic installations,” said Jackson. “We chose to align ourselves with this group to inspire designers who take risks working with materials.”

July 24, 2012—Based in Marina Del Rey, Calif., Giorgio Borruso Design won the Best of the Best award at the Red Dot Product Design Awards. The winning project was Carlo Pazolini Milan. Red Dot is an international competition that recognizes innovative design in several fields, including architecture, communication, and industrial. With over 4,500 entries, the 2012 event selected 62 winning projects submitted from 1,800 companies and designers in 58 countries. Other Best of the Best winners this year are the Apple ipad2, Nikon 1 digital camera, and the Porsche 911 Carrera. The winning products and projects are on display at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany, the largest exhibition of contemporary design worldwide. They will also be exhibited at the Red Dot Museum in Singapore.

July 2, 2012—Architectural Systems Inc., based in New York, donated 70 pallets of engineered hardwood flooring to Habitat for Humanity in Kingston, N.Y. “ASI’s floor is a major contribution,” said John LaValle, president of Ulster County Habitat for Humanity. A shipment of ASI porcelain floor tile is scheduled as well.

Habitat for Humanity is renovating an older 40,000-square-foot building into retail and office space. Extensive work is underway including a new roof and interior. “It’s a mammoth task for a volunteer organization,” LaValle said. The building will serve as Habitat headquarters and house a ReStore, which sells used building supplies, furniture, and kitchen goods. It’s an important revenue stream for Habitat, LaValle said.

The three-story structure has never been set up for retail. LaValle’s nephew, Jonathan Glanz of YCD Multimedia with 20 years experience in retail design, stepped in to plan the 15,000-square–foot space with the first phase being an 8,600-square-foot store.

A conversation at GlobalShop sparked the donation when Glanz asked ASI CEO Ron Jackson if his company could help. Jackson replied without hesitation, “Of course, it’s done.” The hardwood flooring will make “one beautiful floor” in the ReStore, LaValle said. It is scheduled to open in October 2012.

April 27, 2012—New York-based Hudson + Broad has filed suit against J.C. Penney Corporation Inc. for breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets. Hudson + Broad, which says it created the iconic oversized plexiglass LED fixture used to reinforce the retailer's new "Fair and Square" image, seeks $20 million in compensatory damages and an additional $20 million in punitive damages.The suit was filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

"Top level executives at JCPenney, including those who report directly to CEO Ron Johnson, engaged Hudson + Broad to develop this unique fixture with the explicit promise that this proprietary product, if accepted, would only be ordered from us and that our concept would not be misappropriated and bid out to other manufacturers," said James Maharg, president of Hudson + Broad. "Yet JCPenney is doing exactly what it promised it would not do, which is a huge disappointment from a company claiming Fair And Square as its image."

In a press release, Maharg says that JCPenney executives contacted Hudson + Broad in December 2011, asking for the creation of an exclusive fixture that would serve as a symbolic icon to be rolled out to stores nationwide. The fixture needed to be capable of changing colors to match the retailer's color of the month. Hudson + Broad developed a large LED square fixture with the ability to change color by remote control. The fixture was installed in JCPenney's Manhattan Mall store for CEO Ron Johnson's January 25, 2012, presentation of the new initiative, as well as at JCPenney's corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas.

After Johnson's presentation, Maharg says JCPenney executives asked Hudson + Broad to deliver over 1,800 units of its fixture to be installed in over 700 stores. In February and March, Hudson + Broad began planning with the retailer for the full roll-out to JCPenney locations nationwide, but the company says that on April 3rd, the JCPenney Procurement Department notified Hudson + Broad that it had sourced the fixture elsewhere. After Hudson + Broad reminded JCPenney that the fixture was a proprietary product and that Hudson + Broad would not authorize the retailer to have it produced elsewhere, Maharg says JCPenney executives ceased all communication with Hudson + Broad.

JCPenney has declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Hudson + Broad is an A.R.E. member visual merchandising firm located in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. The company has a standard line of store fixtures and develops custom proprietary fixtures for an array of retail stores and brands.

For more information, see James Maharg discuss the suit in videos here, and here.

Feb. 15, 2012—Store of the Year was among the 15 awards won by A.R.E. members in Chain Store Age’s 30th annual Retail Store of the Year design competition. Winning awards were members:

Bergmeyer Associates
Hard Lines (over 25,000 sq. ft.): West Marine, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Callison
Soft Lines (greater than 15,000 sq. ft.): REI, New York City

Eventscape
Fixture Innovation: Mark’s Rain World, Mark’s, Langley, British Columbia

FITCH
Hard Lines (15,000 sq. ft. to 25,000 sq. ft.): Fixtures Living, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Drug Store/Convenience Store (Honorable Mention): M local, Yorkshire, England
Service: Asian Paints Colour Store, Delhi, India
Creative Use of Technology: Asian Paints, Delhi, India

FRCH Design Worldwide
Retail Store of the Year and Department Store: Liverpool, Interlomas, Mexico
Discount Store/Mass Merchant: Bob’s Stores
Casual Dining: Giraffas, Miami

Gensler
Soft Lines (greater than 15,000 sq. ft.): REI, New York City
Exterior (Honorable Mention): Uniqlo, New York City

Interbrand Design Forum
Hard Lines (under 15,000 sq. ft.): La-Z-Boy, Warwick, R.I.
Casual Dining (Honorable Mention): Pollo Campero, Webster, Texas

RGLA Solutions
Specialty Foods, (Honorable Mention): PEZ Visitor Center, Orange, Conn.
Cashwrap: Chicago Sports Depot, Chicago

Congratulations to all the winners!

Feb. 1, 2012—A.R.E. members racked up 10 awards in the Retail Design Institute's 41st International Store Design Awards, presented Jan. 16 at the Times Center Stage in New York City:

Chute Gerdeman
• C&A Iguatemi - First Place, New or Completely Renovated Department Store

FITCH
• Fixtures Living - Innovation in Signage/Graphics

FRCH Design Worldwide
• Bob's Store New Prototype Design - First Place, Value Retail
• Giraffas International Restaurant Prototype - First Place, Restaurant Concept (Franchised)
• Bob's Store New Prototype - Innovation in Merchandise Presentation

GH+A
• International Currency Exchange - First Place, Service Retail
• Pusateri's - First Place, Specialty Food/Gourmet Grocer
• Wilde & Greene - First Place, Sit Down Restaurant
• Aeropostale - Innovation in Storefront

Giorgio Borruso Design
• Snaidero USA Showroom New York - First Place, Manufacturers Showroom

Congratulations to our award-winning members!

Sept. 15, 2011— Visplay's new showroom in Manhattan/New York City measures about 240 square feet and presents many of the company's shopfitting and merchandising systems, including Invisible, Mono, Stripes, Xero, and Beam. 
After Visplay opened a sales office in Allentown/Pennsylvania in 2010, a new warehouse was established on the same site in January 2011 to serve Visplay customers in the U.S. and Canada.

The Visplay showroom is located inside the newly-designed Vitra showroom (Visits by appointment only):

Visplay Showroom New York City
29 Ninth Avenue
(between 13th and 14th Sts.)
New York, NY 10014

April 11, 2011—Floor Focus announced the winners of its second annual Vision Awards, which celebrate the dynamic integration of flooring and architecture. The Vision Awards featured five competition categories—corporate, healthcare, education, retail and hospitality—and Ruscio Studio’s design of Magico Imperial took top honors in the retail category.

Key to this contest is the idea that any project can be entered, regardless of the materials used; judges choose the winners based solely on the design of the project.

Reinterpreting this European avant-guard brand for the North American market, Ruscio Studio’s design of Magico Imperial was based on asymmetry and angularity which evoked a sense of youthfulness and dynamic movement for this new concept.

About Ruscio Studio Inc.
Established in 2002, Ruscio Studio is a commercial interior design firm specializing in retail, shopping mall, and kiosk design. The company has been featured in regional and national publications, and has received numerous local and international awards.

About Floor Focus
The trade publication Floor Focus provides trend and design information for the flooring industry.

February 25, 2011—Chippenhook Corporation and Sincerely International Company Ltd. announced the formation of Agilus, an engineering, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and installation company serving the global retail fixture market.

35-year-old Chippenhook, based in Lewisville, Texas, creates visual display elements, point of purchase displays, store fixtures, and packaging for luxury brands. Sincerely International Company Ltd., based in Zhongshan, China, is a fixture manufacturer, installer, and general contractor supplying Asian and global retail brands. Together, they bring extensive manufacturing and installation experience to both the United States and Greater China through the formation of Agilus.

The new Agilus global business unit, which was built within Chippenhook and Sincerely for over 10 years, focuses on the manufacturing of premium-quality, rapidly-delivered, cost-effective
retail fixtures.

“Chippenhook will continue to serve its customers with the same level of service and quality of finish that made us who we are today,” said Chippenhook CEO Barry Rutherford. “Agilus, which serves a broader fixture market in retail,” he continued, “has been built from the ground up to be an agile, global player.”

“In my 35 years working with retail brands, this is the most exciting, diverse partnership of my career,” said Rutherford. “Our international team has experience, relationships and capabilities unlike any other global fixture provider.” Rutherford said fellow Agilus board member and Sincerely founder Hiu Ming Yuen is one of the most hands-on, respected fixture producers and general contractors for retail environments in Greater China. “Mr. Yuen personally built Sincerely as a unique player in the mainland market. Because of this, Agilus controls every step to market, from design to fabrication to on-site installation throughout Greater China.” Agilus maintains manufacturing, warehousing and administrative offices in Dallas, Texas and integrated, multiple material manufacturing in Zhongshan and Dongguan, China.

Agilus has the general contracting capabilities to warehouse and install throughout the United States and Greater China. Global clients include Gymboree, Columbia Sportswear, Crocs, Coach, PUMA, bebe, Harvey Nichols, and Phillips Van Heusen Corporation. For over 15 years, Agilus has been the primary producer and installer of Chow Tai Fook store environments. Chow Tai Fook is the largest retail jewelry chain in Asia, with over 1,500 locations throughout Greater China.

Chippenhook also announced the appointment of David Bradshaw as president of Agilus. Bradshaw, the former president of Chippenhook Corporation’s fixture business unit, has over 20 years in leadership positions in store design and development with several large retailers. “We’ve created something truly new and special in the market,” said Bradshaw. “I can’t
wait to begin telling our story.”

About Chippenhook
Founded in 1973, Chippenhook (www.chippenhook.com) is an international designer, manufacturer, and logistics provider for a range of merchandising products and services for global retail brands in the United States and Asia.

January 19—Following are A.R.E. member companies who were recognized by Retail Design Institute's (RDI's) International Store Design Awards:

• Callison/RYA; Bloomingdale's Dubai; Award of Merit, New or Completely Renovated Specialty Department Store
• Chute Gerdeman; The Exchange; 1st Place, Large-Format Specialty Stores
• Chute Gerdeman; The Flagship Store Powered by Reebok; Award of Merit, Specialty Store 5,001 to 10,000 sq. ft.
• FRCH Design Worldwide; Liverpool Polanco; Award of Merit, New or Completely Renovated Full-Line Department Store
• FRCH Design Worldwide; Merrell Concept Prototype; Award of Merit, Specialty Store 1,501 to 3,000 sq. ft.
• Gensler; Wenger—Maker of the Genuine Swiss Army Knife; 1st Place, Specialty Store 1,501 to 3,000 sq. ft.
• Gensler; Wenger—Maker of the Genuine Swiss Army Knife; Innovative Space Planning, Special Awards
• GHA design studios; Centura; 1st Place, Manufacturer's Showroom
• ID & Design Intl.; Lotte Gwangbok Department Store; 1st Place, New or Completely Renovated Full-Line Department Store
• II by IV Design Associates Inc.; Donato Spa + Salon; 1st Place, Service Retailer
• JGA; Hot Topic; Award of Merit, Specialty Store 1,501 to 3,000 sq. ft.
• GIORGIO BORRUSO DESIGN; Carlo Pazolini—Milan; 1st Place, Specialty Store 3,001 to 5,000 sq. ft.
• GIORGIO BORRUSO DESIGN; "Eyewear from the Beginning to the Future" Exhibition; 1st Place, Pop Up/ Temporary Store
• GIORGIO BORRUSO DESIGN; "Eyewear from the Beginning to the Future" Exhibition; Innovative Conceptual Design, Special Awards
• GIORGIO BORRUSO DESIGN; Carlo Pazolini—Milan; Innovative Conceptual Design, Special Awards

November 5, 2010—TMSi Logistics, a distribution, technology, and integrated logistics provider,is pleased to announce the acquisition of Rhombus Services, a national installation and service provider for digital media applications. This acquisition will enable TMSi to enter into a niche industry for increased exposure and market share, and will help Rhombus deliver a higher level of service for customers.

Rhombus Services provides solutions to the digital signage, kiosk, and retail fixture industries. Through the acquisition by TMSi, Rhombus will now have the internal technology, logistics, and financial strength to increase the scope, efficiency, and quality of the solutions they provide. The acquisition will help enhance services including rapid rollouts of point-of-sale and point-of-purchase technologies, site preparation, on-site field service, preventative maintenance, and transportation/warehousing.

Ron Cain, chairman and CEO of TMSi Logistics, states, “This acquisition by TMSi has enabled us to gain access to promising new technologies, to achieve synergies in our operations, and to tap well-developed distribution channels. Rhombus shares our dedication to achieving and maintaining a values-driven, performance-based culture that delivers results, and we look forward to the success that the partnership will bring to both companies.”

According to Jeff Metzger, executive vice president of Rhombus, “Rhombus has and continues to be a reliable and trustworthy partner to clients across industries. The recent acquisition by TMSi further demonstrates the commitment of both companies to providing the best services for customers, and we anticipate great results from the continuous improvements our new relationship will bring.”

About Rhombus Services
Rhombus Services is a national installation and service provider for digital media applications including digital signage, digital media, and customer engagement technologies. Rhombus provides rapid rollouts of point-of-sale, point-of-purchase, or site preparation to customer locations across North America. Clients include industries including retail, manufacturing, QSR and more.

About TMSi Logistics
TMSi Logistics is a distribution, technology, and integrated logistics provider recognized by Inbound Logistics as a Top 100 3PL Provider, by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America, and as a Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100 provider. TMSi works with clients to design, engineer, and execute multi-dimensional organization plans and has assisted in the creation of worldwide supply chains.

Nov. 5, 2010—After doing business as Process Displays Inc. for over 80 years, officials of Process Displays announced today that the company name is changing to Process Retail Group Inc. The name change will coincide with the company’s move to a new headquarters in New Berlin, Wis. in December.

“Our new name better reflects what we have grown to be,” said Bob Zanotti, president of Process Retail Group. “In recent years we have evolved into a strategic provider of national retail marketing and merchandising programs that go way beyond the production of displays.”

The company began as a screen printing sign business in 1929 in Milwaukee. Growth moved the company to a new home, but a fire in that building forced the company to move again in 1947.

Success in creating marketing products for the petroleum industry, including for Exxon’s famous 1960s “Tiger in your Tank” ad campaign, drove the company to grow into a larger 57,000 square-foot facility in the suburb of New Berlin. The company was given the “Key to the City” on May 1, 1967, as the very first occupant of the New Berlin Industrial Park. This building has served as the company headquarters for the last 43 years.

Process Displays was purchased by James Coffey in 1940; his son James Coffey, Jr., became president in 1965. The company remained a two-generation family business until it was sold in 2000 to the local ownership team of Michael Pranke and Brendan Rowen who brought in Bob Zanotti as president. Since 2000, the company has tripled in size and operations have expanded into a number of other buildings in the New Berlin Industrial Park.

With its name change, Process Retail Group will also organize its product and service offerings into three divisions to more strategically service and grow different retail market segments. The divisions of Process POP, Edge In-Store, and Process Merchandising will improve market focus on three distinct retail environment segments with contrasting needs.

 “Our company of 10 years ago was entirely focused on manufacturing displays and signage for the convenience retail environment where we worked extensively with tobacco, beer, alcohol, lottery, soft drink, petroleum and financial service companies,” Zanotti said.  “Now our Process POP division will be dedicated to assisting businesses with building their brands in convenience environments.”

Since 2000, the company has also dramatically bolstered its retail design service offerings. The company has significantly grown its team of designers, engineers, and model makers so it can now provide retail development services.

“Bolstering our retail development resources has opened a lot of new doors over the last 10 years in other retail segments such as electronics, gaming, tools, cosmetics, apparel, sporting goods, footwear, telecommunications, and golf,” said Zanotti. “Our Edge In-Store division is more focused on researching and innovating for more premium retail segments where the shopper experience is even more critical. Typically, these retail programs are composed of multiple elements in a variety of permanent materials that create or enhance an overall retail environment strategy.”

Finally, the company started its Process Merchandising division two years ago to focus on developing merchandising systems for consumer packaged goods companies in grocery store environments. These highly engineered proprietary products are focused on improving the efficiency of merchandising space by improving the shopping experience for both shopper and retailers.

“We are currently going to market with some exciting new products for refrigerated and freezer cases that are certain to improve the shopper experience and create merchandising efficiency for grocers,” said Zanotti. “When a program produces sales lift and reduces in-store labor, it’s a winning formula for everyone.”

While Process is changing its name and moving to a new location, the one constant that will remain will be its workforce. The company, which earned recognition in 2010 as a Top Employer of Choice in Southeast Wisconsin, was very cognizant of its workforce when searching for a new location. A study of its employee population actually placed New Berlin as the geographic center. In fact, the company has several employees that have been on board since the 60s and 70s, including one that was with the company when it moved in 1967.
            “Our people are the reason for our success, so we searched for years to find a building or a site that supported our future goals and kept hardship commutes to a bare minimum,” said Zanotti, “we didn’t want to lose any of our people by moving far away.”

The Process Retail Group leadership team connected with Briohn Building Corporation who had a site on Moorland Road just south of Interstate 43. The company will move into a new 136,000-square-foot custom-designed facility in December. The LEED-certified building will combine a state-of-the-art Retail Design Center with integrated production operations to more efficiently serve the company’s major brand and retail clients.

The Retail Design Center portion of the new facility will cover over 8,000 square feet and will include a Retail Showroom, a Retail Innovation Library, meeting rooms, and breakout areas, as well as contemporary work spaces for designers, engineers, and model makers.

“The front-end of our business is made up of a highly creative team,” said Zanotti. “So, the goal of for this new space will be to stimulate their creativity, and to provide a space where our visiting clients and supplier partners can engage with them.”

Much thought also went into the layout of the company’s press, manufacturing, assembly, and logistics operations. “Everything we do is literally custom designed and produced from scratch, so our production operations are a complex, job shop environment,” added Zanotti. “There are multiple handoffs between internal functions and external suppliers, and it is critical that important program details are not missed. The new plant space will integrate these operations to maximize quality, efficiency, and ensure on-time performance. I really believe it will set a new standard for the effective delivery of large, national retail marketing and merchandising programs.”

“We recognize that our company is a bit of a ‘rarity’ to be changing our name after 80 years and expanding during this challenging economic time,” said Zanotti. “The timing however, couldn’t be more perfect for us.  Our business is strong and we are really excited about the future.”

Oct. 21, 2010—Store Kraft launched a new web site, www.kiosk-sk.com, focusing on the company’s interactive kiosk business.

“Store Kraft has made a significant investment in technology over the past five years and leads the industry in interactive technology and smart fixtures,” said Tim Lynch, vice president of sales for Store Kraft.

Store Kraft recently completed a 2,000-plus unit kiosk roll-out in six weeks for Kohl’s Department Stores. The kiosks featured touch screens, credit card and bar code scanners, printers, speakers and other hardware and software features designed to enhance the customer experience and drive sales.

About Store Kraft
Store Kraft , founded in 1920, manufactures interactive kiosks, fitting rooms, showcases, and "smart displays" in addition to traditional cabinetry and fixtures for the retail, hospitality, and medical industries. In addition to its 450,000-square-foot facility in Beatrice, Neb., Store Kraft operates its 5Stat technology division in Dallas and has manufacturing plants in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and South America.

October 8, 2010—Ruscio Studio Inc., based in Montreal, received two awards in the annual Canadian Shopping Centre Awards (ICSC) competition. The winners were announced Oct. 6 at an awards ceremony during ICSC’s Canadian Convention in Toronto. The 2010 Canadian Shopping Centre Awards are designed to recognize outstanding achievement in marketing, design, and development of retail properties and retail store design and were open to shopping centre owners, developers, management companies, architects and designers, and retailers.
 
Ruscio Studio Inc. won a Maple Leaf Gold Award in the area of Retail Store Design for the design of the Underground store located in Chinook Centre, Calgary, Alberta. Underground was leasing two adjacent spaces in Chinook Centre (the first store exclusively for women; the second exclusively for men) when they made the decision to unify the spaces and revitalize their image. Since the name Underground suggested that the products carried were not mainstream offerings but rather alternative designer labels the design concept took an anti-mainstream approach reflecting more of a hip "underground" world and its urban inspirations. This was created by including: raw metal finish on solid steel sheets; tunnel like walls with white ceramic tiles as found in subway stations; concrete floor finishes; street posters pasted on surfaces similar to city hoardings’; bright orange finishes similar to the ‘safety orange’ lines found in subways or sidewalks; and oversized posters that appeared like advertising billboards.  Overall, the concept has been well received by shoppers and mall owners alike with the design being applied to other Underground stores across Western Canada.
 
Ruscio Studio Inc. also received a Maple Leaf Silver Award in the area of Retail Store Design for the design of the International Currency Exchange (I.C.E) Kiosk located in Place Rosemère, Rosemère, Quebec. The Exchange Corporation Canada Inc. wanted to expand its I.C.E. business to high-end shopping malls across Canada. The company wanted to develop a new look for its kiosks that created an artistic sculptural design but also maintained its corporate identity and functionality. With the help of its designer Ruscio Studio, a new I.C.E. kiosk was created in the form of an angled tower which showcased actual currency rates, as well as the ticker, and transformed an ordinary looking unit into a beautiful sculptural piece of art.  
 
About ICSC
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 55,000 members in over 90 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world.

About Ruscio Studio
Established in 2002, Ruscio Studio is a commercial interior design firm specializing in retail, shopping mall, and kiosk design. The firm has been featured in regional and national publications, and is a winner of numerous local and international awards.

October 1, 2010—Kingsmen Creatives Ltd, a communications design and production group in Asia Pacific and the Middle East, has won its third Interior Builders Award (Gold) at the Singapore Furniture Industry Awards (SFIA) 2010. This marks the third consecutive win for Kingsmen since the award was first introduced in 2003.

Organized by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, the Awards honor outstanding individuals and enterprises that made significant contributions to the furniture industry in Singapore. The Interior Builders Award is the one and only award in Singapore that pays tribute to the “specialists” in interior fit-out and customized furniture. The award highlights companies who have promoted innovation, creativity, and excellence by translating interior designs into practical, effective, and quality solutions thereby raising the standards, profile, and image of Singapore’s furniture industry. Kingsmen has completed projects for international brands such as BMW and Burberry, thematic interiors for Universal Studios Singapore, and fit-outs for Luxury Fashion Galleria at Resorts World Sentosa.

Commented Simon Ong, Group Managing Director of Kingsmen, on winning the Awards: “Winning this award for the third time is all the more special as it reaffirms the industry’s recognition for the quality of our work, our commitment to clients and the spirit of innovative and design that resides within our Group. It is a tribute to our design and project teams who continuously seek to deliver the unique Kingsmen service that we have become known for.”

About Kingsmen Creatives Ltd.
Listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange, Kingsmen is a communication design and production group in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Established in 1976, its four business segments comprise Exhibitions & Museums, Retail & Corporate Interiors, Research & Design, and Integrated Marketing Communication. Together with its affiliates, Kingsmen has a regional network of 17 offices and full service facilities in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Clients from diverse industries include BMW, Burberry, Esprit, Gucci, Nokia, Polo Ralph Lauren, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore Grand Prix, Tax Free World Association, Tiffany & Co., and the Valiram Group.

October 5, 2010—D&P Custom Lights & Wiring Systems has returned to its new building and is operating at normal capacity. Earlier this year the company had moved to the new building with increased space and a better layout. The move allowed the company to consolidate and streamline its manufacturing and production operations.

However, extensive flooding in Nashville in May affected the company as well as many other businesses and individuals in Middle Tennessee. With more than 10 feet of water in some parts of the the new facilities, the company was forced to move its offices elsewhere. During the past few months, D&P also took the opportunity to upgrade equipment, installing new plotters and cutting machines, along with enhanced design capabilities.

The new offices are located at 900 63rd Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37209; 615-350-7800 or 800-251-2200; www.dandpcustomlights.com.

About D&P
D&P Custom Lights & Wiring Systems provides energy-saving commercial lighting and fixtures.

September 22, 2010—Fusion UV Systems Inc., based in Gaithersburg, Md., and DVUV HOLDINGS, LLC, based in Cleveland, suppliers in the ultraviolet (UV) curable coatings industry, announced an alliance to jointly market UV-curable powder coating systems for heat-sensitive substrates. The companies say that this creates a ‘complete system’ for combined UV-curable powder chemistries and process technologies. Both firms will market and promote UV-curable powder coating application systems using Fusion’s UV-curing lamp technology and DVUV HOLDINGS’s solvent-free UV-cured powder coating chemistry and application technology. This alliance is further strengthened by Fusion’s global network of sales and service and DVUV’s subsidiary, Keyland Polymer Ltd., a chemical company that develops, formulates, manufactures. and sells UV-cured powder coatings.

According to David Harbourne, president of Fusion UV Systems, “What makes this alliance so strategically important is that both firms need the other to maximize the solutions it can provide customers, many of whom expect environmentally friendly proactive finishing processes and solutions in the retail, healthcare, architecture, and specialty markets. Fusion and DVUV will be able to meet their most stringent requirements for speed, quality, innovation, and durability, all without the production of harmful VOC emissions.”

Michael Knoblauch, president of DVUV HOLDINGS adds, “This alliance is yet another key step in providing our mutual customers seamless and vertical integration, from system design to distribution of the key products in the UV-cured powder coatings market. UV-curable coatings are the market segment whose growth rate is outpacing the global coatings industry.”

About Fusion UV Systems, Inc.
Fusion UV Systems, Inc.®, a member company of Spectris plc, Surrey, England, is a worldwide supplier of ultraviolet curing systems and UV-based process solutions. The company’s UV curing systems are used in manufacturing, printing, and coating applications in a broad cross-section of industries with over 35,000 installations worldwide. The company is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., with offices located throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and China, and distributors covering 17 other countries throughout the world.

About DVUV HOLDINGS, LLC.
DVUV HOLDINGS is a diversified, vertically integrated limited-liability company that supplies chemicals, systems, and manufactured product solutions used in the industrial market to finish wood and other heat-sensitive materials with ultraviolet (UV) light-cured powder coatings. The solvent-free process is environmentally friendly and yields finished materials that are exceptionally durable. DVUV HOLDINGS has three operating companies. Keyland Polymer, Ltd. Is a chemical company that develops, formulates, manufactures, and sells UV-cured powder coatings. DVUV manufactures furniture components finished with UV-cured powder coating supplied by Keyland Polymer. DVUV Systems is a newly formed company that designs, engineers, sells, installs, and supports UV-cured powder coating application systems. DVUV HOLDINGS was recently selected as a Weatherhead 100 Winner for 2010, presented by Case Western Reserve University and The Council of Smaller Enterprises, as one of Northeast Ohio’s 100 fastest growing companies.

 

September 7, 2010—A.R.E. member Bernhard Woodwork Ltd., based in Northbrook, Ill., was the top honoree for "Best Safety Achievement" in the large business category, says the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) and its insurance safety partner, CNA.
    Each of the four honorees achieved the lowest incident rates of reportable injuries with the highest number of work hours for the previous year in their business size category. The AWI Manufacturing Members are being honored for their commitment to a safe working environment in the 2010 AWI/CNA Safety Awards Program. Other honorees include: Commercial Millworks, Inc., Orlando, Fla.; Jensen's Architectural Woodwork, Inc., Murray, Utah; and RCS Millwork, L.C., Ankeny, Iowa.
    A total of 77 Safety Awards were awarded to AWI Manufacturing Members in the three awards categories in the annual program.  All award winners will be recognized during the AWI/CNA Safety Awards Lunch on October 28, 2010, during AWI’s Annual Convention, October 27-29, in Denver, Colo.

August 17, 2010—Global architectural design firm HOK has launched a new business: HOK Product Design, LLC. Through this venture, HOK designers from across the firm will design products for use in and around the firm's core business of architecture and interior design. HOK Product Design will license its designs to manufacturers for fabrication and sale.
        "HOK has a history of harnessing our entrepreneurial culture as a way to advance our practice and profession. This is especially relevant in difficult economic times such as these," says Riccardo Mascia, AIA, a member of HOK’s Executive Committee and head of HOK's Idea Board. The Idea Board is a group of firm leaders and external business advisers charged with collecting, vetting, and funding proposals for new business pursuits from HOK's people.
        "Product design is a new outlet for our unique brand of design thinking that aims at creating value for HOK by creatively responding to the needs of a new range of customers, in addition to those of our current clients," explains Mascia. "We also want to offer our people new opportunities for creative expression and professional development."
        HOK Product Design, LLC, which is structured as a standalone business within HOK, is led by Susan Grossinger, former director of interiors for HOK Los Angeles. The business will support the development of products ranging from architectural and interior design to consumer, healthcare, and sustainable offerings. "Product design is a natural extension of what we already do in terms of developing innovative solutions to our clients' challenges. Our goal is to start from square one in terms of creating new concepts, as opposed to simply modifying existing products that are already on the market,” says Grossinger. “We also operate as an extension of HOK’s long-term leadership in sustainability, and are committed to having all our products enhance environmental quality.”
        The new company already has secured business arrangements with manufacturing partners for 12 products designed by HOK people.
        "HOK's global experience in strategic planning, workplace, healthcare, science and technology, and other specialties gives our designers the creative vision required to identify gaps between what's available in the market and products that can provide value to our clients while improving the experience, health and productivity of end users," says Grossinger. "We want to fill these gaps with our innovative product ideas."

NSF International certifies that TRIAD can manufacture equipment custom built in compliance with NSF/ANSI Standard 2 - Food Equipment in the company's St. Louis manufacturing facility. As an NSF Listed Company, TRIAD is responsible for compliance with all NSF requirements for Certification services. The company says that this is a major stride in providing equipment and fixtures for TRIAD's restaurant industry customers and future customers.

About NSF International
NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization, certifies products and writes standards for food, water and consumer goods to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (www.nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide and operates in more than 120 countries. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. Services include education and training, safety audits for the food and water industries, dietary and nutritional supplement certification, management systems registrations (e.g. ISO 14001) delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations and organic certification provided by QAI (Quality Assurance International).

About TRIAD
TRIAD Manufacturing Inc. was founded in 1991 to provide solutions to retail fixturing and store environments. TRIAD currently serves the industry in providing custom fixtures and fixture packages accompanied by customer service, project management, design services, prototyping, logistics and planning, site surveys, installation, and inventory management.

ACS Retail, a manufacturer of casework based in Marion, Ind., has expanded its facility. The addition of 2,500 square feet increased the size of the facility to 66,000 square feet, including 2,000 square feet of office space for the sales team, estimators, and designers. The company
credits the expansion to increased sales volume and a renewed effort to create a throughput process for materials and products. The company provides custom casework to retailers, medical centers, educational institutions, offices, and other customers. ACS plans to add a sales team to continue to grow the company, according to Phil Bowers, vice president of business development.

June 9, 2010—Charles J. Corsentino, chairman, president & CEO of Moss Inc. announced that the company has acquired the inventory and trade name “Pink Inc.”

The Pink brand name will continue under a new identity, “Pink Powered by Moss.” The addition of the Pink product line builds on the many synergies to be realized by the combination of the two national event and rental organizations. Moss currently services clients nationwide with locations in Chicago, Illinois, Salt Lake City, Utah, Belfast, Maine, and Las Vegas, Nev. This new venture will allow Moss to have a major presence in New York City, which has been a long-desired strategy for Moss.

Debra Roth, the former owner of Pink Inc., has been named director of design and creative Events for the new organization. Roth brings more than 20 years of design and creative experience to the new venture. Corsentino said, “The combination of Moss and Pink will offer a wide breadth of new products and services to the market place. The regionalization of our event and rental products will permit Moss to service clients nationally on a more competitive and efficient basis.”

Pink Powered by Moss will operate out of a new New York City location and will service clients on a regional and national basis. Corsentino said, “With the quick turnaround expectations from customers nationwide to deliver fabric structures, print and display hardware products, and event decor that is top quality, Moss will have a stronger national presence and will add more value to its offerings.” Roth echoed that sentiment, saying, “The combination of these two product lines puts together the very best of both companies and will give the market the most comprehensive event product line in the market.”