The Value of Signs According To Obama
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
After touring the manufacturing facility of Gelberg Signs in Washington, D.C., last week, U.S. President Barack Obama says that sign companies like Gelberg, a member of the International Sign Association, play a role in America’s economic recovery.
While Obama’s comments were on the sign industry in general, and not digital signs in particular, we figured that the President taking notice of and drawing attention to the value of part of the industry is worth noting.
Gelberg Signs is currently hiring new workers, expanding and making new investments in its equipment and technology, thanks to two Small Business Administration loans. The company, which is using the loans as a springboard for future growth, fabricates and installs large‐scale sign packages (including signage for The Washington Nationals ballpark, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Children’s Hospital and UMC Hospital,
In addition to the administration’s efforts to make SBA loans more easily available to small businesses, the ISA says gat it supports economic initiatives that will decrease the regulatory burden facing small businesses, in order to provide them with every opportunity to succeed.
The on-premise sign industry helps promote economic activity and employment by getting small businesses the signs they need to attract potential customers. If retailers and local merchants are able to effectively advertise their location and products through visible and well-designed signage, then their chances of success increase dramatically.
“They say that a business with no sign is a sign of no business, which is why our nation’s small businesses need quality signs now more than ever,” says Lori Anderson, ISA president and CEO. “Visible and effective on-premise signs drive over 40% of all small business retail traffic and can make the difference between success and failure with start-up companies. The success of sign company customers – local retailers, Mom and Pop shops, franchises and other small businesses – translates into more jobs for Americans.
“President Obama and his administration are to be commended for recognizing the vital role played by sign manufacturers in our nation’s economic recovery and for providing them with the tools needed to bring their innovation, creativity, and manufacturing expertise to the forefront of the battle to create new jobs in America,” says Anderson.
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