Grand ol' times ahead

Big things are happening here at Solar Imaging....

Stay tuned during the next few weeks for updates on all the exciting changes!!!

Best of the Best: 2010 Top Wide-Format Print Providers

Wide-Format Imaging
Premier Source for Wide-and-Grand
Format Printing

The April issue of Wide-Format Imaging features a list of the top 40 Top Wide-Format Print Providers and Solar Imaging is number 35 out of 40 companies. We are thrilled to be included and if you would like to find out more information and see what other companies were included don't hesitate to check out the article!

The 2010 Corporate Caring Awards

The 2010 Corporate Caring Awards
Sponsored by:
AEP: American Electric Power
Mills James Creative Media
VORYS Legal Counsel

This year The 2010 Corporate Caring Awards took place at the Hyatt Regency hotel, in Columbus, Ohio. Solar Imaging is proud to acknowledge that its parent company Eclipse Studios was one of the finalists. Eclipse Studios was represented in the small business category, the others being medium and large, and would like to congratulate those who won and express what an honor it was to be considered for such a prestigious award.

The Corporate Caring Awards are held to honor companies who bring a sense of community back to the community. It is important to highlight companies who do give back, especially in a city like Columbus that already has so much to offer its residents. This particular evening featured numerous awards in various categories, education, arts, environment health and human services. The article, "Why Corporations Should Care", in Business First, advises Columbus businesses on some characteristics to focus on and foster in order to thrive in the business sector.

The importance of creating a universal brand for business is top on the list and in order to achieve this one should start by blending the art and business communities together. By including non-profit organizations into the business realm it creates increased exposure for the non-profits and increases community awareness of corporate businesses. It also attracts the attention of young professionals, who seek a balance between volunteer work and corporate structure within a company.

Non-profit sectors are gaining in popularity everyday; for corporations to truly establish a brand that will thrive, achieve success and attract young hires they must find the perfect balance of both!

Employee Spotlight-Jaclyn Fisher

This week Solar Imaging would like to spotlight one of their own, Jaclyn Fischer. Jaclyn has been with Solar Imaging a little over a year and will be participating on June 5th in in the Central Ohio's Tour de Cure Ride hosted by Westerville, Ohio. The race consists of a 15, 30, 60 and 100 mile ride; Jaclyn and her team will be challenging themselves in the 60 mile ride.

For her this race means a little bit more than to some, below you will find a short Q&A illustrating the importance of this ride to her and the impact type one diabetes has had in her life.

1) What made you do the Tour de Cure?
I am doing the tour because I have had type one diabetes for 13 years and finally the time and money has become available to participate in such a great cause.
Having type one diabetes means my pancreas quit producing insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy required to live. I survive by wearing an insulin pump 24/7. Diabetes can take an enormous emotional and physical toll on people with diabetes, and their families. The more funding we get for research, the closer we come to finding a cure.

2)What is your goal for this race (short and long term?)
My goal is to receive as many donations as possible and finish the 60 mile ride in front, representing the type one community! I began training a couple weeks ago, and I hope to continue riding long distances after the ride is finished. Who knows, maybe next is Pelotonia (200mi)?

3)Is this your first race? If so, what made you want to participate in this particular one?
This is my first. I chose to participate in this event because it benefits a cause that is near and dear to my friends, family and myself.

4)Solar Imaging is also taking part in this ride, how so?
Solar Imaging is extremely excited to be providing all of the directional signage and some banner additions for the race. Solar has also donated to other American Diabetes Association events.

If you would like to make a donation, find out how to participate, or simply learn more about the ride and type one diabetes please visit Jaclyn's personal page:
American Diabetes Association : Tour de Cure


**Diabetes affects millions - The ADAs mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.**

Pictures from Nationwide Children's Hospital Project Install

The pictures from the Children's Hospital Project install on April 1 are finally here!
The majority of this 3-dimensional building was assembled, in house, and transported to the site at the Nationwide Children's Hospital building.
These images merely capture some of a process full of intricate detail and massive design.

Sowing Superwide Success- The Big Picture Trade Publication

THE BIG PICTURE
The Business of Wide Format
April 2010 issue


Leaving on a Jet Plane.
Seamlessly covering 820 square feet of textured wallpaper without damaging what's underneath can prove to be a significant challenge, as Columbus, Ohio-based Solar Imaging (solarimaging.com) discovered while working on an extensive re-branding campaign at the Port Columbus International Airport.

For the project, Solar was asked to create two wall murals, 410 square-feet each, which would be displayed in two of the airport's terminals.

"The mural project was a little bit out of the ordinary for us because we were covering existing wallpaper," says Gina Spring, sales representative for Solar Imaging. "Typically we do wall murals on just a painted drywall surface. The biggest challenge, in this case, was making sure the vinyl was going to adhere properly, because the client wasn't going to take the existing wallpaper off, and they didn't want to damage what was already on the wall."

Ryan Partnership, a promotions company with offices in Columbus, created the initial design and provided vector files for the job, which Solar color-corrected to match PMS colors.

Solar took it from there, turning to its 60-inch Mimaki JV3 with solvent inks to output onto 3M IJ8624 graphic film for textured surfaces. The murals were printed in four panels each, 205 square feet per panel. Total print time was roughly two days, Spring says, plus a 24-hour curing time for the inks. Finishing-comprising an Avery luster-finish laminate and the company's GBC laminator-took an additional day.

Solar chose the 3M file because it's specifically designed for textured surfaces, says Spring. "Because the walls that we did in the airport have a textured wallpaper on them and they weren't going to be taking in down, we had to find an adhesive-backed vinyl that stuck over top of it. It had to conform to every indentation in the wall."

Solar also executed the install work. An important lesson learned along the way was to allow more time for instillation on the back end. "Since we literally have to heat every square inch of that vinyl to have it adhere properly, it was very time consuming and we were only able to do about one mural per day," Spring says.

Solar's two person team worked four days last October during the airports "slow time"-midweek-to install the project. It's expected to be on display for up to a year.

Solar also produced 40 Vista System displays for shuttle buses, two vestibule wall murals at 200 square feet each and six fabric "column socks" that zipped up one side, and were included in our feature of soft signage ("The Soft Parade," February 2010).