CalCo NEWS

Large Trade Show Displays make a HUGE Impression

CalCo has worked on all sorts of projects but these large displays make a huge and memorable impression.   Catch your customers attention with a BIG display and see people flock to your booth.

The large and tall display stand above demands attention with space to put numerous products , and with the flexibility to change the products, it can work for years to come.   The stand was custom designed to the clients specifications and we created custom signage to fit.  We created a custom shipping container for the product below to protect it during transit and for easier loading and unloading at shows.  These large products look fantastic on display. Together the stand, large products and large signage create a HUGE impression on customers.  No longer are they just walking by,  they are stopping to look, touch and listen.

If you are looking to make a BIG impression at your next tradeshow then call CalCo at 847/639-3858 to get some ideas.

Waterjet Cutting Ideas for your Product Display

For nearly 60 years the art of cutting away products to cleverly and professionally show their internal workings has been evolving with the available technology. One such technology that is finding many new uses every day is WATER JET cutting.

The water jet cutting process utilizes water instead of noxious gases or liquids and is a cold-cutting process so there is no danger of melting the material that is being cut. Ultrahigh pressure water is used to cut through metal, stone, plastics, composites, glass, ceramics or rubber up to 8 inches thick.

There are many applications for waterjet cutting and at CalCo we use it primarily for displays and signage.  Below we cut a corporate logo into a stand which was then lit from within.

We cut this product display in acrylic

Do you have an idea for a waterjet cutting project?  Let CalCo try something new and different just for you!  If you are looking for a way to imprint your logo, create unique signage or create a unique display give CalCo a call and see if waterjet cutting could be the answer for you.

Meet Dan Fierla, Senior Supervisor and Cutaway and Display Expert, at CalCo

Ever wonder how CalCo can continually make first class cutaways and always seems to know just what you wanted? We owe much of it to our production supervisor, Dan Fierla. Dan started at CalCo as part of a high school cooperative work program and has been here ever since. In his 32 years, he has moved up the ladder from high school intern to Senior Supervisor, in charge of production and managing our facility and workers. If you have worked with CalCo you may have spoken to Dan and you most likely learned that he has high standards for the work that we do. If it doesn’t meet Dan’s expectations, it is not going out the door. Customer service and satisfaction has always been a key component at CalCo and Dan is one of the reasons why. Another of his famous attributes is his dedication to time commitments. We pay close attention to deadlines and work hard to meet every one. While we always try to work projects into our schedule, we have turned away business because we could not have maintained our high standards and met the delivery date.

According to Dan the most important information that you can give us about your project is……

“information that will help me to make your project have that just right look.  Details like, what are you trying to show with this cutaway/display?  Is it the size/type of the internal parts you want to showcase? Or is it something special that separates your product from the competition? This information helps me to design the cuts to show what the customer needs and wants to see.”

His favorite project that he has completed is…..

“I had the honor to work on and am very proud of a Double over head cam V6 marine engine for a large engine manufacturer. This project from start to finish was done right.  David Meeler from their marketing department, came to Calco, told me all of the features he would like to show, which helped me to machine the engine and give it that personal touch.  Colors and color coding were all picked out by the customer. When the engine made its maiden voyage at the Florida Boat Show it was a big hit.”

Something you should know about him is……

“I get great satisfaction out of working with the other members of the CalCo team.  I am driven to make CalCo the Best it can be for both employee and customer. When I see pictures of  trade show booths like Navistar, DeZURIK and Kimray, and all of them use Calco cutaways/displays to show case their products,  I have a great sense of pride in knowing I played a part in helping them project a positive image.”

Dan’s level of experience and overall knowledge of products helps you in terms of deciding the best way to display the internal components of your product. Chances are great that Dan has the best and most cost effective way to show your products key features.  He can assist you in creating your ideal cutaway/display.  He also has innovative ideas to show off large products, create working models or design custom stands.

If you have a project that you are interested in discussing, give CalCo a call at 847/639-3858 or email us at news@calcocutaways.com.

CalCo: Your Turn-Key Solution for Product Displays

CalCo likes a challenge! We have been in the business of solving our customers problems for almost 60 years.

CalCo started in 1953 as a cutaway shop taking products and cutting away a portion to show the internal parts since they can be a valuable selling tool.  We have come a long way over the years by adapting to customer needs and changes in product displays.  In that time, we have become a turn-key solution for our customers by adding new services.  Did you know there is a place you can go to get all of your product display needs performed at the same time?

In addition to cutaways,  CalCo provides :

• Working Models with or without a cutaway
• Product Displays
• Sales and Training Aids
• Lighting
• Custom Basemounts
• Custom Shipping Containers
• Acrylic covers  and Displays
• Point-of-Puchase Displays
• Custom Cases
• Scale Models and Rapid Prototyping
• Three Dimensional Printing
• Animation
• Sales Awards
• Corporate Gifts
• Plating
• Training Programs
• Professional Photography
• Waterjet Cutting

CalCo can solve your trade show or product display problems with just one phone call!  A typical project now involves creating a cutaway, attaching a brushed aluminum base or custom rolling basemount, building a custom shipping container and a shooting a professional photography session before the project is completed and shipped back to the customer ready to go directly to a trade show or presentation.

If you need help with your trade show, sales or training needs, call CalCo and let us make your idea a reality!

Shipping Containers You Can Rely On

We have all seen what happens to packages that get shipped through the mail. What about your valuable displays that need to be shipped from show to show?  This cargo can see even more abuse. How can you protect your prized display? With a custom permanent shipping container from CalCo.

CalCo’s steel framed wooden shipping containers are made to measure for your display with felt covered bumpers to hold your display in place and help it from getting damaged during long journeys. Each container is designed from the ground up to fit your project’s particular needs.  Options include:

• Custom holders for extra parts or literature
• Drawbridges (for items on rolling stands)- work well for items that are not too heavy and can help make your show set up quick and easy
• Heavier items or ones not on wheels can be forklifted into the shippers. CalCo also has c-channel basemounts for your displays to make them even easier to move by forklift.
• International grade containers- sail through customs by using all non-wooden materials

The steel frame makes a CalCo shipping container durable. Each container is framed in angle-iron strapping on all edges, thereby withstanding many bangs and bumps that are common, and many of those not-so-common abusive acts of fork-lifting.  Some customers have been using the same shippers for ten or fifiteen years. We provide them painted blue so they stand out in the sea of shippers at a show and are easily located. The hasps are heavy duty and can of course be locked to protect your display.

CalCo also offers international grade (non-wood) shipping containers. These can be sent to any international destination without worrying about getting caught up in a customs battle over the wood content and can help your delivery get there on time. These containers are made from fully tested, stronger than wood materials.

In addition to shipping containers, Calco can also provide cases of every kind.  Give CalCo a call at 847/639-3858 to solve all your shipping container needs.

Motorize and Protect Your Trade Show Display

Do you have a display that could be telling a more compelling story than it already is?  That is what happened here.  Recently, a display was sent to CalCo to be upgraded.  We were asked to add a motor to the unit so it could be seen in action.

Often times, when a cutaway is motorized and in motion, it turns into a hazard to those viewing it. Protective shields are commonly added over the moving parts to protect the unit from being handled and to protect the people around it from being injured.  This particular product was even tilted and elevated to make more of the working components easy to view.

The beauty of a motorized display is that it not only GRABS ATTENTION but it can visually demonstrate your product without a salesman or literature.  Sometimes a good look is worth a thousand words.

Reworking or repurposing an existing display can save your organization money and give your exhibit new life.  Do you have a seasoned display that needs to be updated or even motorized?  Give CalCo a call right now to discuss the options available to make your display capture your customers attention and keep it!

Fire Hydrant Cutaway Poster, Great ISO Training Solution

Have you been looking for a Fire Hydrant Cutaway to fill a requirement for an upcoming inspection? Are you finding the $2,000 to $4,500 price tag for a full size hydrant cutaway to be a bit cost prohibitive? CalCo has just the solution for you:

A 6-foot-tall, full-color Fire Hydrant Cutaway Banner may be able to fill in for the real thing.  While the final decision ultimately lies in your inspector’s hands, many times this type of solution is valid, and at a fraction of the cost, only $195.00 for a limited time with a portable banner stand included!

It has been found that a thorough understanding of the parts and relationships involved in your standard street corner hydrant can be critical when in an emergency situation. This knowledge is most effectively taught through the use of a full size, hands on hydrant, which operates the same way an installed hydrant does.  However, when this type of tool is unavailable, the Fire Hydrant Cutaway Banner is the next best thing.

All of the important internal features are prominently displayed in ‘close to full scale’ size, making understanding and visualizing the real thing easier than using a poster size photograph or drawing.

Be sure to check with your inspector or local ISO/State (or whichever organization is running the inspections) to see if this solution will qualify for your location, and then call 847-639-3858 and have your credit card handy to get as many on order as you need for your area.

In the cross section between safety education and budget requirements, the Fire Hydrant Cutaway Banner is the overflowing winner!

An Expert Agrees “It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts…”

It’s what’s on the inside that counts…

How many times have truer words never been spoken?  When recently introducing our newest outboard engine, this was truly where the story lie…on the inside.

I immediately thought of using a cutaway of this new engine to show prospective customers the game-changing thinking and technology inside it.  Having used CalCo’s services in the past, the cutaway they expertly prepared helped greatly by allowing me to both show and explain the internal technology that makes our new V6 outboard powerhead so one-of-a-kind.  In fact, numerous customers commented on the cutaway’s ability to help them see and understand the features that created the benefits, as discussed in various product introduction presentations and materials.

It should be noted that, at the time this cutaway was created, the product had not yet been introduced anywhere in the world, so strict confidentiality measures had to be followed.  In addition, the actual powerhead that was used for the cutaway was one of only four in the world at the time, so a replacement was not available.  Add in the fact that we only had a few weeks to get this fully prepared and on-site, and it’s plain to see there was absolutely no room for error!

You’ve heard it said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.  Having this cutaway as a teaching tool was equally as invaluable.  In short, the level of detail shown in the cutaway Calco prepared stole the show, and made my job a lot easier.  It’s why I’ve used them 3 times previous, and will call them again next time I need cutaway services.

David Meeler

Product Marketing and Information Manager

Looking for 3D Prototyping? Our Experts make it Fast and Easy

Do you need a small part created, or a complete prototype?  CalCo can create your design in a variety of materials so that you can create, manipulate and test your new designs quickly to speed up the development process.

Whether it is a small piece made from SLS Nylon or a large 3-D model in full color,  CalCo can help you get exactly what you need to make your 3D prototyping project exactly the way you want it.   At CalCo, “Your Product is Our Profession” so we spend the extra time to make sure you get what you want the first time so you can quickly make adjustments and move your project to the next step.

Get Manufacturing data at CalCo’s NEWS site

CalCo’s NEWS site has ideas for tradeshow displays/ cutaways and sales and training aids, including scale models and prototypes, animation, custom cases, POP displays, awards and corporate gifts but did you know that you can also access manufacturing news through the site?

CalCo has posted RSS feeds from several manufacturing news sites on our page so that you can get all of your news in one spot.   Access the latest information on manufacturing activity, get the latest news on your competitors or just find out who is making news.  If you have a site you think we should add just let us know.

We also have a list of the tradeshows we plan on attending in the upcoming year. If you are attending any of the shows, again,  let us know and we will be happy to stop by your booth and say hello.

Our goal is to help you get the information you need to make your product shine and to help you meet your goals this year and in the years to come. If we can help you in any way,  just give us a call at 847/639-3858 or email us at news@calcocutaways.com .

“Your Product is Our Profession”