CalCo Can Help Create Training Programs and Training Aids For Your Company

Better Production through Proper Training

Your organization may have the best people around but without proper training even the best people can be underutilized and less productive.

CalCo offers several ways to train your personnel. One is through e-learning programs. The benefit of these on-line or DVD training sessions is that they are customized to your company and they ensure that all employees are taught the same information and procedures to increase knowledge across the board. Testing can be included to monitor retention and understanding.

CalCo also offers hands-on training aids.  Some types include actual cutaways of your product showing functionality,  light-weight models which can be easily shipped or moved from one location to another, training boards, animation showing a process or product in action, displays or booths.   Most people respond to a hands-on approach and can get a better understanding of a product when they can look at it and explore it on their own. Training aids help to give a visual, tactile and more complete understanding of a product or process.

If you need help with any kind of training aids contact CalCo to start a discussion.  Call 847-639-3858 or click here or on the envelope icon at the top right of the page for contact information.

Alternatives to Large Trade Show Displays – Animation, Scale Models and Large Scale Printing

Do you have large products to display at your next trade show?  Are the logistics of moving them around getting to you?  CalCo has some options for displaying your large products in a memorable way.  We offer animation, scale models or large scale printing as alternative options for your large products.

Our animation can show your product in action and it can be completely interactive for your customers.   They can choose whether to start or stop the animation and what information will help them or the animation can play continously.  Additional literature can also be accessed to provide more detailed information.  Our unique perspective on the way products work and the cutaway process give us good insight in to what your customer wants to see and how to achieve it.  The beauty of animation is that it can be used in multiple environments – at a trade show, on your website or on sales calls.

Scale models are another option to show your product in complete detail by using a light-weight, full color model.   We can create a cutaway section of the model as well to show the interior components and how they interrelate.  Your model is an exact duplicate of your product but in a small transportable size.  We can create a custom case to make moving it to your next trade show or sales call easy.

With large scale printing you can show your product in full size and detail with out moving it to the trade show.  We offer professional photography shoots of your product at our facility.  The photos can be used for large displays in your trade show booth or they can be utilized for brochures, banners or other internal or external advertising needs.

If the cost and headache of moving your large products are getting to be too much, give CalCo a call to see about the alternatives of animation,  scale models or large scale printing.  We can help you show your product in its best light without carrying it around with you.  Call CalCo at 847/639-3858 to discuss your alternatives or click here for contact information.

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 or click here for contact information.

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 at 847/638-3858 or click here for contact information and see if waterjet cutting could be the answer for you.

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 or click here for our contact page and let us solve all your shipping container needs.

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

To contact CalCo for your project needs call 847-639-3858 or click here for the contact page.

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 , email us at news@calcocutaways.com  or click here for contact information.

“Your Product is Our Profession”

Signs of Economic Recovery -What should you do to get ready?

Now that the rays of a recovering economy are starting to shine on many industries, the time is right to get ahead of your peers and grab the lion’s share of the upcoming new business.

This means getting in front of them with your best and latest development along with a compelling offer or story. When telling your story, you need to present the information in an easy to comprehend manner in order to make a favorable and memorable first impression.

Many times industrial product sales require in person interaction or a trade show environment to engage the audience and to tell the full story. Both of these venues are expensive and time consuming so it is imperative that you have everything you need in advance to make your presentation meaningful.

When it comes to product presentations that are expertly crafted, CalCo can be trusted to convey the desired message for your product in the most professional manner. Whether a simple cutaway will suffice to show a hidden feature, or an interactive digital presentation is more suited to this end, CalCo has the tools to quickly and efficiently create a winning product exhibit.

Some of the most popular services by request are:

Product cutaways and painted displays
Motorized or hand actuation products
Passageway and part colorization
Internal and external lighting effects
3D animation and interactive online presentations
Full color scale modeling and prototyping
Plus YOUR IDEAS for the ultimate presentation

The past is behind us, and now is the time to move ahead and get that new market share before your competition does. Take advantage of the enhanced outsourcing capabilities available at CalCo to move with your best foot forward.

As we begin this upturn, get started while your competition is still recovering and build your sales and marketing program to take advantage of the many opportunities on the horizon. Get your customers, and the industry as a whole, excited about your new offerings with some innovative marketing displays or presentations for your next tradeshow or sales call.

For more information or to contact CalCo call 847/639-3858 or click here for contact information.

Finish Types and Options for Industrial Products

Let CalCo Finish Your Product

Sometimes pumps, valves, engines, bearings or other industrial equipment don’t start off as beautiful show pieces. With CalCo’s help that can all change. Imagine your product as a colorful, shining display pulling in potential buyers and selling itself. That is what a good display or cutaway can do. Your product looks exciting, new and its true function can be seen and admired.

Let CalCo take your product from plain to dazzling with the following options:

Our Standard Show Finish is durable, very attractive high gloss finish.  All parts are disassembled and prepped for finish and our standard automotive paint finish is administered over an etching primer.  Cost-effective plating options are available for metal fasteners and key components .  Many additional options are available including clear coat finish as well as minor grinding and smoothing of casting seams and imperfections.

Our Euro-Deluxe Finish is used primarily for trade shows, product introductions and corporate lobby installations. All surfaces are ground and smoothed to remove imperfections from casting or welding. These surfaces are then prepped repetitively with several stages of filler and hand sanding. Finally, the display is finished with multiple automotive paint steps and a clear coat finish. Metal fasteners are carefully polished by hand then chrome plated and polished again to a mirror finish.

Training Finish surfaces are prepped and painted but not treated to remove casting imperfections. The finish is attractive yet durable and is easy to maintain. For displays that are needed for working models, we may recommend electro less nickel-plating to enhance component movement.

In addition to having the surfaces of your product ground and painted CalCo can take the hardware on your product and make it shine too with a number of plating options:

Anodizing is an attractive way to prepare aluminum and is available in a variety of colors.

Electro-less Nickel is durable, minimal-build plating that covers evenly with very good lubricity and hardness.

Metal plating – Copper, nickel, gold and industrial hard plating are also available.

Chrome plating is available in bright, polished or satin finishes and can be applied to any metal.

Black Oxide for steel or iron parts is used when a blue/black matte finish is desired.

Once your product looks great it can be mounted on a standard aluminum base or a custom base can be created.  We make custom shipping containers to protect your product in transit too.

Contact CalCo at 847/639-3858 or click here if you would like to discuss your product and learn how CalCo can help show your product in it’s best light.

Cutaway your Product Line and See the Impact

Recently CalCo worked with Kimray to create cutaways that spanned a large majority of their product line. You can see the incredible impact this has in their office building as well as when traveling to tradeshows.

Cutaways are invaluable sales tools whether they are traveling to tradeshows or with salespeople on calls and as a bonus the top photo shows that when your cutaways aren’t being utilized for sales they can make a huge impression on visitors to your office or even your own employees.

Cutaways are interactive.  Prospective buyers can see and touch the features that make your product better than your competitors.  In many cases the unit can be turned or motorized so the buyer has a better understanding of the function and design.  And with a stand out paint job your product begs to be noticed!

If your products could use some help to show themselves in their best light, give CalCo a call at 847/639-3858 or click here for contact information.  At CalCo, “Your Product is Our Profession”.