CalCo NEWS

How about an Engine Cutaway for your Lobby Display?

CalCo specializes in trade show, sales and lobby displays, especially product cutaways. Our own lobby has many examples of our work and is getting crowded so we are offering two cutaway engine displays for sale. If you need a display and don’t want to customize it yourself one of these may be the solution.  Both displays are engine cutaways with interior and exterior paint, colored passageway paint, cutface paint and plating of metal parts.  They are mounted on custom stands, one wheeled and one stationary with a VW base.

For more pictures, details or pricing of these engine cutaways or a customized display please contact Chris at CalCo at 847/639-3858.

3-D Animation Shows Your Product in Action Like Nothing Else Can

Sometimes it is impossible to get your product in front of your customer whether due to size, geography or time constraints. Or maybe your product is extremely complex and it is hard for a customer to grasp all of the different parts that are working together.  In these cases your best solution is animation.  A customized animated video of your product  can show the interior through a cutaway or exploded view.  It can breakdown the various functions into understandable pieces and then put them all together to give a complete and understandable view of your product.  With animation a whole product or system can be studied, broken down into functions and put back together quickly.  Depending on the complexity of your product you can add features to stop, pause or advance the video so that different  areas can be explored.  Additional information in the form of white papers, 3-d drawings, graphs or any other data can be added and accessed easily.  Actual video of your product at work can be included and all with a script describing the attributes and competitive advantage of your product.

New animation technology is developing all the time.  With Flash technology you have the ability to have an interactive animation that the user can start and stop to individualize their experience.  With Augmented Reality there is even more user interaction for the customer.  A piece of printed paper is used in conjunction with a laptop camera to show a three dimensional shape that can be manipulated by just moving the paper in front of the camera.  Each user can zoom in on parts they want to see better or move to look at what interests them most.  These technologies increase the individual experience for your customer and show your product in its best light.

If you would like to learn more about how to animate your product give CalCo a call at 847/639-3858 or click here for more contact information.

Ideas for Trade Show Displays from CalCo

Our goal is to make your job of displaying your product easy whether it is at a trade show, at a sales call or in a training center.  We want to provide a customized solution for your product to show it in its best light.  Your satisfaction is our first priority.  With that in mind we have written some in-depth articles with ideas for displaying your product and we are trying to give you new ways to get information.  We have posted some informative articles about engine cutaways, trade show displays, shipping containers/case options and working models.  These articles give an overview of some choices for your displays and what CalCo can help you create.  Click on the links below to read these articles:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tradeshow-Display-Options-for-Industrial-Manufacturers&id=6031914

http://ezinearticles.com/?Working-Models-Stop-Traffic-at-Trade-Shows&id=6148995

http://ezinearticles.com/?Engine-Cutaways:-How,-Why,-Who&id=5807313

http://ezinearticles.com/?Find-the-Right-Freight-Shipping-Container-or-Case-to-Handle-Your-Trade-Show-Displays&id=6314075

In addition, CalCo has a Facebook Page!! “Like” us on Facebook and get all the latest NEWS from CalCo directly. Browse our photos for ideas, ask questions and let us know what you think. We want to hear from you!

Get more ideas on our website at www.calcocutaways.com or look through our past articles on this site. To contact us call 847/639-3858,  click here for more information or visit us on Facebook.

“Your Product is our Profession!”

Manufacturing Trade Show Season is in Full Motion

Navistar Booth at MATS 2011

Spring and Fall have traditionally been the busy months for manufacturing trade shows and this year is starting off well.  We attended the 40th Anniversary of the Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Kentucky which was held March 31-April 2.  The auto industry problems of the last few years seemed to be a thing of the past.  With over 1000 vendors, 71,000 attendees and all the latest trends and products on display the MATS show showed great promise for the future.   There were many large displays, engine manufacturers including Navistar had large booths with all the latest technology on display.  There was a lot of conversation over the latest emissions filters for trucks.  All in all the show was a great opportunity to see new products and meet new people.

We also visited the ConExpo/IFPE show in Las Vegas,  which is always a big show due to its occurrence only every three years.  This year there were over 2400 exhibitors and 120,000 registered attendees of which 24%  were from international destinations, including 150 different countries.  While the attendance didn’t break records it was still impressive given the tough times the construction industry has endured over the past few years.  Large crowds gathered and there were some big, impressive booths with monstrous equipment. Manufacturers went all out to ship their equipment to the show in hopes of delivering big sales.  Time will tell but those exhibitors we spoke to were happy with the results. The next Con Expo/IFPE show will be held in Las Vegas again on March 18-22, 2014.  See you there!

At the beginning of May we attended the OTC Show in Houston.  This years Offshore Technology Conference was the largest exhibition since 1982 in Houston, TX with over 78,000 people in attendance. The energy levels were cautiously high and new products and developments were on display from all over the world.

CalCo sees many of their cutaways and displays end up at this show year after year, and with the high profile attendees and press coverage, it is easy to see why. With more than 2,500 companies on display, it is important to catch the eyes and attention of the right people in a way that spurs healthy conversations and ultimately attracts more business.

From working models to engine displays to hose cutaways, CalCo’s work was all over the 2 massive halls. Whether its in the oil and gas industry, the automotive sector or even the military, the importance of high quality displays is a must. CalCo has been creating the highest end product displays for almost 60 years, and all that history works for you in showing your expertise by leveraging and outsourcing to true experts in the industry.

When the details are important, the service is a must, and the show goes on with or without you, turn to CalCo and get it done right.

Hopefully the high attendance at these trade shows indicates that the lagging economy is recovering nicely.  We came away with a more positive outlook on the future of the automotive and construction industries.  If you have any information about a recent trade show you have attended we would love to hear it!  To contact CalCo call 847/639-3858 or click here.

CalCo Creates Employee Achievement Award for Newsworthy Man

Click on the link below to see the story of this dedicated employee….

Albert Triplett Retires from Navistar after 60 Years on the Job: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Subsea Oil Bundle Displays: Exploring New Options

Since the beginning, people have always been fascinated by exploring. Finding new places, discovering new information through unique ideas, and embracing the entire journey to which we reach our goals and expectations is why we keep seeking. And two of the most essential elements of accomplishing these feats is first equipping ourselves with the proper tools; and second, convincing others that the task at hand is obtainable.

These ideas come to mind because a major issue that we are dealing with throughout the world right now is oil, its discovery and the many technologies existent and emerging for acquiring it. Over the past several months CalCo has received many requests to dissect oil equipment, mainly the subsea tubing used to extract oil from depths of the oceans that are hard to even fathom. This brings us to the two points we mentioned earlier:

Tools As you can see from the pictures below we have cutaway this tubing to show the intricate hoses and materials with which they are made. There are many different styles which serve different functions. Companies are persistently trying to find the most effective and, most importantly, safest ways to provide consumers with petroleum.

Innovation and Technique Once the tools have been established there is the need to show others that, in this case, the product is effective and separates itself from others in the same field.  With these tools cut away you can easily describe the functionality and superior edge over the competition and show that in the end they will be the reason the job will get done right!

Like many before and after us, CalCo looks forward to any task that is put in front of us.  So whatever the job may be, CalCo will find a creative and effective way for you to demonstrate your objective to help us all move forward.  If you are interested in creating a unique product display call CalCo at 847-638-3858 or click here.

For more information on the latest products in off-shore technology visit the OTC Shows website at http://www.otcnet.org/2011/index.php

Dave Kasper, CalCo’s Senior Consultant, Has ALL the Answers

CalCo has been in business for almost 60 years. The reason – the people who work here and their dedication to getting a job done right and on time.   Dave Kasper, our Sales Manager, is a key component in our success.  Dave has been with CalCo for 9 years and has become indispensable due to his ability to come up with new and innovative ideas and to work with our customers to make sure they get exactly what they want.  Talking to Dave on the phone can turn a project around completely because he not only quotes, coordinates and communicates with you about your project but he also develops new ways to display them.  Recently he designed a large pedestal with multiple levels of display space which we constructed based on his designs.  He also developed a waterjet cut acrylic fire hydrant for a display which was lightweight and easy to transport.  He has designed many point of purchase layouts and has helped customers develop animation, 3D models, prototypes, displays and cutaways of every type. Although we have an archive with all projects we have completed it is sometimes easier to go and pick Dave’s brain.

Some of Dave’s ideas are shown above and some of his beliefs are explained below.

What is CalCo’s first priority?

Customer satisfaction.

What makes CalCo different from its competitors?

Honestly CalCo is one of those places that is more like a consulting firm for your marketing, sales and training departments. It is difficult to know about so many technologies and possibilities for your displays, and it is nice to be able to speak with someone who can offer suggestions that you may have never thought of otherwise.

What information do you need to know before beginning a project?

The first place we like to start is getting a good understanding of where your displays will be used, and in what context. Is this a training seminar, a trade show exhibit or a sales tool for road warriors, etc. . . Next is what story are you looking to tell with your project; how a product works, what the new upgrades look like and what they mean or even “We are number 1″! Once we get into the finer details and pricing/timing estimates, we will need some drawings or photos with dimensions to get started. From there we will take care of everything else, from asking additional questions, providing examples where needed and nailing down the shipping details in advance of that glorious day!

Whether you have a good idea of the type of display that you want or you need some good ideas, Dave can help.    For a free quote or to discuss your next project contact CalCo at 847/638-3858 or click here for more information.

Power Tool Cutaways

Close up of Tool Cutaway

Any kind of product can benefit from a cutaway

People are always interested in seeing how a product works and a cutaway can be especially useful to show your product’s benefits or competitive advantages.   Even every day products like power tools can be cutaway and because almost everyone has used a power tool they are happy and curious to see how it works.  At a trade show, on a sales call or even in the hardware store these cutaways make your product visible, comprehensible and the center of attention.

A cutaway may take the mystery out of your product but that is the point. If you are afraid to show how your product works, customers can get worried that you are hiding something. When you are open to showing the fundamentals of your product then customers are often more willing to give your product a try.  By letting your customer see how your product functions, the quality of the interior parts and the advantages your product has over the competition your product can sell itself.

A Small Product Can Make a BIG Impact as a Cutaway

A cutaway is used to show the internal parts of your product which can be your most important selling tool.   The internals are often what separate your product from the competition so giving your customer an opportunity to view the actual parts and how they interrelate helps explain the advantage of your product.  If  ”a picture is worth a thousand words” then how much is the real thing worth?  Usually when we think of a cutaway we think of a large engine or pump with many complexities but cutaways can be done for any size and kind of product.  Sometimes smaller items or simply constructed products can benefit the most from a cutaway.

Recently we cutaway a coaxial cable connector with great results.  A cutaway of this nature is difficult because once the cable is cut it will not stay together.  There are numerous layers that can separate and fall out of place.   In this case we were able to embed the product in acrylic so all of the parts are visible and will stay in place.  A greater benefit is that the end result not only shows the product but can be engraved with your name, logo or any other information  and in this case it is being used as a marketing tool.  What a great way to show your product and get your name in front of your customers!

If you are interested in having your product cutaway or if you want a corporate giveaway and need some ideas, give CalCo a call at 847/639-3858 or follow this link to Contact Us.

A True Custom Engine Display Story

Before and After

With over 130 years of German engineering and expertise, Deutz Corporation consistently presents themselves as leaders in the industry through memorable and well executed branding and marketing efforts.

When Deutz had an opportunity to rework one of their temporary training engine displays into a full fledged tradeshow exhibit, they turned to CalCo and their equally stringent quality commitment and standard.

CalCo was able to match a standard paint scheme set in Germany just by inspecting an existing display and using their vast knowledge base and ability to think on their feet to recreate their winning design. This included a textured paint finish with a satin sheen in both Deutz red and silver, as well as a gold finish plating process that was indentified and duplicated as well or better than the example display.

CalCo’s ability to match existing display schematics or branding specifications allows for the seamless introduction of an alternative to creating displays in house to free up valuable expertise that can concentrate on other hot areas instead.

Deutz also had a brilliant idea on how to accentuate some of their exhaust after-treatment components that install onto a factory engine. The idea . . . to make the engine all but ‘disappear’ to instead feature the additional components while still showing how these innovative parts connect to an engine.

The engine block was recreated using clear acrylic panels mounted to the stand in parallel formation, and the after treatment parts were displayed as if they were bolted right to the phantom engine.

The look was impressive and amazing, and according to Nolan Madden of Deutz Corporation,“Our new EAT display was the star [of the show] , garnering nothing but accolades from customers and colleagues alike.”

When your presentation on the sales floor or in the field needs to be expertly deliberate and reflective of your commitment to excellence, trust the 50+ years of industry experience of having already solved the potential problems everyone else will be having.

Give CalCo a call at 847-639-3858 or contact CalCo to discuss your great ideas and turn them into a dazzling reality!