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Eye-Catching Displays Can Make Your Booth More Power-Full
Posted on January 6th, 2012 No comments
Walking around the show floor at the recent Power-Gen Show in Las Vegas, it is clear an abundance of power solutions are available, and the market is growing.
One of the larger exhibitors at the show, Leslie Controls, Inc. (designer and manufacturer of control valves for over a century – providing ZERO LEAK control valves for the power generation, industrial, marine and oil and gas markets), took advantage of their open booth design by placing product and information at every corner of the booth. The overall look was fantastic and drew in many people to learn more about Leslie Controls, and how their product’s advantages set them apart.
Does your booth offer an opportunity for prospective clients to have a hands-on experience in regards to your products? Sometimes this makes all the difference in the world.
Contact CalCo at 847-639-3858 for help with your booth or product displays. Click here for more contact information or visit us on Facebook.
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You Can’t Mix Up a CalCo Cutaway
Posted on October 18th, 2011 No commentsThere are many reasons why CalCo has been a leader in the cutaway business for decades and why so many clients keep coming back. The most important reasons are our knowledge, skill, and attention to detail which make a CalCo cutaway stand out above and beyond expectations. Another reason is our ability to listen and work with clients to achieve the optimal and desired finished product. Working with our clients to achieve the desired results is a cornerstone of our business and one of the main reasons that our clients return. We use our extensive mechanical knowledge to show your product to its full advantage while telling the story that your marketing department wants to highlight.
We were recently asked to create a cutaway of a mixer, seen below, that would be displayed at one of the biggest fluid handling trade shows in the country. It was on display at the WEFTEC show in Los Angeles.

The company conveyed to us how they wanted the mixer to look, including cut area and color scheme matching, we replicated those instructions and included this rail and T block support system which resembles the system used in the field. The company got exactly what they were looking for and we got another satisfied customer.At CalCo exceeding expectations is what we strive to do for all of our customers. We want to give you the best display possible so that you and your product look good. If you need help with a display please contact CalCo at 847/639-3858 or click here for more contact information. Find us on Facebook too.
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CalCo: Making Cutaways Longer Than McDonald’s Has Been Making French Fries
Posted on August 31st, 2011 No commentsSometimes history goes back such a long way, it is difficult to fully grasp what a phrase like “for over 50 years” really implies. In fact, CalCo is getting close to the 60 year mark, and with this landmark anniversary comes a treasure trove of knowledge and experience.
CalCo has been around as long as the Corvette and WD40. In 1953, most Americans were enjoying the first issue of TV Guide, now that television was becoming a common electric appliance in the home. Ernest Hemingway received the Pulitzer Prize for ‘Old Man and the Sea’ and Elvis Presley had just graduated from High School.
Since that time, the cutaway has remained practically unchanged as a valuable tool for:
- Equipment training
- Sales presentations
- Trade show/lobby displays

RegO regulator cutaways, 1971

RegO regulator cutaway, 2011
It was once said that the Polaroid camera, the fax machine and even email were each going to spell the end of the physical, real-life cutaway. Even today rapid prototyping and lightweight modeling technologies seem to threaten the need for this specialized service.
The fact of the matter is that nothing can replace the understanding and sensory communication that a true cutaway offers. “This cutaway is an actual product; the same one you will be buying, maintaining or investing in”, they seem to say.
“THIS is the actual casting quality. Touch these seals yourself. These gears mesh together as smoothly as when you turn this handle”. What can possibly take the place of an experience created only by a unique and custom version of your product, made by experts that know how important this experience is to your audience?
Only a company that has evolved alongside much of the technology that comes through the door can fully understand the subtleties and unique characteristics included in each one.
Do you want quality? CalCo craftsmen average a staggering 11+ years of experience
Do you want reliability? CalCo stands behind all promises of cost and timing
Do you want dependability? Many current clients have been using CalCo for decades, some since the very beginning
Do you want flexibility? Every day CalCo handles custom requests for everything from signage and lighting to animation and sales kits. What do you have on your plate that you’d like to see come to life?
Let’s step back for a moment:
How can you tell a do-it-yourself wall painter from a professional? The edges. That place where the new paint stops and the ceiling or unpainted wall begin. That place where a clean, straight and even line running the entire length of the corner is the simplest to imagine, yet most difficult to achieve.
CalCo has been working on the ‘edges’ for almost 60 years, and the magic of a CalCo cutaway is not in how even the paint is, or how all the cuts line up perfectly, or even how simple but very effective the cut design is. . .
The magic is in how much conversation the cutaway spurs about your product and its many benefits and advantages. The magic is in how many orders are placed within viewing distance of a cutaway. The magic is in knowing that this process works year after year after year after year. . .
Contact CalCo at 847/639-3858, click here for contact information or find us on Facebook.
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Signs of Economic Recovery -What should you do to get ready?
Posted on November 9th, 2009 No comments
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 presentationThe 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.
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Investor Relations Meetings Require a Great First Impression
Posted on April 20th, 2009 No comments
When investors and VIP’s are touring, it is crucial that the impression you are giving is one of expertise and leadership in your industry. Lobby displays and showroom exhibits can impress your audience and show your authority in a variety of ways.
Products on display in the right light, and in context, can send a powerful message, one that could create a unique first impression that could make all the difference in the long run.
Stack the deck in your favor and control the experience of ‘important’ individuals from their first open door to the final shaking of hands.
It is typically the visual and hands-on experiences that make a lasting impression once the visit is over, so make yours very positive and intriguing. It may make all the difference.
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Get your Lightweight Scale-Models in Full Color
Posted on April 16th, 2009 No comments
Providing your audience with a hands-on 3D view of your product is always more effective than just a photo on a brochure page or website, right?
But what if your product is too heavy and cumbersome (read: costly) to ship around and bring into offices and meeting rooms? Read on. . .
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Rugged and Attractive Product Display Basemounts
Posted on April 13th, 2009 No comments
Heavy duty product displays can really test the durability of their basemounts throughout a typical lifespan, and CalCo has seen many of the casualties first hand.
The response is a great looking, lightweight and cost effective solution that has been working beautifully for years and years.
The basemount of your display needs to look great without attracting attention to itself, and the CalCo specialty basemount has enough flexibility to mount almost any product or display the way it wants to be shown.
Available in silver or black, this solution is recommend for products up to even 500 lbs. and can be fitted with fork lifting channels for ease of mobility.
Put your products on a pedestal. One that is durable, industrial and manageable, but most of all remarkable!
Click here to contact CalCo for more information or call 847-639-3858.
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Cut face paint, where the Outer meets the Inner
Posted on April 8th, 2009 No comments
When opting for a cutaway, the point is to show off the internal components and passageways that are typically hidden from view.
Alongside this process is that peculiar area that gets exposed which is actually the area inside the metal that gets exposed.
In this area CalCo applies their signature cut face paint for a number of reasons:
- To let the audience know that the display is actually a cutaway
- To cover up any minor casting imperfections that may appear
- Help prevent this newly exposed metal from showing signs of corrosion over time
CalCo knows the difference between professional looking displays and basic showiness. You can be rest assured that CalCo cutaways will draw people in to talk about your great products and the benefits that the cutaways are showing.
Click here for contact information for CalCo or call 847-639-3858.
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Try on some Gold Plating for that Stand-out Project
Posted on April 7th, 2009 No comments
When trying to add that extra touch of extraordinary to your products or components, why not Go for the Gold!
CalCo has a special process that turns ordinary parts (of almost any material) and transforms them into crown jewels, for a lot less than you would think.
The above photo shows how this process looks on both polished and unpolished surfaces, and doesn’t that make quite an unexpected impression?
Whether you are looking to visually represent ‘the best’ or create a special display for unique individuals, gold is unmatched in appearance and symbolism of value.
Click here to contact CalCo or call 847-639-3858.
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Computer Simulated Cutaways
Posted on April 1st, 2009 No commentsAs great as the minds are over at CalCo, they still haven’t figured out how to create displays that aren’t affected by gravity and the basic laws of physics; until now!



