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.

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

CalCo’s New Brochure is Now Available

Fresh for 2010 Calco has developed a new brochure showing all of the services offered and some examples of the quality craftmanship that is synonymous with the CalCo name.  CalCo has been offering quality tradeshow displays and cutaways for over 50 years, especially to industrial product manufacturers.   Now see some of the other services available such as 3-D models or prototypes, working models, special lighting, custom bases, corporate gifts, POP displays and other tradeshow or marketing products.  You can count on CalCo as a turn-key solution for your sales and marketing needs.

The front and back cover of the new brochure are shown below, and the full PDF can be downloaded here. (right click and choose “Save As”)

To get a look inside our new brochure please send your information (name, company and address) to brochures@calcocutaways.com.  You will receive one in the mail right away so CalCo can help you start the year right with some new ideas to show your product in its best light because “Your Product is Our Profession”.

The Buck Stops Here

Your company uses a variety of vendors for certain products or services every day, making make life easier for everyone. So do we.

Your company probably uses a few providers that actually make life more difficult for you or your coworkers. Same here.

On Monday one of our primary vendors emailed to let us know that our project with them was complete. . .Great.

This was typical and expected. . .

However, the details on getting the order back to us were left out, forcing us to stop what we were doing, contact them about it and make these arrangements ourselves. Done.

Once the items were received, we found quality issues on practically every piece that was delivered. Where was the quality control??

We would have sent the entire order back to be redone from scratch, except that we needed these pieces for a larger project that our client was expecting on time. We had to stop what we were doing (again) and fix every mistake and flaw to bring this project back up to our high standard of quality, (which our client expects).

Everything worked out in the end, our client was thrilled with the final result and his coworkers were equally impressed with the craftsmanship and attention to detail, (and the shipping was arranged without our client’s involvement whatsoever).

So the extra effort on our end resulted in a great experience for our client. We love that.

The vendor’s actions, on the other hand, had to be managed, monitored and corrected.   Is this the case with some of your providers?

Communication and responsibility are the landmarks of a company you can trust for the long term. The reason companies like CalCo have been around for over half a century, is because they are trusted, respected and are the go-to guys when quality and professionalism are important.

Did you know that CalCo can handle your POP displays, your screen printing, your photography, your display storage, your prototyping, your sales cases, your website design, your 3D animation, your metal finishing, your large format printing, your digital image manipulation, and many of the other items you struggle with every day?  It’s true.

Please call or email to see if your project can be handled correctly this time by CalCo, let us handle the problems so you can just sleep easy for once.

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.

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 if you would like to discuss your product and learn how CalCo can help show your product in it’s best light.

CalCo Makes A Great Case

The age old dilemma, how do you transport your product to sales calls, tradeshows, investor relations meetings, distributors or anywhere else with out damaging it and so that it keeps that ‘brand new’ look? The answer is a custom case from CalCo.

We have a case to meet virtually every need. Sometimes this is as simple as a soft sided carrying case, while sometimes a rugged behind the scenes shipping crate needs to be fabricated.  Often the container needs to be worthy of carrying into someone’s office and possibly even set upon their desk.  At CalCo, this need is met week after week with a variety of solutions.  Whether you need to ship it through the mail or the case will be riding around in the trunk of your car, CalCo has the right option for you.  These custom cases are custom selected and designed to fit your product specifically and have a history of peak performance.  From slim and elegant to heavy duty work horses, a case from CalCo will impress as well as protect. More photos after the break..

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Stand Out From the Crowd

At your tradeshow or in the lobby your product can stand out from the crowd with a unique stand.   Add your logo, raise your product to new heights or allow your product to move.  If you have an idea we can execute it or you can let us create a one of a kind design just for you.

                                            Let us make your vision a reality!

CalCo reworks displays to look as good as NEW

If you have a display or cutaway that is beginning to show its age we are happy to rework it. After being shipped from show to show and being handled and touched by countless people every display can begin to show some wear. Whether it needs a new paint job or you want to add a cutaway section you can send it to us and feel confident that we will do our best to make it look as good as new even if we didn’t do the original work. Save some money on shipping and do it when you are at a show near Chicago!

If we can do this…….

                       Before                                                                                After

                                                                                                                                                         then we can do almost anything!

                     Contact us at news@calcocutaways.com or 847/639-3858

Unique Awards, Plaques and Corporate Gifts

CalCo can create unique awards using your product or logo. In the past we have created personalized magnets , lamps with product cutaways, scale models of products and much more for service rendered awards. These are much more exciting and more memorable than the old gold watch and they provide the recipient with a displayable permanent reminder of the years invested in your company.

We can also create corporate gifts, holders for certification awards or promotional items using your product or a lightweight scale model. Let us know what you want to do and we will help you find a way to do it!