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Re: Cry Cry the Neon Man
Posted By: Darryl Thompson In Response To: Re: Cry Cry the Neon Man (neontek)
Date: Wednesday, 20 January 2010, at 1:05 a.m.
> Interesting Subject Heading you selected.
> I may be reading too much into it, but it
> doesn't sound very supportive as one who is
> a "brother in the craft".> I agree... fight back all you can, in any
> way you can.
> Although, from the sound of your post, your
> business does more than just "wholesale
> neon". ("Neon set-ups"
> "Channel letters" "Monument
> Signs")
> It sounds like YOU have control(or at least
> access to the "end customer") of
> what lighting system is used in
> completed/finished Sign Systems in-house.
> You are fortunate if you have control over
> all the necessary steps in production &
> sales. Anyone promoting and using NEON helps
> us all !> You have to realize many "NEON
> Wholesalers" ONLY fabricate and supply
> the NEON tubing as specified by a Sign
> Company(their customer), and do not have
> influence over/or can dictate what is to be
> used as the lighting source in a particular
> sign project. Most of us ARE NOT dealing
> with the "end customer" in most
> cases, and as such have no way to SELL (or
> implement) the benefits of your power
> consumption arguments.> You also stated "there is a lot we can
> do about it".......... Please let us
> know what other ideas you have.> Thanks,
> Tony D.Tony,
First and foremost, many of the people that supply wholesale neon do have a big influence when supplying the glass to other companies. As for the assumption of my company being a full service sign company you are wrong. We do not even build channel letter cans. We do the glass in the letters for several other people and do on site training of UL standards and low voltage conversions.
Just don’t think that my knowledge of other sign types are weak since I’m primarily neon. I have a huge knowledge of CNC equipment, vinyl and electric sign company operations. I have over 23 years in the sign industry with an electrical engineering degree.
I have spent a lifetime in neon furthering my personal knowledge to the extents of keeping myself cutting edge in efforts to keep sales alive and ensuring more years in the business. 70 percent of the benders I have met and have helped in the past have been somewhat under the impression that the knowledge of just bending the tube is good enough to keep them fed. Wrong. The past few years have shown that.
Advances in technology and a bad economy took out a lot of jobs in the neon industry.
We all cannot help that the economy took a dump, but the bender getting beat out by LED’s and forced to abandon the fires is partially his or her own blame.The neon industry has had several technological advances in power supplies over the past 25 years. Sad thing is that most of the older benders first shunned the electronics and opted for the old school magnetics. I still hear my teachers voice ringing “ Boy! Quit looking at those damn china buzz boxes, they are just a waste of time!”. It is funny now that 95% of the neon window signs you see now are all electronic. LOL
I can go on and on about the crappy excuses that most benders give but that’s not my point of starting this thread.
Some of the key points to sum it all up are
-Suggestions to your end user do go a long way when they are presented correctly.
-Play with some of the affordable low voltage products that are out. R&D People!
Introduction of R&D into your shop can very lucrative.-Open your ears to suggestions and kick the mouth into neutral for a minute.
We are all hardheaded and pompous at times. Read about the new supplies.-Once you figure out your low voltage combination, Demo it to your client.
Wholesale clients are impressed with visual proof and a way to market it.-The time you spent typing a bitch about a LED can be the time you can better
“Your” knowledge on a competitive neon setup or marketing.Lastly, if I was not supportive of my fellow “brethren” , I would not of wasted the time to share an IDEA that makes me plenty of money and keeps jobs in our industry.
Damn Tony D. you just made me seem like a complete prick. LOL I am actually decent guy to talk to in person, text responses just don’t do me justice. They just make me look rude.
For everyone, I will be setting up an R&D site on the low voltage hosted on my company site space. Everyone that would be interested in access will need to email me at darryl@neonguys.com so that the login can be sent to you.
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