A Virtual Sign of the Times

On the surface, there may not appear to be many similarities between writing software programs that launch missiles into space, and creating a mainstream product like signs, banners, and car graphics. Nevertheless, like many former engineers who have pursued their dream of owning their own business after years of working in the Defense industry, Barry Bowerman of Signs By Tomorrow says experience in one industry helped prepare him for the other. “There are differences in responsibilities and you are no longer working by someone else’s rules,” he says, “but the differences in the mechanics are not as much as you might think.” According to Barry, software is a highly creative field and producing high quality signage using amply sophisticated computer graphics and digital capabilities, makes him uniquely qualified. It is also an extension of his creative flair.

Over eight years ago, Barry purchased his Signs By Tomorrow franchise and began serving the people of Huntsville with every kind of signage possible, from simple yard signs to automotive and tradeshow graphics, point-of-purchase displays, banners, and indoor and outdoor commercial signage. No matter how the economy fluctuates, Barry says businesses and people still need signs and graphics. “Organizations and charities still hold events. New businesses continue to open and need signs. Companies still hold special sales events and attend tradeshows, and people are still putting homes up for sale, holding yard sales, and outfitting their company vehicles with logos to be used as rolling billboards.”

Signs By Tomorrow has a knowledgeable staff in the areas of graphic design, wide format printing, tradeshow, point-of-purchase, and other signage materials. Since the majority of signage today is produced using the digital process, maintaining printers and software that produce the highest quality 4-color graphics is imperative to their growth.

“Over the years, our skills have sharpened. Because we put a great deal of merit into what our customers want and our staff listens to the needs of our customers, I noticed an increase in the call for wide-format printing,” Barry says. In order to accommodate that need, Signs By Tomorrow added a Hewlett Packard 9000S wide-format, solvent-based printer for outdoor resilient full color graphics, and a high-speed wide-format vinyl plotter to more efficiently handle one-color signs, banners, window lettering, and for die-cutting around printed graphics. “We are able to print high resolution graphics twenty times faster, on a wider variety of materials, and with such cost-effectiveness, we have restructured our pricing on seventy-five to eighty percent of our production.”

Barry’s background in software development helps guide him in the signage and graphics industry. He knows that technology drives customer needs. By listening to customers, implementing the technology, and adding new equipment as the industry requires it, Signs By Tomorrow will grow as well. “We are the experts on full-color signage,” Barry says, “We want people to think of us first when they have signage needs.”