Looking for a durable, weather-resistant material to produce eye-catching graphics, advertising or P-O-P marketing? All signs point to performance plastics — optically clear, printable, UV-resistant and available in a wide variety of colors and finishes.
Applications
- Outdoor signage
- Backlit/electrical signs (LEDs)
- Wall mounted signs
- Channel letters
- Touch/interactive signs
- Banners
- Sign boards (menu boards)
- Advertising (indoor and outdoor)
- Bus (mobile and shelter) signs
- Video walls
- Countertop signs
- Freestanding signs
- Indoor (retail) P-O-P signage
- Digital signage
- Safety and emergency signage
- DOT and construction signage
- Directional (way finder) signage
- Real estate signage
- Window graphics
- ADA signage
Advantages May Include
- Optical clarity
- Lightweight
- UV resistance
- Impact, corrosion and fire resistant (toughness)
- Easy to fabricate
- Fast drying times
- Fast cycle times
- Printable (digital and screen)
- Design flexibility
- High heat deflecting temperature
- Better thermoforming definition
- No pre-drying required (with Copolyesters and PETG)
- High light transmission
- Wide variety of colors and finishes
- Color stability
- Excellent weatherability
- FDA compliance
- Heat and chemical resistant
- Recyclable
- Materials do not contain Bisphenol-A (BPA)
Materials
- Acrylic (PMMA)
- Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS)
- Cellulosics (CAB)
- Copolyester (COP)
- Fabrics/textiles
- Polycarbonate (PC)
- Polyester Terephthalate Glycol Modified (PETG Copolymer)
- Polyester film
- Polyethylene (PE)
- Polypropylene (PP)
- Polystyrene — high impact screen and digital grade (PS)
- Polyurethane (PU/PUR)
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- PVC/Acrylic Alloy
- Vinyl
Sustainability Advantages of Performance Plastics
115 Million
HDPE is commonly used for outdoor signage. More than 115 million milk jugs are recycled each year into recycled HDPE — roughly 8-10 jugs per pound.
Source: areteindustries.us
50%
A performance-plastics sign that lasts 10 years has about 50% of the environmental impact of one made from other materials that lasts only 5 years — longer-lasting signs mean smaller carbon footprints.
Source: metrosignandawning.com
80%
Developments in LED technology have made them ubiquitous for new and retrofitted signs — energy savings can be as much as 80%.
Source: signsofthetimes.com
8-10x
LEDs in illuminated signs last 8-10x longer than older fluorescent lights.
Source: metrosignandawning.com
10% / month
Low-voltage RGB LED signage runs on 12V DC (vs neon's 4,000-15,000V AC). By retrofitting old fluorescent bulbs with high-end LEDs, one company saved 10% a month in energy costs with a payback of under two years.
Source: creativesigndesigns.com
iapd
the performance plastics association
Sustainability
Champions
Champions