Sports are important in almost every corner of the world, with events uniting people with the most diverse of backgrounds. Consider that 1.5 billion people tuned into the 2022 World Cup final game between Argentina and France, according to FIFA. 

Your acrylics sit in Central Asia. Or on a cargo ship in the Pacific. Maybe they’re tucked away in the back of a truck cruising the Plains. Either way, for many businesses, the reality is the product is simply not in stock.

The COVID pandemic affected every market in ways that will likely be felt for years. And for industry plastics suppliers, recent events have truly been a “best of times, worst of times” scenario.

When it comes to diversifying your product lineup, few markets are as extensive as signage—and chances are good you already have much of the equipment you’ll need to get started. But that doesn’t mean that selling signage is without challenges. We spoke with two signage sellers, including a retail shop and a multibusiness corporation, to see what opportunities exist for retailers of any size to capitalize on this booming market, what to expect when you first start selling signage, and how to educate current customers about—and attract new ones to purchase—your new product offering.

I’ve been creating ADA-compliant signage since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Compliance requirements have evolved, but one thing stays the same: few markets available to personalization retailers are as expansive as that for ADA-compliant signage.

“Twenty years ago, when we first started selling ADA signs, there were not many options. Today, the ability to offer full color, standoffs, and special shapes is changing the way ADA signs are produced,” said Jim Robert, CRS, owner of Plastic Engraving Inc., in Gulf Breeze, FL. “ADA signage can be a moneymaker.”

Get into the profitable ADA-compliant signage market while saving time and money and gaining a competitive advantage. How? Use a UV-LED printer.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was created in 1990 with one goal: to prohibit unjustified discrimination based on disability. This act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities and also requires accessibility for public accommodations.

UV printing—and more specifically UV-LED inkjet printing—has been around for many years. Still, it has only been in the past 2 to 3 years that the industry has seen several companies manufacture a small-format (SF), entry-level flatbed printer that would lend itself to broad-based acceptance in the engraving and awards market. The SF table sizes accept products up to a 12 in. by 24 in. and up to 6 in. in height, and these printers are beginning to become popular profit centers.

For ARA retailers and suppliers, the intricacies of the Americans with Disabilities Act can make ADA signage a cash cow or a big headache. You can ensure it becomes a profit center for your company by doing plenty of research in advance to be certain you have the knowledge and capabilities required—or having a supplier who can do all that heavy lifting for you. Recognition Review can give you the basics to make a decision about whether this market is right for you.