International Impact: A Sign It Profile

by Mike Metcalfe
Cornwall Business Magazine, 1999

Travelers approaching Cornwall on Canada's busiest throughway, highway 401 see them everyday. These voyagers silently acknowledge their presence, perhaps mentally noting the web site address. The objects of their attention are large, beautifully crafted Welcome signs below which is inscribed www.city.cornwall.on.ca. The signs were designed by Sign It, a local company that speaks a global language.

Internationally acclaimed Sign It is an acknowledged leader in the North American sign industry created and operated by partners and co-owners Nancy Beaudette and Noella Cotnam. From modest beginnings in the Eastern Ontario hamlet of Williamstown 17 years ago, it has painted a global picture of success. Today, from its modern 5000 sq. ft. design shop in Cornwall's industrial park, Sign It creates award winning signs for companies across North America and beyond.

"Our business is somewhat different from the graphics field because there are few opportunities for formal training", declares Beaudette. "And so, we learned as we went, taking cues from successful professionals in the field." And learn they did, combining the knowledge with their considerable expertise.

The Sign It signature is easily spotted throughout the Cornwall region. Among its many products, the company's flagship item is a distinctive sandblasted outdoor sign. The technique, which uses high pressure sand to bring out the natural wood grain was originally developed in California. Sign It introduced the concept to the Cornwall market just over 10 years ago with spectacular results.

Complementing the sand blasted signage is a broad range of signs and graphics ranging from digital imaging and vehicle graphics to business identification and retail store signs. The company's professional design group carefully reviews client needs and recommends the optimum blend of signage and other identification. Today, samples of the company's work identify centres, attractions and businesses across Canada and the United States.

A combination of creative design, attractive products and innovative management has won Sign It local plaudits and international recognition. In 1994, it won the coveted Small Business of the Year award at the annual Cornwall Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards banquet. In 1996, it gained international recognition by capturing a total of seven awards including 1st prize for commercial sign design at the International Design Contest in Cincinnati, Ohio.

All this notoriety has resulted in the globalization of the company and Sign It now boasts an international clientele. Gloria Jean's Coffees, a California based company with over 300 locations world wide has contracted Sign It to design and fabricate franchise signs for its corporation. In addition, the Cornwall based firm has won contracts with Global Images in Seattle, Washington along with numerous other U.S. based firms.

From an industry perspective, Sign It is also making its presence known. Both Beaudette and Cotnam have become acknowledged authorities in the field and regularly contribute to a number of trade publications. Articles have included a profile of Sign It, its successful development and growth along with topical articles about operational layout and design, and marketing strategies. In fact, Sign Craft, a Florida based international trade magazine has identified Sign It as a vanguard in the industry and recently profiled the company.

Sign It's reputation in the industry has given this flourishing company a positive profile of a different sort. It commits itself to helping others. Sign company proprietors from across Europe have visited the Cornwall operation to learn everything from sign design and application to marketing in a highly competitive field. Armed with the knowledge acquired from Sign It professionals, these European business people will add a new visual dimension within the budding European Union. In a recent coup, Beaudette and Cotnam were invited by the Kentucky Letterhead Association to be project leaders for a convention specific to artistic murals.

Closer to home, both Beaudette and Cotnam retain a strong commitment to their community as well. In a gesture of appreciation to the City after celebrating several years of successful business activities, the company designed and donated a beautifully crafted Welcome sign for the City of Cornwall. The sign, valued at $4000 greets visitors coming off the Seaway International Bridge. More recently, the company, in collaboration with other like-minded businesses, donated time, effort and talent to create the lighted Welcome signs, complete with the City's web address for display on highway 401.

From a Cornwall base, Sign It is a glowing portrait of one of a number of City firms that maintain a solid and prosperous local enterprise while making a name for themselves in the global market place. Physically, it resides in Cornwall's industrial park. Electronically, its address is www.signit-signs.com. Professionally, it inhabits the world.