It used to be that if you needed brilliant long-lasting color for banners, bus wraps, billboards, posters and mesh fencing you had to pollute. Not once but twice. Once to create it, and once to dump it. This is no longer true.

Utilizing a new non-toxic water-based ink, Caliber Signs in Tempe, AZ., is the first Arizona company to produce ozone pollutant-free banners and other commercial materials for businesses. "The new 75-percent water, 25-percent latex ink is an industry first," said
Mike La Porte, vice president of business development at Caliber Signs.

"Our industry has been trying for years to remove the solvents that release dangerous chemicals into our air and environment, while preserving the rich vibrant color that a solvent-based ink is known for. And Hewlett Packard is the one that finally cracked the code."

LaPorte is equally enthusiastic about Hewlett Packard's other eco-friendly innovations, such as the new HP materials that are totally recyclable. "When you're done with your recyclable banners, flags or posters, HP through its Planet Partners Program, pays for you to ship it back to them so they can be turned into cool stuff like playground equipment," says LaPorte.

Each green item that Caliber Signs creates, helps to reduce the 1.5 billion pounds of PVC banner materials HP estimates was consumed and ended up in landfills last year, LaPorte said. "That's the equivalent of a banner 1,000-feet wide stretching from Los Angeles to New York."

Please see company's video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoVOIbykJdg

Caliber Signs owns one of the few large-format HP DesignJet L65500 machines in the southwest, which makes this new green process possible. Using the new DesignJet printer and the recyclable ink and materials, Caliber Signs can produce banners nearly the length of a football field- from goal post to goal post, or 30 stories high, and wide enough to cover a light rail train, as well as everything in between.

"With Caliber's excellent color matching system, the color that the DesignJet and ink can produce is spot on. The machine prints 1200 dots per inch so you get the kind of intensity you want and expect, but can't always get from conventional printing," says LaPorte. "And it doesn't cost any more than ordinary solvent printing."

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's office contacted Caliber Signs regarding printing a banner for a city event shortly after Caliber Signs posted the eco-friendly news on its website.

"The test of greatness for a city in this century will be how well we can sustain into the next one," said Gordon. "That's why I was proud to set a goal of making Phoenix the greenest city in America, and why we were very excited to find a green banner source for the city."

LaPorte says every business that turns to recyclable green ink and materials for their promotional materials would help to contribute to a "massive" reduction in ozone pollution and landfill waste.

HP green materials:

• HDPE Reinforced Banner
• Heavy Textile Banner
• Photo - realistic poster paper
• HP DuPont Tyvek Banner
• Wrinkle free flag with liner

HP is working to create recyclable materials for the following:

• Self-adhesives
• Mesh banners
• Films
• Front and backlit scrim banners.

Industries this technology is aimed at
* Large Corporations * Cities * Government * Franchises * Event Planners * Conference centers * Hospitals * Architects and Designers * Museums * Grocery * Education, Universities * Utility companies * Ad agencies * Banks * Bottling companies * Hotels * Casinos

For the past 15 years, Caliber Signs has provided quality sign solutions for companies throughout the southwest, including construction signs, interior displays, illuminated signs, banners, large format printing, fleet graphic neon displays vehicle wraps, and monuments. Caliber offers a 100-percent, ironclad guarantee of satisfaction. Caliber can ship green banners/materials anywhere. The company is a member of the Arizona Sign Association, International Sign Association, BOMA, Arizona Contractors Association, Arizona Small Business Association, and BusinessNeeds.org. Website: www.Calibersigns.com

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