Vision International: Olympic proportions

Feb 1, 2004 12:00 PM, AP staff

Size matters to Tim Fullmer, president and founder of Vision International (Salt Lake City). His company is best known for its super-sized products, especially the wide-format indoor and outdoor signage it markets as “extra-extra large.” Vision's area of expertise encompasses anything and everything big, including billboards, transit, fleet, visual merchandising and building wraps, also known as wallscapes. In fact, when Vision was founded in 1993, it pioneered the technology used to produce the first wallscapes mounted in New York City and Los Angeles.

“We are routinely called upon to take clients' conceptions of ‘never-been-dones’ and turn them into visual realities,” says Fullmer. The “visions” Vision has created have been seen at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the 2002 World Series in Anaheim and the 2003 Reno National Championship Air Races, just to name a few. Vision also earned itself a place in The Guiness Book of World Records by producing the world's largest Twister board, measuring 20 × 60 ft.

We asked Fullmer to tell us more about Vision International and how it tackles the constant challenges of super-wide-format printing.

What kind of technology does Vision utilize?

Vision uses the latest high-resolution digital-imaging equipment (including 16 DigiGraph super-wides, four NUR Blueboard HiQs, two Vutek 5300s and two Raster Graphic 5442s). We have also developed a proprietary color electronic prep system that provides a tool for scanning, assembling and enhancing XXL graphic images with digital precision.

How do you proof jobs prior to printing?

With the only director of quality in the XXL-format printing industry, Vision has implemented a comprehensive quality program designed to ensure that every product leaving our production floor represents excellence. When the time comes to proof, our director of quality, along with her team of production, color and printing experts, reviews every detail of the job before sending it to the printer. In addition, every employee must participate in our exclusive “quality education” program, consisting of 16 hours of intensive, XXL quality classes.

How does Vision go above and beyond for its customers?

Our customers' needs have always been the forefront of our operation. Customer service means meeting tight deadlines, handling complicated delivery instructions and staying within each customer's budget. A 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week production schedule enables us to meet deadlines on the largest, most demanding projects.

When we're fortunate enough to host our clients for the proofing process, we roll out the red carpet. Our customer lounge has a bird's-eye view of the production floor, and is equipped with phone lines, Internet and computer hookups, food and beverages. Once our customers are settled in, our director of quality escorts them to the floor. We strive to make the process a pleasant experience, not a grueling procedure.

We also designed eFlex, an online job-tracking program available to all of our customers from our website. EFlex allows customers to quickly access critical job information, such as printing and delivery status, and billing records. It is also equipped with key functions that provide the ability to order products and even make minor design edits online.

What has been your most challenging job?

The Olympic Committee approached us with the challenge of making the 2002 Winter Games the most visually stunning of any Olympic event to date. We took their plans for small banners and flags and turned them into gargantuan images that adorned buildings, fences, venues, vehicles and bleachers. Our imaging presence permeated every event, from more than 15,000 small directional signs to the very largest images, each measuring well over 10,000 sq. ft.

The most challenging part was producing the images that graced the backs of the bleachers at the venues. These were the largest images made for the Games and required us to create photo realistic images over 100 ft. high and 300 ft. wide that would attach to temporary scaffolding structures and withstand hurricane-force winds.

We consulted with city officials, engineering firms, art designers, machine shops, experts and specialized installers to bring this project to reality. The most unusual aspect was using mountaineers to rappel down the face of the images in order to secure them to the bleachers.

Ultimately the project was a huge success. The images were constantly highlighted in all visual media coverage, creating lasting images of the success of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. We were able to help the world experience new heights in digital imaging that had never before been seen.

What's the best eatery in Salt Lake City?

Market Street Grill — one of the few places you can get fresh seafood in landlocked Utah. Everything is excellent. For breakfast, you can't beat their seafood omelettes.

If your company has an interesting story to tell, we want to hear from you. E-mail APeditor@primediabusiness.com and give us a brief description of yourself and your printing company. You could be the next profile in “Spotlight on”.