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They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but for businesses that rely heavily on trade show appearances, their success is based largely on how they appear at first glance.
The company began in 1946 as Customcraft, founded by Norm Bell and Bob Federspiel. In 1979, the company began operating under the name ICON Exhibits and set out deliberately to expand from a local exhibit company and plastics fabricator to reach the regional and national level.
Now, nearly 25 years later, ICON is a well-respected, full-service exhibit design, production and installation company that also provides exhibit management as much as any other service.
"Our company, I think, has flourished largely because we have provided exceptional design, world-class design, really," says Michael Parrott, president. "We have provided cost-saving exhibit technologies, which is the key to our success."
Parrott describes ICON's position in the industry as a "pre-innovator."
"Most companies in our business use traditional approaches," he says, "our company would be considered an innovator, to the extent that we've developed and patented some of our own products. That is very unique in our industry."
The products Parrott refers to include EXZACT, a modular panel technology that is particularly well suited for quick set-up and dismantle. Wall panels, usually eight feet high, interlock and are secured with a single pin. This design has proven itself extremely costeffective, saving up to 50 percent of typical installation costs at a show site. Its efficiency and light weight are added benefits.
Yet another system advance credited to ICON is EXPODECK, a structural system architecture. Used primarily for large scale, multilevel exhibits, EXPODECK echoes EXZACT's benefits in that it's also a money-saver and lightweight.
According to Jim McCrady, ICON vice president, these products came from the set-up and, shipping. processes, where weight and installation are considerable factors and can result in great expense.
"Show costs are cut dramatically by the ability to expedite set-up and lower shipping costs," McCrady says. "If...