Election battles brighten finances of sign companies

Everyone else may be weary of political campaigns, but northern Nevada print shops and sign makers couldn't be happier.

Campaigns, they say, provide a much-needed shot of revenue.

Valerie Rothe, owner of Traffic Builders in Reno, hasn't had a moment's rest for the last six months because of a nearly 200 percent increase in business that resulted from the demand for signs for political campaigns. Traffic Builder's largest order was printing 25,000 signs for Republican Senate hopeful Sharron Angle.

The two-color, two-sided signs required four passes through Traffic Builder's screen printing press, making for some long shifts for pressman Sean Taft. To meet client demand, Rothe added another work shift and hired two more warehouse hands.

As one of the few screen printers in northern Nevada capable of making screen-printed signs, Rothe also landed a lot of work farmed out by other print shops. She also produced campaign signs for candidates from northern California, southern Nevada, and other western states. The reason? Screen printing typically costs less than digital print methods.

"It was an exciting time for us," says Rothe, who purchased the business on Airway Drive a few years ago. "Last election, we really didn't see how big it was until this year, and a lot of sign shops sent their candidates directly to me because they couldn't match Internet pricing.

"We have worked day and night," she adds. "It has been exhausting and exciting, but it is cool. We learned a few hard lessons, but we learned them and came out alive."

The heavy volume of work also delayed print times. Normal turnaround for orders is about three days, Rothe says, but lead times were between 10 and 14 days.

"That was challenging for both us and them, trying to match the candidates' expectations," she says.

Other newcomers to the campaign advertising business also saw a spike in business in the past few months.

Chad Jenkins, president of OSI Office Supply and Imaging of Reno, purchased the business two years ago and says revenues rose about 8 percent from work for political campaigns.

The digital print shop has done work for about 10 candidates, including Republican Assembly hopefuls Ira Hansen and Monte Johnson. Signage constitutes the largest segment of new business, but OSI also produces brochures, cards and banners for nominees and incumbents.

Business began picking up in March, Jenkins says.

"It is not something we forecasted, but because of our reputation of what we are able to bring in and do for our clients, it is a great boost and we are thankful for it.

Jenkins say customers typically find him from personal references or through work performed with companies with which the candidates are affiliated.

JC Weir, owner of Allegra Print & Imaging, says representatives for the candidates or ad houses who've been contracted to produce campaign literature usually contact him every two years in September and October.

Political campaigns don't account for a high volume of business, Weir adds, but they do offer a slight bump in revenues for fall months. Weir says the overall volume of print work Allegra has done this year is slightly lower than other election years.

"More of it seems to be going to electronic means, whether they are going to email or television," he says.

Companies that provide promotional products also see a rise in business near election time. Klaus Grimm, owner of Blue Moon Promotions in South Reno, sees a slight increase in revenues from making pin-on buttons supporting or denouncing causes or candidates.

Candidates typically query Blue Moon about promotion products such as buttons, banners and T-shirts beginning with the primaries, Grimm says, and orders heat up as the elections draw closer.

"In an election year we always see a jump. It's not a significant jump, but I like local campaigns. It helps."

Blue Moon doesn't take sides in election campaigns. "Both parties, their money is equally good," Grimm says with a laugh.