Philadelphia, PA — February 15, 2012 — Almo Professional A/V, the nation’s fastest growing audiovisual distributor, has been named the exclusive national distributor for NanoLumens^® Inc., manufacturer of the world’s first line of ultra-slim and lightweight flexible and rigid LED displays for use in spaces previously thought impossible with traditional displays. NanoLumens displays will be shown in the Almo Pro A/V booth during DSE 2012 (Booth #631).

“As the exclusive national distributor of NanoLumens, we’re uniquely positioned to bring an entirely new business opportunity for displays to our reseller partners,” explained Sam Taylor, executive vice president and COO for Almo Professional A/V. “NanoLumens’ patented technology, which enables LED displays to be made in virtually any size, shape or curvature, is perfect for our digital signage and rental and staging integrators.” He continued, “We’ve already established ourselves as the number-one distributor in the U.S. for commercial displays 65-inches and larger. I see NanoLumens breaking into entirely new markets because of their highly customizable nature and at the same time, it will strengthen our core display business.”

Taylor added, “Almo Pro A/V is a third-generation, family-owned American company and we are highly supportive of other domestic companies like NanoLumens, which are not only leading the future for display technology, but are also creating jobs in the U.S. and literally ‘breaking the mold’ of what can be done with displays.”

“Our entire line of flexible and rigid LED displays are now fully commercialized and ready for delivery to customers in virtually every indoor and outdoor vertical market,” said Rick Cope, president and CEO of NanoLumens, Inc.  “We look forward to working closely with Almo’s field sales and support teams to bring the full benefits of our breakthrough, patented display technology to the widest possible audience of customers.”

NanoLumens Products

NanoLumens is changing the world of digital media with elegant, simple and energy-efficient digital displays that are available in any shape or size. The displays are one-sixth the weight and one-fifth the thickness of traditional displays and use only 25 percent as much power. Almo Pro A/V now carries the full NanoLumens product portfolio, which includes:

• The NanoFlex™ Family. The first and only display line of its kind designed to curve around contoured walls, wrap around columns and create unique architectural accents. This line includes the NanoFlex 112, NanoFlex Column Wrap and NanoFlex Ribbon.

• The New NanoSlim™ Family. Designed to provide a sleek display for discerning applications, this line consists of beautiful, thin, lightweight large-format LED displays unlike anything out there today. NanoSlim displays are built to four standard sizes and are water-, dust- and impact-resistant.

• The New NanoShapes™ Family. Built on the NanoSlim platform, NanoShapes are created in circle, triangle and square shapes to provide a unique display solution for those who think outside the typical display “box.”

• The NanoPanels™ Family. Addresses the need for a slim, lightweight, eco-friendly and brilliant indoor/outdoor display capable of withstanding the elements and shining through tough ambient light situations. This family comes in 25″ x 25″ panels that can be connected to form any size display.

NanoLumens’ technology has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and was cited by The Wall Street Journal in its 2010 Technology Innovations Awards. NanoLumens’ technology also received the “2011 Breakthrough Technology of the Year Award” at the American Technology Awards. And Digital Signage Magazine awarded the NanoLumens NanoFlex a 2011 DIGI Award for “Best New Display Device – Non-LCD or Plasma.”

NanoLumens on the E4 AV Tour

NanoLumens will participate in the first E4 A/V event of the year, which will take place in Irvine, Calif. on April 3. At this event, NanoLumens representatives will teach a workshop, “Broaden Your Creative Horizons Using Flexible Digital Signage,” which focuses on how to apply flexible LED technology to engage audiences in ways never before imaginable.

About the E4 AV Tour

Launched in December 2009, The E4 AV tour is a free, full-day program with an intense educational focus that allows partners to earn valuable InfoComm International CTS RUs while networking with the industry’s top manufacturers. Close to 4,000 attendees have experienced the benefits of the E4 events and, in the process, have earned nearly 2,750 InfoComm CTS RUs. For more information, go to www.e4avtour.com.

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About Nanolumens

Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, NanoLumens, Inc. (www.nanolumens.com) is a privately held corporation engaged in the research, product development and component design for unique flexible displays that address a yawning technology gap in the $14 billion digital display industry.  Since its founding in 2006, NanoLumens has built a portfolio of more than 20 international families of issued and filed patents on its flexible display technology that effectively address the commercial market void between relatively small flat-panel displays and huge, limited application LED boards. NanoLumens technology is not constrained by standard sizes and shapes, or by the size, noise and cost issues associated with commercial LED products.

About Almo Professional A/V

Almo Professional A/V is the nation’s fastest growing distributor serving the needs of professional audiovisual integrators, dealers and consultants. With a highly skilled sales team, reseller education programs, 10 distribution centers across the U.S. and product lines for the Pro A/V channel, Almo Professional A/V provides customers with the full distribution experience on a local and a personal level.

The Almo Professional A/V sales team is InfoComm-trained and the majority is CTS-certified. Almo Professional A/V has aligned with InfoComm International to offer courses worth CTS renewal units that enable partners to stay ahead. At the same time, the division works with industry vendors to bring live and online product training opportunities directly to channel partners.

Almo Professional A/V is a division of Almo Corp., the nation’s leading independent distributor of consumer electronics and major appliances. For more information about Almo Professional A/V, please call 410-560-2890 or go to www.almoproav.com. Almo Professional A/V can also be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/almoproav and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/almoproav.

*All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

We will be showcasing our full NanoFlex and NanoSlim product families in 4, 5 & 6mm pixel pitch at Booth #1045 and we hope you’ll stop by to see what we’ve been working on. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did! We will be working again with PixelFire to bring you high quality content and a unique interactive experience.

Also, our CEO, Rick Cope will be presenting on the advantages of using flexible LED technology to bring digital displays to life and engage audiences in ways never before imaginable.

We hope that you can join us at this year’s DSE which takes place between March 6-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Click here to learn more about how to attend the show, or we’d be glad to give you more information about our unique families of digital displays. The presentation will take place in Theater B on Wednesday, March 7th from 2:30PM-3:00PM. Register now so that you don’t miss the chance to take place in this valuable workshop!

About DSE: With the constant evolution and rapid growth rate of digital signage and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) industries year after year, analysts are estimating that there will be over 20 million digital signs by the year 2015. The growth in this booming industry will be put on display at this year’s DSE, with 180+ exhibitors covering over 66,000 square feet of floor space – an increase of about 6,000 square feet from last year. Thanks to the ongoing developments in digital signage technology from one-way communication to interactive communication, exhibitors will be able to offer solutions for nearly every possible situation.

Fox correspondent Dennis Kneale and NanoLumens® President & CEO Rick Cope discuss the revolution in digital display technology, the underlying health of American competitiveness, and the competitive superiority of the NanoFlex™ LED display.

Click here to view the Fox Business video on YouTube.

NORCROSS, GEORGIA, January 27, 2012 — NanoLumens® President Rick Cope appeared yesterday on Fox Business Network’s “Countdown to The Closing Bell” television show to introduce the company’s revolutionary NanoFlex™ 112” flexible LED display. The segment, featuring Fox’s tech and media expert correspondent Dennis Kneale, highlighted the numerous advantages of NanoLumens products as compared to other large-format digital displays. The video can be viewed by clicking here.

According to Cope, “For 80 years we’ve been in a black and white box, then a color box, and now a color rectangle. NanoLumens’ technology is designed to get you out of the box! It turns your digital dreams into reality. Now, quite literally, if you can imagine it, we can make it and put it on the wall, either indoors or out.”

Kneale noted that, compared to their closest competitors, the NanoLumens displays are one sixth the weight, one fifth the thickness and use only 25 percent as much power.  Not only that, but there isn’t another large-format display maker in the world that manufactures a display that can literally bend to accommodate any installation.

Kneale also discussed Cope’s career, which includes 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. and three years working at DARPA, the U.S. government’s highly advanced technology research division, developing advanced defense and weapons systems.

From ancient cave paintings and hieroglyphics to the modern-day advancements in interactive media, communication solutions have come a long way. With the various means and technologies used to distribute information nowadays, it is extremely important to understand how technology can be used as an effective tool to make communication easier and more efficient.

There are three basic elements for media messaging to be successful in an increasingly digital world:

Technology, Content, and an Audience.

1) Progressive Technology - 

Due to the proliferation of technological solutions over the past century, content providers must keep up-to-date with the most recent forms of delivering media. Because today’s society is largely consumer-driven, it is necessary to properly utilize electronic media – especially with the widespread use of the Internet as one of the most effective tools of communication. With the ability to integrate with smartphones and tablets, digital signage solutions are amongst the most innovative and rapidly growing technological applications used to reach a large audience with rich media information.

2) Dynamic Content - Content is King! Dynamic content is achieved by creating a more involved message that doesn’t just inform the viewer, but also allows for and encourages active participation. Since today’s consumer is always on-the-go, it is vital that content is both relevant and timely. Digital signage can be used to regularly update information through content management and deliver media that not only captivates the audience, but also entices them to interact with the message.

It’s the new year and everyone is looking for ways to boost revenue. Chances are, you are too. So have you thought about using digital signage in your business to boost revenue? Brands, retailers, corporations and even universities are incorporating more digital screens than ever before to add revenue streams where previously, there were none.

Here are three ways you could “go digital” and boost your revenue for 2012:

1. Add digital signage at or near the Point-of-Purchase – Because the content on digital screens can be changed quickly and easily, you can experiment with your message to consumers and perfectly tailor it in order to drive more sales, introduce new products, incentivize purchases, run “flash sales” and more. These tactics have always been around for marketers but never has it been this easy to engage your customers in such a dynamic way with instant, measurable results.

2. Use Digital Signage as an Ad Network – Ad revenue is king these days. TV, Web, Mobile, Outdoor – it’s all around us. What if you were able to add revenue to your bottom line by selling ads on your own digital signage network or selling your screen space to another ad network provider? The capability is there in an early stage, but I think you will start to see more services with this business model very soon.

3. Save Money – Yes, it’s true! Over time you can actually save money by using digital signage. Printing signage and marketing materials is expensive. Not only the actual printing costs, but the energy costs as well as the human capital of printing, distributing, and installing signage throughout a given year can really add up. Digital signage can keep all of that overhead to a minimum.

1) Know what type of display you are designing for. Is it LED, LCD, Plasma, Projection, etc? Content shows differently on different solutions due to the technology that makes it work and what it is designed for.

2) Know the resolution of your display. In short, resolution will dictate how much detail you can use in your design.

3) Know the size of your display. The larger the digital display the more room you have to work, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should fill it with more elements. More on that will be covered in the future in a post about layout.

4) Know the viewing distance of your audience. The further away they are, the larger your message needs to be in order to be readable. Seems simple enough but I pass countless digital signs with key messages that are unreadable from an appropriate viewing distance (and I don’t need glasses!)

5) What environment is the display in? Is there high ambient light? Is it dark? Does it change depending on time of day or other factors? You must evaluate the environmental considerations to ensure that your message shines through.

Depending on the situation, there are many other factors you may consider, but these are the key elements that are unique to creating content for digital signage.

Good luck!

NanoFlex display is set up in under an hour and hung right on the home’s balcony!

NORCROSS, GEORGIA, January 4, 2012 — When Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder agrees to perform at a fundraising event at a private residence, you can be certain that the event’s organizers will do everything possible to make sure everyone has a center stage view of the performance.  That’s exactly what Artists for Peace and Justice did when they hung a NanoLumens® 112” NanoFlex™ display from this home’s balcony — they turned a daytime backyard event into a state-of-the-art concert venue in just under one hour!

Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ), a celebrity-backed fundraising organization, recently utilized a NanoLumens 112” NanoFlex display at their large backyard fundraising event in Toronto during the Toronto International Film Festival.  As an outdoor fundraiser, there was certain to be bright sunlight, wind, and possibly even rain—all of which made the ultra-bright, flexible, waterproof NanoFlex display the perfect display solution!

With more than 250 guests, including actors and musicians in town for the film festival, the event was a hit and raised more than $600,000! The proceeds helped APJ to open a new building at the Academy for Peace and Justice, the first free secondary school serving the very poor in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

According to APG Displays Vice President David Weatherhead, “There’s a reason most concerts take place at night—the stage lights and video displays are easiest to see in the dark.  For a midday concert or event where a video is shown in direct sunlight, the display has to be exceptionally bright in order for people to view the video, and the NanoFlex display excels in this regard because it is made to extremely high standards and is capable of incredible brightness.  When Artists for Peace and Justice told us what they wanted to do and what the fundraiser was for, we decided to lend a hand to the cause and provide them the NanoLumens 112” NanoFlex display for the four-hour event. We also provided a cameraman who shot video throughout the fundraiser and live performance.  The NanoLumens screen worked out perfectly because we were able to hang it right on the back porch of the house in less than an hour, because it’s so light! I wouldn’t be comfortable doing that with any other display.”

First introduced in 2010, NanoFlex™ digital displays remain the only solution of their kind.  They conform to fit any surface, are thin, lightweight and energy efficient, and can be mounted as easily as a work of art. NanoLumens is the only company in the world able to reliably manufacture ultra-thin and lightweight, easy-to-install and maintain, seamless 6mm pixel pitch flexible LED displays in virtually any shape or size to meet each customer’s unique requirements.

“The NanoFlex is the most versatile digital display in the world, thanks to its light weight, flexible design, super-bright LED technology, and reduced installation requirements,” said NanoLumens President Rick Cope.  “Outdoor concerts, fundraisers, rallies and sporting events have been waiting for a display tailored to their specific needs for bright sunlight viewing, while also being protected from rain and wind.  A flexible, bright waterproof display is exactly what the digital signage and display industry needed, and it’s exactly what we are producing every day.”

Artists for Peace and Justice, established in early 2009, is a fundraising effort founded by Paul Haggis and friends that encourages peace and social justice and addresses issues of poverty and enfranchisement in communities around the world. The organization’s immediate goal is to build schools to serve the poorest areas of Haiti, providing an education, hot meals, clean drinking water and regular medical treatments to the children living in the slums.

Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, NanoLumens, Inc. (www.nanolumens.com) is a privately held corporation engaged in the research, product development and component design for unique flexible displays that address a yawning technology gap in the $14 billion digital display industry. NanoLumens has built a portfolio of more than 20 international families of issued and filed patents on its flexible display technology that effectively address the commercial market void between relatively small flat-panel displays and huge, limited application LED boards. NanoLumens technology is not constrained by standard sizes and shapes, or by the size, noise and cost issues associated with commercial LED products.

###

Contact:
Eric Gross
Griffin Integrated Communications
(212) 481-3456 x11
egross@griffinpr.com

Photo by eng1ne on Flickr

Space planners have traditionally kept matters like budget, intended use, and scale in mind when designing the interior of a new building. But today – with decision makers increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of the depletion of raw materials and generation of waste – design professionals are adding these considerations to the planning process. The key measurement of a project’s environmental success is its LEED Certification.

What Is LEED Certification?

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 1993. At present count, there are over 7,000 projects in the U.S. and abroad recognized as achieving a ratings status for the design, construction, and operation of high performance buildings.  The LEED system was created to define a standard of excellence and encourage sustainable building practices.

As green building technologies have advanced through the years, the LEED rating system has evolved, too. Buildings may range from the baseline “Certified” designation up to Platinum, based on a points accrual system. Green design categories like Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality are considered when LEED Accredited Professionals or Green Associates assess credits for a project.

The Benefits of A LEED Certified Project

For facilities managers, building designers, and real estate developers, attaining LEED certification for a project may bring immediate financial benefits. Several case studies suggest that LEED-certified office spaces, for example, have higher occupancy rates and command premium rent. While initial investments in materials and processes may exceed those used in more conventional construction, costs over time are mitigated by lower-than-industry standard operating expenses like heating and cooling.

Other, less tangible benefits include gains in employee productivity due to a more regulated, healthier environment and public relations advantages stemming from an eco-friendly corporate image.  And over the long term, economic incentives available from state and local governments can help reduce total cost of ownership through tax credits, tax breaks, density bonuses, reduced fees, priority or expedited permitting, grants and low-interest loans.

LEED Certification and Your Design Project

For design teams planning LEED projects, form and function are joined by eco-friendly approaches. Attractive, high performance and environmentally sustainable digital signage technologies, like NanoLumens products, provide the ideal solution to an organization pursuing LEED certification. In addition to the lower energy requirements of LED (vs. LCD), NanoLumens displays are made of at least 50% reclaimed materials and are almost completely recyclable.

When planning your next commercial renovation or new construction, consider pursuing LEED certification for the short- and long-term benefits. Demonstrate your commitment to the environment by using energy-efficient products or those made from reclaimed materials. This route could help the project earn valuable credits toward attaining certification.

NanoFlex named 2011’s “Best New Display Device — Non LCD or Plasma”.

To find the right solution for this event, Metalworks turned to the audiovisual experts at APG Displays, who recommended they deploy two NanoLumens NanoFlex 112” flexible digital displays on either side of the speaker’s podium to allow for optimal viewing for all attendees.  And it’s a good thing they did, because the event turned out to be the largest and most successful dinner in the party’s history, drawing more than 800 supporters and candidates and raising nearly (Canadian) $1.5 million for the party.

Because the dinner was just a few hours long, it was vital that Metalworks Production Group be able to set up and break down the digital displays quickly and easily without needing a whole crew of workers.  The NanoLumens NanoFlex displays were the perfect solution for this because they weigh just 85 pounds, need minimal labor to install and don’t require any heavy or cumbersome rigging.  In fact, NanoLumens is the only manufacturer that sells a flexible, durable, lightweight digital display solution that is bright enough to be seen from hundreds of feet away and provides a vibrant, consistent edge-to-edge image quality no matter the viewing angle or how close the viewer is to the screens.

“Metalworks Production Group had never used the NanoLumens displays,” said David Weatherhead, Vice President of APG Displays, “so they really were shocked when we told them about the NanoFlex 112” display that could be set up and broken down in less than two hours.  Using a projection screen or a traditional digital display would have required more people and much more time to install, so the NanoLumens displays turned out to be the perfect solution for the event.  The picture quality is amazing, and they looked beautiful from every spot in the room.”

According to NanoLumens President and CEO Rick Cope, “The Greater Toronto Area Dinner is exactly the kind of environment that NanoLumens Flex displays were made for. Special events are a rapidly growing market for digital displays, provided that the displays can be moved in and out quickly and can be deployed in every type of room environment with minimal structural requirements. NanoLumens Flex displays make it possible for events to be held in any environment, indoors or outdoors without regard to weather, and provide the opportunity to create a mobile messaging platform by moving the lightweight display to different locations throughout the event.”

The NanoLumens NanoFlex 112” flexible digital display is truly the only display of its kind.  Currently there is no other digital display this large that can claim it is waterproof, has a two-inch thickness, a mere 85 pound weight, brightness capability up to 5,000 nits, uses far less energy than traditional displays and is literally flexible enough to fit any application.  Whether the situation calls for the perfect quick display solution for a two-hour event, a display that can be moved around from room to room or a unique and creative permanent installation, the NanoFlex display is the simplest, most durable display ever.

First introduced in 2010, NanoFlex™ digital displays remain the only solution of their kind.  They conform to fit any surface, are thin, lightweight and energy efficient, and can be mounted as easily as a work of art. NanoLumens is the only company in the world able to reliably manufacture ultra-thin and lightweight, easy-to-install and maintain, seamless 6mm pixel pitch flexible LED displays in virtually any shape or size to meet each customer’s unique requirements.

Designed and assembled entirely in the United States, NanoLumens displays are now available in both flexible and non-flexible frames in four product lines: NanoFlex™ and NanoWrap™ flexible displays; NanoSlim™ non-flexible rectangular displays; and NanoShape™ non-flexible round, square, and triangular displays.

APG Displays’ rental division searches the world for the most innovative, high impact audiovisual products and brings them to special events, meetings and trade shows in Canada and the U.S. We are proud to offer one of the most comprehensive portfolios of cutting-edge large video display solutions, each with customized accessories, specialist technical support, and full system design and installation services. We have worked with some of the largest exhibit, conference and production houses in the business, providing tailored support for each client. We also partner with some of the biggest A/V names in the country with our exclusive Trade Partner Program. APG Displays is a member of MPI, ITRA, TSE, ISES, and Tourism Toronto special event and rental organizations.

Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, NanoLumens, Inc. (www.nanolumens.com) is a privately held corporation engaged in the research, product development and component design for unique flexible displays that address a yawning technology gap in the $14 billion digital display industry. NanoLumens has built a portfolio of more than 20 international families of issued and filed patents on its flexible display technology that effectively address the commercial market void between relatively small flat-panel displays and huge, limited application LED boards. NanoLumens technology is not constrained by standard sizes and shapes, or by the size, noise and cost issues associated with commercial LED products.