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A dimensional acrylic sign, printed, finished, and ready to ship in under 15 minutes. Five hundred corrugated plastic signs produced for a single project entirely in-house in a matter of hours. Exterior monument signage, interior wayfinding systems, dimensional lettering, and branded environmental graphics fabricated under one roof.

That’s what scaling full-service custom signage looks like in practice, and that’s what we’re now doing here at Port City Signs & Graphics.

As commercial projects across North Carolina continue to grow in size and complexity, the demands on signage grow with them. Developers are building larger mixed-use and multifamily properties, healthcare systems are expanding, commercial campuses are becoming more sophisticated, and commercial interior designers are creating more expressive spaces than ever before. To meet that level of complexity, we recently made a significant investment in advanced in-house printing and fabrication technology, including a new swissQ Nyala true flatbed printer. The goal was simple. Maintain the craftsmanship our clients expect while increasing our capacity to deliver complete signage packages efficiently and reliably across North Carolina.

What “Full-Service” Really Means

When we describe Port City Signs & Graphics as a full-service sign company, we mean the ability to handle every part of a signage project in-house rather than relying on multiple outside production sources. On many commercial projects, monument signage may come from one shop, ADA and braille signage from another, and dimensional panels or specialty branding elements from yet another source.

Most of the time, that coordination works smoothly. But it also means the timeline and quality of certain pieces depend on external production steps. If something is delayed or needs adjustment, the ripple effect shows up quickly. Install dates shift. Inspections move. Final details take longer than expected. Clients may not see those moving parts, but they feel the impact when part of the process slows down.

Expanding our in-house capabilities changes that dynamic. We can now produce more of the finished signage package ourselves, reducing handoffs, limiting external dependencies, and maintaining clear accountability from start to finish.

Expanding In-House Sign Fabrication

Our new investment in the swissQ Nyala greatly improves our large-format UV-LED flatbed printing capabilities. Not only can we print faster than ever directly onto rigid materials such as acrylic, aluminum, wood, PVC, HDU (high-density urethane), and other substrates, but we can now reproduce extremely fine detail with precision down to 1-point type – smaller than the naked eye can easily see. And thanks to the highly durable inks, in most cases, the sign comes off the printer complete and ready to ship.

The Nyala also changes how we create small dimensional signs. Instead of routing them on a CNC (computer numerical control) router and hand-painting them, the way we do our large signs, which is slow, delicate work where small inconsistencies can happen, the printer builds up ink and varnish layers to create texture, depth, and raised surfaces. This makes it possible to produce small, intricate dimensional signage quickly. This includes Braille ADA signs, textured graphics, wall coverings, specialty finishes, optical effects, and even double-sided acrylic graphics in one step.

Supporting Larger, More Complex Projects

Many of the commercial projects we support involve far more than one or two sign types. A project may include monument signage, directional signage, building identification, interior wayfinding systems, ADA-compliant room signage, and custom branded elements. Managing that as a cohesive package requires coordination and production capacity.

With expanded in-house manufacturing, we can support larger multi-phase developments, healthcare facilities, corporate campuses, multifamily communities, and multi-location signage programs more efficiently while maintaining the same level of detail.

Consistency You Can See

Our expanded in-house printing capability directly influences the consistency clients see on finished projects. Because we can now print directly onto rigid materials with extremely fine detail and precise color accuracy, typography stays sharp across every sign and colors remain consistent from exterior panels to interior wayfinding. Dimensional lettering maintains uniform depth and finish throughout the project, and the same advanced printing process that builds texture and raised surfaces ensures that details are repeatable from one piece to the next.

That level of precision is especially important for developers working across multiple buildings and for property managers protecting brand standards. Using a single calibrated production system across an entire signage package helps ensure those details carry through from start to finish.

For commercial interior designers, the ability to print directly onto a wide range of materials opens up more possibilities for texture, finish, and depth. Subtle dimensional effects, layered graphics, specialty coatings, and raised elements can now be incorporated into signage and graphics with greater control. Instead of adjusting a design to fit production limitations, designers have more freedom to execute the details they originally envisioned. The result is signage and design that feels fully integrated into the space.

Efficiency Without Cutting Corners

Scaling production does not mean lowering standards. In fact, it gives us greater control over quality while improving how efficiently we work.

Older production methods involved multiple stages such as printing, curing, laminating, mounting, trimming, and assembling. The new technology streamlines that process by eliminating several of those steps. Jobs that once required hours of manual labor can now be completed in minutes, and larger orders that previously had to be outsourced can now be handled internally with greater speed and consistency.

The swissQ Nyala also brings automation into our workflow. Repeating job types can run through preset production profiles, reducing setup time and freeing our team to focus on higher-skill fabrication and finishing work. In many ways, it functions like an additional team member, allowing us to handle more work without increasing staffing demands.

A Rare Level of Capability in North Carolina

There are many sign companies in North Carolina, but few handle custom sign design, fabrication, dimensional printing, ADA signage production, and installation entirely in-house. Our ability to do that allows us to support large commercial signage projects across the state with greater control and consistency.

Scaling What We Have Always Done Well

Our investment in this new printing technology was about strengthening what we already do well. We have always delivered high-quality custom signage and managed complex projects behind the scenes so our clients did not have to. What has changed is our ability to handle more of that work internally, more efficiently, and at greater scale, ensuring that as your projects grow in size and sophistication, your signage partner can keep pace.

As you plan your next development, renovation, campus expansion, or branded commercial space anywhere in North Carolina, we would welcome the opportunity to talk through your signage needs and provide a free quote.