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Design/Build Sign Program, First Niagara Financial Group, Lockport NY |
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Working with First Niagara Financial Group's Marketing Division, Bunting Graphics conceived, designed, manufactured and installed a family of interior and exterior signs of all sizes and shapes.
Using First Niagara's newly designed logo as a basis, Bunting's Design/Build Team took the project from sketches on napkins to the finished product in less than four months, an impressive feat.
The project involved super-tight deadlines and quick turnaround of ideas and information for a project of this scope.
Once the final concepts were approved by the client, the sign program was developed closely with the manufacturing section to ensure high quality product and on-time delivery & installation. |
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| A new family of signs for an up and coming bank: Monuments, Plate Letters, Post & Panel, ATM Enclosures, Directionals and Flag Mount. |
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In April 2009, First Niagara agreed to buy 57 National City branches in Western Pennsylvania from PNC Financial Services based in Pittsburgh, and officially took over those branches after the signs were changed over from National City during Labor Day Weekend.
PNC, which had acquired National City with money from the $700 billion bailout plan after National City became a victim of the subprime mortgage crisis, was required by the US Department of Justice to sell off 50 National City branches in the Pittsburgh area and 11 more branches in and around Erie to competitors, since the two banks had significant overlap in Western Pennsylvania. |
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First Niagara, which had been eyeing at expanding into Pittsburgh for some time, was immediately ranked third in market share, ahead of the longer-established Dollar Bank and First Commonwealth Bank. First Niagara retained all National City employees at the acquired branches in the Pittsburgh and Erie areas, and established a regional office in Downtown Pittsburgh's 11 Stanwix Street tower.
First Niagara agreed to take over the ATMs at 95 Sheetz locations throughout Western Pennsylvania. The ATMs officially became First Niagara ATMs at the same time First Niagara took over the former National City branches. |
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| ATM External Enclosure |
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Wall Sign |
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ATM Interior Lobby |
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First Niagara Financial Group, Inc (FNB) is a financial institution based in Western New York. FNB acquired National City branches in new markets and plans were set in motion for development of a new logo and image. Bunting Graphics (BGI) was selected as an integral part of the conversion team to incorporate the new logo into a family of sign and to have them installed in less than 4 months.
BGI team members consulted with the FNB marketing team to understand the desired image, scope and scale of the project. BGI creative and technical staff collaborated to create the sign plan for each new location. The gentle wave in the FNB logo was carried over into the new sign system both in application of the logo and the curvilinear appearance of the signs.
Integral to the successful rebrand and launch was the use of BGI’s process management software. Permit details, message schedules, project correspondence, and submittals were accessible to all staff working on the conversion team. The transparency of the process made it easy to keep FNB up to date and to keep all team members focused on priorities.
First Niagara sign types designed and developed included main entrance signs, secondary identity signs, ATM, directional and regulatory signs.
The entrance signs included both Pylon and Monolith signs ranging from 6’ to 18' in size. The signs were fabricated from formed 1/8” thick aluminum finished in two-part polyurethane Matthews paint with satin finish. The logo and lettering were stencil cut and backed up with acrylic and applied 3M vinyl. Illumination provided by T-12 high output daylight fluorescent lamps.
The secondary identity signs included plate letters, wall mounted signs, and channel letters. Plate letters were fabricated from both aluminum and bronze with the aluminum finish painted either white or black and the bronze finished with a horizontal brushed satin finish. Wall mounted cabinets were fabricated from 1/8” thick aluminum with the specified Matthews paint finish and mounted either flush to the wall or flag-mounted. Flourescent T-12 lamping was used for illumination. Channel letters were fabricated from aluminum and white translucent acrylic with applied 3M vinyl graphics. LED lighting was used to provide the illumination.
ATM signage for FNB included a fabricated aluminum cabinet sign with acrylic face, applied 3M vinyl lettering and fluorescent illumination for the bezel as well as fabricated aluminum vehicular lane signs.
The directional and regulatory signs incorporated the curved features into the design. All copy was laser cut and backed up with acrylic for the illuminated signs. Non-illuminated signs were formed and fabricated from 1/8” thick aluminum and finished with paint and vinyl graphics.
This was a fast track project with a myriad of details and a tight schedule. The sign package was completed by early July and installation of signs was substantially complete by the end of September for 34 branch locations. The result was a very satisfied client. |
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