{"id":28063,"date":"2016-07-13T15:57:49","date_gmt":"2016-07-13T19:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/?p=28063"},"modified":"2016-07-13T15:57:49","modified_gmt":"2016-07-13T19:57:49","slug":"sign-shop-profile-media-resources-international","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/sign-shop-profile-media-resources-international\/","title":{"rendered":"Sign Shop Profile: Media Resources International"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_28065\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28065\" style=\"width: 305px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28065\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Management-Team-1.jpg\" alt=\"Management-Team-1\" width=\"305\" height=\"302\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28065\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Photos courtesy Media Resources International<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>By Peter Saunders<br \/><\/strong>Media Resources International (MRI), now celebrating its 50<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary, has evolved significantly throughout the years under the guidance of Keith Edwards, who is currently its co-owner and chief operating officer (COO). His older brother Grant registered the company as Grant Sign Services back in 1966 and got it up and running in 1967, specializing in sign installation and maintenance. Edwards joined a few years later, in 1972, and eventually became general manager (GM) in 1990 after his brother got out of the business.<\/p>\n<p>Now, MRI not only installs and maintains signs, but also designs, prints and fabricates components and systems that are used in various aspects of the sign industry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way,\u201d says Edwards, \u201cfrom a small installation company of three people in 1967 to a national company with more than 180 employees today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investing in growth<br \/><\/strong>When Grant exited the business, he sold it to Robert J. Deluce, now best-known as president and CEO of Porter Airlines.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI worked for Bob as GM for 10 years and learned a lot,\u201d says Edwards, \u201cbut he didn\u2019t want to invest in the further growth of the company. By late 1999, I decided I wanted to buy it back. I worked with two silent partners to help finance the deal and then we really ramped up the business. In our first year, we went from having about 13 employees to 35, bought new equipment and more than doubled our sales. It was mainly a matter of getting additional work from our existing customers, since now we had the capacity to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to growing in scale, the company grew in the diversity of its products and services. By way of example, one of Edwards\u2019 business partners, Steve Gallow, had a background in large-format printing and led an effort in 2003 and 2004 to expand MRI into that field. (The other silent partner was Cal Corneya, whose background was in out-of-home (OOH) advertising with MediaCom. He has since retired, selling his shares to Jeff Rushton.)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing an installation company, we used to receive graphics printed by other companies,\u201d Edwards explains, \u201cbut if they were printed wrong or delivered late, we got blamed. So by printing them ourselves, we could fix any problems better and faster than before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-28074 \" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Media-resources-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"Media-resources-exterior\" width=\"306\" height=\"204\" \/>Under the oversight of Will Thomson, the fourth partner within the current ownership of MRI, a 15-person in-house team continues to print approximately 18,581 m<sup>2<\/sup> (200,000 sf) of graphics per month. A large percentage of their work is for outdoor billboards, but they also print at higher resolutions\u2014up to 1,440 dots per inch (DPI)\u2014on acrylic, polycarbonates and glass, using both solvent-based and ultraviolet-curing (UV-curing) inkjet printers.<\/p>\n<p>In 2005, MRI bought a manufacturer whose tri-vision signs \u2028it had previously installed and serviced. Rebranded as Rite \u2028Sign International, it became a highly successful division of \u2028the company.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe started making those signs here and got to 95 per cent market share in Canada,\u201d says Edwards. \u201cIt was a great business \u2028for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A similar move into large-scale light-emitting diode (LED) displays involved a sales agreement and partnership with U.S.-based Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO) in 2009 and the eventual acquisition of Hamilton Digital Designs (HDD), based in Burlington, Ont., in 2011.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe started developing new LED systems after buying HDD, as then we had the financing and personnel to make it happen,\u201d says Edwards. \u201cWe modified colour positioning to optimize the screens\u2019 horizontal and vertical viewing angles, sourced more efficient and powerful LEDs and angled them downward to reduce the waste of light spillage upward. We may not be as big as Daktronics or Watchfire Signs, but we run head-to-head with them and about 60 per cent of our sales are in the U.S., where they\u2019re based.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Grant\u2019s name stayed on the company during the first few years of its new co-ownership structure, but was soon no longer suitable for the growing mix of services and products.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur divisions all had different names,\u201d Edwards explains, \u201cso we held a contest within the company to come up with one brand for everything we did. That was how we rebranded as MRI.\u201d<!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28077\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28077\" style=\"width: 317px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28077 \" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/media-resources-warehouse-2.jpg\" alt=\"media-resources-warehouse-2\" width=\"317\" height=\"211\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28077\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">A 15-person team digitally prints 18,581 m2 (200,000 sf) of wide-format display graphics per month.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Added dimensions<br \/><\/strong>MRI\u2019s current mix of services includes large-format digital printing and the custom fabrication of large LED displays, such as scoreboards. The company\u2019s clients include OOH firms, advertising agencies, real estate developers and arenas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInstallation and maintenance are still a big part of what we do, comprising about 50 per cent of our overall business,\u201d Edwards says, \u201cthen five per cent is printing and the other 45 per cent is digital LED billboards and displays, which are growing at a rapid rate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over the past few years, MRI has also developed a reputation for the specialized fabrication and installation of large, three-dimensional (3-D) props for the OOH industry. In 2014, for example, Pattison Outdoor launched a Coca-Cola billboard in Vancouver and Toronto to coincide with the Winter Olympic Games \u2028in Sochi, Russia. Both billboards were updated with \u2028a tally of Team Canada\u2019s medals.<\/p>\n<p>To accomplish this effect, MRI first printed the main 7.3 x 14.6-m (24 x 48-ft) billboard panel on flex material and attached a 6 x 6-m (20 x 20-ft) red maple leaf made of exterior-grade plywood with self-adhesive to the front, securing it with throughbolts. Then, the company\u2019s crew added 0.9-m (3-ft) plywood Olympic medals\u2014wrapped in gold, silver or bronze vinyl and decorated with blue flex ribbons\u2014to the billboards to reflect Team Canada\u2019s ongoing performance. Every morning, the installers would go to the site if any medals were won the day before and add them to the maple leaf. In total, Canada won 25 medals at those games.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28079\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28079\" style=\"width: 316px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28079\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/3D-Dinosaur.jpg\" alt=\"3D-Dinosaur\" width=\"316\" height=\"210\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28079\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">With growing demand for 3-D OOH props, MRI has expanded its CNC cutting and milling capabilities in recent years.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The project was a runner-up in the 2014 National Sign Competition\u2019s OOH category, beaten only by a fellow MRI-fabricated \u2018stunt\u2019\u2014a giant Mike\u2019s Hard Lemonade can that was installed along Toronto\u2019s Yonge Street in the summer of 2013.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, the company developed a giant roulette wheel for Clear Channel Outdoor, advertising Fallsview Casino of Niagara Falls, Ont., to people passing by Toronto\u2019s Yonge-Dundas Square.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cComputer-aided design (CAD) technology has made this kind of work quicker and more affordable than it used to be,\u201d says Edwards. \u201cWe\u2019ve invested in more computer numerical control (CNC) cutters for working with foam, as we\u2019ve been inundated with these types of projects and we still don\u2019t have enough people to handle the demand. It\u2019s a niche where we\u2019ve done a great job at marketing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And as mentioned, the LED display business (see pages 28 and 29) is also growing for MRI.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re good at creating custom digital billboards, but in the last 18 months, we\u2019ve also seen more and more indoor LED display projects come along,\u201d says Edwards. \u201cThey\u2019ve quickly grown to represent about eight per cent of our work. We can get down to a pixel pitch of 1.7 mm (67 mil), which looks clear from about 3 to 4 m (10 to 13 ft) away.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28082\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28082\" style=\"width: 296px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28082 \" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/yonge-and-dundas-casino-roulette.jpg\" alt=\"yonge-and-dundas-casino-roulette\" width=\"296\" height=\"197\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28082\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">The company recently developed a giant roulette wheel for Clear Channel Outdoor, advertising Fallsview Casino to people passing by Toronto&#8217;s Yonge-Dundas Square.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>A longer reach<br \/><\/strong>In 2010, MRI\u2019s headquarters (HQ) moved from a leased property in Mississauga, Ont., to a fully owned 5,574-m<sup>2<\/sup> (60,000-sf) building in neighbouring Oakville. This centre of operations is also complemented by smaller facilities in Richmond, B.C., Edmonton and Calgary, along with sales offices throughout North America. And to back up its claim as Canada\u2019s only national sign installation company, MRI operates more than 100 installation and service vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBack in the 1970s when I joined the industry, large sign companies had their own trucks,\u201d Edwards explains. \u201cNowadays, most of them have gotten out of the installation business. And OOH firms do not do their own maintenance. The costs of the vehicles have gone way up and you have to roll them over pretty quickly to keep your fleet viable. So we pride ourselves on taking on that work for the trade. We\u2019re a partner to them, not a competitor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And in the LED display business, MRI\u2019s reach extends not only throughout Canada and the U.S., but also through South America into markets like Peru and Argentina, where it has worked with local OOH firms.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, MRI remains committed to its roots in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In 2015, the company won an Oakville Award for Business Excellence. It was named the town\u2019s Large Business of the Year in recognition of its track record of growth, innovation and community activities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving been with the company for 45 years and an owner with some great partners for 16 years,\u201d Edwards says, \u201cI\u2019m truly proud of MRI and can say it is one of a kind in our industry. We\u2019ve got a dedicated team of the best staff in the industry. We take care of each other and of our customers. Everything else just falls into place.\u201d<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Engineering a Digital Billboard<\/strong><\/h1>\n<div class=\"wonderpluginslider-container\" id=\"wonderpluginslider-container-11\" style=\"max-width:800px;margin:0 auto;padding-left:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-top:84px;padding-bottom:0px;\"><div class=\"wonderpluginslider\" id=\"wonderpluginslider-11\" data-sliderid=\"11\" data-width=\"800\" data-height=\"300\" data-skin=\"topcarousel\" data-autoplay=\"false\" data-randomplay=\"false\" data-loadimageondemand=\"false\" data-transitiononfirstslide=\"false\" data-autoplayvideo=\"false\" data-isresponsive=\"true\" data-fullwidth=\"false\" data-isfullscreen=\"false\" data-ratioresponsive=\"false\" data-showtext=\"true\" data-showtimer=\"true\" data-showbottomshadow=\"false\" data-navshowpreview=\"false\" data-textautohide=\"false\" data-pauseonmouseover=\"false\" data-lightboxresponsive=\"true\" data-lightboxshownavigation=\"false\" data-lightboxshowtitle=\"true\" data-lightboxshowdescription=\"false\" data-texteffectresponsive=\"true\" data-donotinit=\"false\" data-addinitscript=\"false\" data-lightboxfullscreenmode=\"false\" data-lightboxcloseonoverlay=\"true\" data-lightboxvideohidecontrols=\"false\" data-lightboxnogroup=\"false\" data-triggerresize=\"false\" data-lightboxautoslide=\"false\" data-lightboxshowtimer=\"true\" data-lightboxshowplaybutton=\"true\" data-lightboxalwaysshownavarrows=\"false\" data-lightboxshowtitleprefix=\"true\" data-titleusealt=\"false\" data-outputtext=\"false\" data-scalemode=\"fit\" data-arrowstyle=\"mouseover\" data-transition=\"fade\" data-loop=\"0\" data-border=\"0\" data-slideinterval=\"8000\" data-arrowimage=\"arrows-48-48-4.png\" data-arrowwidth=\"48\" data-arrowheight=\"48\" data-arrowtop=\"50\" data-arrowmargin=\"0\" data-navstyle=\"thumbnails\" data-navimage=\"bullet-24-24-5.png\" data-navwidth=\"109\" data-navheight=\"72\" data-navspacing=\"4\" data-navmarginx=\"16\" data-navmarginy=\"-84\" data-navposition=\"top\" data-playvideoimage=\"playvideo-64-64-0.png\" data-playvideoimagewidth=\"64\" data-playvideoimageheight=\"64\" data-lightboxthumbwidth=\"90\" data-lightboxthumbheight=\"60\" data-lightboxthumbtopmargin=\"12\" data-lightboxthumbbottommargin=\"4\" data-lightboxbarheight=\"64\" data-lightboxtitlebottomcss=\"color:#333; 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font-size:16px; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; overflow:hidden; text-align:left;\" data-lightboxdescriptioninsidecss=\"color:#fff; font-size:12px; font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; overflow:hidden; text-align:left; margin:4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;\" data-triggerresizedelay=\"100\" data-lightboxslideinterval=\"5000\" data-lightboxtimerposition=\"bottom\" data-lightboxtimercolor=\"#dc572e\" data-lightboxtimeropacity=\"1\" data-lightboxbordersize=\"8\" data-lightboxborderradius=\"0\" data-textcss=\"display:block; padding:12px 0px; text-align:center; margin-top:4px;\" data-textbgcss=\"display:none;\" data-titlecss=\"display:block; position:relative; font:bold 16px &quot;Lucida Sans Unicode&quot;,&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;,sans-serif,Arial; color:#333;\" data-descriptioncss=\"display:block; position:relative; font:14px &quot;Lucida Sans Unicode&quot;,&quot;Lucida Grande&quot;,sans-serif,Arial; color:#333; margin-top:8px;\" data-buttoncss=\"display:block; position:relative; margin-top:8px;\" data-titlecssresponsive=\"font-size:12px;\" data-descriptioncssresponsive=\"display:none !important;\" data-buttoncssresponsive=\"\" data-jsfolder=\"https:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/plugins\/wonderplugin-slider\/engine\/\" style=\"display:none;\" ><ul class=\"amazingslider-slides\"  style=\"display:none;\"><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/2.jpg\" alt=\"1\" title=\"1\" data-description=\"A computer numerical control (CNC) saw is used to perform end cuts and miters on custom extrusions, based on angles and dimensions programmed by the operator.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/3.jpg\" alt=\"2\" title=\"2\" data-description=\"The frame components are laid out using jigs and clamps to ensure they are staightly squared off.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/4.jpg\" alt=\"3\" title=\"3\" data-description=\"Using a combination of bolted plates and acrylic adhesives at the splice points, the large frame system is assembled with no welding or drilling, so as to better avoid defects and points of failure.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/5.jpg\" alt=\"4\" title=\"4\" data-description=\"Faceplates and other auxiliary components are cut using a CNC router. As the faceplates are identical, the routing team is able to build up a reserve of pieces to support a continuous workflow.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/6.jpg\" alt=\"5\" title=\"5\" data-description=\"The cut and finished nameplates are aligned with a special jig and riveted into the extrusion frame, which has been engineered with rivet chases for a precise fit.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/7.jpg\" alt=\"6\" title=\"6\" data-description=\"After a full inspection, the frame is mounted onto a bracket system with casters that allow it to be moved and shipped.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/8.jpg\" alt=\"7\" title=\"7\" data-description=\"The light-emitting diode (LED) modules are installed, along with power and control components, cables, wiring and cabinet doors.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/10.jpg\" alt=\"8\" title=\"8\" data-description=\"Networking and computing equipment is installed into door-mounted compartments.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/11.jpg\" alt=\"9\" title=\"9\" data-description=\"The digital billboard undergoes a high-power &#39;burn-in&#39; session of at least 48 hours to ensure any weaker components are identified before it leaves the plant. The board is also inspected and calibrated for colour accuracy.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/12.jpg\" alt=\"10\" title=\"10\" data-description=\"The construction is disassembled and the components are slowly and carefully loaded onto a truck for shipping and delivery.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/13.jpg\" alt=\"11\" title=\"11\" data-description=\"The components are re-assembled on-site and lifted as a single piece. The board is rested on ledger brackets. Clamps grip the steel beams to secure it in place.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-img-elem amazingsliderimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/14.jpg\" alt=\"12\" title=\"12\" data-description=\"Once the board is hooked up to an electrical power source and its on-board cellular modem connects to the Internet, the sign begins regular operations.\" \/><\/li><\/ul><ul class=\"amazingslider-thumbnails\"  style=\"display:none;\"><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/2-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"1\" title=\"1\" data-description=\"A computer numerical control (CNC) saw is used to perform end cuts and miters on custom extrusions, based on angles and dimensions programmed by the operator.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"2\" title=\"2\" data-description=\"The frame components are laid out using jigs and clamps to ensure they are staightly squared off.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/4-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"3\" title=\"3\" data-description=\"Using a combination of bolted plates and acrylic adhesives at the splice points, the large frame system is assembled with no welding or drilling, so as to better avoid defects and points of failure.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/5-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"4\" title=\"4\" data-description=\"Faceplates and other auxiliary components are cut using a CNC router. As the faceplates are identical, the routing team is able to build up a reserve of pieces to support a continuous workflow.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/6-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"5\" title=\"5\" data-description=\"The cut and finished nameplates are aligned with a special jig and riveted into the extrusion frame, which has been engineered with rivet chases for a precise fit.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/7-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"6\" title=\"6\" data-description=\"After a full inspection, the frame is mounted onto a bracket system with casters that allow it to be moved and shipped.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/8-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"7\" title=\"7\" data-description=\"The light-emitting diode (LED) modules are installed, along with power and control components, cables, wiring and cabinet doors.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/10-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"8\" title=\"8\" data-description=\"Networking and computing equipment is installed into door-mounted compartments.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/11-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"9\" title=\"9\" data-description=\"The digital billboard undergoes a high-power &#39;burn-in&#39; session of at least 48 hours to ensure any weaker components are identified before it leaves the plant. The board is also inspected and calibrated for colour accuracy.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/12-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"10\" title=\"10\" data-description=\"The construction is disassembled and the components are slowly and carefully loaded onto a truck for shipping and delivery.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/13-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"11\" title=\"11\" data-description=\"The components are re-assembled on-site and lifted as a single piece. The board is rested on ledger brackets. Clamps grip the steel beams to secure it in place.\" \/><\/li><li><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"amazingslider-thumbnail-elem amazingsliderthumbnailimg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.signmedia.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/14-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"12\" title=\"12\" data-description=\"Once the board is hooked up to an electrical power source and its on-board cellular modem connects to the Internet, the sign begins regular operations.\" \/><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Media Resources International (MRI), now celebrating its 50<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary, has evolved significantly throughout the years under the guidance of Keith Edwards, who is currently its co-owner and chief operating officer (COO). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[66,58,12,43,23,588,37,1214,589,71,20,31,89,68],"tags":[1519,2190,2191],"class_list":["post-28063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-features","category-out-of-home-ooh-advertising","category-sign-finishing","category-signmaking-and-fabrication","category-signmaking-hardware","category-wide-format-printed-graphics","category-cnc-routers","category-cuttersplotters","category-cutting","category-digital-billboards","category-dimensional-signage","category-routers","category-sign-shop-profiles","tag-anniversary","tag-keith-edwards","tag-media-resources-international","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - 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