Advanced Cabinet Systems Expands National Reach With New Casework Dealer

Marion, Indiana—Advanced Cabinet Systems (ACS), a manufacturer of Division 12 Plastic Laminate Casework and Retail Store Fixtures, has expanded their dealer network by signing The Braley Company as their latest dealer of Division 12 casework in the Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama Markets. Darryl Braley, Founder and President of The Braley Company, had over 20 years experience in the plastic laminate casework industry when he established The Braley Company in 1995. Located in Harrison Tennessee, The Braley Company specializes in selling casework in the healthcare, educational, and industrial industries.

 

In 2011, ACS changed their business model to focus on manufacturing quality casegoods and developing a dealer network to sell their products. “ACS has an aggressiveness and drive that their competition lacks,” says Kelly Cooke, Vice President of The Braley Company.  ACS succeeded in surpassing its bid goal by more than 50% in 2012 alone. This shift is primarily attributed to the ACS dealer expansions. “I’m excited to take the quality products ACS manufactures to the southeast market. ACS is committed company that stands behind their product, which is important to us,” says Cooke.

 

ACS has developed an extensive casework dealer network since 2011. Their dealers include Harry J. Kloeppel & Associates, Inc. representing ACS in the Indiana and Illinois territories, Glover Equipment to handle Maryland, Delaware, and Washington D.C. , The Barfield Group to represent Florida, Smith & Schaefer to represent ACS in Michigan, Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, m.LICCIARDELLO to represent eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey markets, and most recently The Braley Company representing Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.

 

ACS is actively seeking out dealers in other regions as they continue to expand. If you’re interested in learning more about the ACS dealer program please contact Jay Higgins (jhiggins@jgbowers.com).

2013 Trend Watch

JWT, one of the most well-known marketing communication brands in the world, recently released their annual trend report: 100 Things to Watch in 2013.

If you want to see the list in its entirety, you can check out the report here. However, the firm did put together a short video that I wanted to share, which seems to be a quick overview of the 10 trends they believe are going to make the biggest impact.

Whether or not we will actually see these ideas go mainstream in the next year has yet to be seen, but I have to say, I find them to be pretty thought provoking. 

What do you think? Do you see these trends becoming reality in 2013?

Advanced Cabinet Systems on a Mission

Marion, Indiana—Advanced Cabinet Systems (ACS), a manufacturer of Division 12 Plastic Laminate Casework and Retail Store Fixtures, and JGBowers, Inc., their parent company, have developed a new company mission statement. Phil Bowers, President of JGBowers, Inc. and Advanced Cabinet Systems, worked closely with Whitney Bowers Christopher, Vice President of Compliance and Administration, to develop the new company core values. ACS has coined the term “Keep Calm and Change the Game,” a play off of the famous British “Keep Calm and Carry On” campaign from World War II. The term was used as a guideline to create the new mission statement.

 

The statement starts with the keep calm phrase and continues with the phrase “Consistently looking for better ways to advance our industry.” It was developed to empower employees and inspire different ways of thinking. “We wrote the mission statement to clearly define our company’s goals, standards, and expectations. ‘The facts’ are what we, and every employee here, will strive to live up to every day,” said Whitney Bowers Christopher.  The statement includes ten facts, each with a description. “I’m excited to have this in writing. Our mission statement truly reflects our company, our desire to change the game, and the method to achieve it,” added Phil Bowers.

View the mission statement in its entirety here. 

sources: one

Climbing out of a Creative Rut

Oh, the creative rut. Or maybe creative strangle-hold would more aptly describe one of these mental blocks. We've all been there at one time or another--when you really want, or rather NEED, to be on top of your creative game...and it's just.not.happening.

As a frequent sufferer of this epidemic, I started doing a little digging around the internet to see what other creative minds do to get their artistic juices flowing. I came across this great infographic by Brian Clark of Copyblogger, and wanted to share it with you...


Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.


Do you ever fall into a creative rut? What do you do to help get the creativity flowing again?

Retail Sound Design

A well-designed space places importance on engaging all the senses. Upon arrival, a customer is immediately surrounded by a total environment that either actively invites the person to explore the space or unknowingly causes negative perceptions about the store. One aspect of retail design that affects us significantly (often without us even realizing) is the use of sound. The right sound can lead to increased sales, but an an inappropriate sound application can dramatically change customer well-being and purchasing. 
 

What can the right sound do?

1. reinforce store image and branding

2. encourage purchasing and a lengthened shopping time

3. attract specific attention to a product or attract a specific audience to the store

4. entertain the customers and create positive perceptions about the store

 

acoustic materials create opportunities to
enhance store branding and add interest

 

 

Carefully chosen background sound in combination with acoustic materials and a professional sound technology system will ensure a positive audial experience for customers.

 

 

 

 

The following video outlines the ways that sound affects us and
a few ways to consciously provide pleasing sound in a space.
 

 

 
The four Golden Rules
for commercial sound:

1. make it congruent

2. make it appropriate
3.  make it valuable

4. test and test again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
by Jonica Klein    



Diverse Spaces

 

sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

By Jonica Klein

Uncommon Building Materials

 

 

 

sources: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven

 

by Jonica Klein