In the fall of 2017, DCI Signs & Awnings manufactured and installed a custom sign for Chobani at the famous dairy processor’s headquarters in New Berlin, NY. This blog is a peak into our process as well as a short video showing the manufacturing, fabrication, and installation. Enjoy!

How the Project Started: Custom Signage

With a strong referral from a local New York State sign company, Chobani reached out to DCI Signs & Awnings to design, manufacture, and install custom signage for its headquarters upstate.

Step One: Site Consultation

DCI begins each project with an initial site consultation. With Chobani, it was no different. The DCI team met with the owners of Chobani at the New Berlin headquarters in upstate New York. There, they discussed what the most important function of the signage was. Chobani explained that branding was the No. 1 priority—and to ensure that everything looked proportionate to the space where the sign(s) would be installed.

With that objective in mind, DCI began identifying key areas on the building that were easily viewable and recognizable from far distances. This was conducted in a number of ways including taking measurements and photographs of the building at different distances and different angles to determine the sign(s)’ optimal size and location. DCI also later performed a traffic study to measure traffic flow and to determine if one direction was more prominent.

Chobani also shared that it wished to have the sign(s) lit at night, so DCI made sure to survey the building for accessibility to electricity, wiring, and proper structural attachments to support larger signs during the initial site consultation.

Step Two: Professional Recommendations

DCI concluded that both sides of the building’s bridge—which passes over a county road and connects one part of the building to another—would be optimal for signage. DCI also concluded that two areas on the main building, which faced the main highway and was 60 to 70 feet high, were ideal for branding with custom signs.

DCI made its official recommendations and provided five options and illustrations for each location with different letter sizes. After discussing the designs with Chobani, the options were further narrowed down to three with additional illustrations to help with the decision making process. Chobani ultimately decided to brand just one side of the bridge with 7-foot-tall letters.

Because Chobani wanted the letters to be black during the day and be lit up as white during the night, DCI recommended a premium white LED module with a wide-angle lens and Dual Film perforated vinyl to flawlessly achieve this objective.

Step Three: Manufacturing the Custom Signs

DCI employed a series of fabrication techniques, which were designed for larger sign structures such as Chobani’s. It took about seven to 10 days to to fabricate and manufacture and then two days to install.

Unique Challenges & Results

One interesting challenge that DCI faced was installing the custom sign directly over a highway. In order to place the sign properly and safely, DCI obtained lane closure permits from the state.

During the two days of installation, traffic moved smoothly as did the the letter placement. When completed, Chobani was thrilled with the results: A sign that you can see from many miles away both day and night and incredible branding for the company.