Rick Frieze, President of Sign Tek, recognized the need to upgrade the signs nationwide. "There hasn't been any real change since the wooden post hanging signs of the '60's”, he said in a press release to announce the new venture.  "This is the perfect time for a change,"   Frieze stated.

Gary Leeks, President of Palfor Product Developers, Ltd, stated that initial product development, prototyping, and testing has been completed and the first large scale production will begin by the end of the year. The new production facilities are located in Shenzhen, which is near Hong Kong on the Chinese mainland.  Leeks is an old China hand, having been a real estate developer and manufacturer there since 1992.  "We are all extremely pleased with the design and engineering of this new line of products," Leeks said.  "The sign post is shaped in the form in of an 'r' (for 'real estate'), and there are several models available in many colors as well as brushed stainless steel."  "The signs feature scrolling color display messages, automatically night lighted hanging signs, and a GPRS (cell communication system) dubbed the “‘Signcaster’©” that delivers instant digital information (photos, videos, documents, audio, etc.) directly to cell phone display screens and makes it possible for the agents to change the sign’s lighting functions and scrolling display messages. The GPRS digital file can be uploaded to the sign instantly from an office computer using Palfor’s proprietary loader/editor software, which is easy enough for a novice to use. 

 

Text messaging can be sent to the sign from a cell phone to control simple message changes and sign functions. The signs are easily networked in groups of up to 256 signs.  This allows all the signs in any group to be controlled by a central location at once, which will help aid potential buyers by providing them with useful and timely information once they are in the marketplace and exposed to multiple locations and competing products.  Many builders have expressed disappointment after expending large amounts of money and effort on print advertising programs, only to discover that they had inadvertently encouraged buyers to drive around with little access to information, losing them to competitors.  The signs are designed to increase agent productivity and keep their buyers interested and on track to their locations with immediate, relevant and up to the minute information.  Unlike GPS systems which are only updateable via giant database download, this system is easily and quickly changed by office staff from their laptop or office PC.
 
The initial product lineup will also includes a website with instant ordering, payment, and shipping functions featuring very low prices on all types of graphics made for the new generation signs.  There is a PV (photovoltaic) solar powered model under development that will be ready early next year, and a host of attractive LED-lit acrylic office display systems made to accept transparencies and ordinary copier paper listing displays for real estate sales office windows and lobbies.  Numerous other innovative products designed to help agents sell with more efficiency and professionalism will be a part of the product line, including battery- powered scrolling message display open house signs.

"We expect these products to become instantly popular, for all the right reasons," Frieze concluded. “Sign Tek is cooperating with Palfor’s proven success in China to put the ‘TEK’ in real estate signs.”  The new product lineup is currently under consideration by the largest national real estate franchise corporation, and others, to determine if an exclusive use of these products makes sense for their operations. The first full shipments of product are expected to be in transit by the end of 2007 for test marketing in selected U.S. markets.  Nationwide availability will soon follow, with plans for product releases in Canada, Europe, and Australia in 2009.

More information may be obtained by calling Sign Tek President and CEO, Rick Frieze, at 951-733-5300