Polycarbonate Sheet Brings Bold, Colorful Covestro Signage to Life

After assuming a new identity just over one year ago, Covestro needed to give directional and wayfinding signage at its North American sites a complete makeover. Fortunately, when considering signage materials, Covestro didn’t have far to look. The company’s polycarbonate sheet, which has been successfully used for decades in a variety of signage applications, is now giving signage at several Covestro sites a bold, colorful look.

“We have been supplying engineered polycarbonate sheet for more than 60 years,” said Ken Licklider, sign and lighting segment manager, Polycarbonate Sheet, Covestro LLC. “Our employees believe strongly in our materials, so it’s a source of pride to see our polycarbonate being used to bring our own logo and signage to life.”

At its North American headquarters campus in Pittsburgh, the Covestro logo is clearly visible to passing motorists along the busy airport corridor. The distinctive logo – measuring 20 feet in diameter, appears to float on the roof of one of the buildings. The illuminated channel letters and ring utilize Makrolon® polycarbonate sheet.

The logo also appears on an eye-catching hillside lawn sign that spans 48 feet. The colorful ring portion, which measures more than four feet at its widest point, was formed using transparent Makrolon® Abrasion Resistant (AR) polycarbonate sheet. This grade of polycarbonate sheet features hardcoat technology that offers protection from ultra-violet light, chemicals and abrasion.

To fabricate the lawn sign, the polycarbonate sheet is first cut and routered into the ring shape. Next, the Covestro colors are digitally printed on a vinyl film that is adhered to the second surface, or back side, of the polycarbonate. Extensive testing was done in the company’s lab in Sheffield, Massachusetts, to ensure the material was the appropriate thickness to accommodate the large span. Covestro also made recommendations to the sign fabricator on how to assemble the ring.

Each Covestro letter stands six feet tall, weighs approximately 300 pounds and is formed using Makrolon® SL polycarbonate sheet. This grade of material offers advanced UV protection that promotes long-lasting outdoor weathering performance. The toughness of Makrolon® SL polycarbonate sheet provides superior impact strength and high temperature resistance.

Both grades meet the UL 879 standard for electric sign components and the UL 94 HB flammability rating, enabling 3,375 LED lights to illuminate the ring and letters of the lawn sign. The dimensional stability of the materials allows for closer placement of the lighting sources to the sign face for more versatile and cost-effective designs.

Makrolon® polycarbonate sheet is often specified for signage applications because it is easy to form, fabricate and decorate, providing excellent aesthetics and durability that can stand up to the seasons in the Northeast and Midwest. The material is virtually unbreakable, has over 30 times the impact resistance of impact modified acrylic sheet and can replace acrylic or other rigid substrate in signage applications.

Makrolon polycarbonate sheet it also utilized at two other Covestro North American locations.

A monument sign with directional information welcomes employees and visitors at Covestro’s Sheffield, Massachusetts, site. The sign face features Makrolon® SL polycarbonate sheet, which was retrofitted into an existing metal channel to provide stability while allowing for expansion and contraction of the polycarbonate sheet.

The Newark, Ohio, site features Makrolon® polycarbonate sheet in its illuminated and monument signage installations. Two illuminated Covestro signs are mounted on the building that houses the company’s North American Color Competence & Design Center. There are also two monument signs at street level, one in front of the Color Competence & Design Center and one in front of the administrative offices.