Answer to Commonly Asked Questions About the Conversion to Glue-Free Posting

Q. What's the status of the industry's conversion to glue-free posting and who is adopting what system?

A. The CG Cable System provides the lowest capital cost and easiest retro-fit to implement glue-free single-sheet posting. Our system maintains the industry standard poster sizing and enables the lowest labor cost poster installation available.

Our system is virtually guaranteed to fit any poster panel in your inventory regardless of trim style or condition of poster face. It's an elegantly simply, and effective system that will allow you to transition your inventory quickly and inexpensively to single-sheet posting.

Clear Channel Outdoor, CBS Outdoor, Fairway Outdoor, Next Media, and many other outdoor companies have adopted and purchased the CG Cable System for posting of the new single sheet posters. These companies are currently in the process of completing the system hardware installation and should be finished by the end of the year.

Lamar Advertising is using their pre-existing retro-vinyl insert system (hooks, j-bolts, and poles) for their single sheet posters which have slightly different finishing on the back side. Lamar is essentially ready for the transition to glue-free, and, in fact, many of their markets have already transitioned to Lamar Poster Flex (Lamar's name for the single sheet plastic poster that is finished for their frame system) for their local buys.

Over 80 percent of the outdoor industry has standardized on either Circle's system or Lamar's pre-existing pole pocket system. Be confident when you chose the Circle Graphics system that it has been tested and approved and is the closest thing the industry has to an industry standard.

Q. How are Eco-Posters installed using the CG Cable System?

A. Eco-Posters require a pocket on the back of the poster so that a clip can slide in and ultimately tension the poster.

The clips remain attached to a cable on the poster structure. The clips slide easily into the pre-cut pocket in the exact location. Installation is simple, and no prep work is required by the billposter prior to or after installation.

The cable and clip system benefits the operator (not the printer) because the poster arrives "ready to post" out of the box. If a printer is suggesting you adopt a system other than the CG Cable System, make sure that your interests are being served instead of the printers.

Read an overview of the CG Cable System.

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Q. What single-sheet poster installation systems are currently available?

A. On January 16, 2008, OAAA sponsored a demonstration of the three major single sheet poster installation systems at Fairway Outdoor Advertising's plant in Raleigh, NC. Over 100 OAAA members attended the demonstrations.

The link below lead to video presentations of each system's demonstration. You can choose to view each presentation individually or click "Play All" to view each in succession.

Q. Another printing company is pushing me to adopt another hardware system. Why are they doing this and what should I be concerned about?

A. This is an extremely important point.

The poster finishing for the hardware system we hear some companies are considering, Formetco's Quickflex System, is undoubtedly easier for a printer to produce in that it requires no finishing (i.e., no pockets) on the back of the poster.

While a printing company would naturally prefer to produce posters without a pocket (easier for them to produce), it ultimately slows down and adds cost to the posting company's installation. Adopting the Formetco Quickflex System will virtually guarantee a permanently higher installation and direct labor cost for the posting company.

The CG Cable System is designed so that the poster is ready for installation immediately upon receipt. There is absolutely no need for "setup activity" as is required with the Formetco system. With the CG Cable System, an eco-poster can be removed and installed in a total of only 15 minutes (on-site).

With the Formetco system, you will be required to place clips on to the poster before the poster is ready for on-site installation as well as remove these clips after poster removal. This combined preparation time is quite significant and we have heard concerns about this issue from a number of outdoor executives.

Another significant cost related to the Formetco system is the expensive new trim kits that are required if you do not currently have overhang trim on your poster units. We strongly suggest you compare the capital cost of retro-fitting your units.

As you will see below, CG's Cable System is an inexpensive retro-fit of only $150 per poster face.

In summary, we encourage you to be skeptical when you hear another printer (or anyone else) suggest that you adopt another hardware system. It's likely that this is being done without your best interest in mind and without consideration of:

• your higher up front capital costs
• your increased labor cost related to pre-installing clips at the shop, or
• your increased labor cost related to removal of these clips upon returning to your shop

Q. I only get occasional national business. Should I still convert?

A. National advertisers will definitely want the benefits related to single sheet posting, and many of our national advertisers are already in the process of converting (e.g., Anheuser-Busch, Geico, McDonalds). The benefits to advertisers are significant, so one can expect them to rapidly adopt the new system.

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Q. What is the cost and availability of the CG Cable System as well as an estimated cost on production of the Eco-Posters?

A. Circle has purchased units to satisfy the purchase orders received from Clear Channel Outdoor, CBS Outdoor, Fairway Outdoor, and several other outdoor companies. We manufacture the kits and hardware overseas in order to get the best pricing available.

The hardware kit for each poster face costs $150 and includes the parts and accessories described in on our Install Guides.

We also sell hardware installation kits and poster installation kits for $175 per kit. These kits make the installation of hardware and posters easy and inexpensive.

As far as Eco-Poster production, Circle Graphics is prepared to offer production to any posting company that adopts CG's Cable System. Our pricing programs relate to whether the poster company has a committed volume of business with Circle. For example, a posting company that commits 75% or more of their production to Circle will qualify for our most favorable pricing under our Platinum level plan.

More details and specifics of our pricing plans will be shared with individual customers at the appropriate time.

If you have specific questions about pricing for either system hardware or production, please feel free to contact Rod Rackley at rod@circlegraphicsonline.com or (303)951-1428.