The creations made by Riverbend Signworks of Bettendorf can be seen in thousands of buildings, hallways and vehicles. Brad Morrison, the company president and owner, said that even though the word “sign” is in its name, Riverbend is not really a sign company. “The best way to describe us is with the question: How can […]
The creations made by Riverbend Signworks of Bettendorf can be seen in thousands of buildings, hallways and vehicles.Brad Morrison, the company president and owner, said that even though the word “sign” is in its name, Riverbend is not really a sign company.“The best way to describe us is with the question: How can we help you have better recognition?” he said.Riverbend Signworks employees used their talents to create graphics on a vehicle for Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSONFor almost 10 years, Riverbend has been helping companies and organizations with that recognition by creating a wide variety of creations for the outside and inside of buildings, and for company vehicles. Many of its creations, which can be seen across the Quad Cities region, include:
Exterior signs on businesses, such as Grace Engineering in Davenport.
Interior signs, such as lobby signs and wall graphics. Some of those recent creations are in schools in Clinton, Iowa, and Galesburg, Illinois.
The business worked on the new Davenport Richard Bittner YMCA. It designed, created and executed/installed exterior signs, room signs, wall graphics, hanging signs, lobby signs, mission statements, dimensional letters and window graphics. The team was able to work collaboratively with the team at the Y, to create some visually appealing work.
One of the more high visibility projects was the TBK Sports Complex. The work included design to installation of the exterior, wayfinding, room, environmental graphics and interior signage.
Vehicle wraps advertising a company or organization. Riverbend recently put wraps on two vans for Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. The artwork features a large white eagle logo on the vehicles. “Your advertising graphics will be seen by 30k-80k people everyday that you’re on the road. That’s 9 million impressions if you drive an average of 15,000 a year,” according to a blog by Rianne Brinker, an administration and marketing employee with Riverbend.
Mr. Morrison said about one-third of Riverbend’s work these days centers on creating those vehicle wraps. The other two-thirds of the business covers a wide range of indoor and outdoor projects. “We can do almost anything … But we don’t do billboards,” he added.Since the tough business days of the pandemic, he said Riverbend also has been seeing more interior building projects such as installing graphics in the workplace to create a more welcoming environment for employees returning from their work-at-home status, to high-quality and colorful graphics in company lobbies to greet customers. (Mr. Morrison says that “lobby sign is your first handshake.”)He adds that he tries to get this message to customers who are looking for interior or exterior signs and graphics: High-quality graphics send the message that you are a high-quality organization. Cheap signs and graphics send the message that you are a cheap organization.In another blog post, Ms. Brinker puts the need this way: “A well-designed lobby sign gives visitors and customers their first impressions of the company. A worn, lifeless lobby sign powerful conveys negative messages to potential customers. Rather than continue to hang a sign that performs poorly, upgrade and revitalize the entire lobby space.”Some examples of the company’s lobby work include: interior directional signs at Palmer College of Chiropractic and UnityPoint Health buildings; and lobby signs inside WQAD-TV, Meeks Construction, Durant Chiropractic, Maquoketa Eyecare and Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial.“There’s a value to walls that aren’t boring,” Mr. Morrison said.At Riverbend, the goal is always to produce those high-quality graphics for the customers. But company employees also have fun.Mr. Morrison recently showed the QCBJ an example of that fun on the front door of his own office. The door sports an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) interior sign that was meant for a custodian’s office. But this particularly sign has a bad spelling — “Cutodian.”“They (company employees) put that on my door to see how long it would take me to see the spelling,” he added.When he is not busy with work, Mr. Morrison is busy with many community organizations. Some of that community work includes: involved on the board for YouthHope; board member for the Bettendorf Business Network; and involved with his church.
How it began
Mr. Morrison has been in the printing and graphics business for much of his life. Years ago, he was manager of a printing company in Michigan. Back in those days, printing phone books was a big part of the business. In 2006, he joined the Quad Cities printing company that eventually became R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Eldridge. That company closed in 2011. After that, he became vice president of operations at Graphic Images in Davenport.But he soon realized he wanted his own business. “ I wanted to run my own business the way I wanted to run it.”His Riverbend Signworks opened for business about 10 years ago, and about eight years ago was the first business to locate in the 40th Avenue Business Park in Bettendorf. His company earned top honors in the QCBJ’s Best of the Region awards last summer and was named by Best Sign Company. Riverbend, like many companies, faces the challenges of inflation. For instance, a sign that cost $4,000 a few years ago now costs $5,000 because of the rising cost of materials. But, overall, business has been good, Mr. Morrison said. As for the future, Mr. Morrison holds open the possibility that Riverbend Signworks may eventually need more room, more equipment and more employees to serve its growing customer list. But he wants to make sure his company continues its goals of helping clients tell their stories through signs and graphics.“We tell the world what you do. … We intend to help those local organizations be successful no matter what economic climate is in place. We’ll be successful as long as we are helping other organizations be known, be found, be recognized, be organized, and be successful,” he added.
AT A GLANCE: RIVERBEND SIGNWORKS
Services: They include exterior signs, wayfinding and ADA signs; vehicle wraps; interior signs; wall graphics and more. Location: 979 40th Ave., Bettendorf, in the 40th Avenue Business Park.About the Riverbend Signworks: The decade-old company can help your company build its brand, be found more easily, communicate with the outside world and even recognize your donors. The company helps other companies and organizations build a brand through the use of creative signage and design, according to the its website. Workforce: 10.Hours: 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m., weekdays.For more information: Visit riverbendsignworks.com or call (563) 424-5841.
