Hartlauer Signs

Since 2006, Hartlauer Signs has used state-of-the-art, computer-aided sign making systems and techniques to create high-impact, exciting signs for its customers. “We take an idea and make it a reality, from design to completion,” explained founder and CEO Jesse Hartlauer. “We can make any sign required and we are completely independent of any other sign or graphics company. We manufacture with almost any material, we can make and repair neon in-house, and we can print and cut vinyl in-house.”

Purchasing a first MultiCam router in 2008, Jesse explained that Hartlauer Signs now has a fleet of three of the CNC routing machines in its Las Vegas facility. “I’m proud to have three,” he said. “We are so busy as a shop that it takes three machines to keep up with demand. Being in the Las Vegas market we have opportunities to do signage that other places in the country maybe don’t - we have the big casinos, the nightlife and everything. They’ve all got to have the big signs, the letter caps, the faux neons, the real neons - and we’re able to do all those aspects of that.”

Jesse said that the company’s router cutting department had grown exponentially since acquiring the first MultiCam, which was a much older machine. “I call it ‘the hogger’ because it’s the one that sits there and just mills sheets all day long,” he said.

That machine I’m gonna guesstimate has probably made us about $20million throughout this whole time. That machine still works today. It’s one of our most valuable machines.

Right tools for the job

Following the success of its first MultiCam machine, Hartlauer Signs invested in the flagship Apex3R to cope with the increasing volume of work – particularly using plexiglass - and the company soon acquired a third machine. “Since we’ve been using the Apex3R we totally understand what the tool changers do and the time it saves you, not changing tools by hand,” said Jesse. “The tool changer was a big aspect of why we recently bought the new Apex machine that has the vinyl cutter on it. With the new kiss cutter and everything, we thought that would be a big addition for our signs.

“It’s some of the best money I’ve spent,” added Jesse. “When you look at what the machine does, to the cost of the machine, you can’t even put that in the same category. What you spend you’re going to spend anyway, but what you make off a MultiCam is just phenomenal in our industry.”

Something that used to take us a week to do, we can do on the machine in 8 hours – you can’t put a value on stuff like that!