Give Customers Brand Exposure With Custom Matting

Part two of this three-part article looks at the made-to-order matting options available.

There are very few constraints when it comes to customizing a floor mat. It’s typically easy to work with manufacturers to create a specific shape, add a name, or match colors to the décor or brand.

The most popular customizations are adding images. For example, banks, hotels and other retail spaces often add oversize versions of their logos while also including a tagline or address. Universities, on the other hand, may prefer to use their mascots with or without the school name.

Another popular customization is creating sizes that fit perfectly in specific or unusual areas, such as wall-to-wall mats inside an elevator or angled mats for an odd hallway. These specially cut pieces can also include printing, which many facilities use to provide directions. For example, a company with two office towers could use matting cut to include two lanes off of a main welcome mat to visually direct patrons to each tower. The company could also print “North Tower” on one lane and “South Tower” on another for further directional assistance.

“We have found very few limitations when it comes to mat customization,” says Gina Bertuccio, purchasing manager for Eagle Paper in Louisville, Kentucky. “As long as you can provide artwork to the manufacturer, it can do whatever you wish. Honestly, the sky’s the limit.”

There are a handful of requests manufacturers likely can’t accommodate, such as blowing up a detailed logo large enough to fit a mat that covers an entire gym floor, or adding a logo to a grooved scraper mat. These limitations are rare and are far less likely to impede customer mat sales than cost, which can be a bigger roadblock.

A custom equivalent of a stock mat is typically two to four times more expensive. There may also be a one-time charge for artwork setup. Theft can also affect the bottom line. Although not common, certain high-profile accounts may have problems with people trying to steal logo mats, and, if successful, that means replacing these pricey products. Universities and sporting facilities may need to be more alert after installing custom mats.

“When the buildings are not occupied, the entrance should be locked to avoid pilferage,” says Evan Ghen, vice president of sales at Scoles Floorshine Industries, in Farmingdale, New Jersey.

In some cases, customers will forgo custom matting because of the price tag.

“There are plenty of times when I show a stock size and the customer says, ‘I can live with that to save 20 percent,’” says Cumbo.

Other times, the customer may be receptive to a higher price point if the distributor sales rep drives home the brand and image benefits. Mats are frequently a customer’s first impression of a facility, and property managers should think of matting as an advertising vehicle as much a cleaning tool.

“This is a form of marketing that solidifies a company’s image,” says Ghen. “The minute a customer walks into their building, it sees the company’s colors, logo and brand. As the saying goes, perception is reality. It’s a nice way for people to instantly connect with the company, school or retailer.”