Blog posts of '2011' 'March'

A trophy is a specially-design reward given to indicate a certain achievement or recognition. The trophy is usually given during academic and athletic events. In prestigious sports events such as the Olympic games, the gold, silver and bronze medals serve as a sole award-giving trophy.

The word “Trophy” traces its roots from the French word “Trophee” meaning “A spoil of war and prize”. The English adapted the French term in the 1550’s to emphasize the victory of the 15th century English War. In Ancient Greece, the trophy is made from series of victorious Greek battles that were hung from a tree to symbolize the warrior’s triumph. The Ancient Greek trophy is made from inscribed contexts depicting the battle of the Gods. The Ancient Romans meanwhile festooned the creation of the trophy for home and memorial purposes.

During the 16th century Middle Age years, the Chalices were given as an alternative to trophy among winners from “New World” sporting events. The “Kyp Cup” is the first chalice given to horse racing champions in New England during the late-1600 years. Chalices are currently seen in prestigious sports events such as the The Stanley Cup, Davis Cup and World Cup. The “Oscar Trophy” for the Academy Awards is the first human-sized trophy created. The “Hugo Award” trophy is famous for its “spaceship” size. The “Man on the Moon” trophy is the second human-sized trophy conceptualized by MTV Networks for the MTV Video Music Awards.

 
There are three types of award-giving trophy designs that are specially created in terms of quality, motif and purpose:

• The Resin Trophy varies in generic quality, styling and overall finishes. Also known as the “Resin Awards”, the trophy is usually seen in academic recognition accolades such as commencement exercises. The resin trophy can be customized or molded, depending on the target theme.
 
• The “Loving-Cup Trophy” is the commonly used trophy made from two silver plate handles, creating a pedestal-like appearance.
 
• The Hunting Trophy features the head of an animal mounted on a solid surface. The trophy is usually given to distinguish accomplishments in the hunting industry.   In 1983, the first “Jules Rimet Trophy” design was stolen in Brazil. The World Football Association made a replica of the original Jules Rimet Trophy for private football match celebrations in 1966. The FIFA purchased the FA’s replica in 1997. However, the loss of the first Jules Rimet Trophy design paved way for the existence of the following:

• The Scottish Cup Trophy is the oldest trophy given during the seasonal Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup in United Kingdom.

• The FIFA World Cup Trophy is being awarded to the winners of the prestigious FIFA World Cup series. Designed in 1974, the previous winners of the FIFA World Cup were initially awarded with the Jules Rimet Trophy replica in 1949.

• The European Champion’s Cup Trophy is awarded to the winners of the annual UEFA Champions’ League. The EC Cup is the most prestigious trophy originated from the European Eastern Hemisphere.

Effective Employee Recognition Can Work Wonders!

Employee recognition isn’t just a nice way to treat your staff; it’s also an extremely effective communication tool that can help you to get the best out of your business. Whatever method of recognition you decide to go for, your actions will reinforce good behavior within your team and staff and will communicate to them what sorts of actions and behaviors you want to see from them. If you own a business andwant to keep your staff motivated and bringing in money for you then a simple employee recognition system can produce immediate, positive results.

We all like being recognized for doing a good job, whether it’s performing well at a sport or completing a tough project at work. It’s very nice being verbally told that we have done well, but to have something tangible like an etched crystal award, engraved plaque or a trophy to actually mark the occasion will show that the company is prepared to go the extra mile to reward good behavior. This is where a company like EDCO Awards and Specialties steps in. EDCO is the premier trophy, plaque and promotional product suppliers on the internet and has an award to suit all occasions. They also offer an engraving service to make the award that little bit more personal. If you are looking for a special way of saying ‘keep up the good work’ to your staff then a trophy or an award from EDCO is the perfect solution!

If you are thinking of employing an employee recognition system and rewarding your staff with either a trophy or an award then you need to go about it in a logical manner. You will first need to establish criteria on which performance or contribution can be tested against. Figure out what behavior or actions you deem rewardable and make sure you stick to these rules. Remember that all employee should be eligible for recognition. When you reward your employee’s with some sort of an award or a trophy you need to be clear about what behaviors or actions are being recognized. This will make it easier for the employer to do the same again and again and will encourage other members of staff to follow suit.

Try and make the recognition of good behavior as close to the actual action as possible, so that the employee feels a sense of immediate recognition, thus making them more likely to do the same again in the future. When it comes to recognizing good behavior amongst your staff, you need to design a process that doesn’t look like you are actively ‘selecting’ certain people as this can come across as favoritism and encourage bad feeling and resentment.

For businesses who want to show their appreciation of all the hard work put in by an individual or a group of employees then look no further than EDCO Awards and Specialties. The awards available will make your employees extremely proud and you can choose from a wide range of items to suit almost any occasion, you can even customize with engraving, etching, screen printing, lasering if you want! Why not raise the morale of your team by showing them that you really appreciate how hard they are working for you by giving them an award to signify just how well they are doing! We all like to be told when we are doing well and an award or trophy is the perfect way to encourage good behavior and motivate staff. Give your staff a great big ‘well done’ today with an award or trophy from Edco Awards & Specialties, serving South Florida for over 40 years!

• The “Colored Laminated Award” is meticulously coated award plates made from wood material laminated with variety of colors.  The plaque is carefully polished to create a solid wood appearance. Most laminated colored awards make use of recycled wood fibers, making them an environment-friendly option. Laminated colored plates are believed to be more affordable due to its quality manufacturing and eco-friendly impact.

• The Glass Awards Plaque comes in various shapes, sizes and styles depending on quality and distinctiveness.  The glass award plaque is produced by series of engraving and sandblasting methods. The glass award plates are usually placed under a small-sized granite or glass base to ensure rigidity when it’s being stand on a surface or shelf. However, the glass awards can be used as viable alternative for wood frame stands.

• The Solid Wooden Awards is recognizable for its simplicity and elegance. Made from various quality hardwood materials, the solid wooden plaque is deemed profitable for its carefully polished wood and granite finishes. Most solid wooden awards are usually given during academic recognitions and lifetime achievement awarding ceremonies.

• Certificate Holders comes out as the most basic type of award-giving plates. Certificate holders are dominantly given in any award-giving body, particularly seminars and community-based events. Some certificate holders are specially covered with a stylish holder to emphasize its esteemed appearance.

• The Executive Award Plaque is made from vibrant combinations of wood, glass and granite materials. What makes the executive plaque different from the aforementioned award-giving plates is that it’s overall styling and finishes is more lavish. The executive awards are usually given during corporate events to recognize the employee’s genuine contribution in the industry’s success.

• The Framed Award Plaque may have an overstated styling and appearance. However, the plaque is considered as one of the most identifiable award-giving plates today for its prestige. The framed award plaque is given on special occasions wherein an employee is recognized for his 10 – 20 years of service in the company. The plaque is also given during exceptional corporate recognitions such as “tribute” ceremonies.

• The Wood Laminated Plaque are said to be manufactured using the same method as that of the colored laminated ones. The only difference is that the wood laminates are made from 100% quality wood and its styling and finishes is less elegant and minimal. The wood laminated plaque is typically handed during private occasions.

• The Perpetual Award Plaque is commonly seen in monthly and annual award-giving bodies conducted by company staff. The largest perpetual plaque has few distinct subdivisions in which the names of the previous recipients are situated.

• The Granite Award Plaque is one of the most prestigious award-giving plates available today. Despite its expensive price when purchased, the granite plaque has a more elegant and quality value. The plaque comes in two sub-types: the Standing and Wall plaque. Both granite awards are made from combinations of quality hard wood, metal and unique shades of marble which can be sandblasted or engraved.

Edco has four completely filled showrooms located throughout Broward County with a huge selection of etched designer crystal, jade glass and clear glass awards.  These glass awards come in various shapes and sizes including tear drops, diamonds, towers, pinnacles, obelisks and flames.  Etched crystal and glass awards are perfect for use as corporate awards, scholastic awards, church awards and individual recognition.

As with all of our Coral Springs, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano trophy shop showrooms, our optic crystal, starfire crystal, clear glass and jade glass is all in stock at our huge Davie Boulevard warehouse.  Ready and waiting to be professionally etched in our Davie Boulevard award manufacturing facility. Our turn-around times will amaze you because unlike our competition, we are a 40 year old business with a huge amount of product, especially glass and crystal awards, in stock in our local warehouse.

Take a look at the short video clip below and you will see a small representation of what we keep in stock to be delivered locally in the South Florida market or to be shipped worldwide.  If you'd like to see more video of our showrooms located in Hollywood, Pompano, Fort Lauderdale and Coral Springs, click here http://www.youtube.com/user/EDCOAWARDS#p/u

In the video clip below you will see our MultiCam CNC router cutting acrylic. The CNC cuts acrylic with a rotating cutter up to 1 inch thick. The CNC is capable of cutting wood, solid surface material (counter top granite look-a-like) and metal. The majority of the time our CNC is cutting the beautiful acrylic awards shown here http://www.edco.com/acrylic-awards but also is frequently used to cut dimensional letters and sign blanks which we later decorate with our Roland Large Format printer. The word CNC means computer numerical controlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerical_control and is controlled by a vector computer file. If an outline file can be drawn or scanned and converted on your computer, the Edco CNC can cut it!

Edco Awards & Specialties is a privately held 40+ year old award, trophy, promotional products and imprinted wearables company with offices located in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and Coral Springs. Edco is a leading supplier of all types of awards including trophies, plaques, engraving, acrylic awards, etched crystal awards, ribbons, rosettes. Edco supplies athletic organizations, non-profit concerns, schools, clubs, churches, temples and many others. Edco delivers awards to all local areas including Deerfield Beach, Davie, Wilton Manors, Ojus, Oakland Park, Dania, Hollywood, Sunny Isles, Golden Beach, just about anywhere in South Florida. Contact Edco at 800-377-8646 or http://www.edco.com

Check out our Egg Art Glass Awards!

Throughout the ages, the egg has symbolized new beginnings and the spark of creation. Traditional folk religions regarded the egg as a powerful symbol of fertility, purity and rebirth. Magic rituals often use eggs to promote fertility and restore virility of the body, mind and spirit and to foresee into the future. Eggs also symbolize growth, protection, new beginnings, resurrection.

Edco Awards & Specialties produces these beautiful multi-color intricate art glass award eggs with base for personalization.  They are a great way to recognize achievers.  Each egg award is an individual work of art.  These are hand made so that no two are identical.  What a great way to stimulate and motivate!

as low as $47.97!

Edco Awards & Specialties is a privately held 40+ year old award, trophy, promotional products and imprinted wearables company with offices located in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano and Coral Springs.  Edco is a leading supplier of all types of awards including trophies, plaques, engraving, acrylic awards, etched crystal awards, ribbons, rosettes.  Edco supplies athletic organizations, non-profit concerns, schools, clubs, churches, temples and many others.  Edco delivers awards to all local areas including Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Parkland, Boca Raton, Lighthouse Point, Hollywood, Miami, Hialeah, Aventura, just about anywhere in South Florida.  Contact Edco at 800-377-8646 or http://edco.com

Meet Bruce Yoskin - Sales Manager of Specialty Products

Bruce Yoskin has been with Edco for 11 years.  We are glad he chose to hang his hat at Edco Awards & Specialties.  Bruce had many years experience in ad specialty sales and joining the Edco team gave him additional lines of signage, wearables, etched crystal awards and more.

A specialist in large accounts, Bruce is proud to include many of the areas large hospitals, corporations and universities among his loyal clients. They look to him for wearables, awards, banners as well as the standard promotional items such as pens, glassware, desk items and other giveaways.

Prior to joining Edco, Bruce spent many years in the specialty food and confectionery industry both here in South Florida and in his home town of Philadelphia.

The next time you go to the theater, look closely, because when he isn’t selling specialty products, he might be found “trodding the boards”; he has appeared in dozens of theatrical productions in the area.

Bruce and his wife Susan, a twenty six year employee of IBM, have children and grandchildren in Philadelphia and Birmingham.

Give him a call at 954-587-0137 ext 119! He’ll be glad to come out and work with you at your office, helping you decide how best to present what is most important to you… your image.

Edco has been utilizing lasers to engrave plastic and metal and to cut various materials for over 30 years.  Edco utilizes the laser to create beautful acrylic awards and to engrave all types of awards and signs.  We use the laser in our engraved brick process as well as cutting small dimensional letters and the fabrication of name badges.  We have engraved the frames of eye glasses, engraved images on leather, glass, wood, fabric and we can even use it to create an imprint on stainless steel.  Our motto for the last 30 years still holds true... "If it doesn't move, we can probably engrave it!"

Edco has state of the art flat bed UV printing capabilities with its Mimaki JF series printer.  This printer can print on any flat surface including glass, acrylic, wood, metal, cardboard and sign type plastic materials.  The UV printer was a six figure investment but has become one of the most used machines in the plant.  The acrylic guitar you see went from concept to finished product in two days.  With Edco's Multicam CNC Router (to be featured in a blog soon) the acrylic was cut from 3/4 inch by 8 foot by 4 foot sheet.  Sanded and polished and printed all in our facility on Davie Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.  Edco can take your rough drawing or concept, create the vector art for driving the CNC and the full color art to be printed on the UV printer.  If it's one or a hundred, Edco has the ability to make custom printed acrylic awards!

Recently Edco Awards & Specialties installed a unique way of advertising.  We placed 8 foot tall plastic letters on the roof of the building.  This is what the newest update of Google Earth will look like when it is processed.  We are running a contest for anyone who flies over though.  We will give a $100.00 check to the first person who takes an actual photograph of this from the air.  Caution!  We have placed a strange object on the roof as well so your photograph must show that too (no photoshop jobs)!

Edco Awards is a 40 year old awards and recognition business in Hollywood, FL, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Pompano, FL and Coral Springs, FL.  Edco manufactures all types of awards, ad specialties, ribbons, rosettes, signage, wearable products, trophies and plaques.

Edco has been delivering quality awards throughout Broward and Palm Beach County for many years. We routinely deliver everything from delicate etched crystal awards to thousands of custom imprinted t-shirts. We have delivered our fund raising tree of life recognition wall product to churches as far as Clewiston and Naples.

In addition to Edco being the first awards company on the internet, we think we have one of the first vehicles to sport a giant QR code on its side! Next time you see the Edco delivery van around South Florida shoot the QR and say hello to driver Ed Thebold. Ed has been our customer pleasing awards delivery driver for many years!

Info on Tree of Life: http://www.edco.com/treeoflife

Info on Promotional Products: http://www.edco.com/promotional

Info on Etched Crystal Awards: http://www.edco.com/crystal-awards

Recently we found out that the Bermaq Company located in Spain has gone out of business. Since 1982 they have been making this machine which is a critical part of Edco Awards & Specialties acrylic award production. This machine has diamond blades that finish the edges of acrylic as the first step to making a beautiful acrylic award. For many years Edco has been producing acrylic awards that ultimately get lasered. Recently Edco added a Mimaki flat bed UV printer which prints directly on the surface of acrylic and other surfaces. Other links of interest about the Bermaq and acrylic polishing are here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05OaKoq81YU

We understand that the employees of Bermaq in Spain were going to try and bring the company back but we are unsure if their efforts have been successful.

Here are some of the products the Bermaq is instrumental in creating:

http://www.edco.com/acrylic-awards

What a rush in the recognition awards department.  We produce many, many rush orders!  Never fear though.  Jim is here to make sure all your etched glass and crystal awards look great and are perfect in every way!  Recently we have seen a boom in orders being placed for employee recognition awards.  Such awards help motivate staff and improve overall performance.  Programs are very inexpensive to implement and our team is ready to help you with last minute needs.  If you think your office might bennefit from a recognition awards program call us today.

800-377-8646