Sign Hardware USA
Sales and Distribution
415 N Chestnut St
McPherson, KS 67460
USA
Toll-free +1-866-288-0364
Tel +1 (218) 236-0934 Sales
Mob +1 (612) 859-1180 Sales
Tel +1 (620) 504-6266 Shipping
Fax +1 (620) 504-6268
www.signsupplysource.com
usa@signsupplysource.com
Sign Hardware Canada
Sales and Distribution
6, 49 Elizabeth Street
Okotoks, AB T1S 1A5
Canada
Tel +1 (403) 982-2088
Fax +1 (403) 982-2087
www.signsupplysource.com
canada@signsupplysource.com
Sign Hardware USA (registered tradename of ER Fournier Design Ltd.) was founded in 1991 by Emile Fournier, a successful inventor and entrepreneur. Prior to Sign Hardware, Mr. Fournier worked at IBM where he applied himself to many technical problems. Since then, Mr. Fournier has invented numerous products, and personally holds eight U.S. patents. Over the years, he has founded several successful companies to manufacture and sell the products he invented to consumers and businesses.
Father of invention
In 1988, Mr. Fournier started a sign company in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A major part of Mr. Fournier's sign business involved making and selling A-frame sandwich board signs. Like other sign companies, he made them the traditional way—using piano hinges or butt hinges—which were expensive, time-consuming to assemble and fragile. These A-frame signs were not ideal, and Mr. Fournier sought a better solution.
The Hinge Handle is born
In 1991, Mr. Fournier developed a new kind of hinge. His "Hinge Handle", for which he received a U.S. patent, offered clear benefits over piano hinges for A-frame signs. First, the Hinge Handle incorporated a handle, making the A-frame signs it held easy to carry. Second, it allowed 330° of rotation, allowing the signmaker to use all four sides for signage. Third, the Hinge Handle was more durable than anything else available. Made of flexible, high-density polyethelene, and connected by a steel shaft, Mr. Fournier's Hinge Handle had no problem enduring cold Canadian winters. He gave the Hinge Handle a lifetime warranty.
Hinge Handles were an instant success. Sales grew quickly, and Mr. Fournier sold his sign company to focus on Hinge Handle production. Today, Hinge Handles are sold by over 145 distributors worldwide. Sign Hardware USA has grown since then, moving into a larger factory in 2001, with further expansions scheduled.