The Wonder Spelen donor wall in place at the playground. “Wonder Spelen” means “Miracle Play” in Dutch.

In 2019, Fred Kreykes came to a meeting of the Pella Kiwanis Club with an idea: transforming the Kiwanis Park on Main Street into an accessible, inclusive place where people of all ages and abilities could play. He was met with overwhelming support from both the Kiwanis and the City of Pella. Last October, the Wonder Spelen playground opened to the public, featuring interactive and sensory play equipment, as well as accessible bathrooms.

The project was in part funded by the proceeds from the Kiwanis poffertje stand, which the club rolls out at Tulip Time and other town events. It was also made possible by donations from several businesses and individuals, whose generosity the Wonder Spelen team wanted to honor with a recognition wall.

“In 2010, Pella Engraving & Sign Company did my company’s sign. Over 10 years later, I knew they were the only people I wanted to work with on this donor recognition wall,” said Mark Wiskus, a Kiwanis member and chair of the Wonder Spelen project.

Mark and his team collaborated with PEC on the wall’s design. It was important to all involved that the design allow new donor names to be added in the future. And, of course, the wall needed to incorporate some nods to Pella’s Dutch heritage—after all, the crown jewel of the playground is a large windmill!

“PEC does a fantastic job of listening to what their customers want and asking questions about their vision,” said Mark. “We worked together to create a great design that had everything we wanted.”

The construction of the Wonder Spelen donor wall gave PEC the opportunity to flex a wide range of skills—from vinyl work to zinc etching and custom metal fabrication:

• Frame – The donor wall’s custom outer frame was constructed and painted by PEC. The team took color swatches to the playground to make sure they used a matching yellow paint.
• Background Plates – The large background plate was made from aluminum and painted a color-matched dark blue. Then, four etched zinc plates were mounted on top of the aluminum to serve as a backdrop for the donor plates and logos. These zinc plates were painted light blue and feature raised rectangular boxes, marking the spots for each donor nameplate.
• Donor Nameplates – Donor names were etched onto zinc plates. That zinc was painted dark blue, and the names and outer borders were tipped in white. The nameplates were then installed on top of the raised boxes. Several boxes are blank, leaving room to add nameplates for new donors.
• Vinyl Lettering, Logos, and Accents – PEC cut all the lettering on the Wonder Spelen donor wall from vinyl. The Kiwanis and City of Pella seals were printed in full color on vinyl, as were the logos of major donors Precision, Inc., Vermeer Charitable Foundation, and Pella Corporation. For the border along the bottom of the wall, PEC printed and cut out brightly colored tulips, Dutch buildings, windmills, and wooden shoes.

When the parts were complete, the PEC team put everything together and installed the wall at the playground. But that is not the end of the story.

“Now we’re working with Pella Engraving on a street sign for the Wonder Spelen,” said Mark. “We’re all excited to see it!”

To mark this season of growth, Creative Marketing and Communications Specialist Melissa Chipps was challenged to come up with new signage and wall displays. She turned to longtime friend Tim Sadler, head of Pella Engraving Company’s Sadler Sign & Design division.* Melissa and Tim worked together during the design phase, then the baton was officially handed to Tim and the PEC team. They turned Melissa’s ideas into reality in three major projects:

Headquarters Exterior Sign

First on the list was a new exterior sign for corporate headquarters. The Precision, Inc., team procured the ¼” aluminum and used their capabilities to cut out their new logo. The sign was then passed in two pieces to Pella Engraving Company. The Sadler division welded the pieces together. Then they created an installation template and manufactured brackets to install the sign into the concrete wall of the building. After the PEC team installed the sign, Gritters Electric came in and added LED backlighting so the sign can be illuminated at night.

The exterior sign was installed using brackets fabricated by PEC’s Sadler Sign and Design division.

Wall of Industries and Frosted Glass Brand Elements

In another project for corporate headquarters, the PEC team created a wall display highlighting the industries supported by PPI and PFI. High-definition color photos representing each industry were UV-printed on a thin layer of aluminum. Each aluminum tile was then attached to PVC backer pieces of different thicknesses. Brought together, the varying heights of the tiles give the display visual interest and depth. Glass panels with frosted-vinyl backing display the PPI and PFI logos and feature definitions of the terms, “manufacture” and “sanitary,” as they are used by Precision, Inc. The tiles and glass panels were installed by Tim and PEC Co-Owner Jarid Purvis in a hallway above the main lobby. Across the way, they installed frosted glass panels—also fabricated by the PEC team—that feature the corporate tagline and Precision, Inc., logo.

UV-printed aluminum tiles mounted on PVC backers of different thicknesses create a display with visual interest and depth.

The frosted glass panels display the corporate tagline and Precision, Inc., logo.

Wall of PPI Locations

For the interior of the Technology Center, PEC created another wall display, this time highlighting PPI’s four Iowa and two international manufacturing locations. Black-and-white photos were printed on five 24″ x 40″ Metalphoto® panels. This phototransfer technology permanently embeds dye into the pores of the aluminum, ensuring crisp detail and durability. Each photo panel was paired with a 24″ x 8″ plaque displaying the location name. The display was installed by Jarid and PEC team member Greg Dickenson in the main conference room of the Technology Center.

Metalphoto® anodized aluminum panels showcase black-and-white photos of each PPI location.

“I’ve known Tim for nearly 10 years and have always had a pleasant experience working with him and his team,” said Melissa. “They always seem excited when I bring something new to them, and they always accept the challenge of helping me bring my ideas to life. Pella Engraving Company and the Sadler division are my go-to whenever I need signage or display plaques.”

*In June 2019, Tim handed over the reigns of the signage division to PEC Owners Jeff Vroom and Jarid Purvis. Learn more about the signage team.

The donor wall at the Cambridge SportsPlex honors all those who contributed time and money to the project.

It took 140 donors to make it happen, but thanks to their dedication, the town of Fairfield, Iowa, has a new gym and pool facility that is improving its citizens’ quality of life and attracting new people to the community.

Originally built 45 years ago, Fairfield’s recreational facilities were due for an upgrade. In 2011, planning began for the multi-million-dollar Cambridge SportsPlex, and it opened in 2016. The 36,000 square-foot-space includes an indoor three-lane track, three full-size basketball courts, fitness area, exercise floor, storage, batting cages, restrooms, and showers.

After the grand opening, the SportsPlex task force committee wanted to recognize the generous donors who contributed to the project. A member of the task force, Kent Whitney, had previously worked with the PEC team and was pleased with the end result of the project. On behalf of the committee, he approached Pella Engraving Company about creating a donor recognition wall.

“I stopped in one day and showed them our ideas. They immediately took to it and got excited about the project. I knew right then we had the company we needed with the capability and passion to create our donor wall,” said Kent.

Kent already had a design in mind, and PEC was able to bring the idea to life using a three-part approach:

• Wave-inspired, curving background plates were cut on PEC’s state-of-the-art plasma cutter from 1/8″ aluminum. After color-matching the client’s artwork, these plates were painted in three shades of blue.
• 1/8″ zinc plates with a pebbled texture were cut on a band saw and painted light gray to showcase the donor list. Donor names were etched into the zinc and tipped in black.
• PEC turned to Sadler Sign and Design of Pella for the smallest lettering on the sign. The scale of the letters was too small to be handled by a plasma cutter or CNC machine. Vinyl was the perfect solution. The PEC team pre-coated the vinyl with the task force committee’s chosen shade of gray, and the individual letters were cut by Sadler Sign and Design. This lettering technique was repeated for the sign’s headline to create a cohesive and eye-catching final design.

The donor wall was installed in the Cambridge SportsPlex lobby. It perfectly fills space on a bare wall and improves traffic flow through the building. The task force committee was very pleased with the final project.

“Pella Engraving Company made what could have been a very challenging project enjoyable and stress-free,” said Kent. “The team’s professionalism and friendly and flexible demeanor made us feel like our project was the most important one on their plate.”

Pella Engraving manufactured 58 plaques for the updated Central College Hall of Honor—55 recreations of the original plaques and 3 all-new plaques.

Four years ago, Central College embarked on the Forever Dutch initiative—an ongoing multi-million dollar renovation project that is transforming the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex into a modern and welcoming home for student-athletes, coaches, and Central fans. The latest upgrade to the complex is the expansion and renovation of the southern and western wings of P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.

The expansion was completed last spring, but it was officially unveiled to fans, donors, and alumni at the Athletics Hall of Honor induction ceremony on September 23 during Central’s 2017 homecoming celebrations. Open for exploring on the gym’s second floor were areas like the newly updated wrestling room. Downstairs, in the Pacha Family Lobby, guests were greeted by something special courtesy of Pella Engraving Company—a brand-new Hall of Honor recognition wall.

The Hall of Honor was instituted in 2002. It recognizes standout student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who have become exceptional leaders outside the Central College athletics family. “Inductees to the Hall of Honor represent the best of what Central is all about,” said Athletics Director Eric Van Kley.

Fifteen years ago, the original Hall of Honor included 55 magnesium plaques with wood backings; Pella Engraving had been manufacturing a new plaque each time an inductee was chosen. As the work on Kuyper Gymnasium progressed, the Forever Dutch team decided to replace the original plaques with new ones that fit the sleek, modern feel of the renovated building. “We went back to Pella Engraving because we knew they could provide plaques with the style and excellence that characterize the new building,” said Eric.

The new plaques feature a photo of the honoree, their graduation date, and biographical information printed on silver aluminum plates.

In total, Pella Engraving manufactured 58 plaques for the updated Hall of Honor—55 recreations of the original plaques and 3 all-new plaques. Plaques will be added each year as new individuals are inducted into the Hall of Honor. The PEC team took the lead in creating the new plaque style. Each plaque includes a photo of the honoree, their graduation date, and a short description of their accomplishments, all surrounded by a field of Central red. The photo, text, and color background were printed on silver aluminum plates with Pella Engraving’s UV flatbed printer. The aluminum plates were then adhered to a black acrylic backer. Finally, clear acrylic shields that provide both style and protection from nicks and scratches were secured to the front of each plaque with aluminum standoff caps.

The display is headlined with plasma-cut aluminum lettering. Two sets of letters—one silver and one black—were created using PEC’s state-of-the-art plasma cutter. The black letters were installed first, followed by the silver letters, which were placed at a slight offset to create a drop-shadow effect.

The new recognition wall received a very positive reception at the Athletics Hall of Honor ceremony. “I’ve heard a lot of people say that the new Hall of Honor looks very classy,” said Eric. “It adds excitement to the lobby, and the quality of the display is something we are really proud of. The Pella Engraving team is tremendous.”

Plaques were the perfect way to preserve the contributions these athletes made to the legacy of the Drake Relays. When a vendor referred Brian to Pella Engraving, he knew he had found the right company for the job. “We saw a sample plaque with an artist’s rendering of a picture—it was so much more unique than a photo on a plaque. It sealed the deal,” said Brian.

Pella Engraving Co-Owners Bruce Van Wyk and Jeff Vroom traveled to Drake University’s stadium in Des Moines, Iowa, to photograph the brick pillars and walls onto which the plaques would be installed.

The entire project included 18 zinc plaques—each with a portrait—as well as miniature versions of those plaques that were given to each honored athlete. About twenty other signs by PEC were also installed in and around Drake Stadium.

“PEC wanted this project to be as successful as we did,” said Brian. “Because of this, we listened to them when they had suggestions. And they always listened to us—no matter how many times we called with changes, we never felt like we were a bother.”

The plaques were unveiled, with many of the athletes onhand, at a ceremony after the 100th Anniversary Gala. “The artwork on each plaque is consistent yet representative of each athlete’s individuality,” said Brian. “The plaques make the entrance around the stadium light up.”

In the summer of 2011, PEC helped the DMACC campus in Perry, Iowa, honor the donors for the new VanKirk Career Academy building. The donor wall project required a combination of CNC plasma routing and zinc etching to complete total job. In addition to the main donor wall, PEC created zinc signs to place in individual rooms to recognize the donors of those rooms. The project was installed by PEC—an option available to clients anywhere in the Midwest.

One customer, Varsity Photos, worked with PEC on a recognition wall and was impressed by the results. The company, whose main business is sports and events photographs, got a request from regular client Minnesota Football Coaches Association for an outdoor display wall to publicly recognize MFCA’s Hall of Fame inductees.

“We provide the plaques that the MFCA needs for its coaching awards, special recognition recipients, and Hall of Fame inductees,” said Tim Holker of Varsity Photos and Awards. “But this display is installed on an exterior wall of the TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota. We needed to partner with a company experienced in working with the appropriate materials for a display exposed to the elements.

“I made a trip to Pella to see the PEC operation and get a feel for the company and partners both personally and professionally. I presented my design ideas and got Bruce and Jeff’s [PEC co-owners] input. I made a strong personal connection and left with a very positive impression of their ideas and capabilities as a company.”

According to Tim, PEC exchanged ideas and offered and explained options for meeting the MFCA’s needs. The final product features zinc plaques installed on top of multiple aluminum backer plates. “PEC also was willing to move up the timetable to ensure the job was installed in time for a special event prior to the first home football game of the year,” said Tim. “Bruce and Jeff traveled to Minnesota to personally install the project and provide maintenance and installation guidelines.

“I had the utmost level of satisfaction with the final product as well as my entire project experience with PEC! They were receptive to my input, quick to respond to my needs, and willing to go the extra step when needed. I have received very complimentary comments on the display from a wide variety of people, including the university athletic director and the MFCA executive director.”

“We have been thrilled with Pella Engraving and their friendly customer service. They are always willing to get every last detail just right. They’re very easy to work with, and their support is fantastic,” said Vermeer’s Bev Rietveld.

So a few years ago, when Vermeer was seeking a better ID tag, Distribution Development Manager Chad Vander Wilt called Jeff Vroom at Pella Engraving. 

Committed to meeting this valuable customer’s needs, Pella Engraving developed a new product: anodized aluminum tags. They meet Vermeer needs superbly. Phototransfer technology embeds the dye permanently into the pores of the aluminum. “We tried scratching it off with a key, and we couldn’t do it,” said Chad. “We are pleased with the durability.” Various regulations and standards require that ID tag information on the on-highway and off-road heavy equipment be indelible.

But more than just the product pleases Vermeer Corporation. The product ID tags reduce Vermeer in-house labor, reduce their tag inventory, and provide greater accuracy than the previous tags.

Previously the company kept a one- to six-month supply of tags for many of the 200 products it manufactures. A unique 17-digit VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and model were added to each ID tag before it was attached to the equipment rolling off the line.

Now, Vermeer stocks very few ID tags. Vermeer staff emails a data file to Pella Engraving and within a few days receives the tags, complete with the unique 17-digit VIN.  Vermeer ID tag workload has been reduced by nearly 80 percent—from ten hours per week to less than two hours per week. And an automatic electronic transfer of the information from the data files to Pella Engraving equipment has eliminated any potential key stroking errors.

The new tags also include barcodes, and Vermeer is beginning to implement barcode scanners to replace the current handwritten shipping manifests with computer-generated ones.

“The advantages for Vermeer are great,” said Chad. “Pella Engraving’s willingness to try something and ability to produce the end product earned our business on this project!”