To revamp the sign with the latest technology for more cost-efficient illumination, the hotel called upon sign designer LED Solution (White Plains, NY), which selected SloanLED (Ventura, CA) as the LED supplier. To shed some light on the new sign construction, the companies chose ACRYLITE®  SG acrylic sheet, a product of CYRO Industries (Rockaway, NJ), for the sign facing.

SloanLED and LED Solution recognized that the high light transmission properties of ACRYLITE SG sheet would intensify LED illumination, provide uniform light output and allow the hotel to economically relight its landmark sign. After its December 8 lighting ceremony, The New Yorker Hotel now stands out on the heavily populated New York City skyline with North America’s largest LED sign shining brightly.

Luminosity Reduces Power Consumption
The light transmission of the sign facing was extremely important because the more light that can filter through, the fewer LEDs will be needed for proper illumination. While acrylic’s ability to transmit light made it the best option for The New Yorker Hotel, there were numerous grades and brands available. To make their decision, LED Solution and SloanLED crafted miniature mock-up channel letters, each about 3’ x 3’, and applied facing made from a variety of acrylics to find out which best conducted light and produced the desired effects.

“ACRYLITE SG sheet has excellent light diffusion, giving it an even color and making it very well-suited for LED use,” says Jim Rackel, Technical Support Manager at SloanLED.  “After evaluating each acrylic on the basis of luminosity and color, ACRYLITE SG sheet emerged as the clear winner.”

ACRYLITE SG sheet’s color vibrancy was necessary to enable LED Solution to meet its customer’s demand, since The New Yorker Hotel wanted the sign to be an effervescent red hue. Also, LED-lit signage made from the material uses at least 15 percent less power than neon lighting, cutting down on power consumption and cost. Furthermore, ACRYLITE SG sheet’s even illumination prevents a failed LED from being noticeable, a critical factor considering the over 30,000 LEDs lighting the sign, hanging 40 stories above the ground.

“Virtually Maintenance-Free”
The New Yorker Hotel sign’s rooftop location also rules out the feasibility of frequent cleaning and servicing. For this reason, maintainability was high on the list of priorities in selecting the sign material. In addition to choosing LEDs for their long, trouble-free life, the sign facing material was selected for maximum longevity.

“We wanted a virtually maintenance-free product, and that’s what we got with ACRYLITE sheet,” says Mark Stever, President and Creative Overseer of LED Solution. Durable and weather-resistant, the new sign is expected to hang tough for at least as long as the previous sign’s reign of almost 65 years.

Fabrication-Friendly
While the signage was designed to be long lasting, the project required prompt turnaround in order to be in place for the hotel’s 75^th anniversary festivities. With each letter standing about 21’ tall and the project needing approximately 75 sheets of acrylic, this was no easy task.  However, LED Solution was able to push the project from design through installation in 12 weeks in part because of the material’s ease of fabrication and light weight. These same properties also enabled the sign to be transported to the roof in segments small enough to fit into the hotel’s elevator.

At the anniversary party, a simple flick of a switch by President of The New Yorker Hotel Management Co. Dr. Charles Yang put The New Yorker Hotel’s name up in lights, literally. Says Kevin Smith, General Manager of The New Yorker Hotel, “This cutting edge technology enabled us to send a message to New York City visitors, residents and workers that The New Yorker Hotel is more vibrant and alive than ever before.”

For information on ACRYLITE SG acrylic sheet and other acrylic products, contact CYRO Industries, 100 Enterprise Drive, Rockaway, NJ 07866; Tel: 800-631-5384; Fax: 973-442-6117; Website: www.cyro.com.

For information on LED sign lighting technology, contact SloanLED, 5725 Olivas Park Drive, Ventura, CA 93003; Tel: 805-676-3200; Fax: 805-676-3206; Website: www.sloanled.com.

For information on innovative sign design and LED technology , contact LED Solution 15 Bank Street, Suite 110-A White Plains, NY; Tel: 877-for-LEDs; Fax: 519-743-8181; Website: www.LEDSolution.com and www.TimesSquaresigns.com.

For information on The New Yorker Hotel, 481 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001; Tel: 212-971-0101; Website: www.newyorkerhotel.com.  

About CYRO

CYRO Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of Degussa Corp.  Headquartered in Rockaway, NJ, CYRO is North America’s largest acrylic sheet manufacturer and a leading producer of acrylic polymer products and MMA. As the innovative suppliers of specialty acrylic solutions to existing and emerging markets, CYRO and Degussa offer broad technological and global resources to respond to market demands.  CYRO offers on-line technical support 24/7, through the TechKnowlogy Center at www.cyro.com. 

CYRO Industries
Website URL: www.cyro.com/