SIGNODE HQ ENVIRONMENTAL BRANDING

Signode, a global leader in transit packaging solutions, transformed its newly built Roselle, IL facility into a bold expression of its brand values, mission, and vision. In partnership with Cushing and Sepia Studio, Signode reimagined its expansive office, warehouse, and Customer Experience Center as immersive environments that tell the story of how their systems protect goods around the world. Spanning wall graphics, dimensional signage, custom privacy film, and a 3D scan, the project blends functionality and storytelling to engage both internal teams and international visitors.

THE CHALLENGE

To transform a massive, newly renovated office and warehouse space into a dynamic brand environment that speaks directly to both Signode employees and customers, conveying the company’s identity, values, and the complex journey their solutions take to get goods from Point A to Point B.

PROJECT VISION

From the start, Signode knew this would be a large-scale environmental branding project. With architects already defining the scope, they were searching for a partner who could handle the entire graphics package from design to fabrication and final installation. Cushing’s ability to deliver a full-fledged, end-to-end solution is what won the work. Our team's creative capabilities and production expertise aligned with Signode’s ambitious vision, resulting in a cohesive, multi-phase graphics program spanning their renovated office, warehouse, and newly built Customer Experience Center.

A Journey in Layers

Design + Execution

Working closely with Signode’s marketing team, Sepia Studio studied brochures, brand books, and other facility designs. The concept: a layered, immersive storytelling experience speaking to two distinct audiences, employees and clients.

In the workspace, clean lines and structured graphics support productivity, while showcasing Signode’s mission and values. Opposite the main feature wall, badge-style logos are thoughtfully placed above windows, creating a rhythm with the space’s architecture.

The conveyor belt motif, central to the brand’s identity, travels up and down the primary wall, anchoring a sequence of graphics that balance scale with subtlety. Dimensional elements, like a machine graphic that “pulls” a letter off alignment, add moments of playfulness. Interspersed throughout the space, thoughtfully selected motivational quotes from voices like Maya Angelou reinforce Signode’s core values, offering inspiration that speaks to integrity, perseverance, and purpose beyond the packaging industry.

To bring the brand’s real-world materials into the environment, Signode provided samples of actual packaging elements—tape rolls, cardboard corners, strapping, and foam padding. Sepia Studio curated selections from these materials, requested custom quantities, and integrated them into the graphics in a way that felt both sculptural and brand-authentic, adapting everyday packaging components into storytelling tools.

Immersive Virtual Walkthrough

To complement the physical experience, Cushing’s scanning specialist conducted 3D scans of the entire facility. The final interactive digital model is now live on Signode’s website—offering virtual walkthroughs that mirror the real-world experience.

Power of a Unified Workflow

COLLABORATION IN MOTION

An ultra-integrated process powered this project from start to finish. Sales, project management, design, production, and installation all worked under one roof, allowing real-time collaboration and hands-on quality control.

Sepia Studio’s designers worked closely with floorplans, Trimble 3D scans, and on-site walkthroughs to design with full spatial understanding. Cushing’s project management team triple-checked every proof before materials hit production, preventing errors and streamlining installation.

FROM FUNCTIONAL TO FLAGSHIP

OUTCOMES + IMPACT

Every surface amplifies Signode's identity, visually aligning people, process, and purpose. Office graphics reinforce Signode’s mission to its team. Warehouse walls greet visitors with scale and confidence. And a newly built Customer Experience Center serves as a showroom for Signode’s equipment and brand story.

REFLECTIONS

“We tried to think really outside the box with this one. It’s the biggest wall I’ve ever designed. The scale was enormous, but the story came through clearly.”

-Julia Kaufman, Designer, Sepia Studio

“What makes this so successful is how the office side tells the story to employees, and the customer side tells the story to clients, with the same messaging. Just adapted for the audience.”

—Amanda Eich, Designer, Sepia Studio

“From the start of this interview to the completion of the original scope, the synergy between our companies was what helped make this project a success. Each presentation kicked it up a notch. Along with the Sepia team, we have the client to thank for this. They were very engaged, and we fed off their enthusiasm.
We were rewarded with the follow-up projects we were invited to help with, in their industrial area.”

—Joe Cushing, President