Belk Bowl Innovation Lab

The 2016 Belk Bowl Innovation Lab Contest offered local schools in Mecklenburg and Union counties the opportunity to remodel and upgrade the technology in their current media center to create a more welcoming, innovative learning space. The renovations included an open, flexible floor plan that can be arranged to create private work stations or large group gatherings, easy to move desks, chairs, tables and more. Cornelius Elementary School, the 2016 Belk Bowl Innovation Lab winner, won a $100,000 media center remodel that was completed prior to the start of the 2016 school year.  XP Retail is proud to have participated in this year's Belk Bowl Innovation Lab Project providing signs, art, and light boxes for the project.

Project Spotlight: Charlotte Hornets Player Wall

When outfitting out the arena for the Charlotte Hornets, XP Retail worked with the organization to come up with an easier, more cost efficient way to change out their player wall. With each new seasons players will change and the vinyl wall they had previously was not only expensive to change, but difficult to get the art work to match up with where the previous player was located.

The Solution: XP Retail installed 15 Profile 26 side by side Matrix Frames with black powder coated aluminum spacers. These graphics looked great and were easily changed out this season to accommodate the new players with a seamless presentation. The use of fabric graphics additionally eliminated glare giving a clear view of the players wall from any angle.

Project Spotlight: The Tom James Charlotte Showroom

The Tom James Company, with over 100 offices worldwide, is the world’s largest provider of custom and bespoke clothing. XP Retail recently began working with the Tom James Charlotte location to give their corporate art a fresh new look.

For this project, two factors were key components of a successful partnership between XP and Tom James. First, the graphics needed to be easy to work with and change. As a key player in the fashion industry, where style and fabrics are always evolving, they want their showroom to stay on trend as well. Secondly, they liked that their art would be printed on fabric as it would give their modeled clothing a true-to-life feel. They also found it fitting because, being in the textile market since 1966, they understand and appreciate the art of fabric.

Project Details:

Profile 26 Matrix Frame aluminum extrusion system with silicone edge fabric graphics (SEG) printed by dye sublimation on their exclusive Decotex fabric. Installation by XP Retail and Matrix Frame USA.

Project Spotlight: Rick Husband Amarillo Int’l Airport

This past month XP Retail embarked on another successful project in conjunction with Corey Airport Services. Crew members of both XP Retail and Corey Airport where onsite for the redesign of the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport’s advertising signage. Matrix Frame aluminum extrusions frames with brilliant tension fabric graphics were used in several areas, including breezeways, terminals, and baggage claim.

Project Details: Profile 26 Matrix Frame aluminum extrusion system with silicone edge fabric graphics (SEG) printed by dye sublimation on their exclusive Decotex fabric. Installation by XP Retail.

XP Retail - Providing Warmth for those in Need

The sun had barely risen on this chilly October morning when several of the XP Retail employees began their day in Uptown Charlotte. They were pulling two wagons behind them, one full of hot coffee and one filled with care packages to hand out to those in need.

Last year the folks at XP Retail and Matrix Frame USA were trying to determine how to make the most of leftover fabric remnants and the fabric graphics from expired ad campaigns. Rather than see these beautiful fabric graphics thrown away, we partnered with several of our clients to recycle them in a unique way – to create bold, colorful blankets.

As campaigns expire and fabric graphics are retired from active duty, Matrix Frame removes the silicone edge from the graphics and resews them into blankets. Then members of both XP and Matrix Frame stuff care packages with the recycled blankets, water, snacks, toiletries, socks and boxers, and hit the streets to hand them out to the homeless.

As it turns out our good deeds have spurred some action in others. Not only are some of our clients donating their old graphics for the blankets, but recently L.L. Bean said they wanted to be more actively involved and we sent 50 care packages to Maine to hand out in their community.

Our team really enjoys the smiles and kind words we receive when handing out the care packages to those in need. Our only regret is that there are never enough to serve all the people who could benefit from them.

If you are an XP Retail client and would like to donate your fabric graphics back to this program, would like to hand out blankets and care packages in your town, or would like to donate additional items to the packets, please email lisa.strump@xpretail.com.