Life Science’s leader Gilead has been a client of VKK Signmakers and now Priority Architectural Graphics since 2010. This longstanding relationship began when both Gilead and VKK were in their early start-up phases and has continued as both companies scaled upward over the past three decades.
The scope of signage design, fabrication and installation work leveraged on behalf of Gilead by VKK and Priority Graphics has included:
- Exterior monument signage
- Exterior building identity signage
- Interior branded signs
- ADA Code signage
- Wayfinding signage
- Life safety signage
- Interpretive signage
In 2021, when Priority Architectural Graphics acquired VKK Signmakers, a new chapter in the relationship began between Gilead and Priority. One of Gilead’s priorities in choosing a partner to work with in their supplier base is supporting minority and women-owned contractors. Priority Architectural Graphics is a certified Minority-Owned Business as well as a Women-Owned Business and as such, was welcomed as a Gilead contractor.
CEO and Chairman Daniel O’Day notes, “I am proud of the work we are doing at Gilead to ensure equity for our employees, the communities we work in and the patients we serve. Inclusion is one of our core values and I believe that it is essential to Gilead’s long-term success. Building an inclusive and diverse workforce is the right thing to do, and, at the same time, it is also critical to our future.”
Continuation of the Gilead contract was celebrated at Priority Architectural Graphics which has longstanding and deep roots within the Life Sciences sector with clients such as Amgen, Johnson and Johnson, Exact Sciences and in HealthCare, Kaiser, UCSF among others.
This focus on providing signage solutions for Life Sciences companies has allowed Priority Graphics to deepen their capabilities to address signage fabrication requirements which are specific to this sector. Lab signage for Life Sciences companies, for example, must be able to be frequently cleaned to comply with laboratory hygiene standards.
As the trend toward LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) constructed facilities has grown, Gilead has become increasingly focused on signage sustainability from a manufacturing standpoint, ensuring that the company uses local contractors who employ processes with the lightest possible carbon and least environmentally damaging footprint. LEED buildings are designed, constructed, and operated to maximize occupant health and productivity, use fewer resources, reduce waste and negative environmental impacts, and decrease life cycle costs.
In commercial signage, “going green” can mean employing low voltage LED lighting (vs neon), using energy-efficient flatbed printing across multiple substrates, using powder coating for signage painting, reclaiming signage production waste materials and using recycled materials wherever possible for substrates.
Priority Graphics has integrated many of these processes into their sign production and fabrication techniques, another factor Gilead used to evaluate the company’s bid. Priority Graphics is excited to work with Gilead to make all signage using the most sustainably favorable materials and processes available.
Priority Graphic Designer, Kerry Lorch noted “Working with Gilead for the past 15 years feels like working with an old friend. I have learned and contributed to the evolving Gilead sign standards and have gained vast knowledge from many previous Gilead sign projects. While it is a large company, the Gilead team is always warm, communicative, and treats our PAG team with respect and appreciation. I always want to do my best for Gilead.”
