Company:  Carlson Sign 

Markets:  Oregon

Headquarters:  1605 NE Forbes Rd., Bend, Oregon  97701

Phone:  541-382-2182

Carlson Sign Company was founded in 1948 by Ted and Irene Carlson.  Their son Dick Carlson ran the business from 1958-1997 and then his son Peter Carlson took over the business.  The firm owns 123 billboard displays throughout Central Oregon including Bend, Redmond, Madras, La Pine and Prineville.  In addition the company makes signs at a 12,000 square foot facility in Bend, Oregon and installs and manages signs in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.  Peter Carlson is the company’s President.  The firm was the subject of an in-depth Cascade Business News article to celebrate its 65th year in June 2013.   In 2012 Peter Carlson testified before an Oregon house committee opposing Oregon House bill 4031 which would have granted Oregon landowners the right to purchase outdoor signs for cost upon termination or expiry of a lease.  The bill died in committee.  Insider interviewed Peter Carlson.

Peter, how did Carlson get into the sign business?

My grandfather purchased an existing business in 1948.

Tell us a little about the company’s outdoor plant.

All but two of our signs are 10’6″ x 24′ in size. We do have 2 12’x48′ signs, one in Bend and one in  Madras. Over the last 18 years we have worked to make the structures stretch-friendly, adding interior catwalks and walk around exterior catwalks. Recently we have been converting lamps to LEDs.

What’s the Central Oregon Outdoor market like?

Central Oregon is either boom or bust, and its booming right now. People will always want to move and live here. There is now more industry to support job growth, but we have a long way to go. Our billboards are sold out most of the time. All of the towns that we operate in have cap and replace ordinances. The battle is to keep what you have in Oregon. The first thing taught at community planning schools is that signs are bad and billboards are even worse.

You’re in sign manufacturing and maintenance in addition to the outdoor business. Are there synergies between the sign business and the outdoor business?

The two businesses really work well together, we fabricate, install and maintain the billboards with the same employees that do the on-premises work.

Do you have any digital signs?  

Digital signs of all types are not allowed in Bend… maybe some day, like when Oregon elects a Republican Governor which has not happened in over 30 years.

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