Chroma Graphics Adds Custom Offerings

04/18/2019

Chroma Graphics (Maryville, TN) has added a new division for custom promotional and marketing products, including decals, license plate frames and mats. The division will target manufacturers, as well as retailer that have private-label items in their stores.

“Our goal would be to add to that mix of private-label items, as well as other storefront graphics,” company President Brenda Sellers said.

Aftermarket companies can have their logos printed onto decals and other promotional giveaways; employee incentives, such as clothing; or other items given out at trade shows, for example. The service also is available for parts identification labels.

Chroma Graphics started by manufacturing custom graphics for race cars and promotional decals for STP, Competition Cams, K&N and ZOOM, Sellers pointed out.

From there, the company expanded to manufacturing printed graphics and accessories for licensed brands, including Chevy, Dodge, Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Disney and Hello Kitty. Those items are sold at retail shops including AutoZone, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Pep Boys and Advance Auto Parts.

Low-profile Maryville company casts an international shadow

By Melanie Tucker melt@thedailytimes.com Jul 27, 2019

The sign out front says Chroma, one of the businesses housed in Big Springs Industrial Park just off West Lamar Alexander Parkway, on Ross Drive, in Maryville.

In business since 1974, the privately owned company’s relatively low profile has a lot of Blount Countians wondering what goes on there, what do they make, who’s in charge?

Aluminum decals, die cut decals, chrome decals, auto ornaments, decal kits, detailing stripes, sunshade decals, cling bling decals, emblem decals, license plates, license plate frames, magnetic decals, travel kits and windshield decals are their products, made for the world’s largest and most successful companies. The long list includes family favorites like Disney, Jurassic Park and Hello Kitty as well as Caterpillar, Dodge, General Motors, Harley-Davidson, Honda, John Deere, the Star Wars franchise and Volkswagen.

“It doesn’t get much bigger than Ford or GM,” said Kelly McLemore, Chroma custom sales coordinator.

Those stick figures denoting families on the back windows of cars and SUVs — those are Chroma products, too.

In other words, they are everywhere. Drive down the road and see Chroma graphics on pickup trucks. There’s plenty more to see in the 2,250 retail stores Chroma inhabits. Walmart and Auto Zone are two of Chroma’s biggest customers. O’Reilly, Advance Auto Parts and Pep Boys sell Chroma’s products as well.

Brenda Sellers, Chroma’s president, said the firm got its start with decals for racetracks nationwide: NASCAR tracks, dirt tracks, Formula One and other types of racing.

“We were the first company to be licensed by NASCAR,” Sellers said. “We were instrumental in getting all of those decals for sponsorships placed. That’s how we got our start.”

Chroma also was the first company to do the ever-popular stick people for cars. “We have sold millions,” she said.

Growth has been possible due to the ownership of five factories in China. Last year, when a 10% tariff was placed on the overseas products and then 25% earlier this year, Sellers said Chroma made a decision to return home to its roots in a way, bringing back its custom design division.

That means local schools, heating and air companies, garages, local racetracks, almost any business really, now can employ Chroma to make logos and products.

A local flavor

Halls Middle School in Knoxville and Pellissippi State Community College have taken advantage. Chroma is producing products for them to sell as fundraisers. Pellissippi State now has license card holders produced by Chroma. New Hope Blount County Children’s Advocacy Center, William Blount High and Shannondale are new customers, too.

“We have gone full circle,” said Chroma Vice President Mike Karnes. “We started out exclusively with custom work. People would walk in the door and we would do custom decals for them.”

He said the company’s largest volume of custom business started with Harley-Davidson dealers. Chroma did products specific to each, like Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson just down the road from Chroma. There are even Chroma products for the region’s The Tail of the Dragon, an internationally known motorcycle destination.

“We are in the beginnings of opening that back up,” Karnes said of the custom division.

Chroma does 25% of its business in China and the remaining 75% percent domestically. There is no sign of if or when the China tariff might be lifted, Sellers said.

“Our products that are produced locally at our manufacturing facility are not affected by tariffs,” Sellers explained. “Of our remaining items manufactured in our China factories, we have three products that have been faced with additional tariffs. Luckily, our competitors have faced those same tariffs. Chroma’s new division is based on non-tariff items that are manufactured locally in Maryville.”

This company started its Chinese factories more than 25 years ago, Sellers said, when Chroma introduced products that were not cost effective to make here.

Nationwide, she said, there are about 10 other companies that manufacture the items they produce. It is Chroma’s niche in the licensing of worldwide brands that separates them from the rest, the company president said.

“In other words, not any manufacturer can legally make Ford or any of our other brands,” Sellers explained.

Because of that, Chroma has over 65% of the market share in most of its categories.

At the Maryville facility is where 100% of the printing takes place. Karnes said the decals that are produced here meet the highest standards. Ultraviolet inks are used. There is a chemical-based product that hardens the ink and makes it more durable, he added.

“Our products last longer than anyone else’s,” the vice president said. “Others use a different printing process. Our decals will last three to five years outdoors. There is no comparison to a paper sticker. Durability is what separates us from the competition.”

McLemore, the custom sales coordinator, has a huge product wall full of Chroma products to show potential customers or group tours. There are holographic decals, tool box magnetics and varying sizes of decals. Decals embedded with stones and dashboard characters are part of the inventory.

“We already have these products,” Sellers said. “We can take your logo and stick them on anything. We are taking a negative with the tariffs and making a positive.”

CHROMA is expanding its 47 years of manufacturing to a new CUSTOM division in Blount County. From manufacturing the world's top licensed brands like Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Harley-Davidson and car brands, now are offering their products to promote your brand locally. Here's just a few examples of places your logo or brand can appear: Any type of UV durable adhesive graphics License plate frames Cell phone I.D. holders Badges and warning labels Lanyards Tumblers Keychains Flashlights Plus many more categories great for promoting your business and employee perks. Don't see what you like? Ask our creative staff for more ideas. (Minimums vary based on categories and specifications.) As a way to introduce the services, CHROMA is offering a FREE gift basket along with a 10% discount for new customers on their first order. Get in touch with us today by contacting: Kelly McLemore 865.970.3963 ext. 1929 kmclemore@chroma-graphics.com Brenda Sellers bsellers@chroma-graphics.com CHROMA 1011 Ross Drive Maryville, TN 37801