August 27, 2001

Safe Signage

Signs Canada
Septembre 2001

By Anthony Capkun

A civil servant turned inventor, Alexandre Moricz started the company Contour Tek Inc. to bring a new product to market that will help ease the problems associated with traffic signage. "I was always a bit of an inventor, but I never followed up on any of my ideas," admits Moricz, who drives around a lot from city to city and sees really horrible traffic signage along the way - signs that are covered with garbage bags or blue tarps, and others that are inconsistent in terms of style, shape and message.

Moricz decided to do something about the problem, and about two years ago he invented something he calls Flex- VestTM. "We did a lot of market research and checked the Internet to see if something like it already existed, while the lawyers did patent searches," he says, "and we discovered that Flex-Vest was totally unique." He and his wife were financially secure, and this allowed Moricz to devote himself full-time to project development. A design company was hired to develop a product that would fit Moricz's specifications (what it was supposed to do, able to withstand, etc. ), and they suggested the materials that would likely fit the bill.

Flex-Vest takes shape

The result of all this work is Flex- Vest, a flexible and durable recyclable polyethylene jacket engineered to simultaneously cover, protect and alter traffic signs. "Road signs are a critical component of road safety," he says.

"These temporary signs are often improperly covered up, can fall off or be vandalized." The jacket resists UV; water, wind, dust, and most road-side chemicals, can be rolled or folded for re-use elsewhere, and comes in a wide variety of sizes. Not only can Flex-Vest effectively conceal an existing sign, it is equipped with a transparent pocket for alternate messaging.

"We wanted to make sure we did it right," says Moricz of the welcome reception his invention is enjoying. Legal protection for Flex- Vest was secured early this year, and the product is produced in-house and available now. Contour Tek Inc. currently comprises three full-time and several part-time employees who are now targeting commercial signage companies.

The future of traffic signage?

The former provincial and municipal civil servant has his sights on the huge market before hill, as hundreds of thousands of signs span this country from coast to coast. The company's initial focus is Ontario, Quebec and Western Canada, with expansion into the rest of North America planned in the next few years. Inquiries have already been received from agencies in Panama Canal and Hollywood, and Contour Tek Inc. recently delivered shipments for traffic signage jobs in Montreal and Brockville. "There are so many opportunities out there and we're just scratching the surface," he says.