Blazering: Extended - Merging Technologies
About the project
Date:
December 2023-August 2025
Client(s):
IKONICS Imaging,
Trotec Laser, & GS2 Awards
Services:
Event Coordination, Event Logistics, Graphic Design
The Challenge
As leaders in their respective industries, IKONICS Imaging and Trotec Laser recognized a shared audience of engravers and personalization professionals looking for new ways to expand their offerings. The challenge: create an engaging, hands-on learning experience that demonstrated how the two technologies could be used together to produce high-end, profitable results.
The Concept: “Blazering”
The term Blazering (coined jointly by IKONICS Imaging and Trotec) describes a unique tandem process:
Apply IKONICS Imaging’s Blazer Orange Laser Tape or Laser THICK to a substrate
Laser-engrave the design into the film using a CO₂ laser
Sandcarve the engraved area for exceptional depth and detail
The goal was to introduce this hybrid process to the industry in a way that was interactive, informative, and directly tied to attendees’ businesses.
The Inaugural Event
Event: APA Expo (Awards & Personalization Association)
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Date: February 2024
Role: Event coordination, class design, class content and logistics management for IKONICS Imaging
I coordinated across multiple partners — APA show management and venue services, Trotec’s event and technical teams, and IKONICS’s technical trainer and sales team — to design our 2-hour hands-on session held live on the show floor at the International Personalization and Awards Expo.
Participants rotated between laser engraving and sandcarving stations, guided through every step of the Blazering process, and took home functional finished samples.
Result:
The class was a standout success, filling seats and generating excitement around the hybrid technique. Attendees praised the opportunity for real, hands-on learning and collaboration between leading suppliers.
The Evolution: Blazering: EMT Workshops
Following the momentum from Las Vegas, I led follow-up strategy sessions with both Trotec and long-time Trotec and IKONICS Imaging Authorized Distributor GS2 Awards to explore scaling the concept into multi-day, advanced workshops.
In August 2024, the first Blazering: Extended – Merging Technologies (Blazering: EMT) Workshop launched at GS2’s facility in Colorado.
I was responsible for:
Class content development for IKONICS Imaging
Product, supplies and substrate selection
Creation of design options for attendees to personalize with
Full logistics for transporting equipment, materials, and setup across states to and from multiple locations
In teamwork with IKONICS' Creative Coordinator and Content Strategist, I also heavily contributed to:
Workshop Collateral
Branded Event Design
Promotion of Workshops on IKONICS Imaging's social media platforms
Outcome:
The workshop sold out quickly, setting the stage for a recurring educational series that continued through 2025 with multiple sessions:
February 2025 – International Personalization and Awards (APA) Expo Hands-On Education Session (Las Vegas, NV)
May 2025 – Blazering EMT Workshop (West-Coast, Colorado) [Sold Out]
August 2025 – New East Coast Workshop hosted at Trotec’s Virginia facility
November 2025 – Additional Colorado Workshop
IKONICS Imaging has slated additional Blazering: EMT West Coast and East Coast Workshops with Trotec and GS2 in 2026.
The Impact
This workshop series strengthened brand relationships between IKONICS Imaging, Trotec, and GS2 Awards, establishing the Blazering process as a recognized technique in the engraving community. Not only do the brands benefit from this partnership, but their shared customers do as well. Blazering has created a community of likeminded "Trail-Blazers" as attendees gain the opportunity to network with other professional shops in the industry and share their knowledge on the specialized equipment and techniques they have in common.
The series also expanded IKONICS Imaging’s educational footprint and event presence, which had seen a decline in in-person workshops over recent years due to the effects of COVID-19 on the industry. These events generated a new sustained level of audience engagement and workshop demand for the companies involved.
My Role:
Project lead and liaison between all partner companies
Designed event layouts, signage, and promotional graphics
Developed attendee experience flow and materials
Managed all logistics for IKONICS Imaging’s involvement
Coordinated equipment shipping, on-site setup, and session execution
Takeaway
The Blazering series demonstrates how collaborative education and creative cross-technology experiences can drive engagement, strengthen partnerships, and position a brand as an innovator and educator within its industry.
Media Credit:
All media is the property of SAATI Advanced Chemicals LLC d.b.a. IKONICS and are used here with permission for portfolio and promotional purposes.
Event Design & Branded Environments Gallery
A collection of additional experiential projects, showcasing installations, event designs, and branded spaces that bring concepts to life.