Driven by Deadlines, Built on Relationships: How SpeedPro Chicago Loop Became the 2025 Franchisee of the Year

In the trade show and event industry, opening day isn't negotiable. Graphics have to be printed, finished, delivered, and installed on time, even when final files arrive just days before the doors open.

That's the reality for SpeedPro Chicago Loop, a Chicago-based print provider owned by Eric Lazar and Rebecca Considine. Working with trade show management companies, exhibit houses, experiential agencies, and corporate marketing teams, the studio has built its business around producing large volumes of graphics accurately, consistently, and quickly.

While its capabilities extend well beyond events, the team has found its strength in high-volume production, often working against demanding deadlines.

"Our sweet spot is taking substantial quantities of graphics, often against very compressed schedules, and producing them accurately and predictably."

That focus has helped SpeedPro Chicago Loop build lasting customer relationships and earn national recognition.

In 2025, the studio was named SpeedPro's Franchisee of the Year, standing out among more than 120 studios nationwide. The recognition followed several consecutive years among SpeedPro's Top 10 studios, along with honors including the 2022 IFA Franchisee of the Year and Leave No Veteran Behind's Veteran Business of the Year.

For Lazar, the recognition represents something bigger than an award.

"The awards are gratifying, but what I'm proudest of is what sits behind them. We've grown by developing long-term customer relationships, investing heavily in production technology, and continually increasing what our team is capable of delivering."

When Volume Meets an Immovable Deadline

SpeedPro Chicago Loop produces everything from rigid signage and display boards to vinyl graphics, window applications, and large-format installations.

Some projects demand extraordinary precision and installation planning.

For Hollywood Casino Joliet, the studio produced nearly 3,300 square feet of graphics, including a 75-foot-wide by 25-foot-high curved mural installed more than 50 feet above the atrium floor. The project also included a companion mural, custom stair graphics, and patterned frosted railing graphics.

Working within the casino's continuously curved architecture required precise panel alignment, multiple materials and adhesive technologies, and coordination of a five-person installation team inside an active facility.

Other projects bring a different challenge: time.

For a FIFA World Cup 2026 activation for Coca-Cola and McDonald's, working with 160over90, SpeedPro Chicago Loop had just one week from approval to completion.

The team transformed a neutral space into an immersive branded environment using more than 1,600 square feet of temporary graphics across walls, floors, columns, windows, ceilings, and furniture. The installation included a 450-square-foot floor graphic.

"That project is a good example of what we do particularly well: a lot of graphics, multiple applications, an immovable deadline, and very little time to get from concept to finished environment."

But not every demanding project results in a dramatic installation photo.

Much of SpeedPro Chicago Loop's work involves producing hundreds of rigid boards and thousands of square feet of roll media within tight production windows. For those jobs, success means maintaining consistency from the first piece to the last.

That's where dependable equipment, established workflows, and an experienced production team make the difference.

Building Room to Grow

As SpeedPro Chicago Loop's business expanded, so did the need for production capacity.

Hybrid flatbed printing was already familiar territory. The studio had used direct-to-substrate technology since its early days, starting with an early-generation 8-foot hybrid printer.

When the team invested in the EFI Pro 30h hybrid printer, the goal wasn't to introduce an entirely new printing process. It was to build on what the shop already knew and increase the volume it could handle.

"The biggest impact has been throughput and capacity."

Today, the EFI Pro 30h supports much of the studio's everyday production, including PVC, foamboard, Falconboard, and roll media. It also provides additional capabilities for more specialized projects, including three- and five-layer printing, white-ink applications, and media up to 10 feet wide.

That combination allows the team to efficiently produce the repeatable work that drives its business while maintaining the flexibility to tackle more complex applications.

For Lazar, the increased capacity has directly supported the studio's growth in the trade show and event market.

"For us, it wasn't about discovering hybrid printing- we had already been doing that for years. It was about taking what we already knew how to do and dramatically increasing the volume we could handle without sacrificing quality or turnaround time. That's been the real game changer."

A Partnership Built Over Time

SpeedPro Chicago Loop's relationship with LexJet began well before the EFI Pro 30h became part of its production floor.

LexJet introduced the studio to the printer in October 2021, ahead of its commercial launch in the second quarter of 2022. The team ultimately purchased the equipment through LexJet, adding a production platform that would play an important role in its growth.

Over time, that relationship has extended beyond equipment to include printing materials, service, and ongoing support.

"But what we value most is the relationship that continued after the sale. Their service and support have been exceptional, and they've become an important material supplier and resource for our team."

In a business where deadlines can leave little room for unexpected challenges, access to knowledgeable support matters.

"We don't view LexJet simply as a vendor. They've become a trusted production partner."

Printing for a Purpose

SpeedPro Chicago Loop's success isn't measured only by production volume, customer relationships, or industry recognition.

Community involvement has been part of the company's philosophy from the beginning.

As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, the studio has strong ties to organizations supporting veterans and the military community. Its involvement also extends to education, local economic development, hunger relief, human services, and other initiatives throughout Chicago.

The company has a goal of contributing 1% of its annual profits to nonprofit and community organizations, primarily through donated products and services.

Its community involvement has included organizations such as Project Relo, Leave No Veteran Behind, the Chicago Marine Foundation, Volunteers of America Illinois, Hunger Resource Network, and Jones College Prep.

For Lazar and Considine, the ability to contribute through their own production capabilities creates opportunities to support causes in meaningful ways.

"We don't limit our involvement to any single cause. If our capabilities and people can help a not-for-profit or community organization tell its story, promote an event, or stretch its resources further, we're often quite inclined to help."

Ready for Opening Day

The towering installations and colorful graphics may be what people notice first, but SpeedPro Chicago Loop's success comes from the work happening behind the scenes: a skilled team, dependable production processes, and relationships built over time.

For Eric Lazar and Rebecca Considine, those foundations have helped turn demanding projects into long-term customer relationships, national recognition, and opportunities to give back to their community.

And when the next big project comes through the door, their team is ready to get to work.

To learn more about SpeedPro Chicago Loop’s favorite LexJet products, contact an Equipment Specialist at 800-453-9538 or visit Capital Equipment.