Case Study: Icon 3D
The transition to Kelley Create and the Mutoh wide-format printer was a breath of fresh air. “You all are high class,” he says. “You give instead of take. You’re a delight to work with.”
Cory Lucas, Founder, Icon 3D
How Kelley Create Helped Icon 3D Turn Printing into an Artform
When Cory Lucas, founder of Icon 3D in Portland, OR, talks about his business, you can hear the pride in his voice. And maybe a little acrylic dust in the background. For over 20 years, Icon 3D has been a quiet powerhouse in the world of plastic fabrication and signage, specializing in ADA-compliant room IDs, tactile wayfinding, and emergency pathway markings. Their clients? Mostly other sign companies and museums who need the kind of precision and expertise that only comes from years of heat bending, solvent welding, and a healthy respect for fire safety.
“We’re wholesale,” Cory explains. “We work with companies that don’t have the equipment or know-how. ADA signage is particular. You have to do it well.”
And Cory didn’t plan to partner with Kelley Create. “We were researching UV printers, and someone from Kelley just showed up,” he recalls. “It was serendipitous. One of the best decisions we’ve made.”
Before Kelley Create, Icon 3D was working with older equipment from a competitor. “It worked, but support was… let’s just say one of our passwords was literally ‘I hate…’ That says it all,” Cory laughs. The transition to Kelley Create and the Mutoh wide-format printer was a breath of fresh air. “You all are high class,” he says. “You give instead of take. You’re a delight to work with.”
The Mutoh printer didn’t just improve print quality. It unlocked a new level of creativity and revenue potential. “It exceeded every expectation,” Cory beams. “We’ve turned what we do into art.” With the help of their designer, Chris, whom Cory affectionately calls “a magician”, Icon 3D has begun exploring new product lines. “We’ve done some incredible things. From trophies to these glitter-infused acrylic sports cards for kids’ teams. We don’t even sell them, but they show what’s possible.”
These creative experiments have led to real business opportunities. “We’re starting to spread our wings,” Cory says. “We’ve been able to offer things with the Mutoh we couldn’t before, including custom dimensional signage, layered acrylic pieces, and even high-end display elements for trade shows. It’s helped us grow.”
The partnership with Kelley Create has also meant reliable support. “Craig has been there the entire time,” Cory says. “We were the first to get this machine, so there was a learning curve. But we got through it with flying colors.”
What keeps Cory loyal isn’t just the machine — it’s the people. “There’s absolutely no reason to go anywhere else,” he says. “Our goal is to get another Mutoh by the end of the year. It works. It hasn’t skipped a beat. And the support is drastically different from what we had before.”
At the heart of Icon 3D’s success is a small, tight-knit team. “There are 2½ of us at Icon,” Cory says. “But we produce a lot. I’m most proud of our team. They’ve picked up my slack when life got hard. We’re all in this together.”
And that spirit of collaboration extends to the industry. “Helping isn’t hurting the competition. It’s just being a good neighbor,” Cory says. “We all have to be at work. We might as well enjoy it.”
Industry: Print. Company Size: Small Business. Location: Portland, OR. Services: Printing and Sending

“You give instead of take. You’re a delight to work with.”
Cory Lucas, Founder,
Icon 3D