How to Order Customized Plastic Displays

Your Complete Guide to Ordering Custom Plastic Display Stands

Whether you need a single countertop prototype or a national retail rollout, understanding the ordering process ensures accurate quotes, faster turnaround, and a finished product that matches your expectations.

Moriah Plastics has been manufacturing custom acrylic and plastic displays in Johannesburg since 1998. This guide walks you through every stage — from preparing your design brief to receiving your finished displays.

In This Guide

1. Design & Specification — Bespoke design templates and defining your display requirements
2. File Formats & AutoCAD Compliance — Accepted file types, drawing standards, and artwork prep
3. Material Selection Guide — Choosing the right plastic for your application
4. Visual Display Sampling Stages — Prototypes, mock-ups, and approval process
5. Production & Delivery — Manufacturing lead times and shipping
6. Get Started — Submit your brief for a quote

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Bespoke Design Templates

Every custom display starts with a clear design specification. You can provide your own design or work from one of our bespoke design templates — pre-configured layouts for common display types including:

Our engineering team can also work from hand sketches, reference photos, or verbal descriptions to produce a design that meets your functional and aesthetic goals.

Key Information to Include in Your Brief

Not sure what you need? Contact our engineering desk and we'll help you define the specifications.

Accepted File Types and Drawing Standards

To ensure accurate quoting and precise fabrication, we accept a wide range of digital file formats. Our CNC and laser cutting equipment works directly from your vector files — the more accurate your file, the faster and more cost-effective your project.

We accept the following file formats:

AutoCAD Format Compliance Guidelines

No CAD file? No problem. Our in-house design team can generate CAD drawings from your sketches, photos, or verbal specifications. We also offer dieline creation and print file setup as part of our pre-production service.

📋 See our Resources page for artwork and file preparation guidelines.

Choosing the right material is critical to your display's durability, appearance, and cost. Below are the most common materials we fabricate with at our Johannesburg workshop:

• PMMA Acrylic (Perspex® / Plexiglas®) — Premium clarity, high-gloss finish, UV-stable. Ideal for retail displays, lightboxes, and signage. Available in clear, coloured, opaque, and mirrored finishes. Thickness: 2mm–25mm.
• Polycarbonate (Lexan®) — Impact-resistant alternative to acrylic. Used for security displays, outdoor applications, and high-traffic areas.
• ABS Plastic — Durable, cost-effective material suitable for vacuum-formed trays, housings, and promotional displays.
• HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) — Economical choice for short-term promotions and disposable displays. Easy to print and form.
• PETG — Food-safe, chemical-resistant material ideal for food and beverage displays and medical applications.
• Chromadek Steel — Pre-painted steel sheet for heavy-duty retail shelving and industrial display units.
• MDF & Wood — For hybrid displays, plinths, and architectural features requiring natural textures.
• Foamboard / PVC Board — Lightweight, printable board for temporary signage, exhibition displays, and event graphics.

For a detailed comparison of each material's properties, applications, and pricing, visit our full Materials Guide.

Before committing to full production, you have multiple options to review and approve the design visually and physically. Our sampling stages ensure that the final product exactly matches your expectations.

Stage 1: Design Visual / Render

We produce a digital design visualisation or 2D/3D CAD render showing your display from key angles, with dimensions, material indications, and branding placement. This stage is included with every project and allows you to:

Stage 2: Physical Prototype (Sample)

For complex or high-volume projects, we recommend a physical prototype — a single display unit fabricated to full production specifications. This allows you to:

Prototypes typically take 3–5 working days and are priced separately. The cost is deducted from the final production order if you proceed.

Stage 3: Pre-Production Sample

For national rollouts, we can produce a pre-production sample from the final production process (same tooling, same setup) to confirm consistency before the full batch run. This is your final quality checkpoint.

Stage 4: Production Quality Control

During full production, each unit undergoes quality control inspection before packing — checking dimensions, finish, print accuracy, and structural integrity. Digital photos of batch samples can be provided on request.

Manufacturing Process

Once your design is approved and the deposit is received, your project enters production. Our Johannesburg factory uses a combination of fabrication methods depending on your design and material:

• Laser cutting — Precision cutting of acrylic and other sheet materials with tight tolerances (±0.2mm)
• CNC routing — For thicker panels, 3D contours, and complex shapes
• Heat bending & line bending — Clean, accurate folds with polished edges
• Solvent bonding & UV adhesive — Transparent, invisible joints for acrylic assemblies
• Vacuum forming — For moulded trays, housings, and contoured parts (up to 1000mm × 700mm)
• UV printing — Full-colour, durable graphics directly onto the material surface
• Laser engraving — Permanent marking for logos, text, and decorative elements

Lead Times

• Prototypes: 3–60 working days
• Small runs (1–50 units): 7–30 working days
• Medium runs (50–500 units): 10–60 working days
• Large rollouts (500+ units): 60 to 120 working days (timeline confirmed at quotation)

Rush and express options are available on request. We will always confirm lead times in your quotation and keep you updated throughout production.

Packaging & Delivery

Displays are carefully packed for safe transit — wrapped, boxed, or crated depending on size and quantity. We offer:

• Collection — Free collection from our Newlands, Johannesburg factory
• Courier delivery — SA-wide via trusted courier partners to all major centres
• Flat-pack or pre-assembled — As specified in your order

🚚 We deliver to Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, and all other South African locations.

Ready to Start Your Custom Display Project?

Send your brief, sketches, or CAD files to our engineering desk in Johannesburg. We'll respond with a comprehensive quote within 24–72 hours (depending on scope).

Prefer email? moriah@worldonline.co.za | Call: +27 11 477 2186 | Visit: 58 & 60 Evelyn Street, Newlands, Johannesburg