Muskoka never ceases to amaze me. Or perhaps I should say Muskokans never cease to amaze me.

For such a sparsely populated area – well, at least in the winter! – Muskoka has more than its fair share of exciting business ventures run by far-sighted entrepreneurs.

One such business is Dave-son Medical Enterprises. Owned by Bill Davidson, this Port Carling-based business has for 20 years produced 3-D posters for the health industry. For Davidson, assisting product managers and corporations with the promotion of their products using specially crafted tactical aids was a logical step after having spent many years working in pharmaceutical industry.

And the marketing tools Davidson and his team create are indeed unique. The process begins with the making of a mold from an image of the part of the human anatomy to be featured. As can be seen on Dave-son’s website (www.custom3dposters.com) these images are highly realistic and extremely detailed.   

Once the mold has been made, the artwork – printed on polysterene sheets – is passed over the mold while being heated. The sheets adhere to the mold, creating a perfect replica – in 3-D, of course – of the original. The process can be repeated as many times as required, depending on the specific needs of the client.

While some clients provide Dave-son with existing artwork, the company’s team – under the watchful eye of Creative Director Joseph Ceneda – can create original,  complex designs and renditions of the human body. (Much of this detailed work is done by one of the industry's best medical illustrators, David Aldrich.) Once Ceneda and his design team have finished with the creative side of the business, production begins, with delivery taking place within four weeks after client approval.

The company’s reputation in this specialized field is second to none, and has resulted in its having been commissioned by groups other than corporations to produce 3D posters. Indeed, countless schools, colleges and hospitals use the images for teaching purposes.   

And while the majority of Dave-son’s 3D posters are produced for pharmaceutical companies – clients include such big names as Glaxo SmithKline, Astra Zeneca, Wyeth Ayerst and Merck Frosst – the company has also worked with non-health related clients such as Skoal, Molson's, Braun and Wrigley's.

For further details, contact Dave-son Medical Enterprises, 1053 Butterfly Road, RR3, Port Carling, ON P0B 1J0. Alternatively, phone 705-765-1353, toll-free 1-877-892-4913 or e-mail daveson@primus.ca