Score a strike

Pondering on the significant success of a number of sign-makers who have chosen to go down the trade only supply route, I fell to wondering what makes them tick. What do they find so attractive about trade supply? How have they achieved their success? What do they feel are the key factors in maintaining that success? There was only one way to find out and that was to get it straight ‘from the horse’s mouth’, as it were. The following profiles of four leading trade suppliers are the fruits of my labours.

On their metal

Formed in 2001, Leicester-based SignFab (UK) is well into its sixteenth year of trading, during which time the company has grown to a size that operates over two factories, with a floor space in excess of 42,000sq ft, and employs over 140 staff, covering all sectors of metal sign manufacture.


Founding directors, Carl Hodgson and Paul Bartholomew, have been in the sign manufacturing arena since leaving school, each now having over 30 years’ experience in the industry. In addition, Sign Fab (UK)’s general manager, Mike Smith, sits on the technical committee and the council of the British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA) and can also advise on any other sign related issues.

“This combined knowledge and background was thought best used to focus on one client target area, sign-makers themselves, rather than the broad end-user range; in effect working with people who we knew already,” explains Smith.
 
He continues: “From our initial client contact in 2001, it was apparent that the sign industry lacked a creditable trade manufacturer. We have, therefore, grown and exploited that opportunity and developed our product range and client base accordingly. We have also created a very strong company structure of extremely experienced staff at all levels, with an overseeing management team that can react and deal with any situation as it arises.”

Sign Fab (UK) continuously aims to be at the forefront of technology, and has a continuing research and development process in place. Key to the company’s success, Smith believes, is the range of extra services it offers, supported by extensive in-house facilities that enable all signs to be built and finished within its own works.

“We make sure that we can offer the extra services that other providers often avoid or fall short of,” emphasises Smith, adding: “For example, we offer structural engineer calculations on our large steel fabrications. We are the only fully CE certificated (BS EN 1090-2) trade sign fabricator in the UK, who can produce steel or aluminium fabrications that meet all regulations. We also have the largest team of letter fabricators in the country.”


Sign Fab (UK)’s manufacturing facilities include two automated letter fabrication systems, 4m guillotines, and 100 tonne and 110 tonne brake presses with a 3.5m set of rollers, the latest Amada LCG 3015 Co2 laser cutter, and latest AXYZ 6014 router technology, so that all materials can be cut during the ongoing shift system, thereby speeding up the manufacturing process.

“We also have the largest and most efficient bespoke pre-treatment, powder-coating, and wet spray system in the industry,” adds Smith, continuing: “And, as further investment into extending our services to our customers, we have recently purchased a Gravograph engraver that enables us to produce Braille and tactile signs that meet the guidelines as outlined by the DDA (Disability and Discrimination Act).”

O Factoid: Trade is believed to have taken place throughout much of recorded human history. There is evidence of the exchange of obsidian and flint during the Stone Age (Wikipedia). O

 
Customer service is also paramount to SignFab (UK), as Smith asserts: “Without our customers we would not be where we are today—that goes without saying. To ensure that customers are looked after at every stage, manufacturing is backed up by an in-house customer service team, an internal sales team, a five vehicle fleet delivery service, and a three vehicle plain covered installation team, who are able to cover all aspects of surveys, installations, and maintenance across the whole of the UK.”

“Our aim and philosophy is to supply the best quality manufactured products we possibly can, with a very efficient and well-informed service to our clients, at a competitive cost. That combined strategy has helped us become the leading and largest trade only sign supplier during the past 16 years. We aim to be the market leader for the long term.”

Light fantastic

Bradford-based Applelec is a manufacturer of signage, display, and lighting products, including the versatile light panel, LED Light Sheet. As a trade supplier to the sign industry, Applelec has developed a range of signage products that couple innovative technology with skilled craftsmanship. Currently in a period of expansion, the company recently relocated all operations to the 6.3 acre Wharfedale Business Park in Bradford, which was purchased by Applelec in 2014.



“As a trade only supplier, we get to work on a really diverse range of projects and can remain quite specialised as a manufacturer of signage, particularly illuminated signage,” observes Andy Armitage, head of signage sales.

Applelec started to make a name for itself when LEDs began to be used in signs and letters.
 
“That’s when we built up the customer base we have today,” Armitage expands, adding: “Ian Drinkwater, our managing director, was interested in LED technology and established good relationships with some of the emerging LED manufacturers. This meant Applelec was well placed to supply LEDs when they became in greater demand for signage. Then, over the years we began to manufacture more and our customer base has now become increasingly varied.



“Being trade only was the most appropriate route to market for the products we supplied in the early days, and now we wouldn’t have it any other way. At least all of our customers know what they’re talking about.”

Armitage believes that genuine interest, passion, and continual development of products, together with investment in staff and technology, along with customer support, are key contributors to Applelec’s success as a trade supplier.

“We’re genuinely interested in signage and I think that’s the most important thing. Without a bit of passion, everything else falls flat,” Armitage stresses, continuing: “At the same time, of course, it’s important to keep developing our product ranges, make investments in equipment and machinery, and look to future technology.

“Over the last twelve months, one of the biggest areas of change and investment has been in new staff appointments, particularly in the sales and technical teams. Our electricians are increasingly needed on-site for programming support (where they wear client branded uniforms), and our sales team has been significantly strengthened both in the office and in the field; we now have four, full time, senior members of staff out on the road to offer greater customer support.

“But the main thing that’s been important over the years is trust. We’ve worked with many of our customers for years now and they know that we always do our best to deliver a great job at a fair price and offer the kind of pre, during, and after sales support that just makes everything run smoothly.”

Stuff of dreams

You could say that the story of James Sohata and Group 101 is the stuff that dreams are made of.
 
Chief executive officer James Sohata started his business in a small bedroom in East London, working as a graphic design teacher by day and printing personal images for friends in the evenings. His creative flair and love of printing led him to become one of the early pioneers of the canvas printing industry, forming Canvas 101, which subsequently became Group 101.



From the start, Sohata dreamed of expanding the company to provide a wide range of products and services. Those dreams became reality, when he became a valuable trade partner to all the clients he served and the company now occupies spacious premises at Thurrock, Essex, which houses Group 101’s entire operation under one roof.

Sohata is justly proud of the fact that from the get-go this has all been funded organically: “We have not relied on any backers or sponsors; we have achieved our growth entirely by ploughing profit back into the business.”

Group 101’s main focus is on delivering a wide range of signage solutions to creative and design related professionals, with services ranging from bespoke sign manufacturing to wide-format digital print solutions.
 
Sohata outlines the decision to focus on trade only supply: “Early on, I realised that the services we offered were quite specialised and so made a conscious decision to go down the trade only route, passing on our expertise to other sign-maker and printer clients, by working closely with them to create the finished solutions they require. End-users need too much hand-holding.



“We have specialist knowledge of the whole field of design, print, and signage manufacture in general, and we create some very specialised bespoke and custom work. Agencies frequently send us weird and wonderful ideas and we love to create solutions—the weirder the better, from our point of view. We develop the ideas with our customers to produce the finished products, which is made easier by the fact that they are people who already understand the industry and the processes. We always tell our customers ‘the only limitation is your imagination’.”


In addition to design and print, Group 101 offers CNC routing and cutting, mounting, and print finishing services to the trade and has a comprehensive complement of state-of-the-art plant and machinery, which is added to on a regular basis.

“We review our kit every year and invest each year in new technology, upgrades, and additions to our plant,” comments Sohata.

Sohata believes that what differentiates Group 101 from other companies is the fact that he understands both printing and signage: “It’s all I’ve ever known and frankly, it’s all I will ever do. I’m not a salesman turned trade printer; I’ve always been in this line of work.”

However, being the biggest is not part of Sohata’s ambition: “Being the very biggest in any area of business is entirely a function of the volume of business you do, and that’s not always a result of being the best. A lot of business can be bought on the basis that it’s good enough, that it gets the job done. Lots of business can also be lost by the same philosophy. I have no ambition to be the biggest. I put everything into ensuring we’re thought of as the best though. That’s where my ambitions take me.”

Full circle

With its 185 year history, William Smith Group 1832 must surely qualify as ‘the grand-daddy of them all’.

Recognised as the country’s oldest sign-maker, in 2016 the Barnard Castle company returned to its roots with the launch of its dedicated trade manufacturing brand, Smith.
 
Founded by William Smith in 1832, the company remains very much a family business, with the sixth and seventh generations of the Smith family firmly taking hands-on roles within the company.



Originally famed for inventing and manufacturing the first road sweeping machines and early snow-ploughs, the company has been manufacturing signs for almost 100 years. The first cast iron road signs were manufactured in 1930 and traffic sign manufacturing remained the mainstay of William Smith until the 1960s when the company formed a partnership with 3M with the introduction of the first reflective films. This formed the basis of their now well-renowned materials distribution operation, which became the focus of the company’s business from the late 1990s.

Continued growth and development has led to the recent creation of a new group structure, William Smith Group 1832, which houses three divisional brands: William Smith, trade supplier of vinyl films; Smith Sign and Display, trade sign manufacture; and Architextural, which supplies architectural and building-related films.

The introduction of its dedicated design and display product manufacturing division, Smith Sign and Display, brings the company full circle.

Whether it is commercial or CE marked traffic signage, illuminated or non-illuminated, internal or external, Smith Sign and Display offers a large range of products suitable for numerous environments. In addition, it offers a range of sign components, most of which are available ex-stock and usually delivered within 24 hours
of ordering.

“We took the decision to re-focus on what we have always done well,” comments marketing executive, Kyle Giles.

He adds: “Having originally been manufacturers and a trade supplier for 185 years, it was our natural position in the distribution chain, which continues to the present day. As a trade supplier we can offer a larger portfolio of products, hold more stocks of material for our customers, and therefore cater to a larger audience.



“Furthermore, supplying direct to end-users would bring with it the requirement for additional legislation and business practice compliances, as well as employing or contracting an installation team. In addition, as a trade supplier we can focus on what we are good at—manufacturing and supplying products.”

Long serving staff, quality service, listening to customers, and helping them find the right solutions, continued investment in people and resources, diversification, and the ability to identify change are all key contributors to the success of William Smith Group 1832.

Giles explains: “Investment in our staff, including our dedicated technical support team, and the longevity of their service, means that they have substantial knowledge of our products and services and are therefore able to help customers resolve problems quickly and find the right solutions for their requirements.


“William Smith is unique in being both a distributor and manufacturer, which means that we have first-hand experience of using the materials that we supply. We also welcome customers to visit our site and create opportunities for them to see our products and facilities for themselves. As a family run business, we pride ourselves on the level of service that we offer. It’s one of our USPs.”

Giles summarises: “As industry experts we are skilled at identifying changes in our field of work and continually bring in new products in order to satisfy our target market. Over the years this has seen the company diversify from street sweepers to log cabins, road signage, commercial signage, material distribution, and architectural films, to mention just a few milestones along the way.”

So, there you have it. Four quite different companies, each with their own unique background and offering, but what stands out is that they all have a keen desire to ensure that they provide their customers with the very best products and service, and an eye to the future.


Your text here...