Cowen Signs offers a range of services from corporate branding to vehicle wraps
From speaking to James Clarke, production director at Cowen Signs, I am overcome with the sense that this company is a real team. The company has 17 full-time members of staff currently, as well as designated fitting teams that are situated across the country. Clarke has worked with the company for ten years.
Clarke comments: “We have a particular set of skills within the company, which include engineers, designers, computer whiz kids, joiners, installation experts, and a managing director who is still as enthusiastic as ever.”
The company developed from a small engraving company serving the local community in the late 1880s, which provided label solutions for companies such as Cammell Laird and Shell. Clarke adds: “We have now grown alongside our customer base and advancements in technology have enabled us to keep ahead of the customers wants and needs. We are fully equipped to respond at a moment’s notice.”
Cowen Signs moved into a new purpose built unit around a year ago, which has a temperature controlled vehicle livery bay. This means the company no longer struggles for space and it can carry on fleet branding easily, completing jobs faster than ever before.
A new premise has allowed Cowen Signs to make the most out of more space and complete jobs faster than before
The Wirral-based sign company is seeing record breaking turnover year after year, according to Clarke, and continues to offer its customers a wide portfolio of services including, but not limited to, wall coverings, vehicle livery and wraps, corporate branding, and large-format print.
Opening doors
The company hit the headlines in SignLink last year when it decided to pay tribute to the impact that its EFI H1625 LED printer has had on business. “The EFI has opened many new doors for us,” explains Clarke, adding: “The way we can implement white within our work is a real eye opener and now there are no limitations to what we can do.
“The EFI has opened many new doors for us,” says James Clarke about its new EFI H1625 LED printer
“We have been able to transfer a lot of our screen printing over to the EFI and whilst slower than the traditional methods, there’s no mess, more consistent prints and our staff can get on with other jobs at the same time. With the support of CMYUK and EFI, we have started a great relationship and we look forward to working with them again soon.”
The printer was installed at the firm’s Birkenhead, Wirral site in November 2015 by CMYUK, and Cowen Signs has continued to utilise the training it received from EFI engineers and ongoing support. Clarke said at the time that the machine resulted in an increase in turnover, job capacity, and throughput.
However, the new EFI has not been the only recent investment made by the company. Clarke says: “Coinciding with the new build and the big move, we not only installed printers, we also needed a rock-solid cutting and finishing solution. We looked at lots of machines and we decided to go with the AXYZ CNC cutting table.
“We have a working area of 3 x 2m, powerful routing spindle and knife and creasing heads too. The machine has been running for a whole year and has never broken down. It just works all day long. And because the extraction is so good, we can have it operating within one large space next to our EFI and HP printers, without the worry of contamination of dust.”
We are watching the 3D printing space with great interest and no doubt, we’ll be jumping in real soon”
Clarke also notes an area of the market that the company would like to explore: “We are watching the 3D printing space with great interest and no doubt, we’ll be jumping in real soon.”
Dream team
Exciting projects Cowen Signs have worked on include 30m LED signage at Aintree and signage for Dubai Ports (DP World). The company also recently made 50 bespoke Dibond cabinets, which Clarke says was an intricate job.
Alongside Clarke is sales director Nik Swann, who has also worked with Cowen Signs for ten years. He comments on the company’s upcoming projects: “We are currently rebranding several large energy companies, they have depots all over the country. We are fitting six sites a week at the moment. And we are currently working alongside global brands, architects and creative communication agencies.”
When it comes to the key to Cowen Signs’ success, Swann believes it comes down to the quality and customer service the company provides. He continues: “We have an exceptional dream team of staff, and we are looking to expand again this year.
We have an exceptional dream team of staff, and we are looking to expand again this year”
“We have our own dedicated sales team and creative designers, right through to production and installation. Having talented people in these areas means there’s a high chance that we win every enquiry we receive. There’s simply no need to go elsewhere. We do it all.
“We are looking to expand again this year with new fantastic apprenticeships throughout the business, and no doubt we will look to expand our printing capacity once again. We believe investing in people and the right machinery is key to a company’ success.”
With investment in the latest technology, bringing in new talent through apprenticeships, and hard work, Cowen Signs is certainly doing everything right to maintain its success. Now, with plans to expand further and even get involved with 3D printing, the long-established sign company looks set to continue this growth.
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