In making the sign for a garden centre near the town, Paul Chapman at Signal was advised by Nova Aluminium Systems to try their Novaskin system instead of the folded or composite 7200 x 1400mm tray they had initially requested.
The system works by stretching the printed skin sign over a 30mm depth aluminium frame meaning the cost is significantly is lower than a full aluminium tray, and Signal and its customers seem impressed with the end product.

Lisa Sperring, sales consultant of Nova, says, “The greatest benefit of Novaskin, other than the savings in cost, is that it puts the sign maker in control. While we cut, miter and paint the frame, they can get on with creating the skin, so two processes can run at the same time. With a tray, the sign-maker cannot do anything until it gets delivered.

“Also, when it comes transporting the frame to site, the Novaskin comes as a flat pack with a rolled up skin that they can simply put on their shoulder and take to site. This is obviously preferable to a 7.2 x 14m tray, which they are going to have to try and get in a van without it getting damaged.”

Sperring notes that the Novaskin, though a relatively new product, has been taking over from the aluminium tray, once people became used to the idea of it. She predicts that, with the massive savings in cost, this kind of sign-making is the future: “It has become extremely popular. With the rising costs of composite and acrylics, flexskins are the way forward, especially if they are keeping costs down for people.”