Printers, artists and Madame Tussauds as clients
Traditional litho printers are looking at moving into sign-making in order to open up new customers.
Tuesday, 25 Sep 2018 11:04 GMT
Paul and Julia Hughes of Sign-Making Tools of Telford
That is the view of Paul and Julia Hughes of Sign-Making Tools of Telford, who exhibited at the Print Show in September and were inundated with questions from printing companies.
“We’ve had lots of people asking lots of questions and asking advice as that’s what we are here for,” says Paul Hughes. The couple’s stand is packed with every type of tool for anyone starting out in the business, with a store back in Telford on the Haybrook Industrial Estate.
“Traditional printers have often bought wide-format printers to do roll ups and it soon becomes apparent to them that they will get asked to do banners and vehicle wraps but they don’t have the tools to make signs. They realise they can bring the work in house if they get some training and tools. And that’s where we come in as we offer training and all the kit a sign-maker will need.”
The line between the sign industry and the print industry is getting blurred and even more blurred by the day”
The married couple are sign-makers by trade but after many years in the business were often asked by would-be sign-makers and printing companies about buying tools and training. Paul wrote and published a guide to pricing called Price It for sign-makers and then also began to supply tools to other sign-makers as a side line. As the range offered expanded the couple created the business complete with an online website and an industrial unit where they also design and manufacture some of the tools.
Paul comments: “The line between the sign industry and the print industry is getting blurred and even more blurred by the day. All sorts of firms buy from us. Artists and shop fitters and even Madame Tussauds bought a heat gun from us to melt wax. The most popular items are knives, squeegees, cutting mats and there is lots of interest in storage racks.”
They said The Print Show had created steady enquiries throughout the three days at the NEC, with printers asking questions about the tools and equipment needed to offer a sign-making service alongside their traditional business.
Are the sign and print industries merging? Email your thoughts to harry@linkpublishing.co.uk or call me on Tel: 0117 9805 040 – or follow me on Twitter and join in the debate.
