The Sign Show to launch in 2025

While there is certainly no shortage of events for the global sign-making industry, when it comes to the UK market, there is little choice. Of course, UK sign-makers can hop on a plane and head to the FESPA Global Print Expo on the continent, or even further afield to the ISA Sign Expo in the US. But with their time so valuable, many cannot spare so much time out of the workshop.

For those looking to meet up with manufacturers and suppliers to find out more about the latest products and developments in sign-making, what can they do? Trade shows offer the best opportunity for industry members to view signage solutions from various areas in one location, but the UK currently lacks such an event.

However, this now looks set to be an issue of the past, with Link Exhibitions, the company behind the hugely successful print-focused event, The Print Show, announcing the launch of a brand new, dedicated event for the sign industry - The Sign Show.

Scheduled to run for the first time in 2025, The Sign Show will take place alongside The Print Show from September 23rd to 25th at the NEC in Birmingham. The event is being billed as the UK’s “annual dedicated sign expo”, pledging to establish a show dedicated to signage.

“What we mean by this is that we will only be focusing on signage,” says Chris Davies, event director for both The Sign Show and The Print Show. He continues: “From signwriting and vinyl wrapping to sign fabrication and engraving, no matter what part of the sign market you are working in, there will be something for you at The Sign Show.

“The industry deserves an event like this. There is nowhere else that sign professionals can go to see actual sign-making tools and solutions from a wide range of companies under one roof. The Sign Show will deliver exactly this.”

Co-location Benefits

Organisers recognise that some signage events have become heavily influenced by wide-format print, and while this is of course crucial for many sign-makers, it is not the be-all and end-all. This area of the industry has already been well represented at The Print Show and will be even more so at the 2025 event.
For this reason, the show’s co-location with sister event The Print Show makes a lot of sense, as Davies explains: “Of course we recognise the importance of wide-format print in the sign-making market. However, we also understand that signage is so much more than just wide-format print.

“While The Sign Show will solely have a core focus on sign-making, those visitors that also have an interest in wide-format print can catch up with the latest developments in this market across both co-locating events, where wide-format will have a huge presence.

“Take our 2024 show for example; we welcomed Fujifilm, swissQprint, Agfa, and Liyu UK to name but a few major manufacturers, as well as leading distributors and suppliers such as CMYUK, Soyang Europe, and Quality Print Services. Across the two events, visitors from the signage market will be able to find the solutions they are looking for.”

What Can We Expect?

While The Sign Show is still in its infancy, details have started to filter through as to what visitors can look forward to at the debut event next year.

Among the features sounded out on the event’s website - thesignshow.co.uk - are live demonstrations for crafts such as vinyl wrapping to showcase the possibilities of vehicle wrapping, window and floor graphics, as well as the expanding world of architectural film.

There will also be opportunities for visitors to see historic and inspiring workshops on crafts not seen at any other trade show, including neon sign-making, traditional signwriting, and metal work, all, as the organiser says, with the goal of “demonstrating the art and wow factor of amazing signage projects”.
“We want The Sign Show to be so much more than a simple exhibition event,” Davies says, adding: “We want to build an event that truly celebrates the UK sign industry and the many amazing people that work across the sector. By running these in-event features, we hope to open visitors’ eyes to the methods behind signage and inspire them to go away and explore new opportunities for their own businesses.”

Key Industry Support

Though the event was only announced at The Print Show this year, organisers have wasted little time in gathering support for the debut show in 2025. Leading industry organisations the British Sign and Graphics Association (BSGA) and FESPA UK are among those backing the event, in addition to key industry publications SignLink and Eye on Display as well as Make It Happen signage consultancy.

On top of this, the event has formed its own ‘Fantastic Four’, welcoming some of the most recognised faces from the UK sign-making industry as part of the planning team. The group comprises Craig Brown, chief executive officer of the BSGA; Suzi Ward, managing director of FESPA UK; Sam Armstrong, founder
and chief executive officer of Make it Happen; and Jack Gocher, editor of Eye on Display.

Gocher says: “In any industry, the arrival of a new show can only be seen as a positive and so I applaud this initiative. The sign industry, which has crossovers with so many other industries, must have its own identity and allow suppliers to showcase their latest products, services, and solutions.

“The more opportunities there are to put sign-makers and suppliers in the same place, the stronger the industry will be.”

Davies adds: “We’re delighted to be working with four leading voices from the UK signage industry, each of which will help us put together our inaugural event and deliver exactly what the industry requires.
“We are committed to working closely with the industry to ensure the event meets the demands of the sign-making market and we address the issues that are most important to the sector.”

What’s more, Davies reveals the Fantastic Four will also be playing a key role in running the special in-event areas. While work is still ongoing to form each of these features, he says visitors can look forward to specialist workshop sessions from Armstrong and her Make It Happen team, as well as hands-on demos of sign-making and one-on-one business advice from some of the best minds in the business.

“We’ve got a busy 12 months ahead of us pulling together the show but going off some of the feedback we had during our soft launch at The Print Show this year, we are confident about how The Sign Show will be received,” Davies says.

“The bottom line for us is that we want to create an event that actually helps the industry and supports visitors with their own growth plans – much like we have done with The Print Show since its launch back in 2015.

“I very much look forward to speaking with potential exhibitors and visitors over the next few months, and I encourage readers to keep an eye on our official social media channels and website for exciting updates in the not-too-distant future.”