Ideal Heating collaborates with FASTSIGNS for major factory overhaul

FASTSIGNS Hull has completed a major site-wide visual overhaul for heating manufacturer, Ideal Heating, at its flagship production facility in East Yorkshire.

The project saw signage specialists FASTSIGNS Hull complete a transformation of Ideal Heating’s factory floor, designed around supporting the site’s manufacturing goals.

The installation aimed to incorporate a ‘5S signage’ manufacturing methodology: sort, set in order, shine, standardise, and sustain. The overhaul is designed to ensure that every tool has a designated place and every process and hazard is clearly marked.

FASTSIGNS adopted this focus on workplace organisation, standardisation, and safety by designing and manufacturing custom tool shadow boards, colour-coded floor markings, safety display boards, and clear site navigation solutions.

By turning safety protocols and daily operational targets into clear visual cues, the new solutions are designed to help streamline workflows, improve navigation, and reduce downtime, as well as minimise safety incidents and maintain standard operating procedures across Ideal Heating’s high-capacity shop floors.

To withstand the demands of the facility, FASTSIGNS Hull produced the custom signage using high-durability, chemical-resistant materials and heavy-duty anti-slip floor laminates.

Andy Sutton, chief quality officer at Ideal Heating, says: “We needed visual management solutions that didn’t just look good and align with our brand guidelines, but actively supported our engineers and operators during busy, often loud production shifts.

“In a fast-paced manufacturing environment where downtime isn’t an option, FASTSIGNS delivered exactly that – working quickly and efficiently so our site operations were never disrupted. We’re absolutely thrilled with the finished result and the positive impact the new signage has already made across our factory floor.”  

Andy Dearman, owner of FASTSIGNS Hull, adds: “There’s often an assumption that factory signage is just about basic health and safety compliance, but in a modern facility, visual management plays a vital role in ensuring smooth, continuous workflows.

"It’s an essential operational tool on today’s production floors, where clear lines of sight eliminate guesswork, streamline movement and maintain the highest possible standards. We’ve worked closely with the team at Ideal Heating to make sure every element of the layout made practical sense in real life, not just on paper. The result is a set up that supports their day-to-day, efficient running and helps future-proof the site.”

FASTSIGNS Hull is part of the wider 24-strong network of independently run FASTSIGNS centres around the UK, which offer custom sign and visual solutions and handle a variety of business needs including content development, graphic design, and project management.