Signs Now: From Wall Art to Digital Billboards

With over 28 years of experience in the industry, Signs Now is a company that once again demonstrates the commitment and loyalty of members of the signage industry.

In 2022 Signs Now celebrated its 25th year of trading, a celebration which has led to continued growth for the company with long-running clients such as the NHS, and Hilton and Crown Plaza hotel chains. At the start of the year, managing director for Signs Now, Bill Dunphy, said: “Our financial performance for 2024 was strong thanks to the team delivering on a series of large-scale projects, and we are well-positioned to build on this in 2025.

“Last year saw us continue to win new clients and repeat business based on our solid reputation for delivering high standards. What sets us apart from competitors is our 27 years of experience in manufacturing bespoke signage and our ability to deliver projects to clients on both a very local and an international scale.”

Dunphy added: “We look forward to a positive 2025 on the back of a very strong end to 2024.” Nearly a year later we catch up with Dunphy and the team at Signs Now and learn abouts its history and company values.

Starting Off

Owned by both Bill Dunphy and his wife, Therese, Signs Now began in 1997 as a joint venture by Dunphy and a colleague from Lyreco, a large office supplies company which Dunphy was previously the finance director for. Dunphy and his colleague knew they wanted to set up their own business, and after exploring different markets, eventually settled on signage, despite neither one having experience in the industry.

Since setting up the business, Dunphy and his wife have purchased all the shares of the company and continued to grow Signs Now to what it is today. The company now operates with 22 members of staff, with Therese looking after the finances and the many accredited systems the company needs to operate with, while Bill Dunphy takes care of the rest of the business.

Speaking about how the company has changed, Dunphy says: “Before Covid-19, we had 36 staff across four branches. Now, with 22 staff in one location, we’ve had to become even more efficient to cover our growing workload. It’s amazing to see our sales grow by over 20% since 2020 but using 14 fewer staff. I never thought it possible.”

The changes since the pandemic reflect some of the big changes that took place across the signage industry during the pandemic, in which many businesses restructured and focused on specific areas or parts of the business. Signs Now decided to centralise operations in Wolverhampton but still provide a fast local service to anywhere in the UK.

“From the start, I wanted us to stand out by impressing our customers. I remember making a simple ‘park here’ sign for a friend’s party and he was amazed at how quickly we turned his idea into reality,” says Dunphy.

“Since then, I’ve felt it’s our mission to impress every customer. Our ethos is still about that; we strive to make every interaction special, from answering the phone promptly to delivering a sign that makes a real impact.”

We strive to make every interaction special, from answering the phone promptly to delivering a sign that makes a real impact

When it comes to what the company produces, there’s a “natural overlap” as Dunphy calls it between print and signage solutions, as is common across the industry. Signs Now offers a range of print, digital signage, design, manufacturing, and installation solutions for everything from shopfronts, internal signs, and large-scale projects.

Dunphy says: “We’re always looking for new ways to help our customers stand out, whether that’s through traditional signage or the latest digital displays. In the early days, we’d design signs, cut vinyl, and apply it to panels. As technology advanced, we invested in printers and other equipment to be able to manufacture most of our customers’ requirements in-house. One of our fastest growing services is wall art; we created a 64sq m wall graphic of the Albert Docks at night for a global pharmaceutical company’s auditorium in Liverpool, and we produce a lot of wall art for schools and colleges.”

When it comes to challenges, Dunphy says the industry is always evolving, and big projects keep them on their toes. A major project in Kingston upon Thames will see Signs Now transform an old building into a variety of entertainment venues which will include a range of internal and external signage, including digital displays. “We’ve set up a digital signage division to support projects like this, offering commercial-grade screens and digital solutions. It’ll be a very big project, but we do like a challenge,” adds Dunphy.

The Future’s Bright

Signs Now has continued to grow its sales by over 20% since 2020, using 14 fewer staff than before the pandemic. “I never thought it possible” comments Dunphy.

“We’ve grown steadily since we started and have expanded our sales almost every year. We’ve moved into new markets and gained clients in many countries internationally through our work producing vinyl graphics for Hilton Hotels as their EMEA signage partner.”

Since working with Hilton Hotels, Signs Now has shipped graphics to over 360 hotels across 63 countries, including Vatican City. Dunphy explains that developing national key accounts has been core to the company’s growth. “Over 80% of our sales are now derived from what we call key accounts and that part of our business is growing nicely.”

When it comes to retirement, Dunphy says he has no plans to stop, due to his love of the industry, and going into work each day. “I like the challenging projects that really stretch our capabilities, and of course I enjoy the people I work with. Over the 28 years I’ve been able to retain most of our staff and so we have accumulated an increasing amount of knowledge and expertise,” adds Dunphy.

When it comes to what Dunphy is most proud of, he cites the company culture as a standout. “From the beginning, I believed that if owners look after staff, staff will look after customers, and customers will look after all of us. Many of our team have been with us for 20 years, with an average tenure of 14 years. When you find good people, you hold onto them and that mutual loyalty has benefited our business enormously.”

After seeing many acquisitions not work out, Dunphy says he is keen to keep developing the business organically, focusing on wall art and digital signage. Dunphy concludes: “Our aim is to keep doing what we love.

“I plan to live forever!”

Statistics

1997 – The business began in March 1997

22 – Signs Now operates with 22 members of staff

£3m – The company is approaching £3m in annual turnover

20 years – Many staff members have been with the
company for 20 years

7000sqft – Signs Now’s office measures 7,000sq ft in size