Company Signs – Form and Function

For commercial businesses and large organisations, their company sign choices can say a great deal about them, helping to get their specific branding across to the public along with their company ethos. Company signs can include a wide range of various sign types including large totem signs outside big retail outlets or office blocks, to high level signage that can be seen from great distances.

The design form of company signs can range greatly from a sleek modern feel to a more vintage or retro style, or just a simple interpretation of existing branding guidelines. The design styles can be quite limitless when looking at larger scale company sign options and refined finishes for smaller company signs.

Each company sign project has its different technical challenges; we can offer advice and expertise from the outset, in order to ensure that your commercial sign project runs smoothly. Providing you with not only advice on construction and illumination options, but also positioning.  Whether it is internal or external commercial signage, A1deSIGNS can help you achieve an end product that you can be proud of.

Shop Signs / Retail Signs – The Options

When looking at signage, Shop signs and retail signs are the most effective form of advertising available to a business, often overlooked and poorly maintained, your shop sign or retail sign is the important first impression that attracts the most important customers of all, the ones walking past your door.

As a business you can easily spend a great deal of money on advertising in places such as yell for example, with this type of advert you are placed next to every bit of competition in your area and it can easily cost up to £3000 on a yearly basis.

The average retail sign or shop sign depending on the quality of the materials used can last 10 years or more, if you spent the same £3000 on your retail sign or shop sign, you would have a high quality sign, that would have massive impact and all at a yearly cost of ownership of only £300 per year. Of course this is the higher end of the spectrum of signage options available, and more costs effective options are available.

When looking at retail signs and shop signs what are the options available?

At A1deSIGNS we have the experience to provide you with the retail sign or shop sign options that fit your brand or style. If you already have a logo or some sort of design, we can advise you as to the type of signage that best suits. We can provide options for your fascia sign, double sided projection sign, windows graphics, internal signage and branding along with a variety of point of sale options. Giving you the complete solution for your retail sign or shop sign needs.

Medium, low cost shop sign and retail sign options can include simple forms of signage such as acrylic letters fixed directly to the wall, flat panels with applied vinyl text or graphics.

Mid-range shop sign and retail sign options can include metal letters mounted to a panel or wall, built up metal or acrylic letters without internal illumination and the use of an overhead trough light.

High-end shop signs and retail sign options can include built up letters in metals such as brass with internal illumination via neon or LED’s, it all depends on the type of sign making supplies you use.. Another option includes push through acrylic letters that can give a unique look.

Neon Light Signs – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Neon Light Signs

When you are a business wanting to get noticed by your customers, there is little doubt that the type of sign that makes the biggest impact are neon light signs, however not all companies are equal when looking to make a purchase.

So what do you look for when considering neon light signs?

The good….

Experience in the design, manufacture and installation of a neon light is very important, along with a good understanding of the regulations that need to be adhered to in order to make a neon light installation safe. Very few companies manufacture neon across the UK since the introduction of LED’s, which in some cases is a good thing, many of the problems in the past with neon were created by a poor final installation along with a poor approach to its manufacture. When manufactured and installed correctly, neon lights will give you years of pleasure with no problems.

At A1deSIGNS we have been manufacturing neon lights for over 35 years, and with a combined experience in excess of 200 years, we know the best manufacturing techniques to provide you with a neon light that meets your every expectation.

The Bad…..

When your neon light is being priced up, bear in mind the materials being used in conjunction with the neon light. Make sure you understand the way the sign is to be mounted, where and how it is going to be used, as this all makes a difference to the type of equipment that should be used when manufacturing and installing your light. Some companies will provide you with the cheapest option just to get the job, as opposed to providing a solution that meets your requirements to ensure the longevity of your neon light and you end up happy with what you receive. Also avoid any product that involves joins in cables between letters as this does not meet regulations and if not securely connected can cause a fire.

The Ugly ….

When it comes to a neon sign that doesn’t last, there are few places that manage it better than our Asian counterparts, their products tend to be cheaper, but then tend to only last in some cases as little as 3 months, at best they can last up to a couple of years. Not only that, their transformers don’t always meet up to EU standards some even have stamps for standards they have not achieved.

The workmanship is often poor, and customers don’t end up with what they expect, how do we know this? You may ask. We often get neon signs that were manufactured in china brought into us for repair, a recent sign need repair after delivery, but not only that the transformers were positioned without care and attention and the beer cup was put the wrong way up, live cables can be touched as they are not covered properly electrical connections are simply covered with heat shrink.

Due to the neon lights being imported, often customers also end up with a surprise import duty bill, along with a warranty that’s not worth the paper it’s written on.

Finally in our new factory

We have now moved into our new factory, which took quite some time, first of all because we want to get the place right before we moved in and also so it didn’t interrupt production for all our customers. Our new larger factory will allow us to increase our production capabilities and improve our product range.