our highly acclaimed polished stainless steel bevel letters.” However, the real focus of SignFab
(UK)’s capability lies within its metal fabrication. It has 10 fully trained fabricators who are able to manufacture almost any shape of totem, using steel box section internal frames and welded mild steel baseplates, and SignFab (UK)’s totems are built to last. Its range of standard sizes has been carefully calculated by external structural engineers, to ensure the correct materials are used during manu- facture. The all aluminium or stainless steel panels can be rolled to create curved faces, and optional stencil cut to include illumination by tubes or the company’s range of Balt LEDs. Most materials need powder-coating
or spraying to be able to withstand even the mildest of climates and SignFab (UK) reached a point two years ago where it recognised the need to enhance its on-site powder coating and pre-treatment facility. “We turned to Vixen, an industry leader in organic phosphate
The sales team at SignFab (UK), left to right: Jordy Hodgson, Matthew Hall, Steve Richardson, Tom Green, Brian Langton, Matthew Wilkinson, Julie Brett (Sales Manager), Aiden Rood.
pre-treatment systems,” says Carl. “The plant we finally installed was custom built at 6m long x 2.2m high. This offered the throughput we needed to meet our growing demands. Adding further ovens to bring our total to three, along with two power application booths, we are capable of treating and powder-coating 300 sq metres of signage per day. We also incorporate a comprehensive wet spraying facility, for matching to almost any Pantone reference.” Manufacturing signs is of course an important part of any sign
business, but getting the finished signage to customers is just as important, and this proved a challenge for SignFab (UK) in the early days. It found an unacceptable level of customer complaints arose from damage to signs, caused by couriers, and this was damaging SignFab (UK)’s reputation too. The company’s service now includes
plain cover delivery vans (in most instances these deliveries are free of charge); meaning SignFab (UK) has complete end to end control over the ordering, manufacturing and delivery process. This principle was recently extended with the addition of plain clothed fixing crews, to include site surveys and installations, a service more and more clients are finding very useful. Today SignFab (UK) employs 92 staff at its Leicester site where
it has a full training programme in each area for all personnel, and also incorporates on site NVQ training and qualifications. “We see our investment in our staff as our most
important commodity. Ironically we still retain 12 of the original 14 staff members and our aim is for this to continue. The experience and loyalty of our staff is essential to our continued growth and success,” says Carl. “All customers can be assured that our manufacturing is
done in house, we openly encourage all our customers to visit our works, either to discuss projects with their dedicated Sales Account Manager, or just to see what facilities and services we have to offer. SignFab (UK) Ltd is the largest trade only sign supplier in the UK, this is a statement that we do not take lightly. We are continually working very hard in all areas to improve our range of services and increase our efficiencies, to enable us to remain very competitive with all the goods we supply. “Customer confidentially is crucial to our success. Because
we are, and always will be, a trade only sign supplier, we will never have any conflict, or contact any end user and will always support and work closely with our customers to make sure the largest of projects, or the smallest individual order is dealt with correctly.” Carl says that anyone can see from SignFab (UK)’s website that size really is not a restriction to what the company is able to produce, showing as it does that some of the most complex and prestigious signage in the country has been fabricated within SignFab (UK)’s works. The company actively encourages one to one customer contact with the sales team or the managers, believing the personal touch to be the way forward for developing long term working relationships. To gain further insight into the services SignFab (UK)
Letter fabrication is a just one manufacturing process SignFab (UK) provides to the sign trade.
offers or to obtain a free quotation, telephone 0116 261 0104 or go to
www.signfab.co.uk
ISSUE 128 APRIL 2011 Sign Update 63
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