Sign Maker Profile
Celebrating a milstone: 48 years in the sign industry
In a celebration of almost 50 years of loyalty to the sign industry, we speak to Rob Hogarth, a true veteran of the industry who saw an almost fantastical transformation from traditional sign writing to modernised printed signage.
up and research any company back then, so I went into the interview open-eyed. I had an accident the week before, breaking my nose and losing my 2 front teeth as I went head over heels on my bicycle. “I was helping the local newsagent
deliver papers, which I had done years before, and often wonder if I was taken pity on when I got the job starting on £25 per week. “My first task was to input the hours
Rob Hogarth, previously estimating and procurement manager at Jonsigns Group UK, now retired
W
hen Rob Hogarth began his career in the sign industry in June 1978, most signs were
still produced by hand; no vinyl, no automation just sign writers working with brushes, paints, steady hands, and years of skill. A lot has changed during the
estimating manager’s career, but after 48 successful years within the industry, he has decided to hang up his boots. It all started with his first role at Pearce
Signs NE, before moving on to Astley Signs in 1988. 10 years later, he made the move to Graphex Rivermeade Signs, where he stayed until 2008, when he made the change to Saltwell Signs. The company was later bought out by
Astley Signs in 2010, where Rob once again stayed until 2017, when he joined his last company Jonsigns, where he remained until his retirement this year.
Learning the trade Rob left school having never heard of any sign companies. “We didn’t have the internet to look
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on individual job cards by hand using different coloured ink for time and a third, time and a half, and double time. After several months I was told I had passed my probation and went up to £27.50 per week. “The sign industry taught me patience
and precision. Every mistake was visible to the public, so quality mattered. Experienced craftsmen took pride in their work, and I was fortunate to learn from
people who valued excellence.” Over the next few years, Rob
progressed to the production department and worked out the piecework rates for the shop floor, a bonus that they earned if the job was completed on time. This gave Rob the grounding needed for this next step – estimating, but as much as experience helps gain knowledge, it soon became apparent that more knowledge would be needed to keep ahead of the industry.
The industry evolved The biggest change Rob witnessed within the industry was the shift from hand-drawn artwork to computer-generated design. He said: “Computers were unheard
of in our trade, and every letter was measured and painted with care. Little did I know that I would witness one of the greatest transformations any industry
Rob at Jonsigns’ Gateshead workshop
www.signupdate.co.uk
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