Sign Maker Profile


highlights that had stuck with him throughout the years. “Where do I start?” he said. “From


corporate rebrands and upgrades, Farmfoods was one of the biggest I have been involved with, each site being different although most of the signs are the same. “The colourful Great North Children's


Hospital I still like to this day, Hilton Hotel in Gateshead, watching how it was like a large Lego site being stitched together. “My last employer, Jonsigns, have


grown steadily over the last nine years, and we have also invested in a powder coating and stove enamelling plant, and a laser cutter, bringing all signs manufactured under our own control and in-house.”


CNC router in action at Jonsigns


could experience.” “What once took days could eventually


be completed in hours, yet the need for creativity and attention to detail remained unchanged. “Vinyl lettering then became available;


neon and fluorescent tubing within lettering and box signs were replaced with LEDs, although you can still get neon tubing today. “Flexface boxes became more


commonplace as signs got bigger, and all of these new processes had to be learnt to provide an accurate specification and quotation to the customer.”


Memories Over the years, Rob has worked with a great deal of customers and suppliers, gaining knowledge of materials, as well as ageing methods for brass and copper. He also had many anecdotes to tell


and recalled a more amusing discussion between him and a customer whose sign had given the window cleaner a shock. He said: “The window cleaner


reported it to the front desk and they sent someone up the ladder and they got a shock too. “I was asked, ‘What should we do?’


and dryly I replied, ‘Stop going up the ladder and turn the fireman's switch to the off position’.” Another customer request was about a


www.signupdate.co.uk


pet store’s sign that had malfunctioned. He continued: “A pet store had a dog


on a flasher sequence, which went awry and looked like two dogs having a bit of fun. The owner had a visit from a council official and was told to get it repaired, or he could get prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act. “When we went to fix the sign, the


flasher unit had been knocked, and the speed was reset. The owner was disappointed as he said sales had gone up threefold by people coming in to say what was wrong but ended up leaving with a purchase they never intended making.” Another project Rob mentioned that he


was “extremely proud” of was the Jurys Inn Glasglow which won the architect an award, but he swiftly added he received no such recognition. Rob said: “I have been involved with


many major contracts, from Halifax Building Society as it was then, The Emirates Stadium in London, Papa Johns, Pepes, William Hill to name but a few. “Going back to my early career, I used


to apply the vinyl on the WD & HO Wills nameboards, earning 50p per board on a Friday afternoon to make a little bit more money.”


Career highlights Rob also talked about the career


Advice to the next generation With a varied and long career, Rob’s experiences within the industry are invaluable to the next generation of sign makers. He commented: “Learn the


technology, but don't forget the fundamentals. Good design, quality workmanship, reliability, and pride in your work will always be valued, regardless of how the industry changes. “Specify each sign so that the


customer knows what they are getting in an easy-to-understand format. Too often I see quotations from other companies, and you could drive a bus through it. How they get away with it, I don't know.” “A lot of the time the signs are the


last thing to be installed or thought about when a new building is nearing completion, and as it has gone over budget they then expect a reduction in the sign costs or to re-value and re-engineer them to bring costs down.” Rob also mentioned that respecting


your work colleagues is important, but also investing in a pension is too – he is “glad” that he has it as he is having to retire early for health reasons. Every career has its obstacles; more


signage companies arriving on the scene add to the competition, and the changing technology and trying to keep up with it or stay ahead can be challenging at times. But for Rob Hogarth, he seems happy


to have had the experiences he has, and now with his whole future ahead of him, one day he’ll look back and remember fondly.


September/October 2026 | 33 |


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68