Sign Maker Profile Lighting up the North East
Heralded as the leading signage company in the North East, Blaydon-on-Tyne-based signwriting company Ellis Signs has been perfecting its craft for over 40 years. Sign Update assistant editor, Cameron Beech, speaks to Jessie Smith, Ellis Signs’ digital marketing manager, to learn more on the company’s rise to success.
F
ounded in 1983 in Gateshead by Bernard Ellis, Ellis Signs started out constructing signs for the local estate agents; the business later built on its offerings, beginning to work on larger-scale projects, including shop signs. Just over two decades later, in 2005, the business was purchased by the current director, Craig Robinson, who entered the industry at the age of 16, working as an apprentice for his father, who was himself a sign writer by trade. Another key player who was not unfamiliar to the sign trade, was Craig’s brother, Alex Robinson, whom Craig later brought on as a director to the company. It appears the Robinson brothers have only gone from strength to strength, resulting in the company’s evolution and expansion; with Ellis Signs’ recent move to a purpose built 9,000sq ft unit in Blaydon-on-Tyne, the possibility for exploration and challenge is only growing.
Superdrug Westfield Stratford
generation, and valuing its customers. Jessie explained: “We work with a huge range of clients, ranging from local businesses opening their first shop to blue chip clients such as Superdrug and Moss. We are proud to have grown from our humble beginning in Gateshead to where we are at now.
“We are currently taking on apprentices to inspire the next generation of sign makers. At Ellis Signs, our reviews speak volumes. Excellent customer service is at the forefront of what we do – we thrive on giving all our customers the best experience possible.”
Techniques, trends, and triumphs
Craig and Alex Robinson, directors of Ellis Signs
A title to be championed With the company championing the title of the leading signage company in the North East, Ellis Signs has made a substantial contribution to the signwriting and sign making industries. I asked Jessie in what ways Ellis Signs was proud of the accolade, given its foundations in Gateshead and its expansion in Blaydon-on-Tyne, to which Jessie spoke of the pride in working with local businesses, engaging with the new
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Given Ellis Signs’ 40-year history in the trade, I asked Jessie what key sign making methods the company used and to what benefit these had; Jessie spoke of the company fusing the old with the new; the classic with the contemporary. Jessie explained: “We use traditional old school methods such as acrylic bending and metal fabrication for built up letter making while fusing that with new technologies such as our CNC router, fibre laser and digital flatbed printer. “This allows us to create a vast range of signage from our purpose-built premises and manufacture everything in-house, which lets us oversee and control the entire manufacturing process.” From its fusion of techniques and technologies, Ellis Signs has completed a standout number of projects. From undertaking work for retail brands such
as Moss, Build-a-Bear Workshop, and White Stuff, to completing work for the Newcastle-based bar, The Vampire Rabbit, North-Shields’based martial arts school, Tempest Martial Arts, and The Harrison Theatre, the scope of what Ellis Signs is capable of is hardly limited. With this vast scope in mind, I asked Jessie what has been one of the company’s most rewarding projects. Jessie highlighted the company’s sign installation for the expansion of the Superdrug’s flagship shop in Westfield, Stratford. She explained: “Working together with the client’s architect, property and implementation teams the store has extended across the two vacant neighbouring units delivering a new 9,500sq ft sales floor from the previous 5,000sq ft, making it the largest Superdrug store in the country.” Equally, I wanted to know if the company had any standout projects from their portfolio, to which Jessie mentioned a project the company completed for Olympia Leisure. She explained: “One of our standout projects from the past year has been Olympia Leisure. Olympia is an amusements and entertainment venue in Scarborough, and Ellis Signs
Caged LED neon sign for Olympia Leisure, Scarborough
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