Sign Maker Profile Seven decades in sign making
This year marks the 70th anniversary of UK sign specialist, Harper Signs’s entrance into the sign making industry. Sign Update assistant editor, Cameron Beech, speaks to deputy MD, Nick Harper, to learn more about the history of the family-run business.
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n 1954, brothers William and George Harper began their successfully historic venture into the business of manufacturing acrylic designs and displays for local businesses.
trajectory developed over time, initially beginning with their knowledge of Perspex to then evolving to sheet metalworkers. Nick said: “With my grandfather’s knowledge of the Perspex used in display products the company grew with the development of colour Perspex sheet allowing more scope. As trends changed to illuminated signs the company started its own sheet metalworkers to manufacture steel boxes, electricians to fit fluorescent tubes, neon glass benders and specialist fitters to install the signs.”
70 years on Harper Signs is very much still a family run business, with Nick’s father Billy at the helm, and his sister Laura, chief financial officer, also involved with the day to day running. With respect to the business’s history, Nick told me: “As a family run business, we are extremely proud of our beginnings and what we have achieved.
William and George Harper pictured in the 1970s
A dynamic duo
Their grandson, Nick Harper, said: “They started working out of a small garage in Newcastle after the second world war and experimented with perspex obtained from spitfire cockpits. Using basic domestic tools they started manufacturing displays locally for the ice cream trade.”
It is clear that the combined skills of the duo made for a powerful partnership, one which would take them into the next century. Nick said: “Bill having a visual merchandising background with display knowledge and George, having management and office skills, set up the partnership ‘Harper & Co’ now known nationally as Harper Signs.” Nick explained how the company’s
| 56 | September/October 2024
“We pride ourselves on a high level of service, quality and reliability to consistently deliver projects within the budget, on time and to the highest standards of quality and workmanship.”
It appears this sentiment, engrained in the company’s ethos, has significantly paid off. With the company boasting an impressive list of clients including TAG Heuer, Beaverbrooks, Burger King, TGI Fridays and New Look, it appears Harper Signs is on a roll with no intention of slowing its pace.
Decades of achievements I asked Nick since the business’s founding in the 1950s, what has been some standout achievements for the company, to which Nick answered: “Some recognisable standout achievements for Harper Signs over the years have been to design, manufacture and install the neon signs at Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow. At the time this was seen as the largest neon sign in Europe. We’ve also carried out large contracts for a local brewery with over 400 pubs.” Nick also made mention of other notable achievements including manufacturing and installing signs in Moscow for Russia’s first bingo hall and more recently, manufacturing signs for Qatar Airport prior to the 2022 World
Brothers William and George Harper began their venture into sign making in the 1950s
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