23-25 September 2025 NEC Birmingham The UK’s annual dedicated sign expo co-located with
Introduction Building on the phenomenal success of our sister event, The Print Show, we are delighted to announce the launch of a brand new event dedicated to the UK sign-making market – The Sign Show. Taking place for the first time in 2025, The Sign Show will run from September 23rd to 25th in Hall 3 of the NEC in Birmingham, co-located with The Print Show. The event will cover the core areas of the sign-making industry, offering visitors from all corners of the market the opportunity to learn more about the latest developments in signage. Focus on sign-making Having spoken with a range of professionals working within the UK sign sector, we have identified now as the perfect time to launch the new exhibition, providing manufacturers, suppliers and other businesses from across the sign-making industry the ideal platform to showcase their latest solutions to a focused audience. From signwriting, engraving and vinyl wrapping to sign fabrication, digital signage and neon, there will be something for everyone at The Sign Show. We plan to work with a wide range of exhibitors to deliver a truly varied event to our visitors. The Sign Show 2025 will be the one stop shop for solutions such as wayfinding signage, eye-catching exterior and interior graphics, LED signs, and all-new digital signage technologies, offering visitors valuable insight into key market sectors. Collaboration is key The event will be much more than an exhibition; it will serve as the UK industry’s new hub of knowledge, where professionals can network and access guidance from some of the leading minds in UK sign-making. On this point, we will be working with our own ‘Fantastic Four’ of industry leaders to craft the event, ensuring we deliver real value to exhibitors and attendees. With this, we will be running specialist speaker sessions, expert workshops and live demonstrations, all designed to help attendees grow their businesses. Add in co-location with an established sister event, The Print Show, and this provides exhibitors with interests in both the wide-format printing and sign-making markets the opportunity to meet with new and existing customers across all areas of the wider industry. TheUK’sannual dedicated sign expo co-located with ThePrint Show Developing and delivering a new, focused event dedicated to all areas of the UK sign-making industry CHRIS DAVIES, Sales/Event Director
The Sign Show will fill a major gap in the market: providing a national event dedicated to display graphics and the wonderfully diverse world of sign-making. Exhibitors will have access to an incredibly focused audience of signage professionals, each seeking new solutions to grow their business and succeed. While sign-making will be the core focus of the event, co-location with The Print Show means exhibitors with interests also in wide-format print will also be able to connect with decision-makers in this market. Add in dedicated marketing support from leading UK signage industry printed publication, SignLink, and its various digital platforms, The Sign Show 2025 will be an absolute must-attend for anyone involved in the signage industry. BY COMPANY ACTIVITY Sign Making 3337 Sign Writing 768 Screen Printing 570 Sign Buyer 1514 Shopfitting 1156 Inhouse Sign Dept 127 Engraving 1132 Exhibition Stands 609 Graphic Designers 3539 LED`s Supplier 107 T Shirt Printing 680 Textile Manufacturing 285 TOTAL 13,824 INDUSTRY REACH BY JOB TITLE Owner/Proprietor 5018 Managing Director 6742 Sales Director/Manager 1045 Marketing Director/Manager 652 Finance Director/Manager 367 TOTAL 13,824 Industry Reach 13,824 Why exhibit at The Sign Show 2025? Issue 251 - February / March 2024 www.signlink.co.uk ISE celebrates 20 years ▲ Integrated Systems Europe recently celebrated its 20th exhibition Page 14 ARC-UK doubles turnover ARC-UK Technologies has doubled its turnover over the past three years Page 12 Sportswear Pro 2024 We find out what to expect from the inaugural Sportswear Pro this March Page 28 Hollywood Monster We talk with director Andy McKenzie about the company’s operations Page 34 Finance & Funding We look at some of the funding sign companies have obtained and how Page 40 Epson uses renewable energy Epson Group has now switched to 100% renewable energy at all of its sites Page 26 Learn See Hall 3 The Sign Show will offer all attendees access to a host of specialist sessions, addressing the most important trends and talking points in the UK market. The Sign Show provides a platform for companies across various sectors to inspire, inform, and showcase new solutions to the market. The Sign Show will feature leading exhibitors from across the entire sign-making and display industry, allow visitors to explore the latest innovations in signage. Meet The Sign Show is the only opportunity to meet and connect with companies from all corners of the signage market. Exhibiting offers companies of all shapes and sizes a cost-effective opportunity to join with peers and demonstrate new solutions. Sell Selling over the phone or online is much trickier than doing so in person. By meeting with customers face-to-face at The Sign Show, you can demonstrate first-hand the benefits of your latest products and solutions. Show Browsing online only gets you so far; nothing beats seeing products first hand and speaking with experts. The Sign Show is the ideal platform to connect with an audience that is genuinely interested in what you have to say.
What’s on? Committed to creating an event that delivers tremendous added value for both visitors and exhibitors, those in attendance at The Sign Show 2025 can look forward to a series of special features that will run throughout the exhibition. While of course exhibitors and their solutions will be the main attraction for visitors, these in-show features will allow attendees to take time out from the show floor and broaden their knowledge of the wider market and explore exciting diversification opportunities. Each day, the dedicated Knowledge Zone area of the event will play host to expert speakers from across the industry and further afield. All sessions on the programme will be designed to deliver insight into the industry’s key talking points, as well as provide food for thought on how those in attendance can continue to grow and succeed. Also running throughout The Sign Show 2025 will be a host of live demonstrations. Delivered by expert staff from all corners of the market, these sessions will allow visitors to learn more about key techniques such as vehicle wrapping, window and floor graphics, and architectural wrapping. Visitors will also get the chance to see historic and inspiring workshops on crafts not seen at any other trade show, including neon sign-making, traditional signwriting, and metal work, all with the goal of demonstrating the art and wow factor of amazing signage projects. On top of this, working with leading UK trade associations, specialist consultancies, training providers and industry professionals, The Sign Show will deliver expert-led workshops and sessions on important topics such as business growth, sustainability, and new revenue streams. KNOWLEDGE ZONE CEO of the BSGA, Craig works with SME businesses, franchisees and franchisors across the industry. Craig was also previously managing director of Signs Express, steering the business to a group turnover of £24m. Craig Brown Jack is the expert mind behind Eye on Display, a news website and magazine for the industry. As a PR, marketeer and editor, he has also contributed to features and articles in both SignLink and Sign Update. Jack Gocher Suzi has been managing director of the FESPA UK Association for three years, supporting its event creation and industry initiatives including the Next Generation Project and Waste Accreditation Scheme. Suzi Ward Sam is the founder and CEO of the Make it Happen Signage Consultancy, providing expert-led training and specialist support to enhance and develop the skill sets at every level of the sign-making industry. Sam Armstrong The Fantastic Four In preparation for our debut event, The Sign Show has formed its very own ‘Fantastic Four’, a group of leading industry professionals that will work alongside the organising team to help develop a valuable exhibition dedicated to the UK sign-making market. Comprised of trade body leaders, respected journalists and expert consultants, the Fantastic Four will play a key role in designing the special events that run throughout the show.
0117 980 5049❘ sales@thesignshow.co.uk Chris Davies chris@thesignshow.co.uk 01172 356012 Link Exhibitions Limited Unit D, Link House, Britton Gardens, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 1TF EXHIBITIONS @ichrisdavies77 chris davies Issue 329 - February 2022 www.printmonthly.co.uk Healeys hails Ricoh EDGE The print company has praised the business development programme Page 08 Toner-based Presses Carys Evans explores the latest enhancements and their benefits Page 41 Agfa Jeti Tauro H3300 UV LED Brian Sims looks at some of the latest updates to this printer range Page 32 Mutoh Europe unveils printers A new generation of digital inkjet printers have been launched Page 14 Nazdar confirms new CEO Richard Bowles is stepping into the role with immediate effect Page 24 Guillotines Rob Fletcher finds out what’s new and what this technology can offer Page 51 45 Entry Points Focus On T The first port of call was a tour of the Hunkeler equipment that was on show and it did not disappoint. There was a significant focus on automation and cutting times of certain jobs, which was represented by the launch of the Generation-8-series of production lines, a world first in terms of book production. This was cemented by the CS8 cutter. The Gen8 line is able to work on books of different sizes – one up, two up or three up, and changes these sizes fully automatically. All Gen8 modules switch fully automatically. This job used to take 15 minutes and has now been slashed to an impressive 15 seconds. Also on display was the HL8 laser module, which has been designed to take production in the security print sector to another level. Witnessing how fast this machine goes is difficult to describe – it takes a while to even notice the laser as it finishes the job so quickly. Applying laser-made marks provides a higher level of security – something that is important with tickets and vouchers so that they cannot be easily replicated and forged. A clear focus on book production, the SD7 stacker showed what is really meant by ‘book of one’. Robin Brown of Friedheim International, which is Hunkeler’s agent in the UK, says: “It makes a different book every time. A simple movement that splits the books – a real book of one.” This is obviously just a small snapshot of what Hunkeler itself had to offer at Innovationdays, but there was also a focus on the packaging side of things. An encore Open a box of tablets, or anything that requires information, and you will find a neatly folded information sheet. Fun fact for those not in the packaging or pharmaceutical industry – in pharmaceutical instances, this is only allowed to be one page long. With a focus on pharmaceutical packaging, Paul Davidson, sales manager for Encore Machinery, explained that the range of equipment that was part of the production line resulted in only one person needed to operate it. On display was the Matthias Bauerle (MB)/ Pitstop high-speed high capacity creasing and folding system, which can produce creased and folded products up to 14k/h. Davidson explains: “This system can run with additional out feed modules, allowing for production of many folded and creased products in one pass.” Also on the stand was the MB Autoset B4 23k/h high capacity, fully automatic inserting system running with continuous feeding from a roll, fully automatic folding unit with selective insertion and full data integrity. Encore also highlighted the MB/GUK group high capacity miniature folding system with the Hunkeler CS8, GUK FA 53/10-4-AT, MV11/1 knife unit, Turn and Tab module and CTM Event Spotlight Hunkeler Innovationdays A positive force 53 March 2019 After travelling to Switzerland to attend Hunkeler Innovationdays, Genevieve Lewis reviews the energising industry event that demonstrates just why print is still a force to be reckoned with Hunkeler Innovationdays was held in Lucerne, Switzerland Issue 238 - July 2022 www.signlink.co.uk The Print Hive The wide-format company is celebrating ten years in business Page 18 EFI debuts new printers The company used CMYUK’s training centre in Shrewsbury for the launch Page 10 Spandex unifies group All its group companies are being unified in Europe and Australia Page 08 imagePROGRAF PRO-4000S Brian Sims explores this machine from Canon and its signage capabilities Page 16 Franchises Rob Fletcher finds out the benefits to purchasing and selling in this way Page 35 FESPA confirms future events The association has confirmed new and returning events for 2023 & 2024 Page 13 25Focus On Signage for Pride 31 February 2020 There has been no escaping the significant growth of wide-format print in recent years. Whether it’s traipsing the halls of events like The Print Show and seeing first-hand the kit on offer, or flicking through the pages of SignLink and reading headlines about new releases, the wide-format market continues to expand. Many sign-makers have already taken advantage of this ongoing trend by moving outside of their traditional remit, investing in new kit and taking on wide-format print work of all kinds. But with so many making the move, is there room for more competition? And if so, what sort of kit does your business need to make a successful transition into the wide-format print arena? Myriad of opportunities One of the major names in wide-format print technology is Epson. Phil McMullin, sales manager, ProGraphics, at Epson UK, says an in-house wide-format printing capability is essential in the modern market for any proactive sign-maker. “There are myriad branding opportunities to be had in end customers, often at very short notice, so outsourcing is no longer an effective or profitable mode of operation,” McMullin comments, adding: “Having your own printer allows you complete control over colour matching, image quality and response times, while also retaining the maximum available profit in a job. “If you choose the right print manufacturer to partner with, you can unlock a whole world of profitable applications from vehicle wraps, billboards and soft signage to décor, wallpaper, floor graphics, window graphics, point-of-sale and much more.” With this in mind, McMullin draws attention to some of the entry-level printers available from Epson to help sign-makers establish their own wide-format print offering. For indoor work, McMullin says aqueous inks are a solid choice, citing the SureColor SC-T3100 A1 poster printer as a suitable hardware solution, being priced at just over £1,000 plus VAT. For more serious signage applications, outdoor durable prints and larger POS work, McMullin says the eco-solvent SureColor SC-S40600 offers good value at around £10,000 plus VAT. In terms of textile print work, small soft signage and personalised gifts, McMullin cites the SureColor SC-F500 with dye-sublimation inks, with a ticket price of less than £1,800 plus VAT. Cost effective Elsewhere, Agfa Graphics also has a number of entry-level options on offer to the market. Bobby Grauf, sales manager for the UK and Ireland, says investment in such kit will help create new revenue streams through new applications, thanks How can sign-makers enter the world of wide-format with entry-level equipment? Enter the arena Business Opportunities Wide-Format Print Part One With wide-format print having been regarded as a popular expansion market for some time, Rob Fletcher finds out what opportunities remain for sign-makers Whether you are a manufacturer looking to display large machinery, or a software developer seeking a more intimate stand on which to discuss solutions, The Sign Show is the perfect platform to do so. In addition to your place at the event, booking a stand secures access to a host of additional benefits. Link Exhibitions has no limitation on marketing to our database of over 24,000 industry contacts spanning the graphic arts and visual communications sectors. Utilising industry leading magazine titles Print Monthly and SignLink, each with an individual circulation of 10,000 copies per month, your attendance at the show will be promoted long before the doors open. Cost of Exhibiting SPACE ONLY PACKAGE Floor space per sq metre +VAT Includes: Exhibition floor space Shell walls Carpet Fascia Fascia measure 300mm deep All posts measure 40mm x 40mm SHELL SCHEME PACKAGE Includes: Exhibition floor space Overnight cleaning Ideal for exhibitors with custom built stands Space Only Package Shell Scheme Package EXHIBITING AT THE 2025 SIGN SHOW At The Sign Show, we are committed to delivering an event that is attractive for companies of all shapes and sizes and easy to exhibit at. For this reason, our team has put together a series of affordable stand packages that make exhibiting both stress-free and incredibly cost effective. per sq metre +VAT 2025 BOOK YOUR SPACE at the 2025 Sign Show 0117 980 5049
Sales: 0117 980 5049 | sales@thesignshow.co.uk Chris Davies SALES/EVENT DIRECTOR chris@thesignshow.co.uk Page Tuck MARKETING DIRECTOR page@thesignshow.co.uk Kathryn Quinn EVENT ADMIN CO-ORDINATOR k.quinn@thesignshow.co.uk Tim Hall SALES MANAGER tim@thesignshow.co.uk News Channel The UK’s annual dedicated sign expo co-located with www.thesignshow.co.uk Show Supporters Meet the Team
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