News: Award success for Signs Express

Rotherham-based sign specialists, Signs Express, has won an exceptional three awards at the company's national sign awards recently.

Signs Express, the UK's largest sign and graphics company, recognised the incredible work the Rotherham based sign company produces. The brand has over 65 centres across the UK and Steve and Carol Morris, owners of the Rotherham based Signs Express, were the big winners of the night, walking away with three awards whilst also being named as finalists for Best Sign Project, Best Vehicle Graphic and Most Striking Design.

Based at Templeborough, Signs Express (Sheffield) pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements. In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield.

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The long-established centre won Best Interior Sign for their incredible work within the Fluoroscopy Department at Sheffield Children's hospital.

The centre has completed a great deal of work with The Children's Hospital Charity, Artfelt, who works with local artists to transform the walls and spaces with bright art to provide distraction during anxious moments and to help children recover in an environment tailored to them.

Steve Morris (pictured, left) said: "Our surroundings can have a powerful effect on how we feel, which is especially important in a hospital where the environment can influence well-being and comfort for patients. The fluoroscope itself can be very intimidating which can add to the anxiety of seriously ill or injured children and their parents, so it was a great pleasure for us to be able to transform this space with colourful wall graphics."

The pair were also presented with the Best Exterior Sign award for an impressive installation on behalf of Bombardier at Biggin Hill. The new signage comprised of built-up powder coated aluminium letters with white LED halo illumination.

Plus, their sign maker James Stuchbury, was named as Employee of the Year. Signs Express employs in excess of 400 people across the country. The win comes after James was recently named as a finalist in the British Sign & Graphics Association Young Sign Maker of the Year award.

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News: Recognition for young sign maker

James Stuchbury, an apprentice sign maker at Signs Express (Sheffield), has been nominated as a finalist in the British Sign and Graphics Association's (BSGA'a) Young Sign Maker of the Year award.

Based at Templeborough, Signs Express (Sheffield) pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements. In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield.

The award is a unique category in the BSGA awards as it judges the talent of a person and rewards their dedication and skill instead of an entire project. James was nominated for his ability to quickly absorb practical information and skills, as well as his unfaltering drive, which has seen him take on managerial responsibilities, freeing up the current production manager to focus on sales.

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Steve Morris, director of Signs Express (Sheffield), put James forward for the award. Steve said: "James has been an invaluable asset to our team, learning from our experienced production manager in order to take on some of the responsibility. James has gone above and beyond and has learnt so much so quickly that we have no fear leaving him to not only make signs, but manage large projects. He is well deserving of an award and any recognition this affords him."

James has played an important role in a number of impressive projects since he began at Signs Express (Sheffield) a year ago. Most notably, the ongoing work with Artfelt, Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity, who are steadily transforming various spaces within the hospital buildings into creative, less frightening, colourful places, where families and children can feel safe.

James is close to securing his NVQ in printing and graphic communication, which will mean he is at the end of his apprenticeship, but he is excited to stay on at Signs Express (Sheffield). He said: "Being nominated as a finalist in this award has been a pleasant surprise. I sincerely appreciate working in such a positive environment, Steve, Carol and the team are a pleasure to work with. I would like to thank them for nominating me for this prestigious award."

James is up against three other young sign makers, one of whom is from Signs Express (Exeter). The winner will be announced on November 9 at an awards day at the Athena Events Centre located in the heart of Leicester's cultural quarter.

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News: Car graphics sponsorship is out of this world

Rotherham-based signs and graphics specialists, Signs Express has donated their time and expertise to supply and install a very unique selection of car graphics to sponsor Flexseal on a European charity adventure for the Keyline Rally.

The Keyline Rally is a 1980's themed car rally across Europe and has been organised by Keyline for the past seven years. Previous years have seen around 30 cars and their drivers use their imagination and clever vehicle decals for various themes such as The Italian Job, Jukebox, The Sound of Musicals and 2016's on trend Superheroes theme. The rally supports the Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK) charity whose ultimate aim is to stop men dying from prostate cancer.

In support of this excellent charity, Barnsley company Flexseal, a leader in drainage couplings, approached Signs Express for a full vehicle wrap quotation. When concerns over the cost for their charity event arose, owners Steve and Carol soon used their expertise to come up with a vehicle graphics solution that would be perfect for the rally and suit the project's budget. Flexseal were delighted when Steve and Carol went one step further to show their support by offering to sponsor the car, donating the vinyl car stickers and providing application free of charge!

Signs Express used their state-of-the-art signs and graphics facility to transform the vehicle to fit this year's Keyline Rally theme of Sci Fi.

The vehicle graphics chosen by Flexseal certainly play up to the Sci Fi theme, featuring prominent PCUK, Keyline and NASA logos to ensure the MG ZR105 is ready to raise awareness for PCUK on its five-day mission through the Pyrenees. Coming complete with a pair of extra-terrestrial back-seat drivers, the car is sure to grab attention for the great cause en route from Spain to France.

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

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News: Night at the Museum for Signs Express

Rotherham-based sign company, Signs Express, has brought life to the exhibitions at Weston Park in a lengthy project for Museums Sheffield.

The Signs Express centre has enjoyed a lasting relationship with Museums Sheffield, the charity responsible for three of Sheffield's museums and galleries: Millennium Gallery, Weston Park Museum and Graves Gallery. Museums Sheffield relies on the team to create and install displays that connect effectively with visitors as well as creating graphics that push the boundaries between signs and art.

Weston Park underwent an extensive refurbishment throughout 2016 that involved opening new exhibitions, renovating existing ones and improving the overall visitor journey. It was the museum's biggest refurbishment since its grand renovation in 2006. A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) of £697,000 supported "Weston Park Museum: A Bright Future", a major £1m plan to transform several of the museum's public areas.

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Signs Express supplied creative partitions to block off the areas undergoing work, Then, as the refurb of each area neared its end, the team worked closely with curators to create numerous signs and graphics, including wall graphics, floor graphics, ultraviolet window panels, informational displays, wayfinding signs and more.

Carol Morris, co-owner of Signs Express, said: "We have been working extensively on projects that involve huge amounts of creativity; thinking outside the box has become the norm and I am so proud of my team who always find a way to execute projects that other companies wouldn't cope with.

"We love working with local attractions and organisations like Museums Sheffield and making visitor experiences enjoyable and we hope to continue working with them on any new projects they have."

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

The major new exhibition at Weston Park is called "Beneath Your Feet" - highlighting the archaeological past of Sheffield and the Peak District. As the whole of the previous gallery, "History Lab," was being dismantled the curators were able to start with a blank canvas in planning the display.

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News: Signs Express brighten up Rotherham Market

Rotherham-based signs and graphics company, Signs Express, has made tenants and traders at the Markets Complex delighted after manufacturing and installing a range of new signage for the site.

Following a large volume of requests from the public, Rotherham Council secured £25,000 in 2013 in order to carry out a small, but effective refurbishment on the indoor market, which continues to welcome over four million customers per year.

Based at Templeborough, Signs Express is a long-standing partner of Rotherham Council, this year celebrating their ten-year anniversary of working with the organisation in their local region.

Carol Morris, co-owner of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "We have been supporting the council for a long time now and are so proud to be a playing a part in the rejuvenation and development of the area for the wellbeing of all residents and visitors."

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Signs Express provided the project with main exterior signage, hanging banners and window graphics, that have given the centre a complete facelift. The £25k project has also afforded urgent roof repairs and maintenance to be carried out across the complex to ensure its longevity and increase its customer satisfaction.

Dean Thurlow, markets operations manager, added: "The signage above the main entrance looks inviting and vibrant, leading to the many different commodities and services, which are on offer six days a week within the Outdoor Covered Market and Centenary Market Hall."

The Council recognises that the outdoor markets area is underutilised and has significant issues in terms of its access and permeability into the indoor markets area. A redeveloped markets complex was identified in the borough's growth plan.

The recent supplementary planning document included a key move to support "Making and Trading" in the town centre with the indoor market being retained and the remainder of the site being redeveloped. Influenced by Rotherham's history and ideas such as the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, a redeveloped market site could include opportunities for small scale manufacturing and space for entrepreneurs. The plans state: "The suitability of the Markets for this purpose is also reinforced by the fact that it would also be capable of providing a space in which products manufactured on site could be sold."

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News: Region's businesses boost local economy by buying local

A new survey has revealed that 85% of businesses based in the Yorkshire and Humber region believe that buying local is always a top priority – beating the national average at 83%.

The survey, commissioned by local sign company, Signs Express (Sheffield), collated answers from over 1,000 business decision makers across the UK in order to discover their attitudes towards the local marketplace and the vital role that signage plays in the appearance and professionalism of a brand.

The research revealed that businesses based in the Yorkshire and Humberside region are strong believers in buying locally, with almost three quarters stating that good value and service beats price every time. The majority of businesses stated that their attitudes towards buying local are influenced by the fact that it boosts the local economy and local tradespeople are always more concerned with customer satisfaction.

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Carol Morris, co-owner of Signs Express (Sheffield) (pictured, third right), said: "There is no doubt that buying online is taking over and this often means that we are less aware of where our purchases come from. However, buying locally, especially when it comes to perishable goods and specialised items that require expert advice and special skills, is always the best option."

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

All Signs Express centres offer the benefits of shopping local, but because of the business' franchising model, it also offers the advantages that come from working with a UK wide organisation.

When it came to signage, the survey revealed that despite our increasing reliance on digital marketing techniques to advertise our businesses, 82% of businesses revealed that signs, graphics and displays form an important part of their marketing activity. In fact, 100% of those surveyed in the Yorkshire and Humberside region said that premium quality and well maintained signage give an excellent first impression of a company.

Carol Morris concluded: "The survey showed that professional signage is an integral part of most business' brand strategy, which means great things for the signs and graphics industry. Also, it revealed that Signs Express customers would not only use our services again, but would also recommend us to others. An impressive, 96% of participants would highly endorse our services and products, so we are immensely pleased that our hard work has paid off."

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News: Signs Express on the trail of the Herd of Sheffield

58 individually designed elephants have descended upon the streets of Sheffield and a Rotherham-based signs company is making sure the message gets across as to what it is all about.

This exciting initiative has previously been successful in other cities around the UK from dolphins in Aberdeen to dragons in Norwich. In Sheffield, the initiative has been orchestrated by The Children's Hospital Charity and public arts event organiser Wild in Art, with lots of corporate sponsorships from companies like Signs Express.

With an excellent working relationship with the charity, who the event is raising money for, Rotherham-based business, Signs Express, is supporting the event with free signage on the elephants and by sponsoring a special elephant called Forest Spirit (pictured) by Sheffield-based street artist Faunagraphic.

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

Steve Morris, owner of Signs Express, said: "We have a great relationship with The Children's Hospital Charity and have worked with them on numerous projects, so we really appreciate being able to work with them again and on such a fabulous occasion. The event itself is going to be amazing fun for all the family. Our team are really looking forward to showing their families around the trail."

Signs Express (Sheffield) worked on a project in 2013 to reenergise the Hydrotherapy pool at the hospital and in 2015 they completely transformed the atmosphere of the Eye Department.

The herd can be found across Sheffield city centre and beyond, creating an interactive trail that can be followed using the Herd of Sheffield app to collect points for every elephant you see. The sculptures will be on display until October 5 2016 before they are auctioned off to raise money for charity.

Look out for Gulall Graffitti aka "GG" the elephant, designed by artist Sue Guthrie and sponsored by Rotherham engineering firm, PMS Diecasting.

A "Little Herd" was launched on June 21 which unveiled 72 little calf elephants designed by local schools and positioned in indoor venues throughout the city.

Clare Collingworth, corporate fundraiser for The Children's Hospital Charity said: "It's been brilliant collaborating with Signs Express and we really appreciate the level of support they've given us throughout the Herd of Sheffield project. Not only have Signs Express sponsored their own beautiful elephant, their plaques will ensure that each member of the Herd can stand proudly next to their name and description. They will give each of the elephants a chance to have their moment in the spotlight!"

Sheffield Children's Hospital is one of just four stand-alone children's hospitals in the UK, and the only one in Yorkshire. Every year, hundreds of thousands of children come from all over the UK and abroad for specialist treatment at the hospital. Thanks to pioneering clinicians, they are forging the way in paediatric care and are recognised as a centre of excellence in fields ranging from asthma and cystic fibrosis to cancer, gastroenterology and major trauma.

The Children's Hospital Charity makes this extraordinary hospital even better, funding enhancements that are above and beyond the NHS provision. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the charity can fund life-saving medical equipment, research into the prevention and cure of childhood illnesses and improvements to the environment.

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News: Gearing up to mark Rotherham Hospice's 20th year

A production manager for the local branch of Signs Express is getting back in the saddle to undertake a mammoth bike ride to raise valuable funds for Rotherham Hospice.

Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

The only adult hospice in Rotherham for the people of Rotherham, Rotherham Hospice is an independent charity and must raise significant sums of money each year in order to pay for the quality care provided free of charge to patients, their families and carers. The charity needs £5m a year with £2.2m needed to be raised each year through voluntary support.

Gareth Russell, production manager at Signs Express, took on a cycling challenge in 2014 for Rotherham Hospice and raised an amazing £5,000. This September he will join a team of 50 fundraisers as part of the "Big 20" - so called as it is the Rotherham Hospice's 20th anniversary.

Partnering with specialist charity event organisers, Skyline Events, the 345 mile trip from London to Paris also includes a stop at Rotherham's twin town, Saint Quentin on day four before the cyclists arrive in Paris on day five.

Gareth said: "It's an amazing experience. The French roads are great for cycling, and all the cyclists ride into Paris together. It's a fantastic atmosphere."

Donations can be made at Gareth's Just Giving page.

Also set to take on the fundraising challenge are Christopher Duff, chief executive at Rotherham Hospice and GP, Ted Daly, a trustee at the hospice.

A number of fundraising events are taking place throughout the hospice's 20th year. The anniversary ball, recently held at Aston Hall Hotel, raised £16,000.

An official launch event recently took place for the Tree of Life - an imposing, unique sculpture in stainless steel created by Yorkshire Man of Steel designer Steve Mehdi. Inspired by the shape of a tree in the hospice garden and intended as a commemorative artwork, the three metre tall structure will support over 290 individual leaves which can be dedicated in memory of a loved one.

The unique fundraising venture has already raised some £20,000; numerous bereaved relatives whose loved ones received hospice care have paid for engraved leaves and sections of bark to be placed on the tree in their memory.

The Tree of Life was made of steel donated by Outokumpu and built with the help of Newburgh Precision Engineering. Maher Ltd provided the tubular steel frame, JF Finnegan built the foundations with help from Peter Brett Associates. Mark Smithson transported the tree to the site and TPA Portable Roadways and PP Engineering lifted the three tonne tree over the fence into the hospice garden. The tree will glow at night thanks to ASD Lighting and there was also help from the apprentices at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, We are Branding and Performance Engineered Solutions. Pryor Marketing have engraved all the leaves and the bark.

"We all could help, so we did," explained Vince Middleton, MD of Newburgh, who dedicated the company's best welder, Paul Smith, to the task of fabricating the tree from the donated stainless steel and alloys.

"Paul did a brilliant job. It took 200 hours, working under the guidance of sculptor Steve Mehdi. We all felt privileged to be involved in a project which is so creative and which will do a great deal of good for many years to come."

Former Outokumpu MD Jamie Sharp, who has also pledged to supply the steel leaves and bark for a minimum of two years, added: "The tree brings art and industry together and shows the beauty and everlasting quality of stainless steel, a material first created in South Yorkshire."

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News: Eye-catching graphics from Signs Express

Wall graphics provided by Signs Express (Sheffield) have completely transformed the atmosphere of the Eye Department at Sheffield Children's Hospital.

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

Signs Express (Sheffield) has a long-running relationship with The Children's Hospital Charity and previously worked on a project in 2013 to reenergise the Hydrotherapy pool.

The latest project that was again in collaboration with Artfelt, The Children's Hospital Charity's art programme, which focuses on ensuring that the spaces and walls at the Children’s Hospital feature artwork that will engage and distract the young patients.

Artfelt works closely with local artists, and for this project they commissioned illustrator and graphic designer, Nick Deakin, to liven up the space. Using his characteristic bold colours and simplistic shapes, Nick has created an entire world of characters that run through the entire department. Nick wanted to generate a friendly environment for the families that have to visit the wing.

Nick Deakin, illustrator, said: "“Artfelt and myself decided very quickly that we wanted a group of friends as our characters and we carried that theme throughout the department.

"When designing something like this, you have to put yourself in the mind of a child going into, what is potentially, a scary situation. I knew that I needed to create something that would make the whole experience much nicer for them. Now, they can see the characters in the waiting room, and then they can follow them through their journey around the department."

The team at Signs Express (Sheffield) worked with Nick's designs and spent numerous painstaking hours vectorising these in order to cut the intricate designs out of self-adhesive vinyl using a plotter. The team's work is featured across the large waiting room, six orthoptics rooms, four consulting rooms, a treatment room, a quiet room and a visual fields room.

In the orthoptic rooms the illustrations serve a specific clinical purpose of giving the young patients something to focus on during eye examinations. Not only were these just on the walls, Signs Express (Sheffield) also specially turned some of the designs into window graphics as well as ceiling graphics, in order to give the children something to focus on no matter what they are doing.

Steve Morris, owner of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "The creative projects that we have been doing at the Hospital are all purposed to make the place seem less like a hospital, therefore less frightening for the children who have to go there. We used a lot of prime colours and a special half-tone effect on the vinyl, which is created by using lots of small dots of colour, meaning that the wall colour shows through and makes the design much more interesting."

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News: Signs Express artistic side

Signs Express (Sheffield) has recently completed one of its most challenging projects to date, perfectly recreating a piece of artwork across the window frontage of the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield.


In 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

After working with Sheffield Art Galleries for a number of years, the sign making team worked with renowned artist Florence Blanchard to recreate her latest "Particles" piece, scaled across the high profile entrance.

Taken from a painted art piece, the design needed to be completely vectored in to its own individual sections as it was imperative a variety of textures and effects were used across the window, creating a dynamic and engaging finish. A variety of vinyl's were used from translucent, solid coloured, fluorescents and double sided gold vinyl; with each section offering an insight into the depth of colour and texture, helping to recreate the overall effect of the piece.

Steve Morris, centre owner at Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "By spending the extra time in vectorising the entire piece, we were able to split each individual section to use the wide variety of vinyl's and help the artist perfectly recreate their design on a large scale. Using a mixture of solid colours and translucent vinyl, along with other specialist products, provides a wonderful reflection from the inside of the building as well as a striking design from the outside.

"The project was particularly complicated because we couldn't put any colour section on at one time because they were far too large. We had to create numerous registration marks to build up a background framework into which we could then insert and build up the colours – always moving in the same direction away from the origin. We're really proud to have been involved."

Artist Florence Blanchard, added: "It is the first time I have worked with vinyl and I am really happy with it. A big thank you to everyone involved at Millennium gallery and Signs Express (Sheffield) for making it happen."

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News: Signs Express scores Basketball contract

Signs Express (Sheffield) has ensured a championship finish at the new headquarters of Basketball England in Sheffield.

Founded in 1936, Basketball England (then commonly referred to as the EBBA) is the governing body for all basketball in England. The non-profit making organisation recently moved its offices to the English Institute of Sport building in the Lower Don Valley which offers world class athletes a key training environment. Signs Express (Sheffield) secured the contract to add the finishing touches with a vast array of signage across all areas of the facility.

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield. Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

With the logo comprising of the strapline "BE inspired" used below two red lion heads, it was important for Signs Express to perfectly recreate the organisation's emblem throughout the signage requirements.

A striking 3D result was achieved by using individually cut pieces mounted onto a circular substrate which was fixed directly to the main reception area. In addition, individually cut lettering spelling "Basketball England" was installed directly above the entrance doors.

Large areas of wall space followed the basketball theme, with direct to wall prints showing a "lay up", a person scoring a basket – in motion across the full length of the wall. The Basketball England emblem was also recreated using vinyl fixed to the wall in office areas.

An impressive large scale recreation of the Basketball England logo was fitted to the meeting room area.

Steve Morris, owner of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "This was a great project to work on and we are delighted with the finished results. The contrasting vinyl against plain walls works brilliantly and the whole facility is a great addition to Sheffield. The logo lends itself perfectly to 3D recreation so we were very happy to provide this as an option for the reception signage. Providing the right first impression to visitors is essential and helps create the right training and development atmosphere in an organisation such as Basketball England."

Huw Morgan, chief executive of Basketball England, added: "Our new offices here in the fantastic facility of the EIS building are a vast space and so Signs Express (Sheffield) have worked very closely with us to get the exact look and feel of the organisation. As a newly rebranded organisation, as well as sitting alongside some other incredible sports in this building, the branding of this office was of paramount importance. We have had nothing but great feedback from the staff, board and visitor and we thank Signs Express for their work in making the offices look so impressive, professional and stylish."

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News: Signs Express help to turn tower yellow for Le Tour

Experts at Signs Express (Sheffield) were called in to provide a warm welcome to participants of the Tour De France as it raced into Sheffield.

The Grand Départ is the opening of the race of the Tour de France and is regularly held outside France to promote the event and the sport of cycling. Two stages took place in Yorkshire over the weekend, taking in spectacular cities and countryside between Leeds and Harrogate in Stage 1 and York to Sheffield in Stage 2.


The sign making team were asked to brand 1,800 windows in the Sheffield Arts Tower in the yellow of the winner's jersey. At 22 storeys, one of the UK's tallest academic buildings, the University of Sheffield building is a city centre landmark.

The project was no easy feat for Signs Express (Sheffield). Due to the nature of the building which is used daily by students and staff, the work needed to be undertaken with minimal possible disruption, the graphics also needed to be easy and quick to install and also to remove. With a tight deadline also in place, the team worked through the night so that a big reveal could be made in the morning.

Based at Templeborough in Rotherham, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in 2004. The Arts Tower project was the largest that the sign experts had ever undertaken in a single night.

Calling not just on their own staff, a number of helpers were drafted in, including two people from Signs Express head office in Norwich, four from "The Cafeteria", the design company who Signs Express (Sheffield) work with on their Sheffield Galleries and The Children's Hospital, Sheffield projects and six people from The Children's Hospital Charity.

As this was such a fantastic community project, it was agreed that rather than helpers receiving payment, Signs Express (Sheffield) would donate £1,000 to charities - Artfelt, The Leeds Children's Transplant Team and CLDF.

Steve Morris, managing director of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "As a local business, we really enjoy the fact that we are able to have such an active involvement in the local community and this project was no exception. The Tower looked fantastic and we had a great time working together manufacturing and installing all the graphics."

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News: Signs Express celebrate ten years in business

Signs Express (Sheffield) has reached the milestone of ten years in business and is showing no signs of stopping yet.

In February 2004, Steve and Carol Morris opened their fully equipped sign making centre in Rotherham, since then, they have expanded their territory to include all of Sheffield, providing comprehensive signs and graphics solutions to companies large and small.

Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

Steve and Carol have received many commendations and awards over the years at the sign excellence awards; these include accolades for their work with Forgemasters, Sheffield Art Galleries and Museums and most recently the Sheffield Children's Hydrotherapy Pool.

The franchise was recently awarded a further four year contract as the preferred supplier of general signage to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, which will take them into their seventh year of working with the authority.

Carol Morris Franchise owner at Signs Express, said: "Our ongoing work with the council as their preferred supplier goes to show that hard work, dedication and understanding complex requirements goes a long way to building a successful relationship with your client, we are so pleased to have been awarded this contract again."

To celebrate their anniversary, Signs Express (Sheffield) is launching a competition to give back to the local community. They will be giving away ten pull up banners to local charities or community projects, as nominated by their Twitter and Facebook followers. They are asking people to tell them, in no more than 50 words, who should win and why. The centre's ten favourites will then receive a pull up portable banner stand with a design of their choice. This is a fantastic prize, enabling the winners to create an eye catching marketing opportunity to grab attention for their cause.

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News: Council contract for Signs Express

Signs Express (Sheffield) has been awarded a further four year contract as the preferred supplier of general signage to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

Following a tender process, the Templeborough franchise was delighted to receive the contract which will take them into their seventh year of working with the council.

Carol Morris, owner of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "We are so pleased to have won this contract again, our continued work with the council as their preferred supplier goes to show that hard work, dedication and understanding complex requirements goes a long way to building a successful relationship with your client."

The Sheffield centre provides a wide range of signage solutions for the council ranging from health & safety to bespoke signage. As with all councils, budget needs to be carefully considered and so Signs Express (Sheffield) work closely with the local authority to offer advice and ensure cost effective solutions are provided.

Steve and Carol Morris opened their centre in February 2004 and work with a variety of customers, covering areas such as Rotherham, Sheffield and Barnsley.

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News: Artfelt thanks to Signs Express

The team behind the new hydrotherapy pool at Sheffield Children's Hospital have given their thanks to Signs Express (Sheffield) for their work on the project.

The £200,000 hydrotherapy pool at the Ryegate Children's Centre, which was built following a successful fundraising campaign, was unveiled in March and opened by Paralympic gold medallist, Oliver Hynd and aims to help disabled youngsters develop their skills and strengthen their bodies.

Replacing a 50-year-old pool, the new sunken pool is easier to access, features modern lighting, including lights beneath the water, and has an improved hoist system, which allows patients to be moved from the changing rooms straight into the pool and shower room.

Templeborough-based, Signs Express worked with Cat Powell, Artfelt manager at The Children's Hospital Charity whose project uses art to brighten hospital walls, make children smile and engage them in creative workshops. Sheffield artists TADO donated their time and brightened up the walls with their funky designs, as part of a collaboration with Artfelt. Artfelt also worked closely with the architects in translating the staff's vision into the pool design; alongside choosing soothing colours for the space.

Signs Express were on hand to assist and advise on the most suitable vinyl and print for the pool environment that has very high humidity levels, and to identify the speciality paint that can be applied to the walls for adhesion.

Carol Morris, owner of Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "It has been a joy to be part of this project. Signs Express (Sheffield) worked with key members of the team including the artists and hospital staff to ensure the right decisions were being made. The end result…a wonderful environment for the children."

Jenny Featherstone, team leader for community physiotherapy and occupational therapy at Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, added: "We are immensely grateful to all of the people who have been involved in this project. The new pool provided us with a bright, fresh, fun environment which will transform hydrotherapy for all involved."

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News: A new look for Signs Express

After undertaking extensive customer research, which included focus groups and surveys, the UK's leading signs & graphics company Signs Express (Sheffield) has decided to propel its brand forward by rolling out a full make-over.

Rotherham-based Signs Express are delighted with their new look as co-owner Carol Morris explains: "We're working on a range of brand new marketing and creative ideas to ensure that the way Signs Express looks and feels in 2012 reflects the fact that we're a company with enormous drive and ambition, as well as a strong heritage.

"Our new look follows considerable investment in market research which has helped to develop our new positioning. Using three bold new colours, our colour palette represents to customers that we are warm and understanding yet professional with a strong creative edge. However, Signs Express is not just about a new look. We also recognise the importance of understanding our customers needs and customer focus is our number one priority for 2013.

"By refreshing our logo using a new bright and engaging colour palette, we have been able to breathe fresh air and energy in to our brand reflecting the dynamic and creative signage company we are."

Based at Templeborough, Signs Express pride themselves on their expertise and innovative solutions to help businesses come up with perfect signage solutions, tailored specifically to their requirements.

The re-fresh will span through the whole range of marketing collateral, from signage, literature, press advertising through to online activity and the company website, even vans will receive a face-lift in the up-and-coming months!

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News: Signs Express support Party for the People

Signs Express (Sheffield) are helping Party for the People, a local children's fundraising organisation, to receive thousands of pounds.

Party for the People is a non-profit organisation established to channel the caring of the local community. They deliver fundraising for initiatives that support sick and underprivileged children in local communities, giving the neediest a better and brighter future.

Signs Express (Sheffield), are supporting Collect Sheffield and Creative Arts Development Space (CADS) at Collect! music events which happen once a month.

As a keen supporter of their local community, Signs Express (Sheffield) were delighted to provide banners for Party for the People. Carol Morris, owner of Signs Express at Templeborough, said: "It's great to be involved in helping the enterprise, they get involved in such worthy causes, also helping to bring the community closer together."

Over the next six months Collect! will be holding a variety of nights and the first two events will donate money to the little livers campaign at Leeds children's hospital, to help them create a better network of communication between families of sick children at the hospital.

Simon Brown organiser of the events, said: "Literally thousands of people attend these nights across the UK and it's a great idea to raise money through the UK's vibrant Club scene. Being partnered with these organisations has created an excellent response across Sheffield involving the youth in charitable events."

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News: Signs Express support Cash for Kids charity

Signs Express (Sheffield) has supported their local community by providing free promotional vehicle graphics to local radio station, Hallam FM, as they promote the Cash for Kids Christmas appeal.

Carol Morris, owner at Signs Express (Sheffield) said: "We have been delighted to support the Cash for Kids charity this year. We are working with Hallam FM to make their annual Cash for Kids Christmas Appeal more successful than ever with high impact vehicle graphics to really get the message across."

"Cash for Kids" is the umbrella brand for Bauer Radio’s network of independently registered, local charities which operate across 20 local areas within the UK. They raised in excess of £7.3 million in 2010.

This work rounds off a good year for Signs Express (Sheffield) who were delighted to be recognised for their work at the recent Sign Excellence Awards, making finalist in the best multiple sign project for their work for Sheffield's Millennium Galleries. Judged by the British Sign & Graphics Association and industry magazine Sign Directions, the awards showcased the very best of projects completed across the Signs Express group of over 75 production centres.

The judges declared that: "The sign package produced for the galleries is beautifully executed and help to unify all of the different elements of space, both internally and externally with a real wow factor!"

With their production base in Templeborough and previously covering just the north of Sheffield and surrounding areas, husband and wife team, Steve and Carol Morris, decided to expand their operation last year following consistent growth and the award of a number of high profile contracts.

Signs Express provides a wide range of signs and graphics including interior and exterior signs, vehicle graphics, banners, windows and exhibition displays to businesses in Sheffield and the surrounding areas.

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News: Signs of the future at fuel filling station

Signs Express (Sheffield) has provided hoarding and screen signage for the first public hydrogen filling station in the UK.

Used to recharge hydrogen fuel cell cars, the station is operated by industrial gases company BOC, a member of The Linde Group, at the Honda manufacturing facility in Swindon. The venture is the result of a partnership between Honda, BOC and economic development company Forward Swindon.

Signs Express were tasked with the design and specification of a complex screen to hide the mechanics of the station which included a compressor, a heat exchanger and associated pipework fitted behind the customer dispenser. The housing also needed to accommodate a large opening gate in order to gain access to supply the low pressure hydrogen bottles. Steel and aluminium were used throughout to minimise fire risk.

Steve Morris, centre owner at Signs Express (Sheffield), said: "We were delighted to be part of such a groundbreaking new development. Hydrogen fuel cell cars are the future with no emissions and excellent car performance and are proving to be a big attraction to manufacturers with wide scope and popularity certain for the future.

"We provided a complete service from surveying the site, design and specification of materials and manufacturing and a full installation service within a tight timeframe for the national launch of the site. The completed work has a dual purpose – safety and security with the addition of promotional graphics to advertise the businesses behind the initiative.

"Because of constraints surrounding the fuelling machinery and a canopy above the station, the fixing of panels and supporting structure had to be absolutely in line with our drawings and specifications for a flush finish in all directions. A great deal of thanks go to my skilled sign makers who seized the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise in this demanding but very rewarding project."

With their production base in Templeborough and previously covering just the north of Sheffield and surrounding areas, the husband and wife team decided to expand their operation last year following consistent growth and the award of a number of high profile contracts.

Steve and Carol Morris, owners of Signs Express (Sheffield) were named as a finalist for the Best Multiple Sign Award at the recent Signs Express Convention.

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News: Signs of further growth

Signs Express has taken on a number of high profile contracts after expanding into the market to cover the whole of Sheffield.

With their production base at Templeborough, business owners Steve & Carol Morris have seen consistent growth and expanded in November last year.

Following a rebrand, South Yorkshire's heavy engineering steel plant Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd commissioned Signs Express (Sheffield) to provide new signage for the company's buildings.

Attractive stainless steel lettering was chosen and was to be installed at a height of over 23 metres.

Dominating the Brightside area of East Sheffield, the buildings posed their own challenges to the installation. Getting the first sign on to the Bagging Plant building required truck mounted powered boom assistance.

Steve Morris said: "We worked closely with the team at Forgemasters throughout the project, right up to Chief Executive level. We take an active part in developing the specifications for all of our projects and implementation plans."

Continuing their work with Museums Sheffield, Signs Express has also installed a large format suspended sign to the entrance of their Millennium Gallery.

Taking two days to install, the box sign is suspended from the vaulted roof at the entrance of the gallery and is illuminated using energy efficient LED lights, creating a fantastic focal point to the modern glass fronted building.

Signs Express website

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