47 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 264 - April | May 2026 Gregory goes on to say that the majority of customers have little interest in whether a sign has been produced in-house or elsewhere, saying their attention is more likely to be on speed, quality, and reliability. As such, trade partnering helps protect reputation while expanding a company’s offering. He adds such partnerships can keep sign-makers stay commercially sharp, and that rather than tying up cash in equipment that is only used occasionally, sign companies can keep overheads lean and focus on what drives growth: sales, design, installation, and customer relationships. “For many, it’s the difference between turning work away and scaling confidently,” he says, adding: “Our printed vinyl range by UK-based Drytac, for instance, includes over 20 different materials for 100’s of applications. It means our trade customers can offer a wider variety solutions without needing to keep all of that stock in-house. “There’s a strategic angle too. A strong trade partner is constantly refining processes, materials, and finishing options. That means you can offer more choice, including premium looks, and alternative substrates, without having to do all the testing and R&D yourself.” At Trade Signs UK, its most popular work is trade signage that needs to look premium, last well, and be delivered fast. Gregory says dibond/ACM signage is a staple, including brushed aluminium finishes paired with stand-off wall fixings for a clean, high-end look ideal for use in offices, hospitality, and commercial spaces. The company also produces a high volume of Foamex direct print sign boards for point-of-sale (POS) and internal marketing, alongside CNC-routed panels, laser cut acrylic letters/logos, and a wide range of large-format vinyl print for display and POS use. “Where we also add real value is helping our trade customers hit deadlines with confidence; whether that’s a one-off urgent job or repeat work that needs to match perfectly every time,” Gregory says, adding: “The best trade partnerships feel simple: clear lead times, consistent quality, and people who pick up the phone. When that’s in place, trade partnering stops being a backup plan and becomes a genuine growth lever for sign-makers and printers.” Maximise Confidence Next, Garrick Dartnell, marketing lead at Sign Trade Supplies, says that working with trade partners allows sign companies to have maximum confidence in their quoting, production, and supply. “Building strong relationships with suppliers and partners means you know you can lean on them to help you with your project deliverables,” Dartnell says. On this, Dartnell goes on to say that, in A reliable trade partner gives you a safety net; you can say ‘yes’ more often, without compromising quality ▼ Nova Aluminium offers a range of solutions to help its trade partners The estimated value of the global signage market is $56bn (£42bn) $56bn TRADE SIGNAGE | ROB FLETCHER most cases, the sign companies driving the most growth do not just focus on doing everything in-house, but instead they look to their niche, customers service, and project processes. This, he explains, often means outsourcing a lot of the runof-the-mill and labour-intensive tasks so their team can allocate maximum effort into producing something their clients love. “Sign-makers and printers should consider this route as it can allow them to increase their output capacity and scale their business, all without a huge investment in new machinery or an increase in workforce. The key here is always with the end customer in mind, working with the right suppliers can mean having the confidence to tackle larger projects and contracts, without worrying about having the in-house production capacity to deliver.” As to how Sign Trade Supplies can help, the trade specialist works with all sizes of sign and display companies, with its core offering being a flexible supply of sign materials “We pride ourselves on being solution driven, offering no minimum order quantities on our core range, and custom fabrication options that start at just custom-cut aluminium profiles, to full printed and assembled sign systems. This flexibility allows our customers to choose how much they want to produce in-house and how much they want to utilise our workshop capabilities.” Specialist Knowledge, Product Expertise Elsewhere, Lisa Harvey, sign sales manager at Nova Aluminium Systems, says for sign-makers and installers, working with a trade supplier is not a convenience but a strategic advantage in a competitive
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