SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT / BROWNINGS 38 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 259 - June / July 2025 Celebrating 100 years of a business is no mean feat, especially considering how much has changed in that time. Comparing a traditional wooden sign from the 1920s would certainly show the changes in manufacturing when compared to an illuminated or digital sign from 2025. For Brownings, a lot of its history was initially unknown, until a few chance encounters led staff at the company to investigate the signage manufacturer’s varied history. With the company looking back and celebrating its legacy, SignLink speaks to Brownings about how it has evolved and how the company looks today. Teething Stages Following a shared photo online of Brownings staff on a night out, stemming back to the 1950s, memories stated to be shared with people’s time with the company which then triggered a deep dive into Brownings long-standing history in the company. Known today as a trade-only manufacturer of signage and display products, the company creates a range of products in-house including flex face signs, tension fabric systems, light boxes, snap frames, slimlock notice boards, and more. Based in Hull, the company started to become the business it is today in 1993 when Stephen Crowley, who purchased the company from Thompson’s Plastics, was appointed director of the business. Following a series of partnerships and product deals, Brownings (known at Brownings Plastics pre-2005) formed the product line and services it offers today. After the team at Brownings began to research their long history, the son of a former employee named Robert Holden come to Brownings with the sad news his father had passed away. While sorting through his belongings, Holden’s son found a variety of documents showing his Father’s history with the company, including his job acceptance letter from 1948. The letter was signed by the founder of Brownings, Walter Willoughby Browning who founded the company in 1925 as Browning’s Dental Laboratory. The establishment of the company was evident by copies of a magazine called Flash, which was first published in 1950 and mentioned the 25th anniversary of the business. The magazine was made in order to keep Brownings staff in the loop with the latest news. At this stage the company was making moulded dentures for the detail industry and started with Browning and two A manufacturer of signage and display products for the trade, Brownings has a long and varied history in the industry. Here, David Osgar speaks to Bradley Robinson, sales and marketing manager, and Richard Vincent, sales director at Brownings, about the company’s history and its current role in the industry Celebrating 100 Years in Business employees who crafted teeth until the market began to fade in the 1950s. Thanks to his involvement with the Scouts, who he’d give tours of the lab, Browning was asked to make replica bones for first aid training due to the scouts having to use sticks instead. Browning then invested and patented a material called Plastifol which was apparently perfect for making fake wounds which were used by the British Red Cross, St John Ambulance, and even the Ministry of Defence. Plastifol then led to a new line of practical joke products after an employee was experimenting with making a fake fried egg with the Plastifol material. The joke products were sold all over the world until new safety rules meant that “stick-andlick” products were no longer sellable. Amazingly the fake wounds were still sold until 2021 when Pauline Yapp decided to retire after an amazing 51 years with the company. The 1950s also 23 – Employs 23 members of staff 1925 – The company was founded as Browning’s Dental Laboratory 2007 – The business officially rebranded from Browning’s Plastics 13,000sq ft – The size of Browning’s premises based in Hull Statistics 100 Years
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