Create Signs moves with the times

The North Somerset Business Leader catches up with Create Signs’ Ally Jones to find out more about the Churchill based company.

Set up in 2002 by directors Ian Lamont and Andrew Fogg, Create Signs is a company specialising in the design and manufacture of interior and exterior signs.

And according to Ally Jones, who is responsible for Create’s marketing, the business is entering its second decade with a spring in its step.

When you visit the company’s premises -located on the A38 near Churchill – it is easy to see what she means, because it is a hive of activity.

Winning mentality

Despite the economic slump Create has performed admirably and serves a broad customer base which ranges from small local businesses through to large healthcare, education and retail establishments.

To drive success Ally has put in place a number of processes at the company, leveraging networking, social media and good old fashioned hard work to ensure Create’s name is in the frame when it comes to winning new contracts.

Strong online presence

Create is certainly au fait with digital marketing. The company operate a vibrant twitter feed as well as a blog and installation showcase on its website.

Ally comments on the importance of online marketing for Create: “Having a strong online presence is important. It ensures we’re perceived as a professional operation from the outset, which when organisations are pitching for business, can be the difference between receiving a phone call or not.”

Impressive contracts

As well as being online savvy Create Signs also has a reputation for delivering top-quality installations and has an impressive back catalogue of projects.

Within the education sector recent new business for Create has included impressive large format graphics at Weston College, Bridgwater College and UWE.

Also in the public space, Create Signs won part of an estimated £25m contract to install the signage in both the public and office space, at Weston Town Hall.

New blood for Create

Due to the increase in high-profile projects Create has also been on an employment drive.

Just recently they appointed graphic design graduate Calum Bradley as a Junior Designer. But Ally is keen to stress her disapointment at the skills vacuum in the sign industry.

She comments: “The poor attention to detail and overall quality of applicants from the government’s apprenticeship scheme left me downhearted.

“But Calum, who lives locally, approached us independently and fitted the bill perfectly.

“It’s good to get direct enquiries. We will shortly be looking to take on a trainee sign maker and installation engineer so we hope that someone will approach us directly again, showing the initiative and enthusiasm that Calum displayed.”

North Somerset asset

Celebrating its tenth year in business, Create Signs is primed for another impressive decade and is clearly an asset to North Somerset both as a sign maker and as a specialist employer.

You can Follow them on Twitter @createsignsuk and take a look at some of their impressive installations on their website at www.create-signs.co.uk or give them a call on 01934 853 888.