Build Magazine May 2016

Build Magazine 18 John Anthony Signs are a premier UK based sign and graphics manufacturer with over 45 years of industry experience both nationally and internationally. We got in touch with David Fagg, Partner at John Anthony Signs, to find out more about their company and how their innovations have allowed them to remain at the forefront of their industry. JAS are a manufacturer and installer of world class bespoke signs, whose work can be seen across the globe, having worked in a total of 52 countries. Our process normally involves consulting with a team of designers, specifying what they need, drawing it up and implementing their designs all the way through from manufacturing to installation. In terms of my background, I have been working at the company since 2001 and became a partner in 2007. In total, I’ve been working in signs for 27 years, and the experience throughout our company is one of its most distinguishing factors. Throughout the years, we have become known for the quality of our work, and this is something that we always want to live up to. Our strapline is ‘Expert Knowledge Delivered’, so not only are we good at what we do, but we are also good at delivering it too. As a result, people trust us and in turn come back to us for our expertise time and time again. Furthermore, all of our projects are overseen by a designated project manager, and in this way we can really provide a highly personalised service for our clients. Alongside our experience, another pivotal part of our success has been our willingness to innovate and push the envelope. We have a reputation for delivering quite challenging structures, and have even been able to execute signs that other companies deemed impossible. So as well as being innovative, we also have the skill and craftsmanship to make these innovations a reality. Moreover, in order to ensure that we remain at the forefront, we spend a great deal of time on research and development and always have our finger on the pulse of everything that is occurring in our industry. The ability to innovate and adapt are fundamental as no two projects are the same. One day we could be working in a cathedral, and the next day we could be implementing a stadium. It could be national or international, modern or traditional, an industrial estate or high street. As such, every job needs to be tailored to the specific project and this is something that we always try to deliver. In the last five years, we have seen a lot of competitors offering unreasonably lower prices. However, what we have found is that the customers have been coming back to us due to the lack of quality and customer care that came as a result of these prices. In our industry, it is extremely important that clients are given a quality service that achieves exactly what they want, and that has a value. A recent project was our work at Selfridges (Body Studio PICTURED) where we did all of the sculptural signage work, which was technically challenging, and Starbucks Coffee (Pictured below) which involved incorporating nearly 2,000 coffee cups into the sign. These are just some of the many examples of how we are pushing the boundaries with what can be done with signs. Looking towards the future, we are confident that our company will continue to grow and prosper. We are enjoying quite a successful period at the moment which has been rewarding as, much like any other business, we had to cope with the constraints of the recession. However, coming out of the back end of that, we have been very successful. We want to continue to grow, but at the same time maintain the exemplary standards we have become known for. Special Feature Ones to Watch for 2016: Construction UK