A MAJOR redevelopment is proving to be a sign of the times as a leading business adapts to the modern demands of a growing sector.
The UK’s oldest sign maker and premier supplier to the graphics industry, William Smith, is redeveloping its fabrication facility.
The construction of a purpose-built distribution warehouse at a new site on the edge of a North East market town has provided invaluable space for redevelopment at its town centre factory.
Technical staff have transformed the former warehouse in Barnard Castle, County Durham, into a cutting edge fabrication facility complete with the latest equipment.
A new hi-tech six metre router and a state of the art powder coat systems will be more efficient, quicken production and be better for the environment than the older technologies they replace.
Signage and graphics customers will benefit from the very latest technology that will be longer lasting and more suited to the task.
The new powder coat system will offer a better finish to signage products compared to traditional wet paint finishes.
Different ingredients of protective powder are electrostatically sprayed onto signs, which then go through a curing oven that fuses the product to the surface, leaving a smooth and more durable finish.
The router, featuring automatic tool changers, will boost efficiency and allow the cutting of much larger signs.
Founded in 1832, when it made the country’s very first road-sweeping machines, William Smith is still in family hands and now employs a staff of more than 90.
The latest developments are part of the new ‘Smith’ initiative as the company strengthens its commitment to the trade based on its core values of heritage, knowledge and service.
Marketing manager Chris Bradley said: “These are exciting times with the latest technology and materials allowing us to provide our customers with virtually any sign product and design they can imagine.
“Our new distribution warehouse is state of the art boosting efficiency and the working experience for our hard-working and loyal staff. Equally important is the fact that it has released much-needed space to completely redevelop our fabrication facility, which will help meet the growing demand for our products and services.”