BUSINESS / NEWS 8 www.signlink.co.uk signlink signlink signlinkmagazine As the year draws to a close, The Sign Group has reflected back over the past year at some of its achievements and business moves from the past 12 months. The team headed to the Visual Merchandising and Display Show in London in April where it exhibited its award-winning Neonplus product. In addition to its signage products, The Sign Group has begun a partnership with CarbonQuota to aid in its journey to become net zero. The summer months saw directors Grey Hoole and Anthony Lowe treat the team to a Mr. Whippy Van as well as a BBQ on an unexpectedly sunny September afternoon. The team also held a coffee morning for Macmillan with staff donations raising £100 which the company matched to make a total of £200. Every year, the business branches out into new fields and launches new products. Each November, the company also offers a 20% discount for orders to be delivered in January. This keeps the team busy over the slower months running up to Christmas and offers savings to new and repeat customers. A standout moment of 2023 was a mammoth job for Ladbrokes Live which was developed in collaboration with Neverland Creative and Taylor Bennett. Measuring in at 3m x 2m, the project incorporated a mix of Neonplus and Neon Flex and was produced for an executive box at the O2 London Arena. Finally, a partnership with the Strategic Growth Programme in recent years has led to an optimised sales strategy, expanded workspace, and additional roles. Reflecting on a year of pride and passion The Sign Group produced this signage for Ladbrokes Live with the finished product placed in an executive box at the O2 London Arena Imageco receives a £45K machinery grant Imageco has a total staff of 28 after recently employing new entry-level employees Leeds-based company, Imageco, has been granted £45,000 by Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as a result of its hard work in the community. A specialist in wide-format and sustainable print, Imageco has been involved in many large projects over the past year including working with Dr. Martens stores across Europe. The business was also a key player in helping with the rejuvenation of Leeds City Centre 2020 as well as the Leeds United Centenary Collection. Nathan Swinson-Bullough, managing director for the company, comments: “The grant will allow us to further our investment into creating new jobs, growth, and sustainable business development for our company. “We would like to say a massive thank you to the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership for granting us this funding.” MacroArt, a UK-based wide-format print, graphics, and branding specialist, has announced a new acquisition deal with US company, Moss. Moss, which is based in Chicago, Illinois, is a producer of premium graphics, complex structures, and custom installations for brand experiences. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed but the move does highlight Moss' strategy to build more sustainable, high-quality brand experiences for customers. Senior leadership at MacroArt, including managing director Michael Green, will remain the same and Moss will work with the company to expand the portfolios of both businesses. The MacroArt team will report to Moss president and CEO, Jason Popp. MacroArt acquired by US display company Moss Signage manufacturer, Astley, has detailed its recent visit from local cabinet member for Economy, councillor Malcolm Brain along with Craig Harrison from Gateshead Council’s Business, Employment & Skills, Economy, Innovation & Growth team. Astley was identified by the council as a company of interest due to its involvement in recruitment and apprenticeship programmes in Gateshead. Councillor Brain was provided with a comprehensive overview of the company’s operations, recent achievements, as well as its future endeavours. The visit included a tour of the custom-built facility which had just produced the iconic Tyne Bridge Great North Run (GNR) signs for a tenth year. Astley caught the attention of local dignitaries due to its recruitment and apprenticeship programmes The senior teams at MacroArt and Moss will work closely to expand both companies' portfolio Astley welcomes local dignitaries to its HQ Provider of software solutions for branded merchandise businesses, Inktavo, has acquired sign shop management software platform SignTracker. Described as a significant milestone for Inktavo, the acquisition will expand the company’s suite of solutions specifically for the needs of the sign industry. As a result of the acquisition, Inktavo customers can benefit from SignTracker’s powerful management tool that centralises all aspects of sign shop operations such as project tracking, job costing, estimating, and invoicing. By providing a holistic solution, SignTracker simplifies workflow, increases efficiency, and boost productivity. Inktavo will now focus on enhancing SignTracker’s features enabling it to drive innovation and improve the user experience for sign shop owners. Inktavo acquires SignTracker Inktavo says it is committed to providing a seamless transition for existing SignTracker customers By Carys Evans Issue 250 - December 2023 / January 2024
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