Seven decades in sign making

Sep 10, 2024 | Features

Pic 1 Billy and George Harper Seven decades in sign making

William and George Harper pictured in the
1970s

This year marks the 70th anniversary of UK sign specialist, Harper Signs’s entrance into the sign making industry. Sign Update assistant editor, Cameron Beech, speaks to deputy MD, Nick Harper, to learn more about the history of the family-run business.

In 1954, brothers William and George Harper began their successfully historic venture into the business of manufacturing acrylic designs and displays for local businesses.

A dynamic duo

Their grandson, Nick Harper, said: “They started working out of a small garage in Newcastle after the second world war and experimented with perspex obtained from spitfire cockpits. Using basic domestic tools they started manufacturing displays locally for the ice cream trade.”

It is clear that the combined skills of the duo made for a powerful partnership, one which would take them into the next century. Nick said: “Bill having a visual merchandising background with display knowledge and George, having management and office skills, set up the partnership ‘Harper & Co’ now known nationally as Harper Signs.”

Nick explained how the company’s trajectory developed over time, initially beginning with their knowledge of Perspex to then evolving to sheet metalworkers. Nick said: “With my grandfather’s knowledge of the Perspex used in display products the company grew with the development of colour Perspex sheet allowing more scope. As trends changed to illuminated signs the company started its own sheet metalworkers to manufacture steel boxes, electricians to fit fluorescent tubes, neon glass benders and specialist fitters to install the signs.”

Pic 2 HS2 Seven decades in sign making

Brothers William and George Harper began their venture into sign making in the 1950s

70 years on Harper Signs is very much still a family run business, with Nick’s father Billy at the helm, and his sister Laura, chief financial officer, also involved with the day to day running. With respect to the business’s history, Nick told me: “As a family run business, we are extremely proud of our beginnings and what we have achieved.

“We pride ourselves on a high level of service, quality and reliability to consistently deliver projects within the budget, on time and to the highest standards of quality and workmanship.”

It appears this sentiment, engrained in the company’s ethos, has significantly paid off. With the company boasting an impressive list of clients including TAG Heuer, Beaverbrooks, Burger King, TGI Fridays and New Look, it appears Harper Signs is on a roll with no intention of slowing its pace.

Decades of achievements

Harper signs Seven decades in sign making

Original hand drawings of the Barrowland sign

I asked Nick since the business’s founding in the 1950s, what has been some standout achievements for the company, to which Nick answered: “Some recognisable standout achievements for Harper Signs over the years have been to design, manufacture and install the neon signs at Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow. At the time this was seen as the largest neon sign in Europe. We’ve also carried out large contracts for a local brewery with over 400 pubs.”

Nick also made mention of other notable achievements including manufacturing and installing signs in Moscow for Russia’s first bingo hall and more recently, manufacturing signs for Qatar Airport prior to the 2022 World Cup. For Harper Signs, no project is too big or too small as Nick explained: “We carry out work in all sectors from leisure, casual dining and hospitality to retail on a global and national scale.”

A diversity of signs

FB1 Seven decades in sign making

The creation of the Frankie & Benny’s sign
in progress

With the company diversifying the range of signs it creates and manufactures, I asked Nick how Harper Signs approaches making such a vast range. Nick told me, since the business’s inception 70 years ago, the company has built up extensive knowledge. Nick explained: “This enables us to provide solutions from the most intricate design briefs and manufacture signs to the highest quality.” He added: “With technology advancing and being at the forefront of this revolution with the recent purchase of a 4x2m fibre laser machine, upgrades on CNC routers, 4m wide guillotines and press brake allows.” He continued: “Our teams to bring high levels of creative flair and extensive sign making knowledge that has made us an industry leader in our field.

“We have the ability to produce the most intricate and attention-grabbing signs that not only capture brand detail but also add new dimensions. We work with a broad range of materials from plastics and acrylics to LEDs, stainless steel, aluminium, copper and other metals to produce striking exterior and interior signs. We use neon and other lighting techniques to bring commercial signs to life, adding warmth or drama.”

Here’s to another 70 years

Pic 4 Harpers Seven decades in sign making

Billy, Laura and Nick Harper inside Harper
Sign’s factory in Newcastle Upon Tyne

As Harper Signs gears up to celebrate seven decades in the sign making industry, Nick expressed his pride in the multi-generational success of the family-run business. He said: “With the exceptional foundations set by Bill and George, and continued success running the business by Billy and now onto the third generation, here’s to another 70 years.”

Who could have put it better than the third generation Harper himself? For others, the sentiment of bringing a sign to life is simply hyperbole. For the Harper family, it is anything but.

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