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Hello to you all !
Well, I came across this community for those involved in the sign trade completely by accident and have to say I have been quite surprised not just by the quality of the site, but the forums themselves.
Now I am not one for short snappy introductions, so here’s who I am !
My name is Steve Allen, I have been involved in the UK sign & display industry for the best part of 25 years and I hope am still a baby at a mere 41 !
I am married to the gorgeous Karen and we share our lives with our children – the insane Charlie aged 4, the even more beautiful than her mom, Liberty aged 3, a St Bernard called ‘Dora‘ and another baby due in November !
I have I believe pretty uniquely been involved in all aspects of the trade and would hope that knowledge may be of help to some of you.
From 10 years on the road, installing and maintaining major signage projects all over the UK & Europe for many of the leading national sign manufacturers, to 5 years in general sign manufacture, vinyls, spandex 48 router etc, to another 4 years as the Graphics Manager for The NEC Group, responsible for both the NEC and ICC in Birmingham and events such as Eurovision, G8 Sumit, CBI annual conference, Nato World Leaders etc.
Up until the summer of 2003 I was a director of the company Xpression UK plc who were the sole agents for UK and Ireland of a unique exterior floor graphic product called ‘X-plaine’, which we launched at Sign UK 2002. However the fantastic response and sales of the product were not matched by the Danish producer who continually got everything wrong from, sizes to colour matching, to delivery etc and we terminated our agreement in the summer of 2003.
Since then I have set up a contemporary art gallery in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, with my wife, Karen – http://www.bohemia-online.net if you fancy a look !
With the gallery set up I have over the last month returned to the sign trade on a freelance basis (website coming soon !) and am currently on an initial 3 month contract as ‘Business Development Manager’ for a very progressive Sign and Digital print company based in Birmingham.
What can I bring to this community……?
Well within these pages themselves, advice and knowledge of the Sign & Display trade, materials, applications, suppliers etc
Outside that on ‘business’ footing I can offer help with:
Design: I am fully conversant with Signlab to version 6 and Flexisign to 7.5. I also work with a fantastic ‘creative’, who through his years of working with me, has an understanding of how practically his designs can be incorporated into signage, display and vehicle livery.
Manufacture: I am able to supply at very competitive rates, all types of signage inc neon, built ups etc, from suppliers here in the UK and Europe.
Digital Print:Gerber edge along with Large and Grand format full colour print using both solvent and UV inks on to all substrates including direct to perspex, foam, mdf etc, up to 40mm thick. Again I have access to some fantastic rates both here in the UK and Europe.
Portable Display/POS/POP: Banner stands, POP ups, floor graphics etc from the UK, Europe and China
Installation I still work with a couple of installation teams in the Midlands, one of whom I am about to create a web presence and market his services.
Business Services As I am doing with the company I am contracted to until the end of June, I am happy to come into a business, look at its strengths and weaknesses, its marketplace, equipment etc and over a couple of months produce a detailed ‘Business Plan’ to help take the business forward, the proposal would include Sales, Advertsing, PR.
I am also happy to ‘Project manage’ any large jobs that maybe pushing the boundaries of your business, not just potentially on a techincal basis but one of time.
Websites I also design websites, whilst the internet and ecommerce is – in regard to direct sales – not overly applicable to the sign industry, it is essential that you have a website – remember the industry you are in – its an ‘image’ business.
I, for one am always telling clients that ‘first impressions count’, being able to point a client to your website for more information and an email address that does not look something like:-‘joebloggs@fsbusiness.freeserve.com’ all helps reinforce a positive image of your business.
With the price I can offer design, hosting and domain registration, there is no excuse !
Hope that I have not broke any of the board rules with the bit about what ‘services’ I can offer – felt that it maybe useful to some of you.
Anyway novel over and I look forward to getting to know some of you.
regards
Steve
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16 Replies
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Thats whot i call a introduction & a good plug too.
welcome & enjoy
chris
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Will do Chris, got a feeling this site could become a tad addictive !
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like chris has said mate.. thats a brill introduction. 😛
certainly no rules broke.. 😉im about to pop out shopping just now so when i get back ill have a re-read at your intro and maybe ask some questions, if i may.
its really good to have yet another on the boards with wide knowledge of our trade. helps me aswell as many others.in the meantime. feel free to make yourself at home. got a picture?
send it to uksigngroup@hotmail.comlook forward to seeing more of you on the baords mate 😉
welcome aboard 😛
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H Steve & welcome to the boards 😀
Great introduction, very informative, look forward to seeing more of your posts!
By the way what a gorgeous name for your little girl … Liberty ….. different & very nice 😀
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Thanks for saying hello and your kind words about my daughters name ! –
We are thinking of changing it to ‘Cilla’ after the character in Coronation Street, as she has developed the same sour expression when she realises she can’t twist her daddy’s arm quite as much as she thought she could ! -god she is only three, I dread the teenage years!
If the new baby ends up being a girl, its going to be ‘Kitty’
Well only been on here an hour and have turned the forum into a ‘Parenting’ community
sorry all 😀
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😆 😆 😆
Most of us have children Steve, so Im sure no one minds the odd bit of proud parent chatting! 😀 We have a 2 year old daughter Stephani she is already like a teenager and a complete daddys girl, she knows the art of twisting also…. and we have a 10wk old boy Ethan who is a blue eyed mummys boy already! …. Kitty very nice also & so as not to leave anyone out … Charlie & Dora sound great too!!! 😆
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Steve….Welcome!
Man, I’m outta breath just reading your intro 🙄
All I can do is carve 🙁
Joe
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Thanks for saying hello, never mind you being out if breath, I have blisters on my fingers from typing the thing !
Well carving is something well outside my capabilities !
We spent a couple of weeks in Negril, Jamaica last summer, and whilst not exactly sign related, as none of my latter posts seem to be 😀 , the local lads carving were so fantastically talented.
Steve
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Hi Steve…
I am 41 & have 3 kids, the youngest is named Justis (a boy)
My dad was a Justice of the Peace, hence the name.
I am primarily a painter but I cut vynull too,
and Joe Chips the carver is my pal.
Welcome aboard, but don’t ask for parenting advice from me.
My 16-year old daughter Rachael is a holy terror (just wait)
My niece Trinity has a friend named Liberty, I always loved that name.
Love…Jill -
Thanks for saying Hi, Jill
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Hi Steve welcome to the site and as the others have already said what an intro 😎
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Hi and welcome Steve 😀
Blimey, thats got to be the longest, most indepth ‘say hello’ I’ve ever seen! 😮 😀 Really looking forward to hearing more about your work, and maybe seeing some in the ‘Show Us Your Stuff’ forum 😀
Cheers, Dewi
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hello steve!! and welcome aboard!! 😀
Nik
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Welcome Steve And enjoy 😀 😀 😀 😀
Regards Brian
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Welcome Steve and enjoy
Regards Brian
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Just a quick note, before I tuck into the essential Saturday night Chinese takeaway feast, to say thanks for the warm welcome from everyone.
I am looking forward to talking to many of you in more depth, but early night tonight, tommorow I am onsite overseeing the installation of 3 full colour banners, 10m x 2m, 5m x 2m and 8m x 1.5m that we have produced and will have installed on 3 different sites all within 5 days of the first telephone call from the client !
Post some pics next week
Steve
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