The Sussex Sign Company

What The Sussex Sign Company does

The Sussex Sign Company is a UK-based, founder-owned sign manufacturer and installer founded in 1995 by Norman Mayhew and Peter Lake. Headquartered in Portslade, East Sussex, with a second production facility at Goddards Green, West Sussex, the company designs, fabricates and installs custom signage for businesses, shops, offices, schools, vehicles and public-sector clients across Sussex, Southeast England and London. The product portfolio spans business signs, shop signs, office signs, school signs, wayfinding, window and wall graphics, and exhibition displays, with a dedicated vehicle wrapping division holding a 36-month installation guarantee.

Operationally, the company runs an in-house end-to-end model: design, manufacturing, installation, project management, and maintenance are all delivered by an internal team using digital printing, vinyl cutting, and state-of-the-art fabrication equipment. It has extended the core offering through three wholly-owned sub-brands: a Vehicle Wrap Division (with a dedicated Goddards Green centre opened in 2025), Sussex Banners (promotional banners and flags), and Sussex Clothing (embroidered and printed corporate workwear, launched January 2021). The firm holds CHAS, Safe Contractor and Constructionline Gold accreditations, a 25+ year supply relationship with Metamark UK, and is the first Metamark Approved Vehicle Wrapping Centre in Sussex.

The business operates a sales-led, direct-to-business go-to-market model. Customers contact the firm by phone (01273 424900) or via website form, after which in-house specialists run site surveys, develop a sign brief, and quote on a project basis; interest-free payment plans are offered to ease procurement of higher-ticket roll-outs. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Revenue streams include custom sign manufacturing and installation, vehicle graphics and wraps, branded clothing, and banners/display materials. The firm has no external funding, no parent company, and operates with an 11–50 employee headcount band.

Name

The Sussex Sign Company

Legal name

The Sussex Sign Company Limited

Website

https://sussexsigns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sussex Sign Company is a UK-based, founder-owned sign manufacturer and installer (founded 1995) serving businesses, fleets, schools and public-sector clients across Sussex and Southeast England with in-house design, fabrication, installation, vehicle wrapping, banners and branded clothing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portslade

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Sign Manufacturing and Installation: Design, manufacture, and installation of custom signage including business signs, shop signs, office signs, wayfinding signage, and illuminated signs. Services include site surveys, project management, and maintenance programs. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design, production, and installation services.
2. Vehicle Graphics and Wrapping: Full and partial vehicle wraps, vinyl graphics, sign writing for cars, vans, trucks, and fleet branding. Services include design, print, production, and professional installation with 36-month guarantee.
3. Branded Clothing and Workwear: Corporate clothing division offering embroidery, heat press, and digital print services for branded workwear and uniforms. Established in January 2021 as a full branding extension.
4. Banners and Display Materials: Exhibition displays, promotional banners and flags, window and wall graphics. Supplementary product line through sussexbanners.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Sussex Sign Company designs, manufactures, and installs custom signage for businesses, shops, offices, schools, vehicles, and events across Sussex and Southeast England. The full-service offering spans sign design, in-house production, professional installation, and ongoing maintenance, supplemented by dedicated vehicle wrapping, corporate clothing (Sussex Clothing), and banner (Sussex Banners) divisions. Projects are delivered end-to-end with site surveys, project management, and aftercare, primarily for commercial customers in Brighton, Sussex, London, and the broader southeast.

Product overview

The Sussex Sign Company is a full-service signage provider offering a unified portfolio of products and services for businesses across Sussex and the southeast of England. The core offering includes design, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of custom signage, supplemented by specialist vehicle branding services, corporate clothing (via Sussex Clothing division), and banners (via Sussex Banners division). Their main product categories include Business Signs, Shop Signs, Office Signs, School Signs, Van Signwriting & Wraps, Wayfinding Signs, and Window & Wall Graphics. The company operates as a single-source provider enabling customers to consolidate all branding needs—building signage, vehicle livery, promotional banners, and branded clothing—with dedicated project management from concept through installation and aftercare.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sussex Banners: Promotional banners and flags division operating at sussexbanners.com
• Sussex Clothing

Products and services

• Business Signs

Quantifiable outcome

• Vehicle graphics in high-traffic areas can be seen by 3,000 people per hour
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metamark UKcoreTechnology or Integration25+ year partnership with one of the UK's most respected manufacturers of vinyl and vehicle wrapping media. The Sussex Sign Company became the first fully accredited Metamark Approved Vehicle Wrapping Centre in Sussex, undergoing full inspection of premises and wrapping processes. Technical assessment conducted by Richard Collins, International Senior Product Sales Manager at Metamark.
• Benenden HealthminorOthersBenenden Health provided a public access defibrillator installed outside The Sussex Sign Company's premises. The defibrillator is available to the public and can be accessed by contacting emergency services in the event of a cardiac emergency.
• Newhaven Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Seahaven Business Awards are hosted by Newhaven, Peacehaven & Seaford Chambers of Commerce. The Sussex Sign Company has been recognized as Runner-Up for Business of the Year 2026, finalist in 2026, and has deep-rooted connection with Newhaven where the company first began.
• Rockinghorse Children's CharityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sussex Sign Company sponsored the Rockinghorse Children's Charity Quiz Night, supporting a charitable cause close to their hearts.
• Newhaven Football ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor of Newhaven Football Club, providing club signage and financial support given the company's deep-rooted connection with Newhaven where they were first established.
• Seaford Karate ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored Seaford Karate Club as they travelled to Portugal to compete at the prestigious FSKA World Championships.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Avery Dennison: Global manufacturer of pressure-sensitive labels, vinyl films, and reflective materials used in sign manufacturing and vehicle wraps. Key materials supplier into the signage ecosystem that Sussex Sign Company depends on for production.
• 3M Commercial Solutions: Diversified manufacturer supplying sign-making films, reflective sheeting, and graphic substrates to the signage industry. Critical input supplier whose materials are widely used in commercial sign production.

Broad incumbents

• SpeedPro Imaging: Large-format printing franchise specializing in vehicle wraps, banners, wall graphics, and trade show displays. Directly comparable on vehicle wrap and large-format services that overlap with Sussex Sign's highest-growth division.
• Minuteman Press: International printing and signage franchise offering design, printing, signage, and marketing services. Comparable on integrated print-and-signage offering but with broader franchise delivery model and global footprint.
• FASTSIGNS: Global signage franchise network with thousands of centres providing custom signs, graphics, and visual communications. Comparable as a scaled franchise operator in the same signage category, but with national and global footprint.
• Signarama: Global signage franchise offering custom signs, vehicle wraps, banners, and digital signage. Directly comparable product portfolio to Sussex Sign Company with broader geographic reach and established franchise system.
• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Large-scale online printing platform offering business cards, signs, banners, marketing materials, and branded merchandise. Comparable on product category (signs, banners, branded items) but competes on self-service digital channels rather than local installation.
• Sir Speedy: North American print and signage franchise offering signs, graphics, marketing materials, and printing services. Comparable integrated print-and-signage service mix but with broader geographic reach and franchise-based delivery model.

Emerging players

• Sticker Mule: Online custom printing platform for stickers, labels, signs, and packaging. Partial overlap in signage and branded material categories, targeting small businesses with self-service digital ordering rather than local consultation.

Direct peers

• Signs Express: UK franchise sign maker offering design, manufacture, and installation of business signs, vehicle graphics, and window graphics. Closest UK peer given the similar service portfolio covering signs, wraps, and large-format printing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=The+Sussex+Sign+Company
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheSussexSignCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sussex-signs
• Instagraminstagram.com/thesussexsigncompany
• Pinterestpinterest.co.uk/sussexsigns
• Xx.com/sussexsignco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sussex Sign Company