Banner Up Signs

What Banner Up Signs does

Banner Up Signs is a family-owned, full-service sign company founded in 1986 by Ed Kuhn and headquartered at 1170 East State Street in Sycamore, Illinois. The firm operates with 1-10 employees and serves businesses, churches, schools, government entities, and nonprofits throughout Northern Illinois. Its core offering spans the full signage lifecycle — graphic design, in-house fabrication (CNC routing, digital printing, vinyl cutting, LED integration), professional installation, and permit acquisition — under a single vendor relationship.

The product portfolio is organized into eight core categories: exterior and architectural signage (pylon, monument, channel letters, LED message centers), interior signage (wayfinding, ADA-compliant, donor walls), vinyl decals (window perf, etched vinyl, cut lettering), banners and flags, vehicle graphics and wraps (including 3M color-change films), trade show and event displays, temporary/short-term signage, and canvas prints alongside unique custom projects. Three service pillars — graphic design, installation and permitting, and production and fabrication — support the product line. Pricing is exclusively quote-based, project-specific, and billed per engagement, with no disclosed subscription, retainer, or recurring contract structures.

The company operates a sales-led, direct go-to-market model with no resellers, distributors, or marketplace presence. Customer acquisition is driven by the website's Request A Quote funnel, direct phone and email contact, on-site consultations, and four decades of regional referral relationships. Ownership is fully private and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or external funding. The firm recently expanded its Sycamore production facility and currently maintains active digital channels (website, Facebook, Twitter) to support its predominantly Northern Illinois customer base.

Name

Banner Up Signs

Legal name

Banner Up Signs

Website

https://bannerupsigns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Banner Up Signs is a family-owned, full-service sign company founded in 1986 in Sycamore, Illinois, serving Northern Illinois businesses and organizations with custom design, fabrication, installation, and permitting for exterior, interior, vehicle, and event signage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Signage Manufacturing

NAICS

Sign Manufacturing (33995), Sign Manufacturing (339950), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile OOH Advertising (Vehicle Wraps, Mobile Billboards) (MPAAAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Event Decor, Branding & Signage (HSACADAJ), Rigging, Truss & Overhead Hanging Signage (THAHAHAF)

Keywords

• Custom signage fabrication
• Vehicle graphics wraps
• Exterior architectural signs
• Vinyl decal production
• Trade show displays

Headquarters

HQ city

Sycamore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Signage Products: Design, production, and fabrication of custom signage including exterior signage, interior signage, vehicle graphics, banners, vinyl decals, and unique custom projects. Products are typically one-time custom orders tailored to each client's specific needs.
2. Installation & Permitting Services: Professional installation services including site surveys, permit acquisition, and code compliance verification. Services include handling documentation and coordinating approvals with local governing bodies.
3. Graphic Design Services: Custom graphic design services for signage, utilizing cutting-edge design technology. Designers work closely with clients to understand their specific requirements and create customized solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Banner Up Signs is a family-owned, full-service sign company that designs, fabricates, installs, and permits custom signage for Northern Illinois businesses and organizations. Its offerings span exterior architectural signs, interior signage, vehicle graphics and wraps, banners and flags, vinyl decals, trade show/event displays, temporary signage, and canvas prints, supported by in-house graphic design, CNC fabrication, and licensed installation services.

Product overview

Banner Up Signs is a family-owned, full-service signage company founded in 1986, offering a comprehensive portfolio of sign products and complementary services. The core product lineup includes Exterior & Architectural Signage (pylon signs, monument signs, channel letters, LED signs), Interior Signage (wayfinding, ADA signage, donor walls), Vinyl Decals (window graphics, cut lettering, etched vinyl), Banners & Flags (pole banners, retractable stands, feather flags), Vehicle Graphics & Wraps (full wraps, fleet graphics, magnets), Trade Shows & Events Signage (retractable banners, table throws, backdrops), Temp/Short Term Signage (yard signs, coroplast, A-frames), and Canvas Prints & Unique Projects (custom prints, personalized items). These products are supported by three key service pillars: Graphic Design (custom design using cutting-edge technology), Installation & Permitting (site surveys, municipal coordination, professional installation), and Production & Fabrication (CNC routing, dimensional work, premium finishes, LED features). The company operates from Sycamore, Illinois serving Northern Illinois businesses and organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exterior & Architectural Signage Custom exterior signage including pylon signs, monument signs, pole signs, channel letters, LED message centers, dimensional lettering, and illuminated sign boxes designed, produced, and installed for outdoor business environments.
• Interior Signage Branded interior signage solutions including vinyl wall text, dimensional logos, wayfinding systems, ADA-compliant signage, donor walls, and hanging signs for restaurants, offices, and community spaces.
• Vinyl Decals Adhesive vinyl graphics for various surfaces including solid printed vinyl, perforated window perf, etched/frosted vinyl, cut vinyl lettering, and window decals for storefronts, vehicles, and promotional applications.
• Banners & Flags Indoor and outdoor banners including pole banners, retractable banner stands, tabletop banners, parade banners, feather flags, and custom flags constructed from heavy-duty vinyl with digital printing and various finishing options.
• Vehicle Graphics & Wraps Full and partial vehicle wraps, fleet graphics, trailer and food truck wraps, truck cap graphics, perforated vinyl window graphics, vinyl lettering, vehicle magnets, and semi-trailer graphics for mobile advertising.
• Trade Shows & Events Signage Trade show displays including retractable banner stands, table throws, hanging displays, backdrops, tabletop displays, feather flags, floor decals, directional signage, and custom event promotional items.
• Temp / Short Term Signage Temporary signage solutions including yard signs, coroplast panels, A-frames, real estate signs, political signs, pavement decals, wall decals, foam mounted prints, and paper prints for limited-time promotions and events.
• Canvas Prints & Unique Projects Custom canvas prints, mounted photo prints, personalized gifts, interior wall graphics, decorative vinyl lettering, surface wraps for appliances and furniture, and unique custom projects including museum exhibits and personalized items.
• Graphic Design Professional graphic design services for signage projects using cutting-edge design technology, working with clients to create customized solutions for storefront signs, vehicle graphics, and event banners.
• Installation & Permitting On-site survey, permit acquisition, code compliance coordination, and professional installation services by licensed and certified installers for all signage types.
• Production & Fabrication In-house fabrication including CNC routing, dimensional lettering, precision cutting, vinyl laminates, painted finishes, welded components, and LED integration for custom signage production.

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Green Closet CreativeminorOthersGreen Closet Creative designed and developed the Banner Up Signs website. This is a vendor/agency relationship for web development services rather than a strategic business partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FASTSIGNS: FASTSIGNS is the largest franchised sign and graphics company in North America, offering a similar full-service mix of design, fabrication, installation, vehicle wraps, banners, and trade show signage to local businesses. Directly comparable business model and customer base to Banner Up Signs.
• SpeedPro Imaging: SpeedPro Imaging is a franchise network specializing in large-format printing, vehicle wraps, banners, and trade show graphics for businesses. Strong overlap with Banner Up's vehicle wrap and large-format product lines, though less focused on architectural exterior signage.
• Signarama: Signarama is a global franchise network of independently owned sign shops providing custom signage, vehicle graphics, banners, and digital signs to SMBs and enterprises. Closely mirrors Banner Up's full-service local sign-shop model and customer mix.
• Image360: Image360 is a franchised network of sign and graphics centers offering design, production, and installation services to businesses — directly comparable offering, customer segment, and local-shop model to Banner Up.
• Allegra Marketing & Print: Allegra is a franchised marketing and print network providing signage, banners, vehicle graphics, and graphic design to SMBs alongside broader print services. Comparable local-business customer base and full-service mix.

Emerging players

• Watchfire Signs: Watchfire manufactures LED and digital signage (including EMCs, which Banner Up installs) and sells through a dealer network. Compares on the LED/illuminated signage product line that Banner Up installs but does not manufacture in-house.
• Signs.com: Signs.com is an online custom sign marketplace offering banners, yard signs, decals, and vehicle lettering shipped nationally. Competes with Banner Up on lower-ticket, commoditized signage categories rather than full-service custom installation.

Broad incumbents

• Vistaprint: Vistaprint is a large-scale online printing platform owned by Cimpress that produces banners, signs, decals, and vehicle graphics shipped direct to businesses. Represents the broad, digitally-native competitor that commoditizes Banner Up's entry-level products.

Regional players

• YESCO: YESCO is a long-established regional sign manufacturer and installer serving the western US with architectural signage, LED displays, and large-format fabrication. Comparable long-tenured, family-rooted sign company model, though at significantly larger scale and different geography.

Others

• Grimco: Grimco is a wholesale distributor of sign-making supplies, vinyl, LEDs, and fabrication equipment. Acts as an upstream supplier to sign shops like Banner Up rather than a direct competitor, but is highly relevant to industry economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Bannerupsigns
• Facebookfacebook.com/BannerUpSigns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/banner-up-signs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Banner Up Signs