What Ottway Signs does

Ottway Signs is a family-owned custom sign shop founded in 1977 in Murray, Kentucky, operating from a single physical location at 1922 State Route 94 East. The company designs and manufactures a broad range of signage products — flat panel signs in standard dimensions, custom-shaped panels cut to non-standard forms, dimensional signs with raised letters and textured backgrounds, billboards, and monument signs — alongside a vehicle graphics line spanning printed/cut vinyl lettering, partial wraps, and full vehicle wraps. Production relies on digital printing, vinyl cutting, panel fabrication, and dimensional construction techniques, supplemented by in-house and sub-contract installation services that include site surveys and aerial equipment work for regional and non-local customers.

The revenue model is fully project-based: each job is priced individually based on materials and labor, with a non-refundable artwork fee applied to custom design work and quantity discounts on bulk items (banners, coroplast yard signs, decals). A 10% discount is offered to churches and non-profits. Customers engage the business through walk-in visits to the Murray shop, phone, email ([email protected]), or the company Facebook page. The customer base is highly diversified across local government (City of Murray, Calloway County agencies), education (Murray State University, local K-12), healthcare clinics, restaurants, retail, agriculture, and religious/non-profit organizations within the western Kentucky trade area, with sub-contract installation extending reach beyond the local geography.

The company is small, privately held, and bootstrapped — currently operated by owner Chase Ottway (who joined full-time in 2008 and assumed ownership on his father Bruce's retirement in 2018), office administrator Megan Ottway (joined 2017), and production/installation lead Alex Salazar (joined full-time 2020). It has no external funding, no parent company, and reports a claimed 99% on-time delivery rate on promised jobs. The business has remained intentionally local in footprint and has not pursued digital transformation, e-commerce, or AI-enabled design or quoting workflows.

Name

Ottway Signs

Legal name

Ottway Signs

Website

https://ottwaysigns.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ottway Signs is a family-owned custom sign shop in Murray, KY, established in 1977. It designs and produces custom panel, shaped, and dimensional signs, vehicle wraps and lettering, banners, billboards, and monument signs, serving local businesses, government agencies, schools, healthcare clinics, and non-profits across western Kentucky.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sign Manufacturing

NAICS

Sign Manufacturing (339950)

akta.pro primary industry

Static Billboards & Posters (Roadside, Wallscapes) (BPAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Event Decor, Branding & Signage (HSACADAJ)

Keywords

• Custom sign manufacturing
• Vehicle wrap services
• Commercial signage
• Dimensional signs
• Sign installation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Murray

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Sign Production: Design and production of custom panel signs, custom shaped signs, and dimensional signs. Pricing evaluated per job based on materials and time required. Artwork fee may be required before design work begins.
2. Vehicle Wraps and Lettering: Full vehicle wraps, partial wraps, and vinyl lettering for single vehicles or fleets. Both printed and cut vinyl options available.
3. Bulk Items: Banners, coroplast yard signs, and custom decals produced in multiples with quantity discounts available.
4. Installation Services: Sub-contract installation, removal, and site survey services offered regionally with over 40 years of experience and aerial equipment capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ottway Signs designs, manufactures, and installs custom commercial signage and vehicle graphics from its Murray, KY shop. The product line includes flat panel signs, custom-shaped panel signs, dimensional signs with raised elements, full and partial vehicle wraps and vinyl lettering, plus bulk items such as banners, coroplast yard signs, and custom decals. The company also provides site surveys, installation, removal, and sub-contract installation services, with custom artwork produced in-house and a non-refundable artwork fee required before design production begins.

Product overview

Ottway Signs is a family-owned custom sign shop established in 1977, offering a comprehensive portfolio of signage products and vehicle graphics. The core product lineup includes Standard Panel Signs (flat signs in various sizes), Custom Shaped Panel Signs (custom-cut shapes), and Dimensional Signs (with raised elements for depth). Vehicle graphics encompass Vehicle Lettering (printed and cut vinyl), Partial Wraps (partial vehicle coverage), and Full Wraps (complete vehicle coverage). Additional offerings include Bulk Items (Banners, Coroplast Yard Signs, Custom Decals) and Installation/Removal Services with site surveys. The company specializes in custom signage, vehicle wraps, billboards, and monument signs, treating each project individually with pricing based on materials and labor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Panel Signs Flat panel signs in standard dimensions (2' x 4', 3' x 6', or 4' x 8') that can be customized as full print or cut vinyl; a starting place for commercial storefront and facility signage.
• Custom Shaped Signs Panel signs cut into custom shapes such as circles or logos to help businesses stand out from competitors, including elaborate non-geometric shapes.
• Dimensional Signs Signs with raised elements including raised letters, raised board, or textured backgrounds for added visual depth and customization.
• Vehicle Lettering Printed and cut vinyl lettering for vehicles, used as mobile advertising at job sites or in traffic to reach customers wherever the vehicle travels.
• Partial Wraps Partial vehicle wraps that cover portions of a vehicle for advertising while expressing business identity, a middle-ground option between lettering and full wraps.
• Full Wraps Complete vehicle wraps covering the entire vehicle surface for maximum advertising impact and brand visibility, turning vehicles into mobile billboards.
• Banners Bulk banner production for events, promotions, and business advertising needs, with quantity discounts available for multiples.
• Coroplast Yard Signs Coroplast yard signs for temporary or permanent outdoor advertising, produced in multiples with quantity discounts.
• Custom Decals Custom decals for various applications including vehicles, windows, and surfaces, produced in multiples with quantity discounts.
• Installation and Removal Services Sub-contract installation, removal, and site survey services with aerial and general sign construction equipment, including work for non-local customers; supported by over 40 years of installation experience.
• Billboards Large-format billboard signage for wide-area advertising and brand visibility, produced and installed by Ottway Signs.
• Monument Signs Freestanding monument-style signs typically placed at business entrances for identification and branding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% on-time delivery rate once a job is promised

Named customers25 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Signs Now: Sign franchise providing custom signage, banners, and vehicle graphics to small and mid-size businesses across North America. Comparable product mix and customer base.
• Signarama: Global sign franchise network providing custom signs, vehicle graphics, and banners to local businesses. Operates the same direct-to-customer custom sign production model as Ottway Signs across many regional markets.
• SpeedPro Imaging: Vehicle wrap franchise network specializing in full and partial vehicle wraps and large-format graphics. Closely overlaps Ottway's vehicle wrap and lettering service line.
• FASTSIGNS: Large sign franchise network offering custom signs, vehicle wraps, and installation services. Directly comparable as a multi-location sign manufacturer/service provider serving small businesses and government clients.
• Image360: Sign franchise under Allegra Network offering custom signs, vehicle wraps, and visual communication solutions with similar SMB/government client mix.

Broad incumbents

• YESCO: Large established sign manufacturer and service provider operating across signage, lighting, and maintenance with regional and national presence. Overlaps with Ottway on custom signage and installation but operates at much greater scale and breadth.

Others

• Grimco Inc. Major wholesale distributor of sign-making supplies, equipment, and materials including vinyl, printers, and substrates. Comparable as an ecosystem supplier enabling sign shops like Ottway rather than as a competing sign producer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OttwaySigns

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Ottway Signs