What Anchor Signs does

Anchor Signs is a privately held, family-owned sign fabrication and installation business headquartered at 1854 East Napier Ave, Benton Harbor, Michigan, serving Berrien County and the broader Southwestern Michigan market. Founded in 1978 by Perry Ortlieb in Alpena, MI after learning hand-painting from his father, the business acquired the Earl Eddy sign company in 1985 and adopted its current name, eventually relocating to Benton Harbor. The company is co-owned and operated by Perry and Loretta Ortlieb.

The company combines traditional hand-painted and hand-carved techniques with modern computer-routed production, offering a wide service portfolio that includes large format printing, vehicle wraps and graphics, sandblasted and dimensional signage, vinyl graphics, airbrushing, pinstriping, gilded gold leafing, banners, yard signs, boat lettering, contractor signs, window lettering, trade show displays, and logo design. Pricing follows a Good/Better/Best three-tier model with free estimates and consultation; turnaround ranges from while-you-wait for simple magnetic signs and banners to up to two weeks for layered I.D. signs.

Anchor Signs generates revenue through project-based, one-time transactions with local businesses, contractors and trades, and marine/vessel owners in Southwestern Michigan. Customers reach the business primarily by phone, in-person visits, or a website contact form; the company accepts artwork via Yahoo email and fax. There is no disclosed digital marketing presence, no mobile application, no API, no external funding, and no headcount disclosure. The operating model is a single-location direct-service shop with project-based revenue and pay-as-you-go billing.

Name

Anchor Signs

Legal name

Anchor Signs

Website

https://anchorsignsmi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Anchor Signs is a family-owned sign fabrication and installation shop in Benton Harbor, Michigan, serving Berrien County and Southwestern Michigan with hand-painted and computer-routed signage, vehicle wraps, banners, and custom graphics for local businesses, contractors, and vessel owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sign Fabrication and Installation

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Event Decor, Branding & Signage (HSACADAJ)

Keywords

• Custom sign fabrication
• Vehicle wraps graphics
• Business identification signs
• Hand painted signage
• Banners yard signs

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Sign Fabrication and Installation: Design, fabrication, and installation of custom signs including vehicle graphics, business signs, and architectural signage. One-time project-based revenue.
2. Sign Products (Banners, Yard Signs, Magnetics): Sale of pre-made and custom sign products including banners, yard signs, and magnetic signs. Can be completed while customer waits.
3. Vehicle Customization Services: Vehicle wraps, graphics, airbrushing, pinstriping, and boat lettering services for vehicle customization
4. Logo Design and Graphic Design Services: Custom logo design and graphic design services for signage and vehicle applications

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Anchor Signs is a locally owned sign shop that designs, fabricates, and installs custom signage for businesses and individuals in Southwestern Michigan. The company combines traditional hand-painting and carving techniques with modern computer-routed production, large-format printing, and vinyl graphics to produce vehicle wraps, business identification signs, banners, yard signs, dimensional signage, and decorative finishes such as gold leafing, airbrushing, and pinstriping.

Product overview

Anchor Signs is a locally owned and operated sign shop offering a comprehensive range of sign design, fabrication, installation, repair, and maintenance services. The company provides both traditional hand-crafted sign-making techniques (hand painted, hand carved, sandblasted) and modern digital production methods (large format printing, vinyl graphics, computer routered work). Services span vehicle branding (vehicle wraps, truck signs, truck graphics, boat graphics), business identification (exterior signs, wall signs, dimensional signage), promotional materials (banners, yard signs, trade show displays), and custom decorative finishes (airbrushing, pinstriping, gilded gold leafing). The portfolio includes products from hand-painted mailboxes to large-scale water tower signage, serving customers in Benton Harbor, Berrien County, and Southwestern Michigan with free estimates and consultation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vehicle Wraps Complete and partial vehicle wraps for cars, trucks, and fleet vehicles, including design and installation.
• Vehicle Graphics Custom graphics, lettering, and branding for vehicles including trucks, cars, and fleet vehicles.
• Truck Signs Custom signs designed specifically for trucks, including graphics and lettering.
• Boat Lettering and Boat Graphics Custom lettering and graphics for boats and watercraft.
• Business Signs Business identification signs including exterior signs, I.D. signs, and storefront signage.
• Exterior Signs Outdoor business signage including building-mounted and freestanding signs.
• Wall Signs Interior and exterior wall-mounted signage for business identification.
• Banners Custom banners for indoor and outdoor advertising, events, and promotions.
• Yard Signs Outdoor yard signs for real estate, events, and political campaigns.
• Trade Show Displays Portable and modular displays for trade shows, exhibitions, and events.
• Contractor Signs Signs designed for construction companies and contractors, including yard signs and job site signage.
• Magnetic Signs Removable magnetic signs for vehicles, offering temporary or portable signage solutions.
• Sandblasted Signs Sandblasted signage with carved, textured appearance for durable outdoor identification.
• Hand Carved Signs Traditional hand-crafted carved signs created by skilled artisans.
• Dimensional Signage Three-dimensional signs that create depth and visual impact for business identification.
• Plastic Formed Lettering Three-dimensional plastic letters and signage formed through molding processes.
• Gilded Gold Leafing Decorative gold leaf finishing for premium signage and ornamental applications.
• Vinyl Graphics Custom vinyl graphics for vehicles, windows, walls, and various surfaces.
• Window Lettering Custom window lettering and graphics for storefronts and commercial windows.
• Airbrushing Custom airbrushing services for vehicles and specialized sign work.
• Pinstriping Custom pinstriping services for vehicles and decorative applications.
• Large Format Printing Large format printing service for signs, banners, and promotional materials.
• Logo Design Custom logo design services to create brand identities for signage applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Signs last 10-15 years with one-time investment

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Emerging players

• Printmoz: Printmoz is an online large-format printing company producing banners, vehicle wraps, and trade show displays — overlaps with Anchor Signs' large-format and vehicle wrap offerings via e-commerce rather than local fabrication.
• Signs.com: Signs.com is a national online sign retailer offering banners, yard signs, vehicle decals, and business signage via e-commerce — competes directly with Anchor Signs' standardized offerings (banners, yard signs, magnetic signs) but bypasses local custom work.
• BuildASign: BuildASign is an online custom sign and banner company serving SMBs, real estate agents, and event organizers — competes with Anchor Signs on yard signs, banners, and event signage, with national reach but limited custom fabrication.

Broad incumbents

• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Vistaprint is a large online printing services company offering business cards, banners, signs, and promotional products — overlaps with Anchor Signs' standardized sign products and serves the same SMB customer base, but as part of a much broader printing portfolio.

Direct peers

• SpeedPro Imaging: SpeedPro Imaging is a franchise network focused on large-format printing, vehicle wraps, and corporate branding graphics — overlaps Anchor Signs' vehicle wrap, banner, and large-format printing services with a similar local-service B2B model.
• Signs Now: Signs Now is a sign and graphics franchise network providing vehicle wraps, dimensional signs, and commercial signage to local markets — directly comparable in scope, customer type, and service mix to Anchor Signs.
• Signarama: Signarama is a global sign franchise specializing in business signs, vehicle graphics, banners, and custom signage for local markets — same product mix as Anchor Signs, with franchise backing enabling national purchasing and marketing advantages.
• FASTSIGNS: FASTSIGNS is the largest franchise sign and visual graphics shop network in North America, offering vehicle wraps, business signs, banners, and custom signage to local SMBs — directly comparable to Anchor Signs' core offerings and customer base, but with national scale and franchise systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anchor-signs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Anchor Signs