History


1979

Established in 1979 by Andrew Green as Glendining Safety Services running as a small family company. The company started out selling signs, markings and safety equipment. In the early 1980's it was decided to narrow the range of products to focus on the key market of signs & markings.


1988

In 1988 Glendining Safety Services purchased a Spandex (Gerber Sprint) vinyl cutting machine, a substantial investment allowing in house production of vinyl graphics. The Gerber Sprint became a revolutionary piece of equipment for the sign making industry. The Spandex was fundamental in taking the focus away from traditional painted sign writing and moving to the future of vinyl cut letters. In the early 1990's Glendining Safety Services re-branded to become Glendining Signs.


1997

In 1997 Glendining Signs took advantage of a new emerging technology that was in its infancy at the time. With the purchase of a Roland Colour Camm PNC 5000 Glendining Signs now had the capability to produce full colour images printed on a single sheet of vinyl.


2001

In 2001 the company invested in another new technology, The Resolve X21. This was a solvent inkjet printer. Glendining Signs believed this would be the way forward for the industry. This print technology gave Glendining Signs the ability to print large full colour graphics. This proved very popular and by 2004 the company had invested in a further three identical printers.


2008

By 2008 the Resolve printers had been replaced with newer, faster more reliable machines that were able to keep up with the ever growing demand for high quality printed images. And again in 2009 another generation of solvent printers were purchased. The Roland XC540 was the flagship model of the brand and at the time was the fastest printer of its kind. This concept of progression with manufacturing facilities allowed the company to maintain a competitive edge in the market place and ensure customer satisfaction was always guaranteed.


2012

In 2012 the first of the company’s Hewlett Packard FB500 was purchased. This was a new type of printer that utilised Ultra Violet light to instantly cure ink printed direct to the substrate. This equipment revolutionised production and by late 2013, three of these machines were in operation side-by-side in a dedicated print room.


2014

In 2014 Glendining Signs Ltd became part of another local family business. Reaching retirement age Andrew Green decided to sell the company to VGL. Founded in 1976 by Ted Ayerst, VGL is still run by the Ayerst family today. The two companies were a perfect match and although they still run as separate entities, the backing and support of a larger successful partner is allowing Glendining Signs Ltd to go from strength to strength. The company is now part of a print group with some of the largest and fasted equipment on the market and its capabilities are truly outstanding. What was once a company of two or three people is now part of a group employing more than 120 staff. 


2015

In 2015 significant investments were made in print technologies. Glendining Signs Ltd now operate one of the largest flatbed UV printers available in the UK. The company also invested further in H.P. U.V. printers installing a new FB750. To further the capabilities of the manufacturing process, two H.P. Latex printers were purchased. Due to extensive work with Hewlett Packard, Glendining Signs Ltd are now considered to be H.P. application experts.


2016

In 2016, with over 35 years of experience and having been voted as the number ONE supplier for service in the construction signs sector by Plimsol Industry analysis, we are leading the way in our field. Our exceptional levels of service are second to none in the industry. The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten and we have seen this again and again. Customers tempted away by cheap deals are let down and ultimately return. At the core of Glendining Signs is a belief that above all else we “listen to what you want and then provide what you need”. It's a simple concept but one that has kept our customers coming back year after year. Others may try to copy us, but none can match all that we offer.


2019

In 2019, we continued our commitment to future growth and development by purchasing a EFI VUTEk h3 hybrid LED printer and Esko Kongsberg X24 digital cutting table. Both will increase our speed and quality, allowing us to offer our customers faster turnaround times even if they order in bulk. It is our hope that with investments both in people and equipment we will remain at the top of our game allowing us to thrive, even in challenging times.