Signage companies pivoting away from fabricating in-house and installing with their own crews has been on the rise for several years. Additionally, there are an increasing number of signage firms which do not self-perform any fabrication or installation themselves whatsoever. This has been a noticeable trend in the sign industry for some time now.

These companies tend to fall into one of three groups:

1. Signage companies using a combination of in-house fabrication/installation and outsourcing with third parties – including both large, national firms and small family-owned businesses

2. Sign shops that formerly produced in-house and now build and install little to no signage themselves

3. Companies who outsource 100% of their work and have no physical shop or office, otherwise known as sign brokers

Why is this happening?

The sign trade has not been immune to the difficulties facing nearly all manufacturing and construction industries in finding skilled workers. This challenge has grown to the point where there are several mid-to-large size fabricators who formerly produced much of their work in-house and have pivoted to increased outsourcing. Some have chosen this path rather than continuing to search for new talent in a limited pool of qualified candidates. Other factors include rising costs of employing workers (increasing wages, insurances and benefits expenses), supply chain delays and challenges, and the increasing difficulties of meeting safety and environmental regulations. These hurdles have made it harder for sign manufacturers to keep all production and installation services in-house, leading some to outsource more of their work.

How are these companies producing your signage?

Normally through wholesale fabricators and subcontracted installation. There are quality wholesale fabricators and sub-installers available in the industry, but there are also ones on the other end of the spectrum. And while many companies opt to prioritize low prices in order to win business, this tends to come at the cost of lesser quality wholesalers and installers being utilized. At the end of the day, if you are working with a company who outsources their work, you rarely know where your signs are truly coming from or who is showing up to your property to put them up.

What are the potential outsourcing risks?

Outsourcing carries several risks, including a lack of quality control, limited oversight of timelines, underinsured (or uninsured) installers and those obvious potential risks, as well as possibly more complications with warranty work as there can be more finger pointing amongst the various firms involved in your signage project behind the scenes. Additionally, wholesale firms may use materials that are a “close match” to your specifications can lead to branding inconsistencies. Variations in paint, LEDs, vinyl, letter depth, and material thickness can all affect the final result and may not meet your expectations.

How does Pro Signs operate?

Pro Signs firmly believes in our in-house manufacturing process taking place in our 80,000 sq. ft. facility. Nearly all of our installation is proudly self-performed within our greater geographical region. Controlling our own production quality, installation, and timelines is of the utmost importance to us and our customers. Each year, shop and installation equipment is evaluated and upgraded or replaced as needed to ensure we remain as efficient as possible.

When there is a project that is not best suited for Pro Signs’ in-house efficiencies, or to help balance an influx of heavier workloads, there are times a third-party partner may be utilized. Pro Signs has a select handful of thoroughly vetted and trusted providers we have used for years. For our out-of-network installations, we maintain a national network of rigorously vetted, fully insured sub-installers that we hold to the highest standards. Quality, professionalism, and responsive communication are more important with our third-party fabricator relationships than simply finding the lowest price.

The majority of our signage is proudly produced and installed out of our facility in Downingtown, PA. Having always been a family-operated business of almost 80 years, we stand behind our craftsmanship in the field. We welcome and encourage facility tours. Contact us today to schedule a visit.