Into the Spotlight, sponsored by Huddersfield-based Scriba PR, is a weekly business feature which highlights lesser-known businesses that generally go under the radar. Here we highlight NeonWorks – an independent business specialising in LED neon and illuminated lettering.
When you think ‘neon sign’, chances are you’re instantly transported to Las Vegas and start seeing visions of pink flamingos and cocktail glasses. But look around any high street store, trendy coffee shop, or edgy hair salon these days, and you’re likely to see bold branding providing the perfect Insta-ready backdrop.
Whether it’s a new dimension to a shop window, kitsch café bar, bold company boardroom or a cosy living room, little do people know, there’s an independent signwriter bringing illuminated ideas to life, right here in Kirklees.
Operating from a 1,100 sq ft workshop tucked away in the town of Mirfield, NeonWorks was established in 2020, and makes every single sign to order. The brainchild of Mark Davies, this isn’t his first foray into signwriting – he owned and managed the Huddersfield branch of a larger US signage franchise for 16 years.
Seeking the freedom to work creatively and independently, Mark sold the business in June 2019 to return to the areas he enjoyed the most – design and manufacturing.
Two years on, NeonWorks recently hired its first full-time employee, and is busy building its reputation as a trade supplier to fellow sign companies across the country, alongside independent business owners and homeowners looking for some personalised interior décor.
NeonWorks founder Mark said: “I’ve worked in sign making for the whole of my professional career, but while my previous business was a success, I’d lost the opportunity to think creatively and do what I enjoy – manufacturing. So, I sold up and went back to the drawing board.
“There were definitely some challenging times when it came to setting up a business, from scratch, in the middle of a pandemic. But now, being able to go into my workshop and think about how to bring someone’s idea to light, is what makes it worthwhile – and reiterates that I made the right decision.”
With graphic design capabilities in-house, NeonWorks supplies visually-stunning displays to both the trade and end-user, and work alongside business owners, shopfitters, architects, design agencies and homeowners to deliver a range of creative eye-catching solutions.
While every product is built to order, over 200 off-the-shelf designs are also available from the firm’s website, as well as a ‘create your own sign’ tool, which instantly shows a visual mock-up of the customer’s bespoke phrase.
Not many people know that LED neon lights boast the same wow-factor as their traditional, glass neon sign counterparts – but with the modern benefit of being far more energy efficient, cost effective and with almost limitless possibilities in terms of design, colour, and effects.
To find out more about NeonWorks, visit www.neon-works.co.uk/
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