Acrylic Signage Unit for a High-End Retail Launch

Project Overview:
A creative shopfitting agency working with a premium clothing brand needed custom acrylic signs for a rebrand of their high-street stores. Primarily to go to their flagship store, and then rolled out to high streets throughout the country. The brief was simple: Clear, elegantly finished and structurally sound enough to be displayed above entrances of stores across the UK – all delivered on a tight deadline.


Client Requirements:
A visually striking and aesthetically pleasing product.
Transparent coloured acrylic with seamless edges and joins.
Initial Prototype for the Flagship store, then processed as a production run.
Quick turnaround to meet the client's brand campaign launch date.
Collaboration with the agency’s design team to finalise the concept.

Our Solution:
Working from the agency’s concept sketch, we created a full CAD design and prototype in-house, fine-tuning dimensions to balance the stability of the product against structural stability.
Once approved, we fabricated the prototype using our CNC machine, joining with our bonding agent for crystal clear joints. The unit was polished and buffed by hand, liaising throughout the process with our client to make sure it was up to expectations.


Materials and Methods:
Cast Acrylic – Chosen for its clarity and premium look.
CNC Machining – For Accuracy and clean edges.
Tensol 70 Bonding – For near-perfect bubble-free bonding and strength.
Diamond Polishing – For perfect edge clarity and surface finish.


Challenges and Problem Solving:
We needed to make sure that the sign looked aesthetically pleasing and very striking, as well as being structurally strong and able to withstand the rigours of outdoor weather.
To solve this:
We provided material samples for the agency to sign off.
We adjusted the mounting mechanism to add strength, as well as still staying hidden from the public eye.
We provided an internal counter-balance system within the signage itself to maintain strength, as well as keeping the illusion of ‘floating’ on the wall.


Results and Outcome:
The finished prototype was delivered within 10 working days, meeting the agency’s requirements as well as hitting the brand's launch date. The client praised the premium finish and proceeded to commission the signs for nationwide dispatch.




FAQ:

Can you help turn a concept into a finished product?
Yes! We regularly work from sketches or basic ideas and turn them into CAD-ready designs for fabrication.

What’s the best plastic for display work?
Cast Acrylic is usually the best choice for clarity, edge finish and strength, but all plastics have their strengths and weaknesses.

Do you offer small-run or one-off fabrications?
Absolutely! We specialise in custom work, from one-off prototypes and short production runs, to mass-scaled projects!

Can you add branding or colour to display units?
Yes! We offer vinyl branding, etched inking and offer colour sheet material depending on your requirements.