Blu Hardy - Hardy Signs

Love Business, the biggest B2B expo in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire – the Heart of the Midlands – is set to return in style in 2022. Taking place on Thursday, 17 February at Holywell Park Conference Centre, Loughborough, Love Business 2022 is set to attract hundreds of exhibitors, thousands of delegates and dozens of high-profile partner organisations.

There was no Love Business in 2021 because of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, but the team from event organisers Quiet Storm Solutions are working closely with a host of event partners to make sure the event returns with a bang in 2022.

Several high-profile organisations from across the region have already pledged their support, including our longstanding headline sponsor East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) and partners KuKu Connect, Mocha Communicates, the Institute of Directors to organisations like Hardy Signs and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund that are also sponsoring the event. https://youtu.be/GYBzv9S5-dA?t=1762022 marks the ten-year anniversary of the Love Business Expo and the past decade has seen it grow from humble beginnings to one of the highlights of the East Midlands business calendar.

It aims to celebrate and showcase everything that is great about Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. As well as an expo, each event features an action-packed agenda of guest speakers and presentations designed to inspire and inform attendees, bring them up to date with the latest economic insight affecting the region and give them practical tips for business growth, which they can implement straight away.Our team will be exhibiting at Love Business Expo. If you would like to hear more about our signage services, please visit us at Stand B35. If you’d like to book a meeting: [email protected]

About the company: Hardy Signs is a professional and digital signage company that designs, manufactures and installs bespoke signage products to a wide range of business sectors in the United Kingdom. The company has been awarded the manufacturer of the year in 2019, 2020 & 2023

Raygar Architecture & Engineering Supplies Ltd has taken up the sponsorship of Burton Albion’s popular home terrace for the 2021-2022 season, in memory of Keith Calladine.

Keith was a big football supporter and passed away following a heart attack in 2012.

Managing Director of Raygar, Ray Garlick, said: ‘’Raygar has sponsored the north stand in the memory of a dear friend and a customer who originally helped us start back in 1995, Keith Calladine. He passed away in 2012 and prior to that, we went everywhere together. Before that, he was a big part of Raygar as a company.’’

‘’The quality of the signs that have been done by Hardy [Signs] are immaculate and I’m very delighted with the quality and how they actually look.’’On a Google review, Ray left the below comment, which we are grateful about.

Business Relationship Manager at Hardy Signs, Adam Bates added: ‘’We completed the project of the sponsorship signage for Ray and Raygar Architecture & Engineering Supplies.’’

‘’We’ve completed quite a few of signs [football advertising boards] here ahead of the first game of the season. As always, we’re delighted to be working with Burton Albion and their partners and sponsors.’’

Raygar which has just completed 26 years in business, is an independent supplier of ironmongery, tools and fixings based in Derby. The firm supplies both tradesmen associated to the construction industry as well as the public carrying out home improvements.

Generation Next awards best talents in the East Midlands at their inaugural awards ceremony. [Find the full list of winners below]Generation Next is a membership service for young business owners and employees aged between 18 and 35. They believe in building futures by connecting like-minded professionals and helping them thrive through our programme of monthly events.Hardy Signs is one of the 7 partner organisations and is delighted to have been involved with the awards. Supporting young talents is one of our guiding principles at Hardy Signs, and we are always looking for young entrepreneurs to join our growing team.We were delighted to sponsor The Community Awards, a category that required the nominees to demonstrate how their volunteering and campaigning initiatives positively impacted their local communities key social and environmental issues. Charlotte Robey-Turner from Leicestershire Cares was selected as the winner, with George Hanvere and Elliot Dipper from Paragon Law finishing as runners up. Nisha Pahuja from Charnwood Regency and Katie Gilbert from TTK Confectionery and a board member of Generation next were among the finalists, too.

EXPERIENCE THE AWARDS HERE:

https://youtu.be/wUNNNEvKb6QInterviewed during the awards ceremony [minute 17:30], Nik Hardy, managing director of Hardy Signs, said, “Charlotte is a passionate and inspiring young person who has the local community at the forefront of her mind and this shone through during the application and the interview. To show that she can support young people to develop power within, power with and power to. She’s a leader in every sense of the word and has delivered a number of employment, educational, diversity and inclusion, environmental training, and support projects during a tough period.

These include tackling youth employment and even linking this to green jobs providing essential items to homeless young people and providing a safe place for asylum-seeking children. Research on yes we can which lead to strong links with new work being developed with a wide range of African, Afro Caribbean and Eastern European community organisations, all of which made her a deserving winner.

Huge commendation to the runners up George and Elliot at Paragon Law who showed exemplary dedication to a project delivering pro bono advice on the EU settlement scheme to the local derby community.“

Our Digital Marketing Assistant, Chloe Deville was a finalist in the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ category. Having recently finished her apprenticeship with Distinction and joining the team on a full-time basis, this nomination was a testament to her hard work over the last 18 months.

Chloe said: “It was great to be involved, and an absolute pleasure to be shortlisted for ‘Apprentice of the Year’, after the last year we’ve all had. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners!“

100% biodegradable awards for all winners

We were pleased to manufacture the awards for the Generation Next team. Their clear brief and designs made the work of our workshop team easier. Seven clear acrylic plaques mounted to a white supporting panel were produced in-house at our facilities in Burton-Upon-Trent. The plaques were manufactured from 100% biodegradable material, in line with our 5-year green vision.

Our managing director Nik Hardy chaired the Further Education event ”Building success Together” hosted by Stoke and Staffordshire Careers Hub and The Careers & Enterprise Company.

The audience included College principals and senior leaders; Enterprise advisors who are volunteers from businesses helping to link the world of education and business; careers leaders from colleges who are driving this important work forward in their colleges, and Enterprise Coordinators and wider Careers and Enterprise colleagues who are responsible for creating and supporting the infrastructure to drive collaboration and best practice.

The event was created by the teams from 6 LEP areas who work collectively to support the development of the FE community of practice in their local areas. The high-level strategy around the policy context was aimed at strengthening the work of FE Colleges with Career Hubs, as well as hearing about the emerging practice that is helping to build the FE community of practice nationally and locally.Become an Enterprise AdviserConnect with Nik HardyNik Hardy’s own path began with a workplace apprenticeship scheme. It was this platform that gave Nik the tools to build a successful business that now operates nationwide and employs 28 people.

This path has guaranteed that, from day one, Nik has been passionate about ensuring young people are given the best opportunities to progress into work and training.

Nik and Hardy Signs have for many years champions the development of apprenticeships within our sector and beyond.

In 2016, the Hardy Signs ‘Sign and Print Academy’ was opened at Burton & South Derbyshire College. Here, the sign makers of the future can learn the skills it takes to succeed in the trade. Hardy Signs itself now employs several full-time staff who have completed their apprenticeship through the academy. Nik has spent 3 years as President of Burton Chambers of Commerce and is also currently an Enterprise Advisor for Burton and South Derbyshire College.About the company: Hardy Signs is a professional and digital signage company that designs, manufactures and installs bespoke signage products to a wide range of business sectors in the United Kingdom.

Professional and digital signage company Hardy Signs has joined Generation Next as a partner. It will receive exposure via Generation Next’s channels and feature in events run for members of the network. The team at Hardy Signs will also have access to places on the Generation Next membership service.

Generation Next is run by East Midlands Chamber, supporting young professionals and the next generation of business leaders in the East Midlands.

54% of the team at Hardy Signs classify as Young Professionals (18-35)

It features a series of networking events and educational workshops led by a range of East Midlands-based companies and specialist advisers, with the aim of developing its members’ professional networks and skills.

Hardy Signs will also sponsor the Community Award in the inaugural Generation Next Awards, which will be held at a virtual ceremony on 16 July.

Lucy Robinson, East Midlands Chamber director of resources and Generation Next lead, said: “We are delighted to welcome Hardy Signs to Generation Next as a partner. The company has an award-winning reputation in our region and beyond for its innovative signage solutions.

“The team at Hardy Signs is passionate about giving young talent in our region the tools to succeed and it’s already been great working with marketing manager Daniel Nikolla on our Generation Next board of champions.

“We look forward to working with its wider team throughout the year.”

Hardy Signs was established by managing director Nik Hardy in 1993 and has since grown into one of the leading signage suppliers in the UK. The Burton-based company offers a complete solution across a wide range of physical and digital signage – from project management, installation, and maintenance through to content creation and system management.

Nik Hardy, Managing Director at Hardy Signs, said: “Supporting Generation Next supplements the work we continue to do with apprentices and young people at Hardy Signs. In 2016, we launched the ‘Sign and Print Academy’ in partnership with Burton and South Derbyshire College. The academy trains and develops students and apprentices with all the skills they need to become “future sign makers.”

“I know that our team here at Hardy Signs are very excited about this partnership and are looking forward to get even more involved.”

Hardy Signs will be one of six partners of the network, alongside GBS Apprenticeships, Fraser Stretton, Nottingham University Business School, Loughborough College, and headline partner the University of Derby.

To become a member of the network, visit https://generationnextemc.co.uk/become-a-member/ or email the team at [email protected]. You can also keep up to date with the network via LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Burton-based Hardy Signs Ltd will be on location at Derbion over the next two weeks as it begins installation on one of the company’s most prestigious projects in recent history.

The significant contract was awarded to Hardy’s in June, following a competitive pitch process. The retail destination was rebranded in March, with its new name – Derbion – bringing together the centre’s geographical location and a sense of motion, inspired by Derby’s history of ingenuity and innovation.

Over the next two weeks, led by Operations Director, Tom Hardy, 20 illuminated signs will be installed at the shopping centre by Hardy Signs, using specialist abseiling teams and powered access equipment. The team will work through the night to minimise disruption to the public.

Hardy Signs also recently became bondholders with Marketing Derby, cementing the brand in the city.

You can watch the Marketing Derby ‘Property Summit’ where they discuss the latest projects coming to Derby City Centre here:

https://youtu.be/Sc9ECRfbsYk?t=3637

“We are delighted to have been selected as the preferred signage supplier for the flagship project in the city centre. It’s fantastic to be involved in such a large project like this, especially with it being right on our doorstep. There are so many exciting projects coming to Derby City Centre and it’s great to be a part of it.” – Nik Hardy, Managing Director.

Adam Tamsett, General Manager at Derbion, adds: “We have been impressed by Hardy Signs’ enthusiasm and commitment to this exciting project. As Derbion sits in the heart of the community, it’s great to be able to work with local company. We can’t wait for the installation of our new exterior signage, which is the final step of unveiling of our new identity.”

Click this link for more pictures and videos:

We are pleased to again be involved with what is the YMCA’s biggest fundraiser of the year. We are hoping that this year’s event will see an even bigger turnout than last, raising vital funds for the charity.

We will be raising funds and awareness with the local businesses and community for homelessness. We would encourage everyone to kindly donate to this cause.

Last year, we managed to raise a total of £1,985! This year we are hoping to beat that and raise £2,000.

This year we will be raising money by climbing Snowdon in Wales as a team on October 9th. We will make sure to share pictures and videos throughout the day so you can see how far we walk. The route we are taking will take between 5-7 hours altogether but depending on the weather conditions, this may take longer. This is a 14.5km walk there and back and the ascent is 3,199 feet!

How would you feel right now if you didn’t have a home to go back to this evening?

Thankfully we have never been in this situation, but we know we would be feeling frightened, lost and anxious

YMCA Burton regularly talks to rough sleepers who do this day after day and they admire their strength at times. Asking for support can be one of the hardest things to do, particularly if you are struggling with mental health. Your generous donation to this cause will contribute to the following:

£10 could buy an electricity top up token for up to a week for someone moving into their accommodation who has no money
£12 will buy a replacement birth certificate for someone who has no formal identification documents.
£20 will provide a move in/move out bedding kit (Quilt/pillows/Covers)
£25 will provide a hot meal for 10 residents at our Reconnect centre
£75 will help a resident in need to have 3 counselling sessions
£100 Move out pack – Essential for residents who are moving out & into their own tenancy
£300 could provide mediation sessions for a family in crisis

We would like to thank you in advance for your kind donations!

For hospitality venues, clear and timely communication can make a real difference to customer experience and revenue.

Whether the goal is to promote events, highlight seasonal menus, advertise special offers, or create a more modern arrival experience, outdoor digital signage for hospitality gives venues a more flexible and effective way to engage customers before they even walk through the door.

That was the thinking behind a recent project at The Waterfront at Barton Marina, where Hardy Signs supplied and installed a 55” freestanding outdoor digital signage display to help the venue communicate more dynamically with visitors.

A Better Way to Promote Events, Offers and Experiences

Located at Barton Marina, one of Staffordshire’s most popular leisure destinations, The Waterfront is a busy hospitality venue serving both local customers and visitors to the marina.

With seating for more than 200 guests across its internal spaces and terrace areas overlooking the water, the venue needed a way to promote offers, events, and key messages more effectively in a high-footfall outdoor environment.

Static signage can still play an important role, but for hospitality businesses with regularly changing promotions, menus, live events, and seasonal activity, it has clear limits. Once printed, the message is fixed. If details change, the signage often needs to be replaced manually, creating extra cost, delay, and waste.

Outdoor digital signage offers a much more flexible alternative.

Why Outdoor Digital Signage Works for Hospitality Venues

For pubs, restaurants, bars, hotels, and leisure venues, digital signage offers several commercial advantages.

It allows teams to update messages quickly, promote time-sensitive offers, and create a more modern, engaging customer experience. It can also help capture attention from passing footfall more effectively than traditional printed posters alone.

At The Waterfront, the outdoor screen provides a practical way to communicate with customers about:

events and live entertainment
food and drink promotions
seasonal campaigns
venue information
special offers
branded messaging

For hospitality managers, this means greater control over what is being promoted and when, without the constant need to produce new printed materials.

Built for Outdoor Hospitality Environments

One of the biggest concerns for venues considering external digital signage is whether it will perform reliably outdoors.

In hospitality, signage needs to cope with changing weather conditions, varying light levels, and year-round public visibility. This is especially important for outdoor settings such as pub terraces, marina venues, restaurant frontages, and leisure destinations.

The display installed at The Waterfront was designed specifically for these conditions, with a weatherproof casing and commercial-grade ultra-high brightness. This means the screen remains visible in daylight, after dark, and through the changing conditions that come with operating in the UK.

For hospitality venues, that reliability matters. A screen that is difficult to read or not designed for external use can quickly undermine the value of the investment. The right system needs to be robust, professional, and suitable for the environment from day one.

A More Flexible Marketing Tool for Busy Hospitality Teams

One of the strongest benefits of investing in digital signage for hospitality is the ability to update content quickly and remotely.

Rather than relying on printed posters or manual display changes, managers can schedule and update content as needed. This is particularly valuable for venues running regular offers, events, themed nights, or time-sensitive promotions.

With the right setup, digital signage can help hospitality businesses:

promote changing offers more efficiently
support upselling and seasonal campaigns
improve visibility of events and entertainment
keep messaging fresh and relevant
modernise the look and feel of the venue
reduce reliance on repeatedly printed promotional materials

For managers responsible for both customer experience and commercial performance, that flexibility can make digital signage a valuable part of the wider marketing and operations strategy.

Supporting The Waterfront With a Complete Solution

Hardy Signs has supported Barton Marina with signage for many years, and this latest project created an opportunity to help The Waterfront enhance its outdoor customer experience with a more modern signage solution.

As part of the project, Hardy Signs provided a complete service, including supply, installation, user training, and content management support. This means the venue can manage up-to-date promotions and messaging more easily, while benefiting from a professional system designed for commercial use.

Tom Hardy, Operations Director at Hardy Signs, said:

“We’ve supplied signage to Barton Marina for many years, and it was fantastic to have the opportunity to collaborate with The Waterfront on such a strong project. Outdoor digital signage is a brilliant promotional tool and a great way to modernise customer-facing spaces.”

Clare Wyss, General Manager of The Waterfront, added:

“The outdoor digital signage is a cutting-edge addition and allows us to communicate efficiently with customers to make them aware of events and special offers.”

Why Hospitality Businesses Are Investing in Digital Signage

For many venues, digital signage is no longer just a visual upgrade. It is a practical investment in communication, customer engagement, and revenue support.

In competitive hospitality environments, the ability to promote the right message at the right time can help venues make better use of their footfall and create a stronger first impression.

Outdoor digital signage can be particularly effective for:

pubs and bars
restaurants
hotels
leisure venues
visitor attractions
marina, waterfront, and destination sites
hospitality businesses with outdoor seating or passing footfall

For businesses that want to modernise their space, improve promotion visibility, and communicate more effectively with customers, digital signage offers a clear advantage.

Talk to Hardy Signs About Digital Signage for Hospitality

If you are looking to modernise your hospitality venue, promote events and offers more effectively, or make better use of your outdoor customer space, Hardy Signs can help.

We design, supply, and install digital signage for hospitality venues across the UK, helping businesses create more engaging, flexible, and commercially effective customer environments.

Speak to Hardy Signs today to discuss your venue, your goals, and the right digital signage solution for your space.

This month we celebrate our 28^th anniversary this month. Founded in 1993 by Nik Hardy, the company have become the UK leading professional and digital signage supplier to a wide range of sectors.

In our 28^th year of business, we count over 1,000,000 signs designed, manufactured, and installed for customers across the UK and beyond.

Over the last decade, we have seen huge investments in sustainable machinery, manufacturing techniques, and recycling, leading to the recent publication of a five years green vision for the future. Initially starting the business in his home garage, Nik then rented the first unit in 1995. Early projects primarily consisted of hand-painted signs and vehicles, predominantly for breweries and pubs across Burton-On-Trent. When Hardy Signs started working for national and international organisations such as the NHS, Plastic Omnium, Muller, Nestle, etc., the team changed several units until they moved to our current headquarters, Hardy Place, in 2011.

Key to the long-term mission of Hardy Signs has been high-quality customer service, investment in people and a close connection to the community. Over the last 36 months, 100% of the young professionals in the company have been taking training, with a view to strengthening ‘homegrown’ talent.

Our team has won numerous awards in the last ten years, including ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ in 2019 and 2020, respectively, at East Midlands Chamber and Staffordshire Chamber awards. Recently they were also nominated for ‘Excellence in Manufacturing’ with the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.

This year also marks the 10-year anniversary at our state-of-the-art headquarter at Hardy Place where the magic happens. To celebrate the occasion, we welcomed Kate Griffiths MP for Burton and Uttoxeter. Read more here>>Key milestones of the last decade include:

2012, we run the ‘Resuscitation Grab Bag Appeal’ campaign in support of Burton Hospital to raise £10,000
2016, we founded the Hardy Signs ‘Signs and Print Academy’ in partnership with Burton and South Derbyshire College. The partnership’s mission is to train and develop young talents in all areas of the sign and print industry.
2016, 200 solar panels were installed on the roof at Hardy Place.
2018, our team completed the first installation in Brussels, Belgium for the French automotive giant, Plastic Omnium.

2020, our team completed the first digital signage project in California, the USA.

Author: Blu Hardy

Our Digital Marketing Assistant, Chloe Deville was a finalist in the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ category. Having recently finished her apprenticeship with Distinction and joining the team on a full-time basis, this nomination was a testament to her hard work over the last 18 months.

100% biodegradable awards for all winners

54% of the team at Hardy Signs classify as Young Professionals (18-35)

Burton-based Hardy Signs Ltd will be on location at Derbion over the next two weeks as it begins installation on one of the company’s most prestigious projects in recent history.

Click this link for more pictures and videos:

How would you feel right now if you didn’t have a home to go back to this evening?

A Better Way to Promote Events, Offers and Experiences

Why Outdoor Digital Signage Works for Hospitality Venues

Built for Outdoor Hospitality Environments

A More Flexible Marketing Tool for Busy Hospitality Teams

Supporting The Waterfront With a Complete Solution

Why Hospitality Businesses Are Investing in Digital Signage

Talk to Hardy Signs About Digital Signage for Hospitality

Ready to get started?

IN GOOD
COMPANY

Our Digital Marketing Assistant, Chloe Deville was a finalist in the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ category. Having recently finished her apprenticeship with Distinction and joining the team on a full-time basis, this nomination was a testament to her hard work over the last 18 months.

100% biodegradable awards for all winners

54% of the team at Hardy Signs classify as Young Professionals (18-35)

Burton-based Hardy Signs Ltd will be on location at Derbion over the next two weeks as it begins installation on one of the company’s most prestigious projects in recent history.

Click this link for more pictures and videos:

How would you feel right now if you didn’t have a home to go back to this evening?

A Better Way to Promote Events, Offers and Experiences

Why Outdoor Digital Signage Works for Hospitality Venues

Built for Outdoor Hospitality Environments

A More Flexible Marketing Tool for Busy Hospitality Teams

Supporting The Waterfront With a Complete Solution

Why Hospitality Businesses Are Investing in Digital Signage

Talk to Hardy Signs About Digital Signage for Hospitality

Ready to get started?

IN GOODCOMPANY

IN GOOD
COMPANY