Stockton company light up the way with green innovation
A STOCKTON sign company's latest green innovation is dazzling the pharmaceutical world.
Eco award-winning company N Sign has created a low-energy LED green cross to display outside pharmacies.
The cross, which is the universal sign for pharmacy outlets the world over, shines more brightly than more traditional signs but uses only a quarter of the energy.
Now the company is hoping to corner the market after the National Pharmacy Association - which has around 20,000 members - adopted the sign as one of its official products.
N Sign MD Alun Pearson’s lightbulb moment came while he was holidaying with a pharmacist friend on the continent a year or so ago.
“Most signs on sale in the UK are neon or fluorescent, but with LED there’s a huge cost and energy saving to be had,” he said.
The company, which merged with Stockton Engraving in February 2007, now has a yearly turnover approaching £1m and employs 20 staff. The sign is the latest in a long line of environmental brainwaves by the company, which has its premises on Maritime Road.
A street-name sign the company designed four years ago made from recycled polycarbon won the Best New Product accolade at 2006’s Tees Valley Energy and Environment Awards. “Polycarbon is a great material for sourcing second- hand, everything from games consoles to refillable drinks bottles and windows are made from it,” said Mr Pearson. “There was a gap in the market for signs from recycled plastic, it’s been an uphill struggle but we now have around 8% of the market share in the UK, which we hope to increase to 30-40% in five years.”
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