SIGNWAVE Australia announces the opening of SIGNWAVE Adelaide Central, the sign and graphics franchise company’s first South Australian centre. It is also the first new opening since the current master franchise holders took over in 2014.
The Adelaide centre located in Mile End on the edge of the city, is owned by Jodie and Ian Sims who also own successful Adelaide based window tinting business, Window Shield.
“Expanding into signage was a natural progression to complement the tinting business,” said Sims. “Co-branding with SIGNWAVE was appealing because of the support and resources of a national brand, while allowing me to help support the visual communication needs of this city’s ever-growing festival industry – among other opportunities.”
First stability, now expansion
This, the first new opening of 2018, marks the next stage in the SIGNWAVE Australia business strategy, following the first stage focusing on existing franchisees and strengthening the brand in Australia.
“The market and clients are responding to our proposition,” said Linda Sultmann, general manager, SIGNWAVE Australia. “The success of our network has come from providing a dependable, knowledgeable and professional visual communications service based on problem-solving and providing comprehensive solutions.”
“We are excited about the momentum we are building to complete our national network and the excellent returns we are providing our centre owners,” said Dean Rowland, franchise operations manager.
In the past year, SIGNWAVE has achieved:
- Sales stability against 2016 which saw several large-scale projects delivered.
- An increase in average invoice values – well exceeding the company benchmark of $1000 average.
- Customer satisfaction rising to 83%.
- 40% of centres exceeding $1m average centre sales.
- Increase in profits for the group – exceeding company profit benchmark.
- Innovation and technology upgrade – a new online POS system which will improve communication with clients, efficiency in production, faster quote response times and a paperless office environment.
- The first multi-centre owner in Australia, a testament to franchisee satisfaction and loyalty.
Furthermore, SIGNWAVE’S parent company, FASTSIGNS was named the #1 franchise opportunity in its category on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500® following record growth in 2017. Overall, the brand jumped to #70 on the ranking, up from #95 in 2017, and is the only concept in its category to break the top 100.
Big opportunities for the commercially-minded
This is not the last expansion announcement SIGNWAVE will be making this quarter, with many industry-adjacent professionals seeing the potential in signage, an estimated $5.8bn+ market in Australia.
“We see SIGNWAVE as a great opportunity for commercially minded people to open new centres or as a conversion or cobrand opportunity for sign, print or even more window tinting businesses,” said Rowland.
“We urge printers not to play the ‘fool’s game’ of cutting prices. The print industry is challenged for growth and profitability so now is the time for printers looking to diversify or switch to signage and independent sign business to convert to the SIGNWAVE brand to grow,” said Linda Sultmann, general manager, SIGNWAVE AUSTRALIA
SIGNWAVE is especially interested in the Brisbane and Gold Coast markets. There are also a limited number of identified opportunities in other key metro and regional metro areas and there is a sizzling resale opportunity in a prime, Sydney, metro area.
Said Rowland, “Prospective owners are responding to our key differentiators. We are a B2B franchise focusing on only one brand with industry experts providing the training and support, so our franchisees can be experts day one.”
To find out more about the SIGNWAVE franchise visit www.signwave.com.au/franchiseopportunities