A family love affair

by carly_mchugh | 5 September 2023 3:41 pm

By Carly McHugh

At Blanchett Signage Solutions, the key to success is all in the family.

What began as a postwar business venture in the late 1940s has since evolved into a household name in Edmonton and throughout the Canadian sign industry, with high-quality projects on display across the western provinces. Now spearheaded by father-daughter duo Daryl and Taylor Blanchett, the shop previously known as Blanchett Neon continues to focus on growth, creativity, and innovation, following its recent 75-year anniversary.

Sign Media Canada spoke with Taylor about the history of the business, along with its recent projects and specialities, as well as her family’s plans for expanding its legacy.

Sign Media Canada (SMC): What is the history of your shop?

Taylor Blanchett (TB): Blanchett Decorators: Neon & Sign Division was founded in 1947 by George W. Blanchett, when he saw an opportunity to service the business boom following the Second World War.

Born in 1909 into an artistic and business-savvy family, George was given the opportunity to intern for Clyde Hook of Hook Signs at age 15, and he began applying those talents to the production of commercial signs, bulletins, and pictorials. He was a fierce believer in the highest quality products that stood the test of time—often personally walking the production floor to ensure the finished products met his extremely thorough standards.

Currently, Blanchett is a fourth-generation, family owned and operated signage provider, based in Edmonton and passionately servicing Western Canada. We work with organizations of all sizes to provide turnkey solutions and ensure complete customer satisfaction. 

This year, we were proud to unveil our rebrand as Blanchett Signage Solutions—a name we feel better reflects the full scope of who we are today, while honouring the legacy built over the past 75 years.

SMC: What makes your company unique?

TB: Seventy-five years of excellence in the industry, specialized professionals in their respective fields, knowing our target audience intimately, and understanding our customers’ needs to provide signage that truly stands out.

We also stand behind our workmanship, quality, and integrity, and guide and support our customers on their signage journey from stem to stern. We work collaboratively with cross-functional partners, so our clients can rest assured Blanchett is fully immersed in their projects to achieve success.

SMC: How large is your facility?

TB: We’ve been in our current office and manufacturing space since 1969, with an addition completed in the late 2000s. In 2020, we leased an additional bay directly behind our back gate, and a second bay was leased and connected to the first one in the beginning of 2023.

Today, we span more than 3,809 m² (41,000 sf) across our three facilities, with almost
50 employees.

SMC: What type of signage does your shop primarily install? 

TB: For projects big or small, our comprehensive project management services offer a one-stop shop for any and all signage needs.

We truly believe we have the most knowledgeable team of signage professionals in the industry, and we bring our more than
75 years of experience to provide expert advice on how to successfully execute projects of all shapes and sizes. We offer design and creative consulting, permitting and appeal solutions, wayfinding programs, drafting and engineering, manufacturing, and service and maintenance.

SMC: What type of projects have you been working on recently?

TB: Our vision statement is, “For developers, municipalities, and organizations truly looking to stand out, we will be the partner for quality signage and iconic features.”

We continue to find ourselves specializing in those types of projects: freestanding pylons; entrance signs/monuments (for both developments and municipalities); wayfinding; channel letters; corporate rebranding; and the one-off, too big, too complicated projects no one else can or wants to do.   

SMC: How much of the sign installation process is handled in-house?

TB: To maintain quality control, it’s our preference to manage as much of the project in-house as we can.

As a union shop, we like to keep our people busy first, but if it’s not economically viable
to travel to installation sites, we’ve built a partner network that spans across North America, to provide competitive installation services to our customers.

All co-ordination is fully managed in-house by our installation co-ordinator and project management team.

SMC: What tools and equipment do you currently use to complete your projects?

TB: Recent investments in our facility and equipment include an Altec LS87 boom truck, in addition to our two existing LS63 models, all upgraded in the past two years; a computer numerical control (CNC) folding brake; and a pressure laminator. We also have five metal benches, two operational paint booths, a paint prep booth, three channel letter benches, and more than 20 fabrication staff to ensure the work is completed right, the first time.

SMC: What are some of the steps involved in your planning process?

TB: We employ industry experts in all avenues of the business, from sales to graphic design, drafting and estimating, production planning, and fabrication and installation.

By taking a consultative approach, we’re able to ensure we deliver the right signage display to our clients—whatever that means to them—by involving all of the necessary parties early on in the planning process,
while providing a single point of contact to our customers.

Further, site surveys are mandatory on every project, to ensure accuracy and completeness, and to prevent future change orders back to our customers. 

SMC: How is technology changing the way you run your business? 

TB: Technology has allowed us to expand our professional networks, to reach both new customers and industry connections in signage, construction, and the local business market.

By capitalizing on these connections, we’re able to greatly expand our knowledge base, through new and innovative products and ways of doing things, as well as our experience, by relying on the feedback of others who may have gone through similar circumstances.

Technology has also allowed us to become more efficient. The recent purchase of our CNC folding brake results in a faster produced, higher quality product that we no longer have to rely on outside suppliers for.

SMC: What is the key to staying successful in this industry?

TB: Knowing we’re only as good as the people we employ and ensuring we’re bringing in top talent—both from within the industry and outside of it.

It’s also important to stand behind your values. A race to the bottom doesn’t serve your business, the industry, or your customers.

SMC: What are your future plans for the growth of your business?

TB: Blanchett will continue to elevate the standards for the sign industry. Our goal is to model safe and innovative signage displays that stand the test of time, expand on our legacy of excellence over the past 75 years, and execute plans for a new facility to achieve our goals of growth, creativity, and innovation.    

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/a-family-love-affair/

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