By Marika Gabriel
Wilson Ho succeeded his father, Simon, who founded and named the company. The name represents a forward-thinking ethos that has propelled its growth. Photos courtesy Forward Signs
Once a small, unassuming office in Chinatown, Forward Signs has transformed into a beacon of innovation in the signage industry. Under the guidance of Wilson Ho, who succeeded his father Simon, the company’s name has come to represent a forward-thinking ethos that has propelled its growth.
From crafting distinctive signage to designing elegant metal conference tables, advanced cladding, and intuitive wayfinding solutions across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Forward Signs has consistently aimed to deliver exceptional results. In an interview with Sign Media Canada, Ho explores the dynamic shifts in the signage world, the role of technology in reshaping the industry, and his ambitious plans for the future.
Sign Media Canada (SMC): Tell us about the shop’s history.
Wilson Ho (WH): Forward Signs was founded back in 1986. My father, Simon Ho, and his partner at the time came together and opened a business inside a small office room in Chinatown. I still have the original Chinese character wood sign sitting on my desk at work. He eventually came up with the English name of Forward Signs. The truth is, I don’t know how he came up with the name. I assume it was due to his mentality, which was always to look forward.
SMC: What makes your company unique?
WH: “We’re a one-stop shop for all your signage needs” is a rather cliché line, but an apt one for us. What really makes our company unique is that we take on any job. We enjoy the challenge and have made a range of diverse signs and other items outside our signage scope—such as metal conference tables and cladding.
Forward Signs has made a range of signs and items outside its signage scope.
SMC: How large is the facility?
WH: Currently we are working out of a 2,508-m2 (27,000-sf) facility with just about 70 staff members. The place has suited us well over the years, given how it is just off Highway 401, so we can conveniently get to anywhere in the GTA quickly. As time passed, it became clear our current location no longer meets our needs. We are planning to move within the next two-three years with expansion in mind.
SMC: What type of signage does your shop primarily install?
WH: Forward Signs is a one-stop shop, so we work on anything and everything. Primarily, though, I can say lately, we’ve been doing a lot more pylon and indoor signage. We have also been dealing with a lot of wayfinding signage.
SMC: What type of projects have you been working on recently?
WH: We have been working on many infrastructure projects lately, mostly dealing with transit and hospitals. Outside of infrastructure, we have been working with condominium developers and mixed-use buildings. We still receive a fair amount of retail work alongside all of this.
SMC: How much of the sign installation process is managed in-house?
WH: I can proudly say, almost all of it! Because we’ve been building up our skills and tool base for all these years, it makes sense. We do have to outsource our installation here and there, since our team cannot yet keep up with the demand. We have plans to expand our installation teams soon.
SMC: What tools/equipment do you currently use to complete your projects?
WH: We have an array of tools. The list of all the big machines we have in production includes two table routers, a laser cutter, a water jet cutter, an ultra-violet (UV) flatbed printer, two digital printers, a metal shear, a sheet metal bender, two roller beds, and two channel letter benders. We are also looking into 3D printing as a possible expansion route. As for our installation department, we have a small fleet of vehicles for site checks and small installation jobs. For bigger jobs, we have two boom trucks to help us and three scissor lifts that we can move from site to site.
The company prides itself on being a one-stop shop for any and every signage type. To this end, it has an array of tools for various projects.
SMC: From concept to installation, what does your planning process involve?
WH: Our departments follow a systematic workflow that runs harmoniously to meet our clients’ needs. It starts with the clients discussing their needs with one of our several project managers and compiling a package for our estimation team to ensure our prices match their budget. As the project continues, it goes through every department in our company according to the workflow. We do this while keeping the client informed every step of the way.
SMC: How is technology changing the way you run your business?
WH: It has definitely made an impact. Digital signage has become far more complicated than it once was, and our staff must learn a lot more to do their jobs. On the other hand, technology has allowed us to speed up our processes and find new ways to create custom signage. Our recent jump into more advanced uses of 3D printing and UV printing has expanded our work scope even more. With the advent of social media, we have also been expanding our outreach efforts on LinkedIn and Instagram.
SMC: What is the key to staying successful in this industry?
WH: Innovating. You can’t stay still and bet on the hope that what you’re doing now will continue to keep you competitive. Sure, we can keep a few standard items around and maintain a steady income, but as times change, so do people’s ideas of esthetics. Advancing technology also affects this—for example, lighting has changed from neon tubes to fluorescent bulbs to LEDs. We must keep up or we risk losing projects to our competitors.
SMC: What are the plans for your business?
WH: My goal for the company in the short term is to strengthen my staff—they are the cornerstone of every good business. The long term plan is expanding our company’s scope
of work, finding more interesting projects to work on, and perhaps going beyond the scope of signage.
