Growing Together: A 20-Year Partnership Built on Trust
Where Heritage Meets Innovation
Astonish, the UK’s leading household cleaning products manufacturer, has built its reputation on being ‘the pinnacle of cleaning’ for over 40 years. Supplying major retailers across the UK, this Yorkshire-based company has grown from a start-up to a state-of-the-art manufacturing operation, moving through three facilities as their success story continues to unfold.
The Story of Collaboration
Our partnership with Astonish spanned over 20 years, demonstrating the enduring value of relationships built on trust, quality, and shared commitment to excellence. We supported the company through every stage of their remarkable growth journey, from their original Meanwood Road facility in Leeds to their eye-catching location off the M606, and finally to their purpose-built manufacturing site and head office at Gain Lane Enterprise Zone, Bradford.
Our Contribution
- Comprehensive signage solutions across three facility relocations over two decades
- Design and installation of the iconic elevated ‘A’ sign featuring in the new reception area
- Creation of over 30 individual signs since 2000, including the managing director’s personal favourite elevated ‘A’ feature
- Development of artwork panels showcasing the company’s journey from founder Alan’s 1973 start-up to present-day achievements
- Interior branding including inspiring wall art reading ‘IT’S YOUR TIME TO ASTONISH’ using digitally printed MD5 HiTac greyback vinyl
- External building identification and wayfinding systems
Understanding the iconic ‘A’ in Astonish’s logo represented the brand as ‘the pinnacle of cleaning,’ we worked alongside their Leeds-based branding agency, Born Ugly, to bring the brand to life through striking signage. Our approach evolved with their business over two decades, ensuring each new facility reflected their growing success while maintaining the distinctive brand identity that set them apart in the competitive cleaning products market.
Meeting the Challenge
Supporting a growing business through multiple relocations requires:
- Flexibility to adapt signage solutions to different architectural environments
- Consistency in brand representation across varied facility types
- Understanding of manufacturing environment requirements and safety considerations
- Ability to create both functional wayfinding and inspiring brand experiences
- Long-term partnership approach that evolves with business needs
“I originally saw Widd Signs’ own sign when they were based in Armley, I used to drive past a lot and saw they were founded in 1888 so knew they must be doing something right to have been going so long!”
“Widd Signs are very good at what they do and I like how we can push the boundaries with them. I’ve always believed in investing well and know that you get what you pay for. I wanted our signage to be the bees knees so knew I needed a top-notch company to deliver that.”
“I’ve stuck with Widd Signs as they’ve always created and fitted an amazing finished product. Some of the signage looks as good as when it was first installed over 10 years ago so they cleaned it up and helped us bring it with us to our new facility.”
“I can’t recommend Widd Signs highly enough. They are good guys who provide a fair price for a top-quality product.”
Howard Moss, Managing Director, Astonish
This two-decade collaboration exemplified our commitment to growing alongside our clients. As Astonish evolved from a small start-up to a major UK manufacturer, we consistently delivered signage solutions that reflected their journey while supporting their brand vision. Our ability to maintain quality standards over time, evident in signage that continued to look exceptional years after installation, demonstrated the value of investing in premium craftsmanship and materials.
Throughout this partnership, when Astonish trusted us with their growth story, we responded with solutions that not only met immediate needs but created lasting brand assets that continued to perform year after year. This partnership approach enabled Astonish to focus on what they do best – creating exceptional cleaning products – while we ensured their physical brand presence matched their market-leading reputation.
Legacy of Excellence
From supporting their initial branding requirements to creating showcase installations in their state-of-the-art facility, our partnership with Astonish demonstrated how signage can evolve with a business while maintaining brand integrity. This collaboration showcased our ability to support ambitious growth plans and deliver solutions that truly reflect a company’s success story.
