Outdoor branding company reports four-fold increase in motor firm orders as lockdowns lift

A North East outdoor branding company has said that its motor business orders have quadrupled since reopening after lockdowns.

Harrison EDS, based in Newton Aycliffe, has seen forecourt flag and signage orders from motor trade brands rise by six figures, seeing a four-fold increase in orders between February and March this year.

The company said that the rise in orders was driven by dealerships looking to get branding in place ahead of the reopening of non-essential retail on 12 April.

During the period, Harrison EDS secured contracts with Stellantis, which owns brands including Peugeot, Fiat and Vauxhall, and Innocean, which owns brands including Hyundai and Kier.

Anthony Leonard, Harrison EDS’ sales and marketing director, said: “With dealerships able to re-open to the public from April 12, we anticipated a rise in demand from the sector.

“However, the quadrupling of orders we experienced was beyond our expectations and reflects the confidence and positivity of the sector.

“We anticipate orders will continue to rise throughout the year, as lockdown measures ease and dealerships across the UK seek to ensure they have high-quality branding across all sites.”

As well as the motor trade industry, the company - which is the UK’s only independent manufacturer of glassfibre flagpoles - serves the housebuilder, construction, automotive, retail, hospitality, leisure and public sectors.