'The extent to which logistics signing contributes to efficiency and safety is still often underestimated'

Signing and location identification

A great passion for logistics solutions and the desire to do business himself caused Patrick van der Aa to investigate a few years ago what the logistics sector needed. That turned out to be a total solution for all things necessary in the field of location identification, permanent signage and safety products. It led to the start of Signing Group Nederland BV in 2020, and four years later, the company already has wonderful reference projects, including at Zeeman Textile, PLUS Retail and Rijkswaterstaat.

"When a company moves to new premises, or wants to expand, they have an awful lot to deal with. Logically, a number of things are then often forgotten or shelved. Or their importance is underestimated during the budgeting round. And that's a shame. After all, correctly and clearly identifying locations in a warehouse or distribution center are essential for business processes to run smoothly. Moreover, signing and location identification are more difficult to implement at a later stage."

Underrated

"I worked for a logistics service provider for 15 years and that's where my passion for logistics solutions was born," Van der Aa says. "During my exploration of the needs of the logistics sector, I discovered that something was missing: a total solution and complete unburdening. Someone who delivers and realizes everything, and that from a broad expertise." Signing Group Nederland (SGN) was born, and that the market did indeed need such a concept was immediately apparent. SGN got off to a flying start. "Other entrepreneurs sometimes say to me: it looks like you skipped the start-up phase of an SME company," Van der Aa laughs.

Site identification and signing

SGN designs, manufactures and installs custom location identification and signage. "For Plus Retail's new distribution center in Oss, we realized 3,600 scannable locations for the roll containers. So then you also want to work with an expert team, because this means extremely precise operations. Our team therefore consists only of specialists with a background in logistics and security. This also came in handy in Asian Food Group's new warehouse, where we took care of all multilabels, height labels, aisle signs and tunnel signs. One sign or warehouse label attached incorrectly and you can imagine the misery."

Permanent lines and safety products

SGN specializes in installing high-quality markings and safety products in distribution centers, warehouses, manufacturing plants, outdoor areas and parking garages. "At the start, if required, we create a traffic and safety plan, mapping out exactly where signage and lines are needed. And where any safety products such as height limiters, evacuation plans and traffic signs are desired. Not only myself, but the entire team has experience within logistics. We know the ins and outs and what works or doesn't work in practice."

The importance of quality

"Just recently, we had the opportunity to provide the lines for HZ-Logistics, HBM Machines and BTS Logistics. Think of lanes, sidings, dock lines, parking spaces, walkways and pedestrian crossings. For Plus Retail in Oss we applied no less than five thousand meters of outside and thirteen thousand meters of inside lines. There, too, we applied our knowledge of the right combination between traffic flows and safety, with pedestrian safety playing an important role. After all, these form the most vulnerable group and are often involved in accidents in warehouses. This also underscores the importance of durable signing. You want everything to remain highly visible for a very long time. That is why we only work with materials of very high quality. We also give a guarantee on our applied lines," Van der Aa concludes.