SEVERAL DECADES WITH HIGH QUALITY SIGN SOLUTIONS
The idea of a sign company that serves as the customer’s extended arm to sign manufacturers was born in the early 1990s. That vision became a reality when Finn Sievert founded EV Consult and SignZ in 1992, which, a few years later, became Sign Consult. Today, we continue to build on that vision, backed by many years of experience in the sign industry. However, Finn didn’t start from scratch in 1992. Before founding Sign Consult, Finn had already worked for many years in the sign industry. In 1992, he seized the opportunity to start a new company, although the idea of Sign Consult had been forming for a few years prior.
The First Customers
In the late 1980s, Finn Sievert sold his sign factory to a Norwegian company and was then hired as a consultant. In this role, he was sent to Ireland, where BP entered into a partnership with Statoil, leading to many gas stations being rebranded as Statoil. New signs had to be made for the stations, and Finn was offered a one-year position in Ireland, allowing him to form strong connections with Statoil. He built such good relationships that he became the intermediary between sign manufacturers and Statoil. As the company’s representative, Finn was responsible for finding the best sign manufacturers and negotiating the best prices, which proved highly valuable to Statoil due to his extensive industry contacts and expertise. When Finn returned to Denmark, Statoil was so impressed that they retained him as a sign consultant. Thus, Statoil became Sign Consult’s first customer.
Around the same time, Finn was contacted by K.W. Bruun, the importer of Peugeot cars in Denmark. They had heard about Finn’s expertise and wanted his help when Peugeot needed new signs in Denmark. The person responsible for signage at K.W. Bruun traveled with Finn to their sign manufacturer in France to initiate the project. Peugeot became Sign Consult’s first customer in the automotive industry.
Nordic Cooperation
This is how Sign Consult got off to a strong start in Denmark. But it didn’t stop there. Shortly afterward, Finn established connections in Norway, leading to the launch of Sign Consult Norway, which could serve the company’s Norwegian clients. Soon after, Sign Consult Sweden was added, and a partnership was formed with a company in Finland as well. In this way, the Sign Consult group could service customers across much of the Nordic region.
Over the years, Sign Consult gained more car brands as customers, and the company grew. Today, we work not only with car dealerships but also with larger organizations, grocery chains, smaller businesses, and shops. As a result, Sign Consult now has connections with some of the most important sign manufacturers around the world.
Generation Change
In 2004, Finn’s son, Christian Østerlund, became a co-owner of Sign Consult. Christian had worked in various roles, both as a fitter and in the office, in the years leading up to 2004, giving him a deep understanding of the company. After that, Christian and Finn ran the business together until Finn decided to retire, and Christian took full ownership of Sign Consult in 2011.
Sign Consult has had several locations in Roskilde over the years. However, in May 2015, the decision was made to move to Køge, where there was space for both an office and a warehouse large enough to meet the company’s needs at that time.
The Philosophy Remains the Same
When Sign Consult was founded in the early 1990s, it was based on Finn’s work as an intermediary and the customer’s extended arm for Statoil. This philosophy has remained the same to this day. Sign Consult does not manufacture signs but instead helps customers secure the best deals with manufacturers. Our role has always been, and continues to be, acting as the customer’s technical consultant, taking responsibility for the installation, service, and maintenance of signs. This means that customers can confidently entrust the design, installation, and upkeep of both new and existing signs to Sign Consult. We ensure that the signs meet the specifications set by the client and regulatory authorities. We provide quality control on signs from the manufacturers and offer support to our customers, as Sign Consult has the necessary expertise and connections within the sign industry.
With our many years of experience, we have encountered and handled a wide range of projects.