Western Sign Systems boosts production and overcomes space constraints with the BubbleFree Pro flatbed applicator from Soyang Hardware
Western Sign Systems, a family-run trade signage specialist based in Westbury, Wiltshire, has integrated a new BubbleFree Pro 1528 GLED flatbed applicator and laminator into its production facility. Purchased from Soyang Hardware, the investment was driven by an increase in demand for finished signage across the company’s trade customer base.
Established in 1999 by Nora and Keith Hulin, the business has built a reputation as an approved Spandex Sign Build Centre, providing modular signs, tactile lettering, aluminium trays, and monoliths. As volumes increased, the firm required a finishing solution that could improve efficiency while occupying a minimal footprint on the mezzanine level of its 8,000sq ft factory.
The BubbleFree Pro was recommended by Soyang Hardware specifically for its space-efficient design and its ability to allow a single operator to mount and laminate onto flat surfaces up to 60mm thick. The model selected by Western Sign Systems features a GLED illuminated bed and a maximum working area of 2.35m x 1.45m, providing the capacity to handle standard 8ft x 4ft sheets.
John Hulin, Director at Western Sign Systems, commented, “The BubbleFree Pro was perfect for us as we have very limited space. While it is a smaller machine, it still has the ability to handle sheets as large as 8ft x 4ft, which was perfect for us and the type of signage we produce.”
Installed in late 2025, the applicator has already made a measurable impact on the company’s flat panel production. By eliminating common manual issues such as bubbles and creases, the device ensures consistent quality while speeding up the delivery of printed signage applications. This installation follows a previous investment in an Easymount EM1600SH roll-to-roll laminator from Soyang in late 2024, further modernising the firm’s finishing department.
Hulin added, “We purchased the machine to keep up with increasing demand and ensure we continued to meet customer deadlines. It has done exactly that, and we are pleased with how it has performed during the first few months it has been in place.”