They make their mark on history every single day

West Riding Sign & Print Limited (formerly West Riding Engravers) have been at the forefront of bespoke sign making, printing and engraving in their near 60 years of existence - they were founded in 1961 - they have undertaken some quite remarkable projects. Perhaps most auspicious among those was having the FA Cup brought to them in 1972 so they could engrave the name of the winner of that year. Of course, it was Leeds United. And even today they continue to make plaques for Leeds United.

The business, which employs 14 people. They are a highly skilled team, with the office staff managing all enquiries, from design to production from large signage refurbishments, commercial and industrial plaques, along with prestigious nameplates destined for Europe and the Middle East in any language. Not forgetting the smaller individual orders for rubber stamps, memorial plaques and personalised gifts. The list is endless. For half a century they were based on Wellington Street but since last September they have taken over a newly renovated industrial unit a short distance away in Holbeck, close to Leeds Brewery and Dunelm.

Directors Robert South and Elaine Manku, who took over the business from their late father Alan South explains: “We decided to move due to expansion having taken on two apprentices over the last year.

“The new premises provide our customers and suppliers with plenty of parking which was something we struggled with. It was becoming increasingly difficult to take deliveries at our location on Wellington Street and also we were also working over four floors.”

They have taken up occupancy of a unit on Sydenham Road, Domestic Street Industrial Estate, where they have an office, printing, paint room space along with the main machine room and workshop, the inside of which is crammed full of examples of their latest work including braille/tactile signage and printed and engraved acrylic block awards.

Lying on a worktop is a stainless steel laser engraved sign for Northern Monk Brewing Co and in the cabinets opposite stand various glasses, awards, labels, wine boxes, olive wood boards, sample materials and gifts to be personalised.

“We receive all kinds of enquiries,” says Elaine. “Arctic Corsair Museum, Hull presented us with a brass replicator of the deep sea trawler’s original bell with the request to manually engrave the name and match the font based on photographs from the 1960s. A sword for a Scottish wedding, gin bottles, plaques for picture frames, awards for Leeds Architecture, a couple being for the local Kirkstall Forge site, all required engraving. We can pretty much handle anything.”

While much of their core business is providing schematic drawings, fascia panels and labels to the industry along with functional signs for pubs, restaurants, businesses - as I visit them, they are about to send a screen printed order for 1,000 acrylic block awards to Mauritius and they regularly fill orders for technical plates which are used for electrical, heating, military, water technology, power generation and transmission companies.

“Perhaps one of the most unusual things we do is create plaques and awards for ITV Emmerdale. It might be a memorial plaque in the garden or items positioned in a studio set to create a realistic scene so when the event happens. “We often know what the plot lines are before most other people.” Of course, they are sworn to secrecy.

They are also renowned in the UK for creating bespoke unveiling plaques and have been immensely proud to have designed and produced plaques for members of the Royal family.

Perhaps one of their best known works was creating a series of plaques to mark the restoration of the Cutty Sark in 2012, an occasion which was attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations - and they have the picture to prove it.

They were involved in celebrating the official visit of Princess Eugenie in Headingley too by creating a stainless steel plaque to mark the event, along with providing an easel and the curtains to match. Only two weeks ago the Duke of Gloucestershire unveiled one of their plaques during a visit to The Community Shop in Barnsley.

The engraving firm is one of a clutch of firms which has moved with the times, preserving time honoured skills, handed down through the generations.

“One of the machines we have in the workshop is over 50 years old,” says Elaine. “It’s used for engraving and cutting requiring an immense amount of skill. It has taken one of our younger members of staff five years to perfect, training provided by our longest serving engraver who recently retired after 50 years.”

That’s not to say they haven’t moved with the times. The aging machine sits alongside some of the most modern computer and laser engraving machines with the capability of handling anything from a name plate measuring just a few inches to a sheet of steel up to 1m across and several wide.

Of late, Elaine says there has been a trend of people reverting back to more natural materials.

“If you think of the pub and restaurant interiors, it’s all exposed pipework, natural rustic tables. I think people’s mind sets are moving more towards nature. We’re also seeing an increasing number of signs in braille and tactile, especially in places like supermarkets, hotels and airports. We tailor make our business to respond to that.”

Manvir Ubhi, sales & business development manager, adds: “It’s a labour of love. Every job is different. One minute you might be working on something which is for the Royal Family, the next it’s an oil rig and then there’s all the jobs in between. What we aim to do is provide the best customer service for everyone, whether it’s someone coming in who wants something very personal or 2,000 plaques for Saudi Arabia.”

One place you may have seen their handiwork is the playground near the lake at Roundhay Park, which was recently renovated. The highly coloured animal plaques individually engraved with all the sponsors names, all of which were done by West Riding.

Elaine, has a confession to make: “As we are all dedicated to the business and enjoy looking at the signs around us, we do sometimes get funny looks when we check the material and see how they are made. It’s just part of the job.”