ABOUT US

Company Procedures

We have, in place, our own Quality Assurance system which has been developed, and modified, over the past 70 years. Quality assurance commences at design stage where all specifications are carefully inspected to ensure that whatever the factories are required to produce, are structurally sound, and clearly defined in terms of manufacturing requirements.
We also have in place a full design studio, to do all your designs. Before any production commences these drawings must be approved by the client.
All major signage programmes undertaken by this Company have been supported by the introduction of dedicated Project Managers.
The Project Manager, whilst working with dedicated production and installation crews, also liaises directly with the client to ensure that the contract is completed within the required time-frame, and within budget.

He / She (the Project Manager), takes full responsibility for the programme, reporting directly to the Managing Director.
In terms of your involvement, we earnestly encourage your maximum involvement in every aspect of the contract process, from initial design (and, if necessary, prototyping) through the full production process to final installation.
We would encourage, and insist, on your visiting our plants during production so that you might not only acquaint yourselves with the process but also, by your involvement, offer guidance and advise and highlight any potential problem areas at an early stage.
This process further manifests itself via the Project Manager who will have, as one of his primary objectives, awareness of our company’s responsibility to ensure total client satisfaction. In order to achieve this, he will need to be in constant contact with yourselves and will request a weekly meeting on our premises, with yourselves, to ensure that quality standards are being met.
Major installations are programmed and planned by the factory under the direction of the dedicated Project Manager.

All activities between the factory, client priorities, and installations are co-coordinated by the client, the Project Manager and the various factory management teams dedicated to the production and installation of a project of this nature.

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HISTORY

Claude Neon Limited started its existence as “Claude Neon Lights (SA) Limited” on the 6th of February 1935 at 14 Usher Street, Johannesburg.

The year 1937 brought major changes to this fledgling company. Firstly, it was able to obtain two of its main competitors, for cash, and it concluded a franchise agreement with Georges Claude, the Frenchman who discovered the principles of the neon tube.

1937 Annual Report
In the early days the signage industry concentrated almost exclusively on neon signs, as there was no real, practical alternative that would give the spectacular effects that customers had come to expect.

The introduction of “Perspex” revolutionised the industry as it was now possible to have clearly illuminated signs without using neon tubes, and the signs were easier to manufacture and cheaper for the client. Neon, however, still thrived as it does today, because the effects it produces cannot be duplicated with any other material or method.

There have been many other innovations and new products that have changed the face of this exciting industry. The following have become synonymous with the signage industry, whereas, when many of us started in the business they did not exist - Vinyl signs, flex face signs, electronic signs and digitally printed signs.

Claude Neon has moved with this wonderful industry over the last 70 years. It became part of the Anglo Vaal group in the 1960’s, had a management buyout in 1991 and in 1995/6 it joined with Brilliant Signs and became part of the Maister Directories stable of companies – under the Chairmanship of Mr. Dennis Maister.

The company now employs over 300 people and has branches in Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, in addition to its Head Office at Langlaagte in Johannesburg.

Our philosophy is, and always has been, to produce signs of the highest quality at the best possible price. Quote from the Chairman, Sir George Elliot’s report at the third AGM of the company in July 1937: “Its products are not cheap because the quality is of the best and any attempt to cheapen a Neon Light must end in disaster both for the Customer and the Manufacturer.”, and “…any attempt to reduce costs at the expense of quality leads to failure and disappointment.”

We are an equal opportunity company and we sincerely believe that our company, our industry, and our country have a wonderful future.

To once again quote Sir George Elliot in 1937.

“South Africa is a splendid country with potentialities almost incalculable."

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