Ben Grist started a small business designing and manufacturing luxury, bespoke chicken houses during his gap year. He purchased his fist vinyl cutter as a way to add a custom appearance to his coops.
With a strong passion for water sports, Ben and Sam started to use the cutter to make other stickers for their toys at the time (windsurfing boards, surf boards, sails and skateboards).
Ben’s business direction went into designing personalised wall art for the public sector. www.oakdenedesigns.com. With the extremely fast growth and success off this through Not On The High Street, he was able to purchase more equipment and broaden the range of products.
During Sam’s placement year at University he set up a commercial signage company as a side project of Oakdene Designs. With the available resources, expertise and top of the range equipment this proved to be a successful avenue for them both.
South East Signage is currently based in Salfords, south of London near Gatwick, Redhill and Reigate in Surrey. We have a lovely studio workshop where we make all of our products, including signs and vinyl stickers.
Customers are always welcome to visit us at our workshop to discuss projects and to see what we do in person over a cup of tea.
As sign writers we provide a large selection of signage, window stickers, temporary wall stickers and vehicle graphics. We cater to a large selection of businesses both locally and nationwide.
Meet The Team
With a practical and hands on upbringing, owing to his father being a successful builder (www.qualitybuild.info), Sam has always had an inquisitive mind for design, technology and how things work. Having previously windsurfed for Team GBR and then competing semi-professionally during his design degree at university, Sam has always been an organised and self motivated individual with an attitude to work hard and play hard.
Sam Latham
Managing Director
Childhood friend of Ben's. Sam is a music composer (Motion Audio Productions) and generally a technical whizz with a natural mind for business and a background in retail. Sam helped Ben run Oakdene Designs from the very start.
Sam Clarke
Head of Cut Sheet Media, Website and IT
Surrey bred entrepreneur and product designer. Ben used Oakdene Coops as a learning platform to lead onto the hugely successful personalised gifts business, Oakdene Designs. Also has a strong passion for water sports.
Ben Grist
CEO Oakdene Products Ltd
Hannah's constant positivity and humour is perfect for running one of our newest and busiest departments. Also a very talented free hand artist.
Hannah Evans
Head of UV
Gill is Ben's lovely mother. She runs her very own successful curtains and textile company. Huge passion for arts, crafts and collectibles.
Gill Grist
Accounts and Finance
Typography specialist, Maddy has a great eye for design and a natural understanding of what clients and potential customers want.
Maddy Crampton
Head of Graphic DesignHolley Cathro
Customer Service
Strong passion for animal wellbeing and anything pink! Rhianna's hands on approach to art and creativity is the perfect match for our fabric products.
Rhianna Baron
Head of Textiles and Sublimation
Piers has a history of running successful businesses. He has a keen eye for ensuring everything is running smoothly. Hobbies also include martial arts!
Piers Cooke
Accounts and FinanceBrand Ambassadors
A large portion of our clients come from the water and extreme sports industry, owing to personal passions in these sports. Because of this, we like to give something back to the sports we love and support top athletes in the country. It is also a great way for us to test and develop products to ensure they are fit for purpose.
If you would like to help promote and push South East Signage further please get in contact.
Tom is one hell of a positive character. Always willing to help and get involved. Always buzzing with energy and a serious passion to get in the sea! Follow his training via social media.
Tom Squires - GBR 2
Olympic RS:X Windsurfer
Simon is possibly one of the biggest characters on the UK slalom tour. A friendly and very loving chap that is always willing to help people.
Simon Pettifer - K67
Semi - Professional Slalom Racer
Scotty must be the youngest slalom sailor to podium so many times on the UK Slalom series!