Why sourcing POP manufactured in the UK matters

We’re immensely proud of the displays we manufacture, and I’m confident that there’s not one member of the Impulse POP team who hasn’t (surreptitiously) detoured to check out one display or another while doing the family’s grocery shopping. What we do really matters to us, fundamentally driving many positive in-house behaviors and practices. So, as briefly as possible, I’ll explain why sourcing Point of Purchase displays from us as a UK manufacturer is the wiser choice. 

I emphasise wiser since our clients tell us that, even now, the conversation about which supplier should receive the coveted Purchase Order starts with price and ends with, (let’s say it) profit. Sadly, over three decades, countless UK-based POP display manufacturing businesses have folded; Litho and Screen Printers, Sheet Metal Workers, Fabricators and Injection Moulding businesses shed employees with vast expertise and enviable craftsmanship, unable to pass these skills on to the next generation. 

Probable cause? Inability to adapt to digital and technological innovation or to compete with lower prices available from offshore (far East) competition during the early ‘90s and through the ‘00s, leaving an industry debilitated by import components and raw materials. The knock-on effect was, remaining POP manufacturers had to survive with a smaller supply base, impacting local trade options – and pushing up variable costs.

The price of progress

You could say the POP industry POS display is now leaner and more robust – and that’s the price of progress.  Buying at the lowest cost is good business sense – but surely additional factors are important. Encouragingly, consumers demand that businesses and brands step up to the plate around broader sustainability, community, quality and ethical standards. To be in business now – retailers, brands and their suppliers must tick several other non-negotiable boxes including:

Responsible manufacturing

The sustainability agenda is now mainstream. Consumers expect brands and retailers to take critical action around reducing their carbon footprint. For clients taking a holistic view beyond their organisation, we fully support their requirement to undertake impact assessments through the supply chain. We offer complete transparency and specialise in sourcing local materials and production on-site, making us the ideal partner for those working towards stringent sustainability targets.

Our manufacturing base in Sandy, Bedfordshire makes 90% of what we sell, and over 100,000 POS display standFree Standing display units pass through our factory each year. As champions of British manufacturing, we make every effort to support local businesses, with over 60% of our supply chain resources invested within 40 miles of our factory and logistics hub.

Strengthening local skills base

The UK is seeing a surge in the growth of local Artisan businesses, and I’m sure you can think of a few. From beers and spirits to craft and pottery – whatever the creative niche, we’re witnessing a revival, an appreciation for people making jaw-droppingly beautiful things with their hands and fashioning products with immense skill and patience – often priced at a premium. 

In our own way, we’re putting artisanal craftmanship back into POP display, and our Impulse team is made up of knowledgeable designers, engineers, expert laser cutters and fabricators drawn from the local Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire communities, proud to work alongside iconic British brands like Gieves and Hawkes and Mulberry.

Cambridge Corten (a division of Impulsepop)

We also encourage the restoration of historic engineering techniques using novel materials such as Corten, and we’ve built a team that thrives on making them work in contemporary settings. Architecturally appealing, Corten is designed to become more beautiful as it ages, maturing in line with its environment, thanks to the controlled corrosion. It’s our way of repurposing old – alongside new – giving forgotten techniques a new lease of life and showing why UK POP manufacturing offers an unmatched depth of creativity.

Better control of product design and quality

Being flexible, responsive and transparent matters – and we pride ourselves on being easy to do business with. We know that sometimes it’s the little things that give you confidence – and confidence matters when you’re facing a challenging deadline, this means:

– You can have face-to-face meetings with our design and production team at any stage during the development of the concept

– You can request proofs, samples or mock-ups sent to you same-day

– You can visit our manufacturing premises to join our quality control process

– You can request a test installation site local to you prior to production

Every client matters to us, and with 50 years of engineering and manufacturing experience, you’ll be in safe hands. Contact us here to kick-start your project.