The Derby-based company will now manufacture and deliver Spandex's ranges of internal and external sign systems in extruded aluminium.

These include Slatz, Slim Slatz, Insertz, Infopanel, Monoform and Monoframe. They will be available in standard and bespoke sizes.

NCS Trade Signs is a trade-only signage manufacturer with a 25-year history, employing more than 50 people and with a turnover of £3.5m, which evolved from a steel engineering business.

Spandex general manager Leon Watson said: “The company's outstanding reputation and market reach will allow signmakers without fabrication facilities to access our sign systems ranges.”

Spandex group marketing manager for Europe and the UK Gabi Parish said: “We chose NCS because it has 25 years of manufacturing expertise.

“Therefore it has the ability to produce the simplest of signs to complex and innovative systems where they can add credible design input.”

She didn't give targets in terms of sales or turnover but said the decision to add another centre to its network “wasn’t necessarily a financial one”.

She explained: “It was more a case of adding someone with the expertise that NCS can bring to an otherwise highly capable network of sign system centres.

“We have a few new design concepts up our sleeves but it is too early to discuss in further detail. Stay tuned.”

The other Spandex centres are Dennis D Evans & Co in Belfast, J&A Kay in Darwen, Lancashire, Sign Systems (Scotland) in Glenrothes, Fife, and Western Sign Systems in Westbury, Wiltshire.

In the last two years NCS Trade Signs has spent close to £500,000 in a new powder-coating plant, two new 2x4m routers, letter-edge forming machinery, printers and plotters, overhead crane and other machinery.

Owner Nigel Stevenson said: “We are excited to be able to supply the complete Spandex range in either standard format or bespoke to suit specific design criteria.

“With in-house powder coating, wet spray paint shop and graphic production facilities we can supply the complete finished sign, or anodised finished for graphic application by the client.”