Sign Manufacturers

The 5,700 sign manufacturers in the US produce signs and displays (excluding paper and paperboard-based sign products) for commercial, institutional, and government use. Major revenue categories include non-electric signs and displays, electric signs and displays, and trade show exhibits. Other products and services include digital printing, commercial screen printing, and commercial lithographic printing. Firms may also generate revenue from installation, maintenance, and repair services.

Competition From Alternative Forms Of Advertising

Signs compete with alternative forms of advertising, such as television, print, direct mail, and digital media.

More Digital Displays

Improved image quality, the ability to offer dynamic content, and better durability is motivating customers to migrate to digital signage.

Aug 14, 2026 - Sign Manufacturers Face Uncertain Pipeline of New Workers

• The sign industry faces a growing workforce shortage because many students, educators, and career counselors are unaware that signage offers careers spanning design, manufacturing, installation, sales, technology, and project management, according to Sign Builder Illustrated. As experienced workers retire, companies are struggling to fill installer, production, design, and management positions, even as demand, technology, and customer expectations increase. This labor gap could constrain sign manufacturers' production capacity, increase labor costs, extend turnaround times, and make it harder to meet customer demand. Industry insiders urge companies to build relationships with local schools, host tours, and offer job-shadow opportunities. According to the International Sign Association, 23% of students considered careers in signage before a business tour, compared with 83% afterward, highlighting the potential value of sustained industry outreach.
• The American Institute of Architects said nonresidential construction faces an uneven, K-shaped outlook as high interest rates, labor shortages, rising material costs, tariffs, and geopolitical uncertainty weigh on activity. Overall spending is forecast to decline 0.3% in 2026 before rising 3.0% in 2027, with data centers, health care, hotels, and recreation among the stronger categories, while manufacturing, offices, and warehouses remain weak. These trends could constrain sign manufacturers tied to declining construction sectors while creating opportunities for signage demand from health care facilities, hotels, and entertainment projects. Architecture billings also indicate continued near-term weakness, as developers delay or shelve projects due to financing conditions, construction costs, and economic uncertainty.
• An April 2026 Advertiser Perceptions survey found that digital billboards and large-format digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising remain the most widely used out-of-home formats, with 65% of US advertisers reporting use in the past six months. Retail media network digital screens also gained momentum, with adoption rising to 58% from 47% in 2025, driven by strong audience targeting, measurement, and attribution capabilities. Meanwhile, static billboards showed signs of weakness. While 53% of advertisers still use them, only 16% plan to increase spending this year, down from 22% in 2025, and 31% expect to reduce spending. The findings suggest advertisers are shifting budgets toward more measurable and flexible digital formats. Advertiser Perceptions projects overall US out-of-home advertising growth of 4.0% in 2026, while DOOH is expected to grow 7.6%.
• According to Sign Builder Illustrated, digital signage success depends less on display hardware and more on the quality, purpose, and ongoing management of content, as organizations increasingly recognize that screens are communication platforms rather than standalone products. For the sign manufacturing industry, this shift could create new revenue opportunities in content development and management services, while encouraging companies to leverage their expertise in design, branding, typography, color, and visual communication to help customers maintain relevant, goal-driven messaging that keeps displays effective and engaging over time.

Industry size & Structure

The average sign manufacturer operates out of a single location, employs fewer than 13 workers, and generates $2.5 million in annual revenue.

• The sign manufacturing industry consists of about 5,700 firms that employ 72,100 workers and generate about $14.5 billion annually.
• The industry is fragmented; the top 50 companies account for 32% of industry revenue.
• The industry includes national firms, regional firms, franchises, and independent operators.
• Large companies include Daktronics, Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), and Fastsigns.
• Large firms may have operations in foreign markets. Subcontracting to sign manufacturers outside of local markets allows small firms to serve remote customers.