How It’s Made: Malta’s Neon Signs Are More Hands-On Than You Think
You’ve seen their iconic neon signs all over the island. From top restaurants and nightclubs to showrooms and shopping centres, Neonglow has been lighting up the nation for almost 70 years and it’s going stronger (and brighter) than ever.
But have you ever wondered how these signs are actually made?
It’s a painstaking and finicky process that has remained pretty much unchanged since Neonglow’s founder John Farrugia was mentored in the trade by Italian craftsmen several decades ago.
Neon sign makers must first craft the sign out of melted glass tubes, which requires perfect hand-eye coordination, deft movements to bend the glass in the desired signage shape, and the patience of an oyster in case things go wrong.
The bent pieces must then be illuminated, a process known as electrode bombarding which basically involves using a transformer to process electrodes.
Of course, the process varies depending on the sign in question.
Once you have decided that you want Neonglow’s help in jazzing up your business, the very first thing you should expect is a visit from the Neonglow team.
Once the light whizzes have taken a look at what they have to work with, the fun can begin!
Designing, crafting, cutting, whatever needs to be done, the glowers have got it covered!
Of course, you are the great director of this project, so nothing will be created without your go-ahead.
Once all of the details are complete, all that’s left to do is assemble the glowing sign and make sure that it works!
Now that their workshop has been illuminated by your idea, your sign will be installed on site, showing off your gorgeous glowing sign to the whole world!
And while the company is best known for its neon signs, that’s not all that these guys can do!
From 3D letterings and Alucobond facade cladding to vinyl cutouts for shop windows, large format printing and vehicle livery… if it’s going to make your site look bolder, shinier and snazzier, you can probably rest assured that Neonglow will be able to prepare it for you.
Neonglow has adopted the best possible recipe for a successful family business – consistently investing in the latest machinery and technology while never losing touch with its roots.
The results can be seen all around you. Few businesses can, hand on heart, say that they’ve literally been making Malta a brighter place for over half a century.
And if you’d like your own words and logos to brighten the Maltese night sky too, you know who the right people for the job are.
What’s your favourite street sign in Malta?
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