FASTSIGNS UK has strengthened its presence in the West Midlands with the opening of a new franchise centre in Solihull, marking the brand’s 24th UK location and its second centre in the West Midlands. The new business is owned and operated by entrepreneur Farooq Wani, who brings a blend of franchise ownership, engineering and infrastructure project management experience to the visual communications brand.
Located on Kings Norton Trading Estate, FASTSIGNS Solihull will provide signage, graphics and visual communication solutions to businesses across Solihull, south Birmingham, Redditch, Longbridge and Worcester. The centre is targeting customers in key sectors including education, healthcare, construction and commercial services, reflecting the region’s growing business activity.
The opening continues FASTSIGNS UK’s expansion strategy as demand for branded visual communications, workplace graphics, vehicle wraps, interior décor, digital signage and wayfinding solutions continues to grow across the country.
Wani is no stranger to franchising. Before joining FASTSIGNS, he spent five years building a dual-territory franchise business in the frozen food sector before exiting the business. Earlier in his career, he managed large-scale infrastructure and engineering projects for organisations including Balfour Beatty, Siemens and engineering firms across the Middle East, giving him extensive operational and project delivery experience.
To support production, the Solihull centre has been equipped with a range of specialist print and finishing technology, including an Epson S9100 high-production printer, Mimaki plotter and laminator, a Roll-Over applicator table, and bespoke assembly equipment designed to deliver large-format graphics and signage efficiently.
Commenting on the launch, Farooq Wani, franchisee of FASTSIGNS Solihull, said: “After selling my previous franchise, I was looking for a new challenge that gave me the chance to combine my background in technical project management with my franchise experience. FASTSIGNS UK presented me with that very opportunity.” He added: “While the brand already has a strong legacy in the area, the scale of economic growth here means there’s ample opportunity for a new, independent centre to thrive. Opening in Solihull allows us to strategically expand and support key sectors right across Solihull and the southern communities of the Midlands. We’re excited for what the future holds.”
Welcoming the latest franchisee, John Davies, Managing Director of FASTSIGNS UK, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Farooq to the FASTSIGNS network. His extensive background in project management and proven track record in franchising make him the ideal leader to take forward our second location in Birmingham.”
Davies added: “The West Midlands is an economic powerhouse with a really diverse commercial landscape, spanning education, construction and manufacturing, among others, providing us with so many opportunities to make a real impact among our business community. I look forward to seeing Farooq and his team in action, and wish them the best of luck for this venture.”
FASTSIGNS is one of the world’s largest franchised providers of signs, graphics and visual communications solutions. The brand operates more than 785 centres worldwide across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Chile, Malta, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and other international markets as part of Propelled Brands. Earlier this year, the company was ranked No. 1 in its category in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 for the tenth consecutive year, underscoring its continued strength as a franchise opportunity.
The Solihull opening further reinforces FASTSIGNS UK’s growth ambitions while expanding the brand’s ability to serve businesses across one of England’s fastest-growing regional economies.
