Manor Royal-based FASTSIGNS Crawley has strengthened its growing team with two new appointments that will see it continue to expand its female-led business.
Led by co-owner, Melanie Martinez, the two appointments will include Michele Hendry, who takes on the role of office manager and Athena Kolyos as sign maker, both of whom help to take the total number of female employees at the centre, based on Manor Royal Road, to four.
Although women represent almost half of the labour force in the UK, they account for just 26% of all workers in the manufacturing sector.
Despite this figure, FASTSIGNS Crawley - which is part of a growing network of FASTSIGNS UK centres around the country - has established a predominantly female workforce, with many, like Athena, in production-based or creative roles.
Athena, who is the youngest member of the FASTSIGNS Crawley team, aged 23, joins as a sign maker, putting to the test her creative background, passion and experience in content creation.
Michele, a former hospitality and events coordinator at Crawley Town Football Club - a FASTSIGNS Crawley customer - brings with her a wealth of organisational and administrative experience. Not only is she tasked with helping to streamline operations as the business eyes up further growth, but she also aims to introduce further sustainable processes, including going completely paperless.
Melanie Martinez, director and co-owner at FASTSIGNS Crawley, said: “I’m proud to be a part of a company that champions diversity and inclusivity within our expanding workforce, an ambition I’ve carried with me since the very start of my FASTSIGNS journey.
“There’s no denying that this industry is heavily male-dominated, but I believe that representation really matters and my role is testament to that. I’d like to think that both Michele and Athena have been inspired by the success of our largely female-led team, as well as our talented male colleagues and want to continue to help us do the same for others in the future.”
Melanie, added: “Having begun my own journey at FASTSIGNS Crawley as an artist back in 1995, it's particularly gratifying to see Athena embark on a similar career path, so I’ll look forward to watching her flourish here as she shares her new, innovative ideas with the team.
"As we embark on the next stage of growth for the company, I’m excited to work alongside Michele to continue to cultivate a supportive and sustainable workplace where we can grow and fulfil our customers’ needs.”
John Davies, managing director of FASTSIGNS UK, added: “It’s encouraging to see the team at FASTSIGNS Crawley continue to grow and I’m pleased to welcome two highly-skilled and dynamic women to the team, both of whom will drive forward the centre’s continued growth, while bringing fresh ideas to the table.
“As a company, we’re not only led by driven and successful females like CEO, Catherine Monson and Brand President, Andrea Hohermuth, but many of our franchises, like FASTSIGNS Crawley, are run and managed by talented women in leadership, sales, production and creative roles.
"It’s our collective belief that by embracing inclusivity, the signage industry can tap into a broader talent pool, all with the aim of fostering a more vibrant and forward-thinking environment that better serves our customers."
For more information about FASTSIGNS Crawley and its work across a range of services, including content development, installation, and graphic design, visit: https://www.fastsigns.co.uk/crawley/
