Canton Sign

Our History and Tradition

The Canton Sign Co., founded in 1910 by John A. Franta at the age of 20, has been a family-owned and operated business for over 100 years. Our story began when John A. Franta, a young entrepreneur, opened his first shop at 210 2nd St., N.E. He started as a sign painter, specializing in airbrushed show cards, wagon and truck lettering, gold leaf and painted windows, raised letter gold leaf signs, and all types of commercial signs.

Early Years

In 1911, the company relocated to 138 3rd St., N.E. to a larger and better location. During this period, the company started manufacturing electric signs, which were illuminated using incandescent light bulbs. One of our earliest, large electric signs was a 16' high X 24' wide waving American flag, shipped to Saginaw, MI. and mounted on the top of a ten-story building.

The War Effort

John A. Franta was drafted into World War I and sent to Camp Sherman. He was assigned to the 329th Infantry, later transferred to the 26th Division, also known as the Yankee Division. During his time in France, he fought in several battles before being mustard-gassed by the enemy. He was sent to Vichy, France, for hospitalization. During his absence, his brother Joseph T. Franta operated the business until after the Armistice.

Expansion and Growth

In 1920, we built our own shop at 222 5th St., N.E. By 1928, our business had grown, and we expanded our shop, more than doubling its size. This marked the beginning of our partnership with Claude Neon Signs. Our signs were renowned for their high-quality construction and long life. John and Joseph partnered until 1953, when Joseph withdrew from the partnership due to health issues, and a new partnership was formed with John A., Edward A., and Thomas J. Franta.

Modernization

The subsequent generations continued to grow and expand our business. Edward and Thomas operated the company throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, introducing new technologies, such as fluorescent lamps and translucent plastic signs with multi-colored lettering. Neon was still produced, but less frequently. We also began manufacturing Industrial Displays and Parade Floats.

Partnership Evolution

In 1990, Timothy Franta expanded the business by partnering with Roger S. Penske Sr., owner of Detroit Diesel, located in Detroit, MI. We supplied signs for the Detroit Diesel Parts Distribution Center. Timothy J. Franta joined the company in 1968, followed by Mark A. Franta shortly after. Roger regularly ordered signs to be installed nationwide, including Canada, Mexico, South America, and Africa. Today, we supply signs for Detroit Diesel, Allison Transmission, MTU, Hino Trucks, and Mercedes Benz, among others.

The Canton Sign Company Today

Thomas retired in 1985 to pursue a successful Watercolor painting career. Edward passed away in 2002. Mark left the company in 2009. Matthew J. Franta, Timothy's son, began working full-time in 2010. The current partnership consists of Timothy J. Franta and Matthew J. Franta. We specialize in custom-designed, high-quality products for corporations and businesses of all kinds. The most recent advancement in illumination is LED technology, but we still create Neon signs with the nostalgic charm from my grandfather's era.

Our Commitment

At the Canton Sign Company, we are committed to honoring our customers by creating the highest quality products for the greatest value to them and to us, just as our founder, John A. Franta, envisioned over 100 years ago. This commitment remains at the heart of our family-owned and operated business.