Our History

Philadelphia Sign opened its doors in 1905 and Andrew Paxson Trucksess, at age 18, purchased Philadelphia Sign Company in 1911 for $500. His initial product offerings were hand-painted signs. “Not bad for a man that started with two sign painters,” said Bill Trucksess, the former CEO of Philadelphia Sign.

Under the Trucksess family leadership, PSCO has grown to be one of the largest, most influential sign companies in the nation. The company’s timeline mirrors the growth of the U.S. and at times, has reflected the history of the world from the heyday of neon through war time efforts to the rise of retail chains and multi-site conversions, PSCO has been at the forefront over the decades leading the industry with a century of signage.

During World War II, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Sign production is halted for the duration of the war. Philadelphia Sign contributes to the war effort, producing guard houses equipped with searchlights, thousands of washing machines for the Navy and Merchant Marines, and gun shields for Navy war ships.

In the 1970’s and 80’s with onset of all mergers including banks and clients expanding nationally, PSCO grew with them adding large scale production capacity and computer technology. PSCO transformed from a ‘custom sign shop’ to a full-service, multifaceted national sign company, capable of servicing a wide range of customer needs on a national, regional, and local basis.   

Today, PSCO is a recognized leader in sign design, fabrication, installation and maintenance, specializing in branding and conversion programs around the world. As the country’s oldest turnkey national sign provider, PSCO earned the trust of the world’s top brands through inspired design engineering, unlimited manufacturing capabilities and world class program management.