Questions

Find answers to common questions about our policies and services.

Can I pay on account?

Quite possibly! We have hundreds of customers on net monthly accounts. It is by far the quickest and easiest way to place orders.

  • You send us an enquiry by email
  • We send you a quote (many miss this step after a while)
  • You place the order
  • We make your job
  • We send it (some collect)
  • You receive an invoice by email, or, even better it goes directly to you accounts department
  • The invoice gets paid by bacs at the end of next month
  • Everyone is happy

We do say though that the first time you deal with us we will send a pro-forma invoice, this is just to check we have all the details correct for future invoices. It also means you have our bank details on file ready for when the account is set up. It saves future delays. We work with Creditsafe and will credit check the company to establish what level of credit we can offer you. This is usually by means of a net monthly account.

Many of our customers have engineers placing orders directly, therefore they have many invoices per month. Dated on different days. It is because of this that net monthly works better for us all than 30 days from date of invoice.

What is your lead-time?

This is not a one size fits all response. It comes down to that bespoke thing again! If you want 10 labels they will take less time than 1000 labels. However, tell us at the start of our contact what you need from us and we will do everything we can to help you. There is nearly always a way. We can always supply you with a batch so you can start your fitting whilst we get on with engraving the rest.

When discussing lead-time we always factor in what else is in the pipeline. That is why we suggest checking before you place your order what the current lead-time is. If we quoted you 6 weeks ago with a certain lead-time, it can have changed in that time. Don’t worry though, Dave the Production Manager, has a lot of experience in making the impossible possible.

Does it cost to have samples or test pieces engraved?

Sometimes we need to test if it is a new material to us for example. This is rare nowadays due to our many years of experience in engraving. Because we have customers in many fields, and we have regular different requests. Yes, we have been asked to engrave jeans.

Therefore we say that if you want a sample of material, we can send you an offcut and it doesn’t cost. We can also usually test your material FOC if you are happy with us engraving the word ‘TEST’ for example.  But if you want artwork testing, for example, your logo engraving, then we do need to charge for this. This is because of importing and editing the file for our software. We have a minimum order charge of £30 + vat and most samples fall within this. If you are having mechanical engraving there is a minimum charge of £50 + vat for this process so your sampling would be £50 + vat for mechanical engraving.

Do you offer discounts for bulk orders?

Of course, we offer discounts for bulk orders. We can build price-breaks into your quote if you ask us. We understand that for many of the jobs you need engraving you may want to dip your toe rather than take the plunge into the icy depths of the unknown initially. We can do prototyping, right through to engraving runs in the tens of thousands.

We can separate a set-up charge on the quote too if that helps, rather than building it into the engraving price as we usually do. Our service is bespoke (I know I say it a lot, but it really is), you can have your quote, as well as your job, your way.

Do I have to have a business? Can I pay by card?

No, you don’t have to have a business. We do engraving for end consumers too. We can engrave your wallets, house signs and gifts as required. We can engrave plaques for your loved ones that are no longer here. Just get in touch with us to let us know what you need. We even have some slate products in stock ourselves for those extra special personalised gifts.

We can send you a payment link so that you can pay by card securely, online. We use Paypal, but you don’t have to have a Paypal account as you can just enter your card details.

Is it only industrial engraving or other types of engraving too?

Our core business is industrial engraving, but we do like to step out of this area regularly too. This ensures that we test our skills on the more bespoke engraving. This, in turn, helps us to keep ahead of the industrial engraving game too.

If we only made labels and valve tags, for example, that wouldn’t help us to push the boundaries for our Point of Sale clients.

Can I have an image or logo engraved?

Yes, you can have images and logos engraved. We can laser engrave images or logos using a high-resolution image file, such as a jpeg or png. For the best result, we advise a dxf or eps file. This is especially important if you are having mechanical engraving rather than laser engraving.

What colour engraving material do you stock?

We keep many of the standard colours in stock. Also, we have anodised aluminium and brass in stock in various colours and thicknesses. We get all of our stainless steel laser cut and have orders every week. We tend to order our stock sizes with customer orders to avoid the laser cutting minimum order charge for our customers. This way we are able to offer totally bespoke tag sizes, with radius corners and fixing holes as necessary.

The plastics are available in 0.6mm, 1.6mm and 3mm thick. We have a fantastic relationship with our material suppliers and therefore we can get most non-stock items the next day.

e can always supply you with a batch so you can start your fitting whilst we get on with engraving the rest.

When discussing lead-time we always factor in what else is in the pipeline. That is why we suggest checking before you place your order what the current lead-time is. If we quoted you 6 weeks ago with a certain lead-time, it can have changed in that time. Don’t worry though, Dave the Production Manager, has a lot of experience in making the impossible possible.

What size can be engraved?

We can laser engrave up to a maximum size on 610mm x 610mm. We can, however, fit pieces that are slightly larger into our machine Such as 640mm deep, as long as the engraving doesn’t go all the way to the bottom of the plate. If your part is bigger, not to worry. We can mechanically engrave up to 1220mm x 610mm on the large mechanical engraving machine. Need it to be bigger? That is ok, we can put parts up to 2M long on there and up to 730mm wide. We just have to slide it through the machine to engrave the 2nd half.

What size can be engraved if I need to go small? Whilst Graham Short can fit the Lord’s Prayer on the head of a pin we usually advise you trying to stay around 2mm high as a minimum letter size. That isn’t to say we can’t go smaller.

He is a legend and has been practising his craft for many years and works very hard to avoid vibration, including working during the night to benefit from the reduced traffic to reduce vibration. It just isn’t our line of work.

We have engraved qr codes down to around 6mm before and they still scan.

Is laser engraving or mechanical engraving better?

We are always happy to advise you on the best engraving method for your application. It isn’t about whether laser engraving or mechanical engraving is better. Sometimes it is a straightforward decision though. If you want to coat your part after engraving for example then you definitely need to have mechanical engraving. We often get these queries and after a very short conversion, we find out that you actually want the most cost-effective method of marking your part. This then points to having laser engraving, but after the part has been coated.

What is engraving?

Engraving is removing some material in a pattern so that you get a difference in the surface of the material. This can be to show text, a pattern, a logo or markings for measurements. However, when you laser engrave metal, such as, stainless steel with a co2 laser you use a marking spray that leaves behind a black mark after the laser has been applied. Therefore you aren’t actually removing any of the surface as you would with traditional engraving. If you use a co2 laser for other materials you are still removing material. It is only that it isn’t strong enough to go through metals that means you have to have a different process for metals.

What format do you need from me to engrave my job?

We like to work to suit you. We love a PDF for quoting purposes but you don’t have to use that. We do have a handy label request form if it helps.

If you’d like a copy of our label request form for ease please download it here.

Please feel free to use any other format you like if you don’t want to use our form.

Need more clarity?

Reach out and we will help you understand our policies.

Trusted by LEADING Engineering, Utilities & Manufacturing Teams

Applications across manufacturing, utilities, and engineering

Industries we work with

Our expertise extends across a wide range of industries, delivering reliable engraving and labeling solutions designed to meet strict standards. Whether it’s safety signage, machine plates, or high-voltage tags, we help organisations protect their people, assets, and operations.

What our customers think

"We've been consistently impressed with the quality and precision of the engraved name plates you've supplied for our machines. The attention to detail and reliability of your service make you a valued partner in our operations"

Randeep Johal
Senior Procurement Manager, Parker Plant

"We've been consistently impressed with the quality and precision of the engraved name plates you've supplied for our machines. The attention to detail and reliability of your service make you a valued partner in our operations"

Randeep Johal
Senior Procurement Manager, Parker Plant

"We've been consistently impressed with the quality and precision of the engraved name plates you've supplied for our machines. The attention to detail and reliability of your service make you a valued partner in our operations"

Randeep Johal
Senior Procurement Manager, Parker Plant

"We've been consistently impressed with the quality and precision of the engraved name plates you've supplied for our machines. The attention to detail and reliability of your service make you a valued partner in our operations"

Randeep Johal
Senior Procurement Manager, Parker Plant

"We've been consistently impressed with the quality and precision of the engraved name plates you've supplied for our machines. The attention to detail and reliability of your service make you a valued partner in our operations"

Randeep Johal
Senior Procurement Manager, Parker Plant

"We've been consistently impressed with the quality and precision of the engraved name plates you've supplied for our machines. The attention to detail and reliability of your service make you a valued partner in our operations"

Randeep Johal
Senior Procurement Manager, Parker Plant
Family-run, industry-focused

Decades of Experience, Personal Service

Total Industrial Engraving is a family-run business with over 30 years of experience in industrial and commercial engraving. Originally setup in a Leicester workshop, we combine traditional craftsmanship with modern laser and rotary technology to deliver precise, durable, and cost-effective engraved products.

Our team takes pride in working directly with each customer, helping you choose the right materials, meet tight deadlines, and get the best result for your budget. Whether it’s a one-off panel or thousands of labels, you can count on us for personal service and industrial expertise.

30+

Years delivering industrial engraving solutions

1000's

of Projects supplied to manufacturers, utilities & engineers