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NZSDA Awards All the medal winners Caxton Profile Bridget Batchelor Election time Who will it be? Are you LinkedIn? You really need to be
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AUTO QUALITY ADJUSTMENT Auto Quality Adjustment (AQA) is an intelligent automation feature that keeps your print quality consistent — automatically. Built for high-performance print environments, AQA handles calibration, alignment, and colour correction in real time, so your team can focus on output instead of manual adjustments. Enjoy improved uptime, fewer service calls, and over long runs, AQA helps you deliver professional results effortlessly. Together with the IQ-501 Intelligent Quality Optimizer, enable your printer to self-diagnose and even self-repair — with remote performance monitoring that can troubleshoot or predict issues
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COVER STORY
Konica Minolta delivers accessible colour management AccurioPro Color Manager evolves further with a dedicated cloud integration framework for significantly less manual effort. Rebecca Hughes and Mark Northin, production print sales specialists and analysts at Konica Minolta look forward to discussing the AccurioPro Manager�s capabilities with you
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onica Minolta has released AccurioPro Color Manager (APCM2) version 2.3, the latest evolution of its powerful colour management suite. Designed with a strong focus on customer value, the new version maximises operational efficiency and oversight across multiple sites and partner locations. At the heart of this update is a dedicated cloud integration framework that transforms raw colour measurement data into clear, actionable reports. It introduces advanced cloud-based reporting and historical data analytics
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that enable print businesses to achieve consistent, high quality output with significantly less manual effort. Mark Northin, production print analyst at Konica Minolta New Zealand, says, “Whether you have a single machine or multiple machines across multiple sites, AccurioPro Color Manager provides one seamless application from which to monitor and maintain your colour consistency. It also has all the production print colour management tools you would expect, such as tone curve creation and adjustment, alternative colour (colour replacement) and spot colour adjustment.”
August/September 2026
Real time visibility The new version combines comprehensive reporting and real-time visibility via its integration with AccurioPro CloudEye. The fully quantified quality management systems provide instant access to performance data, which is now possible across the entire print operation. Instead of relying on basic pass/fail checks, users can now benefit from a fully transparent and measurable quality management system. Real time monitoring allows operators and managers to view professional
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COVER STORY
Identifying trends early and taking corrective action before output is affected helps reduce waste, minimise rework, and maintain consistent results over the long term
reports and validation results anytime, from any device. These reports highlight specific validation results of each printer in the print room, or at each location, making it simple to share insights instantly across teams. This immediate access to information enables faster decision making. Detailed reporting provides deeper insights into colour performance, colour patches, dot gain characteristics, and density values. This level of granularity shows how every printer in a fleet is performing to enable complete confidence in output while supporting continuous quality improvement. Mark says, “For print businesses, quality is no longer just about achieving a pass or fail result. They need clear visibility into performance across every device and every site. “Real time reporting gives operators and managers the information they need to identify issues early, maintain consistency, and make faster decisions. That level of transparency helps reduce waste, improve productivity, and gives customers greater confidence in the quality of the final output.” Turning data into long term value AccurioPro Color Manager v2.3 goes beyond day to day monitoring by leveraging cloud-based historical analytics to deliver long term view of colour performance, helping businesses identify trends and maintain standards over time. By centralising data and standards in the cloud, organisations can ensure fleet wide synchronisation with consistent colour performance across multiple sites and partner locations. Target configurations
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and their associated tracking data can be shared instantly, helping businesses maintain consistent production quality at scale. In addition, historical cloud-based trend analysis of validation results enables proactive maintenance. It ensures colour quality does not drift over weeks or months of production and takes corrective action before quality issues arise, reducing waste, minimising rework, and protecting profitability. Mark says, “The real value of historical analytics is that it allows print providers to move from reactive quality control to proactive quality management. Instead of discovering a colour issue after jobs have been produced, businesses can identify trends early and take corrective action before output is affected. That helps reduce waste, minimise rework, and maintain consistent results over the long term.” Accessible professional colour management A key focus of AccurioPro Color Manager v2.3 is simplifying advanced colour management so that every operator, regardless of experience level, can achieve expert results. Smart Color Sequence Setup provides simplified workflows for non-experts. It automatically determines the correct adjustment process based on the press and controller configuration, reducing the need for specialist knowledge. This allows even less experienced users to manage colour with confidence. When a validation check fails, the Smart Color Sequence Recovery ensures intelligent recovery. It uses a wizard style interface to suggest and guide the operator through the specific adjustments needed to return to standard.
Through seamless integration with IQ-501 and IQ-601 Intelligent Quality Optimisers, AccurioPro Color Manager v2.3 automates complex calibration and quality control tasks. This reduces manual intervention, lowers labour requirements, and minimises costly errors. Mark says, “When integrated with our IQ-601 Intelligent Quality Optimiser, AccurioPro Color Manager can create a custom destination and device link profile and validate that the profile meets the required standard just with the click of a mouse. There is no manual scanning required, turning colour validation from a laborious task to a simple one click process whenever it is required.” A complete end to end solution The AccurioPro Color Manager 2 Suite provides a comprehensive platform for modern print operations, including press setup, building media-specific profiles, running verification checks, and accessing cloud-based analysis. Mark concludes, “Today’s print providers need more than individual colour management tools. They need a complete system that supports press setup, profiling, verification, and ongoing performance analysis. “Bringing these capabilities together into a single platform helps simplify colour management while giving operators greater confidence in the consistency and repeatability of their output. “If you have any queries about these latest innovations or any other Konica Minolta solutions, please contact us. We look forward to discussing the many ways that we can help you to improve your system’s performance.”
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
August/September 2026 20 Printerverse: Deb Corn puts forward the case for collaboration between printers.
Cover Story p2-4
2-4 Konica Minolta: The AccurioPro Color Manager has evolved further, with a dedicated cloud integration framework for significantly less manual effort enabling Konica Minolta to offer accessible colour management to its customers. PrintNZ p11-14
11 Comment: Ruth Cobb says that no matter who wins this year’s general election, PrintNZ will work with them for the benefit of its member.
27 Business: Andrew Ash addresses the preparation, systems, and the discipline that businesses need when disaster strikes. 47 Forum & Awards: The Printing, Packaging & Signage Forum has moved dates to next April now running alongside the Industry Training Graduations. Wide Format Plus p21-46
22 Aarque Group: Roland DG has released the world’s first Latex printer cutter, the TrueVis AG-640.
12-14 Helping Hand: Iain MacIntyre profiles Caxton managing director Bridget Batchelor as she reflects on three decades in the industry.
7 Durst: Recently unveiled at Labelexpo Europe 2025 in Barcelona, the Tau G3 Peak is a machine that represents the next evolution in Durst Tau technology. 16 Graffica: The Fengchi GW-1100BP flute laminator and the Model Y window patching machine have expanded Graffica’s portfolio. 18 Research: Smithers says companies need to understand the underlying drivers of the global printing industry. 19 Sustainability: WPO has released the Sustainability Country Perspectives Report, a resource for its members and the wider industry.
EDITORIAL: 021 631 559 Bruce Craig, Editor - bruce@newzealandprinter.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS: Ruth Cobb, Michelle Henry, Iain MacIntyre, Logan Sutton CIRCULATION: brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz
Caxton Board members and partners – page 12-14
26 NZSDA President: Exterior signage can easily fail when you don’t consider all the options. Logan Sutton shares some sage advice. 28-29 Make It Happen: If you have not joined LinkedIn, then you should click on now, says Michelle Henry. 30-40 NZSDA Awards winners: This year’s NZSDA Awards of Excellence produced a range of brilliant work. 42-46 2026 Sign + Print Expo: We caught up with visitors and suppliers at the recent expo, and we got their pictures too.
Aarque Group 9,23 APM 8 Currie Group 8,9 Cyber 52 Durst Oceania 7 Eamar Innovative Solutions 50 Graffica 17 Kirbyco 19 Konica Minolta 1,21 Make It Happen 29 NZP Forum & Awards 48-49 Pride In Print 51 PrintNZ 16,50 Wholesale Print 41
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24-25 NZSDA Update: Mikayla Hopkins talks to this year’s NZSDA Mana Influencer Aaron Joines.
Advertiser’s Index
Features p7-47
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CONTENTS
August/September 2026
DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2026 — Charted Media Group Pty Ltd
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DURST
Durst’s Tau G3 Peak makes North American debut Recently unveiled at Labelexpo Europe 2025 in Barcelona, the Tau G3 Peak is a machine that represents the next evolution in Durst Tau technology
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ndustrial digital UV inkjet label printing has continued to evolve to meet the demands of the industry, and at LOUPE Americas, Durst is excited to showcase two powerful technologies designed to help converters maximise efficiency and quality, while enabling them to further expand their capabilities and offerings.
exceptional output quality, the KJET offers endless possibilities for labels and packaging without compromising performance or print quality. The second joint development by the companies after the XJET, the KJET combines the ‘cylinder-base dual-servo’ flexo technology from OMET with the robustness and reliability of Durst’s RSCi digital printing engine.
Making its highly anticipated American debut at LOUPE Americas is the Tau G3 Peak, which was unveiled at Labelexpo Europe 2025 in Barcelona, representing the next evolution in Durst Tau technology. Engineered for converters seeking the highest levels of quality, productivity, and profitability, the G3 Peak delivers exceptional 1200dpi print resolution, outstanding colour consistency, and speeds of 80m/min which can optionally be expanded to 100m/min, depending on configuration. Print widths range from 244mm to 510mm, offering scalability for different production needs. For maximum colour flexibility, the Tau G3 Peak supports CMYK plus extended gamut options – Orange, Violet, Green, and White – available with both UV and LED curing. This versatility, combined with compatibility for substrates from paper to films and aluminium foils within a 20 to 500µm thickness range, ensures application diversity across labels and flexible packaging. The machine architecture, based on the proven Tau RSC design, introduces intuitive LED status displays, improved ergonomics, and optimised serviceability. A redesigned cooling system, electrical cabinet, and improved component accessibility simplify handling and maintenance. The ergonomic inspection unit, equipped with D50/RGB lighting and flexible adapters for inspection systems, further enhances process reliability. The G3 also comes equipped with some new productivity features: Durst ARC (Automatic Register Control) and Durst MEP (Material Edge Protection),
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It also offers operators a seamless experience with its user-friendly interface and ultra-short web path. This design minimises waste and reduces setup times, showcasing the advantages of digital printing. The Tau G3 Peak aims to provide quality, productivity, and profitability
making operation easier while boosting productivity. In addition, HAWK AI, Durst’s intelligent monitoring and assistance system, can be included to automate the colour-to-colour register and to provide closed loop nozzle correction during printing. “This marks the first time the Tau G3 Peak will be demonstrated in the United States, giving attendees an exclusive opportunity to experience its performance firsthand,” Durst said. Alongside the G3 platform, Durst will also feature a digital labels production machine, the KJET, which is the ultimate hybrid solution built to deliver flexibility, efficiency, and reliability for all label converting environments. A result of the Durst and OMET partnership, the KJET is one of the most versatile hybrid labels printing systems in the market, combining digital inkjet with conventional flexo and finishing in a single line. This integration allows inline varnishing, embellishment, and special effects, offering converters the best of digital productivity with the versatility of flexo. Designed to streamline operations and be easy to operate, while maintaining
The KJET is available in a 420mm-wide configuration, as well as a 510mm-wide configuration, and can hold up to nine colours in digital – CMYK, orange, violet, green, and double white. In addition, modules for finishing and further processing (such as cold foil stamping or die-cutting units) can be integrated into the KJET, offering flexibility and an enormously broad application portfolio. The configuration of the KJET can be tailored to the specific requirements of each customer. Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman said, “The North American launch of the Tau G3 Peak and the showcase of the Durst-OMET KJET represents a significant step forward for label converters looking to combine productivity, flexibility, and automation in a single production environment. “The Tau G3 Peak delivers exceptional print quality, high-speed performance, and intelligent automation, while the KJET extends those capabilities through a hybrid platform that seamlessly integrates digital printing with flexo and inline finishing. “Together, these solutions enable businesses to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and respond faster to evolving customer demands. They provide a future-ready production platform for both short run and high value label applications.”
August/September 2026
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TAU G3 Empower your business.
For more information, please visit durst-group.com/g3
NEWS IN BRIEF MESSE DÜSSELDORF is participating in the Printing United Expo 2023 to promote its drupa alliance portfolio of printing trade fair organized around the globe. At its booth, it will provide visitor and exhibitor information for drupa 2028, which runs from May 9-17, 2028 in Düsseldorf, Germany; All in Print China, October 2026 in Shanghai Pack Print Plas Philippines October 2026 in Manila; Print Pack Algers, April 2027 in Algiers, Algeria; and Pack Print International, September 2027 in Bangkok, Thailand. X-RITE PANTONE has announced eXact 2 Basic, the newest addition to the eXact 2 family of portable spectrophotometers. Designed for commercial print production, the eXact 2 Basic spectrophotometer combines density and Lab colour measurement in a standalone handheld device. X-Rite Pantone says the new spectrophotometer helps press operators move beyond visual inspection and densityonly workflows with fast, objective colour verification that supports more accurate production decisions. LOUPE SOUTH CHINA 2026, formerly Labelexpo South China, has opened registrations. The show takes place at Shenzhen from December 2–4, 2026. This year’s edition will be the largest in the show’s history, expanding across two exhibition halls and 30,000 square metres. Kevin Liu, from LOUPE Global, says, “The show presents the technologies and expertise needed to make decisions, such as what to invest in, how to integrate workflows, and which materials and curing methods to use.”
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Women In Print & Sign set for November PrintNZ has announced the dates and guest speaker for the Auckland and Christchurch Women In Print & Sign events, which will take place in November. Ruth Cobb, chief executive at PrintNZ, says, “Women In Print & Sign work as networking events specifically for the women in our industry. These sell-out events have become calendar highlights so be sure to put them in your diary and snap up your tickets, so you don’t miss out.” Raelen Castle ONZM, guest speaker for the events, is currently Group chief executive of Sport New Zealand. She has led several sporting organisations across New Zealand and Australia including the CanterburyBankstown Bulldogs, Rugby Australia, and Netball New
Xerox announces return to ANZ Xerox has confirmed it will return to the Australian and New Zealand production printing market with a new range of products in early 2027. This follows Xerox’s $1.5bn purchase of Lexmark, with the Lexmark brand subsequently phased out over the short to medium term.
Sell out events: Women In Print & Sign has become one of the must attend events on the print calendar
Zealand. Her personal sporting background includes representative-level netball, tennis, and lawn bowls. She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015 for services to
business and sport. The Christchurch event takes place at the Quality Hotel Elms on November 3, 2026. The Auckland event takes place at Sorrento in the Park on November 10, 2026.
Hubert Soviche, president of production printing EMEA, APAC, and LATAM for Xerox, says, “From day one in the production printing category we will go to market with the Xerox brand. Over time the Lexmark brand will cease to exist. “We are excited to announce the return of Xerox to the APAC market under our own brand. Our presence in the region was established in 1962 through a joint venture between Xerox and Fujifilm Holdings that concluded in 2021. Though the venture ended, our commitment to the region never did, and we are
proud to be building our next chapter here directly.” Stephen Bell, Lexmark regional director – ANZ, said, “We expect the production printing arm of the Xerox business to launch in Q1 next year. “By then we will have our reseller partners confirmed as well as our supply chain, technical services, marketing plans and our route to market. “What we want to avoid is starting the new business without being absolutely ready in terms of back office, product availability and reseller readiness.”
August/September 2026
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NEWS Mariano Imbrioscia joins Durst Oceania Experienced industry professional Mariano Imbrioscia has joined Durst Oceania as customer relations manager, his first role in a supplier business after over 30 years in print production. Excited to join Durst, having worked closely with the company for many years, he says, “I know Durst; I understand Durst; and I love Durst. I have worked with all the sales and service team members for many years, particularly during my time at Vivad, which has five Durst machines.” In his new role he will report to Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman, who says, “I’m thrilled that Mariano has joined us as our customer relations manager. His knowledge and experience
Mariano Imbrioscia and Matt Ashman from Durst Oceania
is second to none and having such a solid person in the business to help us support our customers is invaluable. Durst Oceania is seven years old this year and we have seen such amazing growth, thanks to our customers in Oceania, and Mariano is part of our team expansion plan to better deliver great service and support.”
Heidelberg announces ChromaStar ink dispensing system Heidelberg has announced what it calls “a comprehensive portfolio for the intelligent production and delivery of spot colours directly in the print shop”. The company says its new modular concept enables a tailor made configuration for different production volumes, from manual batch preparation with the ChromaStar entry level system to high performance, highly automated solutions for industrial applications. The ChromaStar series includes the X, S, M, and P models. The company says the concept supports the safe and efficient processing of conventional, UV, and lowmigration Saphira inks for applications in the food and non-food sectors, ensuring an efficient and resource-saving ink supply through precise dosing technology,
Heidelberg says intelligent spot colour production boosts productivity in packaging printing shops
short mixing times, and high process reliability. It adds that print shops benefit from higher productivity, reproducible colour results, and automation that is optimally tailored to their requirements. Designed for an annual spot colour volume of one to ten metric tons, the ChromaStar S, compact intelligent dispensing solution, is already available for customer demonstrations at Heidelberg’s ‘Home of Print’ in Wiesloch-Walldorf. Dr David Schmedding, chief strategy officer at Heidelberg, says, “With the new ChromaStar series, we are offering our customers, particularly in packaging printing, a highly integrated solution that improves productivity, quality, and sustainability in equal measure.
After almost nine years with Vivad in various roles including production manager, procurement, facilities manager, and operations manager, Mariano joined Melbourne-based Boom Studios in late 2025 as production manager. He says, “I really enjoyed my time at Vivad and Boom and I will bring all that experience to this role. I know exactly what it’s like to have a machine requiring service and I look forward to helping the Durst customers in my new role on this side of the fence.” He began his career in a prepress and scanning role in 1994. He trained at Omnigraphics in South Africa in 1997 and opened Omnigraphics Argentina shortly after. In this time, he embarked on further training at Prismaflex in Canada and Brazil as well. He worked as production manager at Omnigraphics in Melbourne for almost 14 years from 2022 to 2015 before joining Billboard Media for one year in 2016 and then moving on to Vivad. “At the same time, as a system integrator, we are further expanding our position in the market for consumables and tapping into additional growth potential in the packaging segment.” The solution links formulation, dosing, and colour control into a seamless process. In addition, a separate proof output supports colouraccurate communication throughout the process chain. As a result, colour definition and production match exactly, which is a decisive factor for quality and repeatability. Heidelberg says print shops expect a complete portfolio of process and spot colours from a single source adding that its Saphira consumables form an essential component of a high performance and cost-effective printing process. As one of the largest suppliers of consumables in the printing industry, the company combines a comprehensive portfolio with a global sales and service network and local application expertise. The company says these products, optimally tailored to Heidelberg presses and workflows, ensure consistent print quality, high process stability, and minimal downtime.
Auckland, Tuesday, April 20 2027
newzealandprinter.co.nz
August/September 2026
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NEWS Currie Group launches colour and media profiling service Currie Group has expanded its technical service offering with the launch of a dedicated colour and media profiling service, supported by its investment in a new Barbieri Spectro LFP qb spectrophotometer. The service enables Currie Group’s technical specialists to develop custom ICC profiles for specific printer, ink and media combinations, giving customers greater control over colour reproduction across their production environments. Unlike generic profiles, a custom ICC profile is created around the characteristics of the customer’s individual production conditions. This can improve colour accuracy and repeatability, maximise the available colour gamut and reduce the time and materials required to achieve an acceptable result.
Expertise across numerous platforms: Kent Xu, applications specialist Currie Group
The Spectro LFP qb provides fully automated reflection and transmission measurements, enabling Currie Group to create profiles for standard frontlit and backlit substrates. Equipped with a dedicated textile sample holder, the system also allows Currie Group to develop colour profiles for textile applications. Supporting this new capability is Kent Xu, who has joined Currie Group as applications specialist. Kent brings 20 years of print industry experience, including 15
Darren Currey joins Jet Technologies Jet Technologies has appointed Darren Currey to its print division. The company says Darren brings more than 30 years of experience supporting Australian and New Zealand customers across the print, packaging, and label industries. Jack Malki, director at Jet Technologies, says the appointment further strengthens the company’s capabilities across two important growth areas for the business. Jack comments, “Darren brings a wealth of experience across pressure sensitive labels and flexible packaging, along with a deep understanding of the challenges facing our customers. “His industry knowledge, technical expertise and customer-focused approach will be a valuable addition to the team as we continue to expand our offering and support customers across Australia and New Zealand.” Jet Technologies says Darren’s career has spanned some of the printing industry’s most recognised suppliers and key market segments. The company says that after commencing at Spicers Paper in 1995, he spent more than two decades building expertise across commercial print, fibre packaging, flexible packaging and pressure sensitive labels. As Spicers national narrow web manager, he played
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Jet Technologies has added Darren Currey to its print division
a key role in establishing its pressure sensitive label portfolio, introducing the business and their customers to a range of international supply partners that remain ongoing today. Most recently, Darren spent seven years as APAC sales director for Innovia Films, specialising in flexible packaging, pressure sensitive labels and unsupported BOPP films across Australia, New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region. He says Jet Technologies appealed to him because of its reputation within the industry and its approach to supporting its customers. He explains, “I have known Jack Malki and Jet Technologies for many years and have always found them to have a strong and reliable reputation throughout the market. The opportunity to join a dynamic company with a culture of doing things different from the rest was something that really appealed to me.”
years in application support and colour management roles across Australia and New Zealand. His technical expertise spans sign and display and corrugated printing, together with extensive knowledge of Onyx, Caldera, Fiery and Colorgate RIP and workflow platforms. Paul Whitehead, general manager for Commercial Sign & Display at Currie Group, says, the combination of the new technology and Kent’s expertise will provide customers with practical support in an increasingly colour-critical production environment. Paul says, “Colour performance is influenced by the complete production combination, including the printer, ink, media, RIP and operating conditions. “With Kent’s extensive knowledge and the new Spectro LFP qb, we can develop profiles around each customer’s specific production requirements, helping them achieve more predictable colour and greater consistency from one production run to the next. “This can also reduce the trial and error involved when introducing new media, helping customers save time, minimise waste and get more from their existing equipment.” Darren adds that throughout his career, he has worked with organisations focused on building strong market positions in highly competitive industries. Through this experience, he has developed a deep understanding of how innovation, product quality and commercial partnerships can create meaningful differentiation and long term success. He says, “Jet Technologies has built a strong position across the industries it serves, and I am excited to work with customers to identify opportunities, differentiate their offering to support long-term, sustainable growth. “Events over recent years have highlighted the importance of supply chain flexibility. Customers need confidence that they have options available and can respond when conditions change. Having access to the right products, suppliers and expertise will continue to be critical. “There is no shortage of discussion around the environment and sustainability, but there can often be conflicting messages about the best path forward. The industry will continue to benefit from greater clarity and consistency, helping businesses make informed decisions around packaging materials, recyclability and environmental outcomes. “Many label printers are exploring opportunities in flexible packaging in some form, while others are just beginning that journey. I look forward to helping customers develop solutions that support their needs today and position them for the future.”
August/September 2026
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PRINTNZ COMMENT
Who will it be? Lobbying is one of many ways PrintNZ delivers value on your behalf. to complete as much of its legislative programme as possible. These all require review for potential impact, discussion with members, discussion with other like groups, preparation of submissions and appearing before select committees in order to put across further points. The big ticket items for our industry this year have included New Zealand Post, Health and Safety reforms, Employment Relations legislation, Holidays Act amendments, energy uncertainty, ACC, and Immigration. Collaborating with other groups
Election advertising will heat up over the next few months
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s I write this, we are in that space leading up to the election, a frustrating time for many with work being put on hold as everyone waits to see who gets elected.
We do this in consultation with members and the Board of PrintNZ so that we can gather real life examples to understand how you might be impacted and what stance we should take on an issue.
At this point it, is difficult to pick who will win, how many parties will have a stake in the makeup of the government, and what they are promising for their first 100 days. But one thing that is certain is that whether we like who gets in or not, we have to work with the government of the day, so it is important to make our voice heard. Working with them is essential for maintaining transparency and accountability as they propose changes to meet the promises they made during the election campaign.
PrintNZ spends substantial time in this space, and it takes a number of forms and pathways. While getting in front of MPs is important, and we do that wherever we can, there is as much work to be done behind the scenes as there is in the front, and this includes:
Lobbying is one of the unseen tasks that PrintNZ undertakes on behalf of the industry, and it can be difficult to articulate the benefit of this in dollars and cents to our members (and non-members, who also reap the benefits). While you may feel it does not have a direct effect on your business, there are often hidden impacts and unintended consequences that we are looking to avoid. Acting as the voice of industry is a key role for every industry association. We act to represent the overarching view of what will be good for our industry and your business, and what is likely to make things difficult.
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Working with Policymakers Sometimes working inside the system with the policymakers allows your voice to be heard more directly where it matters. We do this by participating in government working groups or committees. It allows PrintNZ to be recognised as the industry voice and can result in us being sought out by other government departments when different issues arise. This work lets us put our opinion forward, get fast access to information and develop useful contacts for the future. Submissions As we head towards the end of a term of government, there have been many Bills and Consultation documents in circulation in order for the government
August/September 2026
Many of the issues we are dealing with are not unique to print and we have a network of other industry associations and likeminded groups that we work with and at times lobby collectively. The benefit of this is that it becomes a much larger representative voice with more chance of being heard. This includes issues as widespread as consumer law, business compliance, waste, sustainability etc. Every one of these affects more than just our industry, but it is also important not to just leave it to others to do the work. Campaigns to promote print While some see it as marketing, promoting the effectiveness and sustainability of print is a form of lobbying. In this case we are not just lobbying government, but also print buyers, designers, corporates and the public to understand the important role that print plays. Hence the development of the USE PRINT initiative and this, alongside other campaigns such as Printed In New Zealand, Two Sides and the Value of Paper and Print, is key to getting the right messages out there. And the role you play in these campaigns is just as important as the role we play. We may not take out a front page newspaper ad to broadcast our views, but you can be assured we are working hard on your behalf to represent the industry. Lobbying is an often unrecognised part of the work of an association, but it is a critical role and one of the many ways we deliver value on your behalf. Whoever the government may be, we need to work with it, so let’s get on with it. Ruth Cobb
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helping hand
Reflections on a career built on opportunity, people, and print Iain MacIntyre talks to Bridget Batchelor, managing director at Caxton, about her more than three decades career in the industry.
Bridget Batchelor, managing director at Caxton, is a proud supporter of the Pride In Print Awards
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alking through the doors of The Caxton Press as a 17 year-old office junior, Bridget Batchelor had no idea she was embarking on a flourishing career that has spanned over 32 years. Having risen to her current role of Caxton managing director in 2016, she reflects that the industry has “challenged me, shaped me and given me opportunities I could never have imagined”. She says, “Unlike many people in the industry, I didn’t come from a printing family. After leaving Villa Maria College in Christchurch at the end of Year 12, I enrolled at Christchurch Polytechnic (now Ara Institute of Canterbury) and completed a one-year office administration course. Near the end of the course, my tutor put my name forward for an interview at The Caxton Press for an office junior position.
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“Directors Bruce Bascand and Peter Watson interviewed me and fortunately for all of us, they offered me the job. I’ll always be grateful to Bruce and Peter for taking a chance on me. “That one decision changed the direction of my life. I was also fortunate to work for a company that believed in recognising hard work and giving people the chance to grow.” From the ground up Through a younger person’s eyes, Bridget recalls initially viewing the role as simply a job but as she began learning the industry from the ground up, the realisation soon dawned that she had found something she genuinely loved. She says, “There is something incredibly satisfying about seeing an idea become a finished product. Watching a blank
sheet of paper transform into something tangible that informs, inspires or promotes a business has never lost its appeal. “From the outset, every job was different, every day brought new challenges and there was a real sense of pride in producing work you could stand behind. Even after more than three decades, I still enjoy walking through a press room, smelling the ink and seeing everything come together.” She describes the “privilege” of having worked in almost every part of the business over the years – from accounts and production to sales and sales management, before then becoming director, managing director and ultimately owner. She explains, “Each role shaped me in different ways. Accounts gave me an understanding of the financial side of the business, production taught me the value of planning and attention to detail, while
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
helping hand
“Looking ahead, I hope to become more involved in the wider print industry and contribute more broadly to the sector that has given me so much.” With McHarg Bookbinders having made the decision to cease operation at the end of last year, Bridget and Caxton general manager Janice Page saw an opportunity to invest in additional capability for their business. Bridget says, “We decided to purchase their PUR binder, folder, wiro binding equipment and case binding machinery. We also welcomed several members of their team into our business, helping retain valuable skills and experience within the industry. This investment allowed us to bring these important finishing services into our own operation and continue meeting the needs of our customers. Janice Page and Bridget Batchelor
“The move was planned for early January, with Janice taking responsibility for managing the transition and helping establish the processes required for the new equipment. We were both excited about the year ahead and the opportunities this investment would bring.” Sadly, the year unfolded very differently from what they had expected. Bridget continues, “In mid-January, Janice became unwell and was diagnosed with a serious brain tumour. This has been an incredibly difficult time for Janice, her family and everyone at Caxton. “While Janice is no longer able to work, she remains very much part of the Caxton family and her presence, knowledge and friendship are deeply missed. On a personal level, one of the hardest parts has been not having Janice beside me; the person I have relied on to help make decisions, navigate challenges and share the responsibility of leading the business.
Bridget and Nic Batchelor
sales reinforced that lasting business is built on trust and relationships.
journey, while supporting the people who continue to make Caxton what it is today.”
“Every role deepened my appreciation for the people behind the business and the teamwork, commitment and pride that go into delivering quality work every day. Those experiences shaped not only the way I do business, but the way I lead.
Technology, acquisition and major blow
“Becoming owner was something else I never imagined when I first walked through the doors of Caxton. After starting as an office junior, the opportunity to take on ownership of the business was both a privilege and a responsibility. “It wasn’t just a career milestone, it was an opportunity to continue building on the culture and values that had shaped my own
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As traditional printing methods have gradually evolved into digital and automated processes during her career, Bridget describes having had a “front row seat to one of the biggest technological shifts the industry has ever seen”. She says, “It has meant continually learning, adapting and embracing new technology while still holding on to the craftsmanship and pride that have always defined good printing. My focus has always been on growing Caxton and working alongside our team and customers.
August/September 2026
“Her support, commitment and friendship have been invaluable over the years, and we all continue to think of her and her family and remain behind them through this challenging time.” Bridget praises Janice for her ability to make time for the things that matter. Bridget says, “Entering industry awards was never something I found enough time to prioritise, but Janice always made sure we took the opportunity to celebrate and showcase our work. Pride In Print became our awards programme of choice and over the years we have been fortunate to receive numerous accolades recognising the quality of our work and the dedication of our team. “During my time as managing director we have been proud to receive the Supreme Award, Supreme Runner Up Award,
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helping hand
Caxton Board members and partners, clockwise from top left: Victoria Biddick, Janice Page, Patrica Watson, Nic Batchelor, Bridget Batchelor, Jane Bascand, Bruce Bascand, Matthew Biddick, Peter Watson, and Glen Brovelli
Category wins in Publications, Paper & Board Packaging and Specialty Products, as well as the Inkjet Process Award and numerous Gold Medals.” Challenging times Alongside the successes, notable challenges include the Canterbury earthquakes and global pandemic. Bridget says, “Some of the greatest challenges come not from the presses, but from events beyond our control. The Christchurch earthquakes tested everyone. “After the earthquakes, our building was deemed unsafe and we were locked out for 12 weeks. Like so many Christchurch businesses, we had no idea how long it would last. “Yet, through determination, teamwork, and standing together, we found a way forward. It reminded me that the strength of a workplace comes not from the building itself, but from the people within it. “Years later, the Covid 19 pandemic presented another major challenge. Like many businesses, we had to adapt quickly to changing restrictions and new ways of working. Having already experienced the earthquakes, we understood the importance of supporting one another, remaining adaptable and focusing on what we could control.” Outside work While her career continues to play a significant role in her life, she emphasises it is only one part of her story. She says, “Away from work, my family has always been my greatest support. I met my husband, Nic, while working at Caxton.
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Bridget with her family, from left: James, Sam, and Nic
“At the time, he was our account manager for a paper merchant that supplied the business and we have been together ever since. These days Nic works in the building industry. “We have two sons who are both carving out successful careers of their own. One works in the gas industry, while the other is completing a printing apprenticeship at Caxton. “As a family, rugby played a huge part in our lives for many years. Winter weekends were spent on the sidelines supporting the boys, both of whom enjoyed successful rugby careers and played in the Miles Toyota 1st XV Premiership competition. “After injuries brought their playing days to an end, I found myself with a little more free time, which I now enjoy spending walking our dogs, getting outdoors and planning winter holiday escapes. When summer rolls around, you’ll usually find us at our family bach in Otematata, in the beautiful Waitaki District. “Whether it’s boating, fishing or simply enjoying the peace and quiet, it’s my happy place. It gives me a chance to relax, recharge and make lasting memories with family and friends. “My family’s support has given me the balance and perspective to navigate the highs and lows of business and reminded me that success isn’t measured solely by what we achieve at work, but by the people we share life with.” A rewarding journey Reflecting on the opportunity provided by Caxton’s directors at the start of her career, Bridget considers being able to
help others grow within the industry as one of the most rewarding parts of her journey. She says, “I have tried to carry that forward by giving others the chance to learn, develop and succeed. Seeing people gain confidence, build their skills and take pride in their work has been one of the most rewarding parts of leadership. “What has always kept me passionate about printing is the relationships. I’ve been fortunate to work alongside talented colleagues, loyal customers and dedicated suppliers who care deeply about producing quality work. Many have become friends and each has played a part in shaping my journey. “The print industry has given me much more than technical skills. It has taught me resilience, leadership and the importance of treating people with respect. It has shown me that success is built through strong relationships, trust and a willingness to keep learning. “It has given me purpose, lifelong friendships and a lifetime of memories I’ll always treasure. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. “More than three decades after walking through the doors of The Caxton Press as a 17-year-old with no experience, I remain incredibly proud to be part of this remarkable industry. “I’m grateful for the opportunities I was given, the people who have shared the journey with me and the opportunity to help shape Caxton’s future. I look forward to continuing that journey and seeing what lies ahead.”
August/September 2026
Iain Macintyre
newzealandprinter.co.nz
NEW PRODUCTS
Graffica doubles down on packaging innovation Graffica has expanded its offerings with the addition of the Fengchi GW-1100BP flute laminator and the Model Y window patching machine
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eading industry supplier Graffica has expanded its offerings with the addition of a new laminating machine, the Fengchi GW-1100BP, and a Model Y window patching machine that comes in several configurations. The company has supplied machinery to its New Zealand customers for some 25 years. Neil Southerington, director Graffica, says, ““We started with Autobox machinery for Custom Boxes JIT, but we have progressed to supplying all manner of packaging equipment via our Chinese Partner. We supply a diverse range of solutions to the Kiwi market.” The Fengchi GW-1100BP, a fully servo automatic flute laminator, delivers 15,000 sheets per hour with ±1.0 mm accuracy, engineered for high volume corrugated packaging plants that run 24/7. The ultra-high speed machine is designed specifically for laminating cardboard to corrugated board and cardboard to cardboard. Built to cater to converters that work with predominantly 1060 printing press sizes and smaller, the fully servo-driven GW-1100BP combines speed, precision, and automation with a smaller overall footprint. Automation is central to the GW-1100BP’s design. Intelligent servo controls simplify machine setup and operation, allowing operators to complete job changes quickly and efficiently while reducing manual intervention. The result is greater uptime, improved workflow efficiency, and more consistent production throughout extended operating shifts. Designed for continuous manufacturing environments, the GW-1100BP provides
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The Fengchi GW-1100BP flute laminator
the durability and stability required for demanding production schedules. Its versatility enables converters to process a wide range of packaging applications , from premium retail cartons to heavy duty corrugated packaging. Neil Southerington, director Graffica, says, “As packaging manufacturers continue to invest in automation and higher production efficiencies, the Fengchi GW1100BP provides a future ready laminating solution that combines high speed performance, intelligent technology, and dependable reliability in a single platform. The Model Y window patching machine is a hybrid unit of two existing models. Packaging manufacturers looking to increase throughput without compromising on quality can benefit from this full-servo hybrid window patching technology, designed to deliver high-speed production, precise registration, and long-term reliability across a broad range of carton applications. Suitable for products including electronic packaging, cosmetic boxes, cake boxes, tissue boxes, toy boxes, and other folding carton applications, the machine combines intelligent automation with advanced servo-driven accuracy. It can reach production speeds of up to 36,000 sheets per hour at 200m/min while maintaining continuous operation at 32,000 sheets per hour at 185m/ min. Its full-servo architecture provides flat-patching accuracy of ±1.0mm and registration precision of ±0.5mm, helping manufacturers achieve consistent quality while reducing waste. Nine servo motors work together to deliver intelligent, synchronised operation, eliminating traditional push-claw and glue-drive errors for more accurate positioning. Independent
The Model Y window patching machine
servo-controlled film feeding also prevents stretching. Automation features further streamline production through digital settings and one-touch adjustment for glue application, film feeding, and cutting. An intelligent sheet collection system automatically counts and stacks completed sheets for non-box products, reducing manual handling and improving overall workflow efficiency. Built for durability, the machine features servo systems with a 35 per cent load reserve and an expected service life of more than 15 years, supporting long-term operational reliability. Available in three models – BTM-760Y, BTM-950Y, and BTM-1100Y – the range accommodates various sheet sizes while supporting cardboard from 200gsm to 2,000gsm and corrugated board from 1mm to 4mm thick. It also processes PET and PVC films, providing converters with the flexibility to produce a wide variety of premium window-patched packaging applications. Neil says, “We have installed several machines in New Zealand over the last two years, including a Fengchi Fast set up high speed laminating machine to an existing Century die-cutter customer. Another established customer installed a Wonderjet Digital printer, a Corrfold Folding box gluer, a high speed Slotting machine, a board auto set slitter, as well as a an Ameida cutting table with Auto feeder. Next month we will see a second glue plotter installed in Auckland. “Anyone interested in the full servo Laminating machine can see one running in Melbourne or Sydney.”
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
PACKAGING AND DISPLAY EQUIPMENT
Scan HERE to visit our YouTube channel.
See our range of folding box gluers, board slitters, creasing machines, auto loaders, unloading cutting tables and more.
CARTONFOLD PRO
Available in 650, 850, and 1100 with auto-set and job recall. Features crash-lock and 4/6 point gluing. Optional pre-feeder/ packer operates at 450 M/min. The CorrFold range is also available in 1450, 1700, 2100, 2300, 2800, and 3200, also with crash-lock and 4/6 point gluing. Includes auto-set/recall, pre-creasing unit, and pre-feeder/stacking, operating at 300 M/min.
HIGH-SPEED LAMINATING MACHINES
Ameida Cutting Tables. Now with an auto feeder (not shown).
• Fengchi GW Series, 16,000 SPH • Handles single face, F flute up to 10mm • Top sheet range: 120 gsm – 700 gsm • Single-sided, double-sided, and partial laminating • 3-minute job changeover • Available sizes: 1060 / 1450 / 1700 / 2200
• A dozen machines installed across Australia • Oldest machine has been in operation for more than 10 years and is still running daily • Now available with auto feeding • Introductory offer – Cutting table with auto feeder, including cut and crease functionality, from $75,000 installed
Discover our range of cutting and glue plotter tables!
Graffica Pty Ltd Phone +61 477 200 854 I Email grafficapl@bigpond.com I Visit Us www.graffica.com.au
STUDY
Smithers shares global printing industry forecasts to 2031 The companies that understand the underlying drivers of the global printing industry are
Image credit: istock.com/DmyTo
the ones most likely to emerge in a stronger competitive position, according to Smithers
The global print sector has navigated significant disruption over the past five years
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he global printing industry is undergoing a period of profound structural change. Establishment numbers are falling, workforces are contracting, and the forces reshaping demand show no signs of reversing. To make sense of where the market is heading, Smithers analyst Jon Harper Smith – author of newly published report The Future of Printer Demographics to 2031 – sets out the forces reshaping the competitive landscape. Q: How has the global printing industry changed in recent years? A: The contraction has been significant and sustained. In 2024, there were 353,707 printing and allied industries establishments operating across the countries covered in our research – a decline of 7.9 per cent from 384,102 in 2019. Employee numbers tell a similar story: the sector employed 3.4 million people in 2024, down 12.7 per cent from 3.9 million in 2019. These are not marginal shifts; they reflect a structural realignment that was already underway before 2019 and has accelerated since. Q: What is driving this decline? A: Several forces are converging. The most fundamental is the longterm reduction in demand for physical print, particularly in commercial and publication segments. The transition to digital content distribution has hit newspapers, magazines, and advertising print especially hard. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated an already
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established downward trend, and a series of subsequent geopolitical events meant that any recovery was short-lived. Beyond demand-side pressures, there are operational factors at work. Newer printing presses are substantially more productive than the equipment being retired, meaning more output can be achieved with fewer machines and fewer facilities. This is compounding the decline in establishment numbers as the industry rationalises. Sustainability concerns are also playing a role, with consumers and content owners increasingly questioning the case for physical print – though there is some pushback on this. Recruitment and retention remain a persistent challenge. Across most regions, companies report difficulty attracting qualified press operators. The industry is widely perceived as unattractive, and the skills required for newer, more sophisticated equipment are in short supply. Q: Are all regions equally affected? A: No, and the regional picture is one of the more telling findings in our data. Asia is by some distance the largest region in the sector, accounting for 41.9 per cent of global establishments and 55.4 per cent of all employees in 2024. Crucially, its share has held up better than other regions – and in the case of employee share, has actually increased slightly since 2019. This reflects a combination of populationdriven domestic demand growth and Asia’s substantial export position.
At the other end of the spectrum, Latin America, and Eastern Europe have seen the steepest proportional falls in establishment numbers. North America sees the largest fall in terms of employee numbers, followed by both Eastern and Western Europe. Q: What is the outlook to 2031? A: The decline will continue, but the rate is expected to slow. Publication and graphic printing – the segments most exposed to digital substitution – will keep contracting, though some titles will persist as niche or premium physical products. Packaging and labels are growing segments, though their data sits outside the scope of this particular analysis. Several dynamics are expected to shift in the sector’s favour over the forecast period. Physical print is viewed as highly effective in advertising and other media. Plus, the rise of AI-generated content has created a trust deficit in digital channels that physical print does not share. On the skills side, enhanced automation in newer press generations is expected to narrow the workforce gap, and the industry is making progress through training and support programmes. The broader acceptance that remote working has its limits also removes one longstanding deterrent to press-floor careers. Q: What should businesses be taking from this data? A: The outlook is challenging, but not without strategic opportunity. The businesses best positioned for 2031 are those investing in high-productivity equipment, building capability in growing segments, and operating in – or supplying to – markets where domestic demand and export strength provide a buffer against Western print contraction. Asia, as our data confirms, will only grow in importance as the anchor of global print activity. The sector has navigated significant disruption over the past five years. The companies that understand the underlying drivers are the ones most likely to emerge in a stronger competitive position.
August/September 2026
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SUSTAINABILITY
WPO releases Sustainability Country Perspectives Report Packaging plays a crucial role in waste management.
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he World Packaging Association (WPO) has released its 2025 WPO Sustainability Country Perspectives Report.
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Nerida Kelton, vice president of WPO, says, “The 2025 WPO Sustainability Country Perspectives Report was extremely well supported by WPO members across the globe. “The report provides a comprehensive overview of global sustainability efforts in packaging and waste management, emphasising the critical role of packaging in reducing food waste and the barriers and challenges that WPO members face across the world when looking at recycling, reprocessing and overall sustainability programmes and regulations. The report’s key discussion points include: • Global collaboration: Through its membership, the WPO connects the packaging community worldwide to share knowledge, develop guidelines, and promote sustainable practices. • Country-specific efforts: Insights into sustainability goals, recycling programs, and challenges faced by various countries. • Food waste vs packaging waste: The intersection between packaging design and food waste reduction, emphasising the need for balance between functionality and environmental impact.
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Nerida Kelton, vice president WPO
The report also outlines global barriers to achieving collection, sortation, recycling, and reprocessing goals. It names these barriers: • Lack of infrastructure: many countries lack adequate facilities for waste collection, sorting, and recycling, making it difficult to process recyclable materials effectively. • Funding challenges: insufficient financial support from governments and industries to develop recycling programs and facilities. • Human behaviour: consumer apathy, lack of awareness, and improper disposal habits hinder recycling efforts. • Weak government regulations: inconsistent or poorly enforced laws and policies related to recycling create obstacles for achieving sustainability goals. • Collaboration issues: limited cooperation across the supply chain, including manufacturers,
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retailers, and waste management organisations, affects the efficiency of recycling systems. Economic constraints: recycling programmes often face financial challenges, especially in regions with struggling economies. Technological gaps: lack of advanced recycling technologies to process complex materials, such as soft plastics and multi-layer packaging. Education and awareness: limited public education about the importance of recycling and how to do it correctly.
Nerida adds that addressing these barriers requires coordinated efforts across governments, industries, and communities, including infrastructure development, public education, policy enforcement, and technological innovation. She says, “The WPO aims to bridge these gaps by supporting members across the globe to have access to updated resources, position papers, reports, training and education, best practice examples and case studies, the Global Packaging Design for Recycling Guide, waste stream mapping tools and access to training in food waste and save food packaging design and reports like this one. “The Sustainability Survey is an important resource for not only WPO members, but also the wider industry. The results will assist global discussions and to also better understand the lens of each of our member countries.”
Reduce your print waste. Switch to sustainable PVC-free ZERO media. Recycled in NZ into fence posts.
www.kirbyco.co.nz
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August/September 2026
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PRINTERVERSE
Collaboration transforms print businesses into creative hubs By strengthening internal processes and openly inviting partners into customer-facing
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ustomer collaboration has the potential to transform how printers position themselves, opening the door to becoming creative hubs for ideas, partners, and execution. Printers are surrounded by customer relationships that are far more complex than a job ticket suggests. Customers bring business goals, timelines, budgets, internal constraints, creative ideas, and outside partners into every engagement. What varies is not the presence of collaboration, but how intentionally it is designed. For many printers, customer collaboration happens tactically. A file is reviewed. A problem is solved. A deadline is met. The interaction ends when the job ships. That approach works, but it limits what collaboration could enable. The opportunity is not just to collaborate more, it is to collaborate differently. That idea surfaced clearly in a recent episode of Podcasts From the Printerverse, Moving into Obsession with Tobias Degsell, founder of Combiner and the former Curator of the Nobel Prize Museum, whose work focuses on how innovation emerges across disciplines. One insight from that conversation applies directly to print: meaningful progress rarely comes from isolated effort; it comes from creating the right conditions for collaboration early in the process. Customer collaboration Customer collaboration starts with how printers structure engagement, not how they price jobs or scope services. It begins by asking where customers are being forced to manage complexity on their own and where earlier collaboration could prevent friction later. Where are customers juggling designers, marketers, data providers, mailing requirements, the post office, shipping, and logistics teams without a central point of coordination? Where are decisions being
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Image credit: istock.com/ipopba
conversations, printers can become the place where solutions come together. mind. Fewer assumptions are made. Fewer revisions are needed. Outcomes improve because decisions are informed earlier. Customer collaboration also reshapes how printers engage with the broader industry. Relationships with technology providers, manufacturers, associations, and service partners become more valuable when they are activated in service of the customer experience, not bolted on as afterthoughts. Owning the experience Meaningful progress comes from creating the right conditions for collaboration early in the process
made without production insight until it is too late to influence outcomes? The goal is not for printers to take control of everything. The goal is to create a collaborative environment where customers are supported from idea to execution, even when multiple partners are involved. This is where printers have the opportunity to function as creative hubs. Not by rebranding themselves or claiming a new title, but by intentionally designing customer collaboration that brings the right people into the conversation at the right time. That might mean introducing partners instead of handing customers off. It might mean hosting working sessions that align creative intent with production realities. It might mean creating structured moments where customers, designers, and production teams can collaborate before work fragments into disconnected steps. None of this requires printers to become agencies or consultants. It requires them to decide whether customer collaboration is incidental or strategic.
The opportunity is not to compete with agencies, platforms, or technology providers, and it is not to pretend that one business can be everything to everyone. The opportunity is to own the middle of the customer experience, intentionally, visibly, and confidently. Printers already sit at the intersection of ideas, execution, and production. The shift is recognising that customer collaboration can activate that position. By strengthening internal processes and openly inviting partners into customerfacing conversations, printers can become the place where solutions come together, not just where jobs are produced. This is where customer collaboration stops being abstract and starts being operational. Where partners are introduced, not hidden. Where capabilities are explained, not implied. Where customers are welcomed into a connected environment instead of being sent elsewhere to manage it alone. The printers who lean into this mindset will not be defined by what they sell. They will be defined by what they enable for their customers. Consider this question in your planning: Will you remain one piece of the puzzle, or will you become the place where the puzzle comes together?
When customer collaboration is intentional, customers experience continuity instead of coordination fatigue. Ideas are developed with execution in
August/September 2026
Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse at Print Media Centr.
newzealandprinter.co.nz
Roland DG opens the throttle with new TrueVis AG-640 Aarque Group brings the world’s first latex printer/cutter from Roland DG to New Zealand this September :
When good signs don’t last • Meet our Mana Influencer • Getting on LinkedIn
WIDE FORMAT
Roland DG opens the throttle with new TrueVis AG-640 Aarque Group brings the world’s first latex printer/cutter from Roland DG to New Zealand this September. Smooth print quality Roland DG has engineered the TrueVis AG-640 to deliver consistent, high quality output across demanding jobs. Darrin says, “It delivers richer blacks, smoother gradients, crisp detail, visibly reduced grain and an expanded colour performance from improved inks. For panels, reprints and brand-critical graphics, that means more confidence that today’s output will match tomorrow’s.
The world’s first latex printer/cutter: The Roland DG TrueVis AG-640
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oland DG announced the TrueVis AG-640 at this year’s Fespa Global Print Expo in May. The company has now officially launched the new 64inch latex printer/cutter for sign, display and graphics production. National supplier Aarque Group describes it as “full throttle large format print production”. Darrin Weir, general manager, Aarque Group, says, “The numerous innovative features in the Roland DG TrueVis AG640 give signage and print professionals a string of reasons to make a home for this new machine. You can now move beyond the limitations of other latex solutions. “It offers lower running costs, smoother output, expanded colour, dense white ink, as well as integrated print and cut production. For signage and print shops looking to move beyond existing latex limitations and take on more profitable work with confidence, this new machine delivers. “Latex technology has been around long enough for everyone to know its capabilities and the Roland DG TrueVis AG-640 delivers all the advantages of latex and more. Its premium print and cut production is a first for latex workflow. “The Roland DG TrueVis AG-640 enables you to expand your application range, from vehicle graphics and window displays to signage, exhibitions, decals and interiors, it gives you more ways to turn everyday latex production into sellable, high impact work.”
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Increasing productivity Darrin points out that the Roland DG TrueVis AG-640 takes fewer steps to achieve finished work. He says, “Productivity means more than just print speed. Several factors can contribute to lower productivity such as time lost to setup, calibration, wasted media, curing, handling and unnecessary production steps. “The Roland DG TrueVis AG-640 addresses these issues and reduces that friction in your production process with faster startup; improved media saving functions; as well as instant curing and integrated print and cut capability for short run labels, decals, stickers, and contour-cut graphics. “Its improved media pull-back and intelligent curing help reduce blank space and waiting time between jobs, supporting leaner day to day production. In addition, long life piezo heads and warranty options help deliver significantly lower ownership costs than consumablehead latex systems. Efficient ink use helps reduce the cost of everyday sign, display and graphics work. “For higher volume cut work, compatibility with other popular cutters helps the Roland DG TrueVis AG-640 fit into established production workflows, giving print professionals the flexibility to choose the right route for each job. Warranty options help make printhead and device costs more predictable over time.”
An expanded colour gamut enables you to achieve vivid, accurate colour reproduction with improved CMYK, Orange and Red and White inks. You can create layered and transparent graphics with its smooth, high-density white output. The Roland DG True Vis AG-640 optimises ink usage with its advanced ink control using dedicated colour and optimiser channels, variable droplet sizes and precise ink placement. Roland workflow advantages Roland DG offers a raft of RIP and software innovations to improve performance. Darrin says, “From job setup and colour control to printer monitoring and performance tracking, the TrueVis AG640 includes software tools that help print professionals manage latex production with greater visibility and confidence. “In terms of RIP software, you can power your workflow with Roland DG’s most intelligent engine yet. Roland DG Connect enables you to monitor performance, streamline setup, and continue producing great work. You can prepare jobs, manage colour and control output with Roland DG’s latest RIP software, supporting efficient production from setup to print. “The Roland DG TrueVis AG-640 is the ideal solution for anyone looking for lower cost latex production with higher value output from short runs to volume work. It truly is full throttle latex printing. “The team at Aarque Group looks forward to discussing this exciting new development in wide format printing with you.”
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
The world’s first Latex printer/cutter
Full-throttle latex Move beyond the limitations of other latex solutions.
LOWER-COST LATEX PRODUCTION
HIGH-VALUE OUTPUT
FROM SHORT RUNS TO VOLUME WORK
Take control of everyday latex running costs
Create higher-value latex output more easily
⊲ Efficient ink use helps reduce the cost of everyday sign, display, and graphics work.
⊲ Improved CMYK plus Orange and Red inks deliver an exceptionally wide latex colour gamut for brand-critical graphics.
⊲ Faster start-up and intelligent curing help reduce waiting time in everyday latex production.
⊲ Long-life, variable-dot piezo printheads reduce reliance on consumable-head replacement.
⊲ High-opacity, low-maintenance white ink supports graphics on transparent and coloured media.
⊲ Improved media-saving functions help reduce blank space and curing time between jobs.
⊲ Warranty options help make printhead and device costs more predictable over time.
⊲ High-density black, smoother gradients and a more natural media finish help deliver premium results across demanding aplications.
⊲ Integrated print and cut* adds flexibility for short-run labels, decals, stickers and contour-cut graphics.
Keep everyday latex production moving faster
* AG-640 uses a single cut-and-print workflow, with cutting performed before printing while preserving registration accuracy.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT AARQUE GROUP LIMITED 0508 22 77 83 www.aarque.co.nz
NZSDA UPDATE
Aaron Joines is the 2026 Mana Influencer Mikayla Hopkins introduces the 2026 Mana influencer who demonstrates leadership and a strong commitment to the sign industry.
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he NZSDA announced Aaron Joines as the recipient of the 2026 Mana Influencer Award at the NZ Sign Display Awards of Excellence. The award recognises Aaron’s leadership, generosity, and ongoing commitment to the industry. The Mana Influencer Award recognises people who demonstrate leadership, courage and strong ethics, while going above and beyond for their industry and community. Melissa Coutts nominated Aaron for his continued involvement in the industry, from hosting regional meetings to attending careers evenings and sharing his knowledge with young people. Aaron is always leading from the top in his local area. For any assistance the Association needs, Aaron is the first one to offer and put up his hand. “Aaron has a real passion for youth and an excellent advocate influencing them with his character, wit and knowledge of sign making.” Aaron, from Tauranga-based Alternative Graphics & Design, says the announcement at the awards came as a complete surprise. He explains, “To be totally honest, I never thought that my name was even going to be announced, I was about to get up and go to the loo. But thought I would wait to see who got it before I left the room. I don’t think it really sank in until my wife Amber was in total hysterics and screaming, then hugged me. “It was definitely an awesome feeling of love from so many of our NZSDA family. Coming every year to the sign awards and the conference, we are meeting new people and seeing the regular faces, and they all now feel like a family of signees that we see once a year. Being recognised by everyone felt like a huge sense of accomplishment.”
Aaron Joines, 2026 Mana Influencer
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Aaron sees mana as closely connected to strength, determination and perseverance. He says, “Mana means strong. Some days I feel like this and some days not so much. Some days I feel like running a company can give you strength or take it away.”
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
NZSDA UPDATE
From left: Peter Inder, 2025 Mana Influencer; Aaron Joines; and Logan Sutton, NZSDA president
“I have now been in this industry for just over 30 years, and I’m still learning. I’m not the type of guy to say I know it all. And I don’t feel like I’ve ever met someone who does. I have always felt like the meaning of life is to not give up, being motivated to get out of bed and go be the best you possibly can in the role that you were given/choose to do every day.” Aaron’s commitment to the industry extends well beyond his own workshop. He regularly connects with schools and careers programmes to show young people what is possible within sign making. He says, “Having students into our workshop and showing them just what we can make and achieve, and then they say stuff like ‘Wow that is so cool!’ It makes me feel like maybe one of them might get inspired by what I’m doing.” Alternative Graphics & Design has taken part in the last two National Sign Making Days. Aaron believes more sign shops need to take the initiative when it comes to promoting the industry. His advice to other sign makers is simple: make contact with your local schools, connect with careers teachers and Gateway facilitators, and invite students into your workshop. He says, “Drive to the school, walk into the reception and ask who their careers people are, then connect with them, tell them about National Sign Making Day. And let’s get more students in.” He also sees enormous value in sign makers supporting one another and sharing knowledge. He says, “Just get out there and touch base with likeminded Signees, create a group chat, get conversations started and help each other.” For Aaron, that sense of connection is one of the best things about being involved with the NZSDA. He adds, “If you’re thinking of joining the NZSDA, do it! You’ll create friendships that will go the distance till you’re grey and old.
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“The NZSDA members that we see each year are now like a large signee family, and it leaves me with a full happy heart when I say goodbye at the end of the awards and conference knowing that they are there to back us.” Aaron’s willingness to put his hand up was also evident during the 2026 Sign and Print Expo. He came up early to help with setup, putting together hundreds of goodie bags and stayed late to help with pack down. The NZSDA Board commented that seeing him jump in and help, without even knowing he had been chosen as the Mana Influencer, only reinforced what a great choice he was. Association perceptions Over the last month I have had the opportunity to visit quite a few sign shops, dropping off copies of the 2026 Pricing Guide to NZSDA members, and catching up with non-members along the way. It is always interesting sitting down with people one-on-one and hearing their different experiences and perspectives. Every conversation serves as a great reminder of how diverse the sign industry really is. One thing these conversations have highlighted is that there are still plenty of outdated perceptions of the NZSDA out there. It has been great to have the opportunity to challenge those perceptions head-on and talk about just how much the association has changed and grown. Over the last few years, we have introduced new member benefits that offer real tangible value and are more closely aligned with the realities of running a sign shop. We’ve launched the new Master Sign Maker accreditation, offering a publicly recognised standard
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of excellence for sign businesses to work towards. We have moved beyond the ‘old boys club’ perception and are working to create a more inclusive association that represents the industry as a whole. We get out and visit members around the country; we have reintroduced regional meetings; we have run the first Young Signee of the Year competition; and we have delivered our biggest Expo and Awards. We have committed to listening to what our members need, understanding the challenges they face, and doing everything we can to help solve those problems. As we start to see our hard work materialise, our goal now is to grow the association so we can reach more of the industry and help more sign businesses reach their full potential. We want to bring more sign shops into the fold and give them access to the knowledge, experience and support that can help them operate at a higher level. An association is about more than resources and events. It’s about people learning from each other and having somewhere to turn for guidance, ideas and support. Experienced sign shops share what they’ve learned with newer operators, businesses share solutions and learn from each other’s successes and mistakes, and we can help connect the right people and knowledge when businesses need it. The more sign shops we can bring into that network, the more we can do to support them, learn from each other and help each other grow. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier Mikayla Hopkins, Lead Projects, Events, and Marketing Specialist NZSDA
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NZSDA PRESIDENT’S CORNER
When good signs don’t last Logan Sutton offers some tips on successful exterior signage.
Not achieved: exterior signage requires careful consideration for longevity
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couple of conversations I have participated in lately have concerned signs that simply haven’t lasted as long as expected. Sometimes the problem isn’t necessarily what we’ve used. It’s where we’ve used it. My shop is based in New Plymouth, and we do work right around the mountain. One thing this has taught me is that the sign I make on the other side of the mountain is quite likely going to be different from the sign I make here, where our main street is only about 500 metres from the Tasman Sea.
we expect the sign to last, the hardware holding it up needs to last too. Seagulls love polystyrene. Your sign won’t I remember a local shop getting brandnew dimensional signs many years ago. They looked stunning, all painted up in navy and red. Within a few months, the seagulls had pecked away at the edges, revealing the white foam underneath. A three-month-old sign suddenly looked 10 years old.
Salt gets into everything. Something that might happily last seven or 10 years inland can start looking pretty average surprisingly quickly near the sea. So, here are a few of my Do Nots for exterior signage in coastal environments.
If you are going to use polystyrene outside, particularly around the coast, make sure it is properly protected with an appropriate coating system.
Zinc screws? Just don’t
I see this on aluminium letters, lightboxes and tavern-style blade signs far too often. The paint starts bubbling and eventually flakes away, and what was once a tidy sign looks rough well before its time.
This one blows my mind with how often I see it. You make a beautiful new sign, install it near the coast and before long, those screws start rusting, leaving horrible brown streaks down the face. The sign might be fine.
Raw aluminium and paint don’t mix
It’s the few dollars’ worth of fixings holding it up that let the whole job down. Use quality stainless fixings suitable for the environment. Simple.
Preparation matters. Degrease it properly, etch prime it, then use a suitable paint system. Just because aluminium doesn’t rust like steel doesn’t mean you can throw some paint over it and she’ll be right. Salt will soon prove otherwise.
Don’t let the hardware let you down
Protect those ACM edges
The same goes for galvanised eyebolts and D-shackles on under veranda signs. They might look fine when the sign goes up but give them a few years of salty air, and it’s a different story. They rust, stain and deteriorate.
ACM is everywhere in our industry, and for good reason. But on exterior signage, particularly shop fascias, think about those cut edges. A cut edge facing upwards becomes a perfect little shelf for moisture, salt and grime. Once corrosion gets into that exposed aluminium edge, you can end up with bubbling and delamination. A sign that might give
More importantly, they’re part of what is holding that sign above people’s heads. If
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you seven-plus years inland can have its life dramatically shortened beside the sea. Fold it, cap it, protect it or detail it differently. Don’t leave that edge sitting there hoping for the best. Mild steel can become a problem I’ve seen lightboxes, plinth signs and other sign structures fabricated from mild-steel hollow section with steel plates welded onto them, then painted and installed near the coast. They look great when they’re new. Then the corrosion starts. The plates begin blowing out, rust appears around the welds and joints, and the connection between the hollow section and steel plate starts corroding away. More than just appearance, this is a safety issue. A freestanding sign blowing over or a projecting sign coming away from a building can hurt someone. We need to consider the whole life of the structure; not just how good it looks when we drive away from the installation. Make the sign for where it is going Although 25 years of making signs around Taranaki has taught me plenty, I am still learning. I think that’s one of the strengths of our industry. We talk, we share what works and what doesn’t, and hopefully we all get a little better because of it. When you quote an exterior sign, ask yourself: Where is this sign going to live? Sometimes the smallest change in how we make it today can add years to the life of the sign.
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Logan Sutton President NZSDA
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COMMENT
Mitigating disaster risk in business Andrew Ash addresses the preparation, systems, and the discipline needed to adapt
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Image credit: istock.com/BlackSalmon
n business, disasters are rarely single catastrophic events. More often, they are the result of compounding small failures – missed signals, outdated systems, complacency, or the belief that yesterday’s success guarantees tomorrow’s success. Mitigating disaster risk is not about predicting every possible crisis; it is about preparation, intention, and disciplined execution that allows a business to respond rather than react. The strongest organisations operate with the mindset that something will go wrong. Their competitive advantage lies in how well they prepare for that inevitability. Preparation: winning before the crisis Preparation is a behavior. Businesses that survive disruption treat preparation as an ongoing process rather than an annual planning exercise. Preparation includes scenario planning, stress testing assumptions, cross training key roles, and ensuring that critical knowledge is not locked inside one person’s head. True preparation answers one core question: What happens to the business if a key person, system, supplier, or assumption disappears tomorrow? When this thinking is embedded early, disasters rarely become existential threats. Instead, they become operational challenges that can be worked through with confidence and clarity. Asking the uncomfortable questions Many businesses avoid asking “what could go wrong?” because it feels pessimistic. In reality, it is one of the most optimistic questions a leader can ask because it assumes the business will still be standing afterward. Common failure points include: • Over reliance on one or two key people • Undocumented processes • Single points of failure in technology or suppliers • Cash flow fragility • Decisions driven by habit rather than data
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Mitigating disaster risk in business is not about fear, it is about discipline
By identifying these risks early, leaders convert uncertainty into readiness. The Michael Phelps lesson Michael Phelps did not win eight Olympic gold medals by waking up inspired each morning. He won by building routines so deeply ingrained that even chaos could not knock him off course. Before every race, Phelps followed the same routine – visualisation, music, warm up, and timing. When his goggles famously filled with water during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he did not panic. He had already rehearsed that scenario mentally. He knew his stroke count. He trusted the system. Businesses need the same discipline. When a crisis hits, decision making capacity shrinks. Routines and systems then become the difference between execution and collapse. The hidden weapon of resilience Routine creates stability when external conditions are unstable. In business, this means: • Regular financial reviews • Consistent operational reporting and forecasting • Defined escalation paths for problems • Predictable decision frameworks Routine removes emotion from critical moments. It ensures that when pressure rises, the business falls back on process rather than impulse. Ironically, routine is what enables flexibility. The more consistent the foundation, the easier it is to adapt at speed. Designing for continuity
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Disaster planning should not live in a binder on a shelf. It should be active, tested, and understood. Effective disaster planning focuses on: • Continuity of cash flow • Continuity of decision making authority • Continuity of customer service • Continuity of data and access The question is simple: How does the business continue to operate tomorrow, even if today goes wrong? Well designed plans do not eliminate loss, but they prevent disorder – which is often more damaging than the initial crisis itself. Choosing to be proactive Resilient businesses are intentional businesses. Intention is the deliberate choice to design for sustainability, not just speed. It governs how decisions are made, how risks are treated, and how much margin for error is built into the organisation. Without intention, businesses drift. With intention, they prepare. Don’t live the same year for 20 years Perhaps the greatest long term business disaster is stagnation disguised as experience. Repeating the same year for two decades does not create wisdom – it creates blind spots. Markets change. Technology shifts. Customer expectations evolve. Businesses that learn, adapt, and refine their systems continuously are the ones that stay relevant. Resilience is not static. It is a habit. Mitigating disaster risk in business is not about fear, it is about discipline. Like Michael Phelps, the most successful organisations win long before the race begins. Through preparation, routine, systems, and intentional growth, they ensure that when things go wrong, they are ready. Disaster does not reward talent alone. It rewards those who prepared. Andrew Ash is a business advisor, fractional CFO, and tax agent. He can be contacted at pfbconsulting@outlook.com or +61412 055 814.
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MAKE IT HAPPEN
Increase the professional visibility of your business Michelle Henry discusses how sign and print industry professionals miss out when they ignore LinkedIn.
New Zealand audiences might not hit the Comment buttons, but they still remember the person they silently follow
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alk into any sign or print shop and you’ll find skill, creativity, and problem solving that most people never see. Our industry is full of skilled humans who bring brands to life every single day. Yet, when you look at LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional visibility platform, you will see that most sign and print businesses are either absent or barely present. That is a huge missed opportunity. LinkedIn is no longer a corporate CV site. It is a trust building engine. A place where the human behind the business can finally be seen. A platform that rewards authenticity, expertise, and consistency but not sales pitches. For sign and print businesses, it offers one of the simplest and lowest cost ways to stand out in a crowded market and attract higher value clients. But right now, most of our industry isn’t using it strategically. Which means the door is wide open for those who do.
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The human behind the business Sign and print are deeply human industries. Clients choose you because of your reliability, your communication, your craftsmanship, and your ability to solve problems under pressure. LinkedIn is the one platform where you can show that human side, your values, your approach, your team, and your expertise, in a way that builds trust long before someone needs your services.
tips, or even simple behind the scenes moments, you become the person they trust before they ever need you. Trust isn’t built through advertising; it is built through familiarity. Showcasing expertise without selling One of the biggest fears in our industry is sounding ‘salesy’. The good news? LinkedIn rewards education, not selling.
People buy from people. LinkedIn lets them meet you, and as our industry is so visual, we can really use this platform to showcase what we can do.
On LinkedIn, you can talk about:
Building trust through visibility
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Most sign and print work is reactive. A business needs a sign, so they call whoever they remember. LinkedIn flips that dynamic. When you show up consistently by sharing insights, project case studies, installations, compliance
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Why window manifestation matters. The importance of brand continuity across all print media. How print can help you to be seen. How to choose materials for longevity or sustainability. How vehicle branding is one of the most effective forms of advertising.
None of this is selling. It is teaching and teaching positions you as the expert.
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MAKE IT HAPPEN When you show up consistently, you will stand out quickly. Here are 10 ways you can get your LinkedIn profile noticed. • • • • • • Share your knowledge; LinkedIn rewards education, not selling
The hidden advantage: engagement strategy LinkedIn has a small but powerful algorithm quirk. When you comment on someone’s post using around 74 characters and similar wording or tone to the original post, your comment is far more likely to appear in the Most Relevant section. That section is prime real estate. It’s free advertising. And it puts your name and your business in front of every person who reads that post. For sign and print businesses, this is gold. Builders, developers, architects, project managers, and business owners all post regularly. Your comment, placed at the top of their post, becomes a visibility tool that costs nothing and works instantly. New Zealand’s silent users There’s another important factor: New Zealanders are silent users on LinkedIn. Compared to other countries, Kiwis scroll, read, and absorb content, but they rarely comment or like. Many sign and print businesses assume LinkedIn isn’t working because they don’t
see likes or comments. But New Zealand audiences are quietly consuming your content. They are forming opinions. They are building trust, and when they need signs or print, they remember the person they’ve been silently following. A backlink that boosts your SEO LinkedIn also gives you something Google loves — a high authority backlink to your website. Every profile, post, and Featured link strengthens your search engine optimisation (SEO) footprint. If you are rebuilding your website or trying to improve your ranking, LinkedIn supports that strategy beautifully.
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Use a professional photo that shows you as approachable and confident. Create a banner that clearly states what you do. Write a headline that speaks to your ideal clients, the solution you offer and not your job title. Make your About section personal, warm, and human — tell your story. Add skills that reflect your real expertise: signage, print, apparel, project management etc. Use the Featured section to showcase projects, testimonials, or case studies. Connect with the right people and aim to get to more than 500 connections. Post once a week with helpful, educational content. Engage with others using the 74 character rule to land in Most Relevant. Keep your tone conversational and authentic. People respond to real humans.
Our industry is full of talent, skill, and heart but none of that matters if the right people never see it. LinkedIn is your stage; your shop window; your trust builder; your SEO booster; and your competitive advantage.
It’s one of the easiest ways to help Google recognise your business as credible and established.
Right now, most sign and print businesses are missing out. This means the opportunity is yours.
Your competitors aren’t using LinkedIn strategically. This is the part sign and print businesses need to hear: most of your competitors aren’t using LinkedIn at all. They are relying on Facebook, word of mouth, or their website. They’re invisible to developers, marketers, architects, and project managers who spend their professional lives on LinkedIn.
Fourth generation signwriter Michelle founded the Make It Happen Signage Academy ANZ, dedicated to raising capability across the sign and print industry. She helps businesses strengthen skills, protect margin, and deliver higher value work with confidence.
Book a Bootcamp! THE FIRST DRILL to the creativity of A beginner’s guide e! n, Engage, Accelerat Signs & Print – Lear
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THE SIGNAGE BOOTCA MP
ON FRON THE TLINE
A comprehensive
overview of fabr icated and illuminated signage
August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
FENZ Fire Appliance Livery and Signage Landmark Signs won Silver in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Non Digital) category. The company applied the livery to 28 fire appliances. The ‘Stairway to Heaven’ stepping pattern on the front corners symbolises growth, the pursuit of knowledge, levels of learning.
Armstrong’s Porsche The Sign Studio won Gold in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Non Digital) category. In a two-day turnaround, the car wrap included touches of printed clear over the headlights, reverse cut window graphics, and PPF to high wearing areas.
Clinical Layering Execution Universal Sign Co won Silver in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Non Digital) category. The design followed the natural lines of the vehicle with the team hand crafting all the stripes with knifeless tape to accurately achieve the correct pattern.
Mercy Hospice Van Graphics Big Ideas Group won Bronze in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Non Digital) category. Delivering the custom vehicle graphics as a goodwill project, the job combined precise colour matching and high quality installation for a meaningful community organisation.
Bow Tag & Nerf Wars Van Wrap Alexandra Images won Gold in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Digital) category. This head turning vehicle wrap powers a mobile battle zone, bringing high energy action games for unforgettable fun anywhere. Cyberpunk illustration and layered reflective materials, to capture attention.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
From the Shelf to the Streets Universal Sign Co won Bronze in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Digital) category. The job enhances brand awareness, as a form of advertising clearly correlated from the vehicle to the product on the shelf with the use of the yogurt pottle graphic.
Alarm Watch Morrie Gibbons signs won Bronze in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Digital) category by transforming a Haval H6 with a partial wrap depicting security operators, working from an Alarm Watch command centre, catching a criminal in the act.
Paint the Earth Vehicle Graphics Big Ideas Group won Silver in the Vehicles (Signwritten – Digital) category. The team created a vibrant and highly engaging mobile advertisement that clearly communicates the brand’s fun, creative offering while maximising visibility on the road.
The Original Don silver Pixel Signs won Silver in the Vehicles – Custom Wrapped category. From a distance, this Mexican low rider looks like a full custom paint job, but underneath it is a layered wrap built with accuracy from the ground up.
World champ deserves a gold BMX Big Brown Industries won Gold in the Vehicles – Custom Wrapped category with this job, for UCI 11 boys BMX champion Matatini Hill, which includes a Ta moko pattern that transitions from the front to before the seat.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
Great White Shark Wrap Creation Signs won Bronze in the Vehicles – Custom Wrapped category with a custom designed and wrapped semi-submersible great white shark that used 3D software painting and texturing tools, with final artwork pieced together and flattened as a 2D print.
Westland Scout Helicopter 1st Impression Signs won Bronze in the Vehicles – Custom Wrapped category. The full digital wrap of what is nowadays a display unit Helicopter brought it back to its original look from when it was in service in the Army.
NZ Fashion Week — Vintage Airport Made Up won Bronze in the Exhibition And Display category. This large scale, immersive and interactive retail activation transformed an existing photo booth into a vintage airport themed experience in a high traffic environment.
Superette Golf Day Blink won Silver in the Exhibition And Display category. The job reimagined a traditional tournament at Waitematā Golf Club as a themed brand experience, combining signage, retail and interactive activations to blend fashion, sport and hospitality.
KFC Eden Park Capitol Signs won Gold in the Exhibition And Display category. This temporary large scale KFC installation at Eden Park used a fully removable steel structure fixed to existing points, with 3D drone scanning ensuring precise alignment and zero permanent impact.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
New Balance Karen Walker Box Blink won Bronze in the Exhibition and Display category with this oversized New Balance shoebox turned into a walk-in wardrobe, built from honeycomb board with printed surfaces and mirrored detailing, acting as a bold piece of retail signage in-store.
Te Ikaroa-ā-Rauru Live Creative won Silver in the Theming category. Te Ikaroa-ā-Rauru, the 1,000-year Waka walkway bridge, is a pedestrian bridge designed to look like a waka taua and connects Tītīrangi Maunga (Kaiti Hill) to the Cook Landing Site in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa Gisborne.
Ngā Huhua Abundance Exhibition Blink won Silver in the Theming category. This immersive exhibition at the Maritime Museum transforms the gallery into a layered marine environment, using vinyl graphics across glass, walls, floors and interactive elements to create depth and movement.
The Village Goldsmith – Concrete and Copper Frampton Signs won Bronze in the Theming category. The refined and cohesive signage and display package carries its concrete and copper theme from the street frontage through to the interior retail environment, allowing the client to transform existing display assets into part of the new design.
A Quiet Place for Youngsters Grafix Wall Art won Gold in the Glasswork category. The team designed these calming printed glass graphics for The Gardens School to support neurodivergent students by softening the environment and providing a peaceful, quiet space for focus, comfort, and wellbeing.
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NZSDA AWARDS
National Hauora Coalition Office Blink won Silver in the Glasswork category. The team translated a tā moko inspired pattern by artist Tyler-Jade into a continuous frosted vinyl glass treatment with a bespoke series of designs that speak to Wahine leadership and connection, providing privacy and visual interest.
Mt Cardrona Homestead Signtech the Signmasters won Silver in the Wayfinding and Navigation category. The project delivered a comprehensive signage system that spans external and internal environments, contributing to a refined and immersive user journey, integrating with the architecture and surrounding landscape.
Pipiri Lane Blink won Bronze in the Wayfinding and Navigation category. This wayfinding system fits the building and how it is used. It balances clarity with restraint, using material, placement and hierarchy to guide people through a complex, multi-use environment.
Follow The Light Made Up won Gold in the Illuminated Signs category transforming an existing feature into something highly engaging and visually impactful, combining sculpture, signage, and lighting into a single cohesive statement.
The Cube Cutting Edge Signs won Gold in the Illuminated Signs category. Visible from multiple directions, the sign functions as a signage and sculptural landmark. Its dynamic nature ensures ongoing visual engagement, translating the concept of controlled chaos into a durable and technically resolved built form.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
Retro Sea Breeze Sign Timaru Signs Graphix won Silver in the Illuminated Signs category. The team transformed a one dimensional concept drawing into a three dimensional structure complete with faux bulbs and push through letters for the new retro 60’s themed seaside motel.
Huapae Trophies Cutting Edge Signs won Silver in the Dimensional Signage & Modelling category and the Supreme Award. The cast concrete trophy embedded acrylic and engineered detailing, delivering weight, permanence and craftsmanship that reflect the strength and resilience of the local business community.
Whittaker’s Bow Blink won Gold in the Dimensional Signage & Modelling category marking Whittaker’s 130th anniversary with a largescale bow installed across the Fitzroy Hotel façade, delivering a high impact dimensional installation through controlled fabrication and installation.
Ōrākei Intersection Big Ideas Group won Silver in the Dimensional Signage & Modelling category. Requiring a high level of technical design, the project delivered a striking large scale dimensional public artwork installation that combines architectural form, engineering innovation, and cultural storytelling.
Mānuka Phuel VIP Gift Box Big Ideas Group won Bronze in the Dimensional Signage & Modelling category. This creative and technically impressive VIP gift box combines 3D printing, concealed electronics, custom print production, and experiential branding into a distinctive promotional product.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
Nitro Pinhead Pixel signs won Bronze in the Signs category. Produced for a Nitro Funny Car driver who gave full creative freedom, this helmet delivered a custom, old school inspired look without committing to permanent paint, keeping the imperfections and hand-drawn feel that give traditional pinstriping its character.
The Deed to Arahura Signlink Graphics won Gold in the Signs category, scaling the original Deed to five metres wide offset mounting it from the wall with a timber frame to hold the sign on the wall. An alloy frame holds the interpretation sign, wall mounted and hidden to give the effect that the sign is floating.
The Ear of Ponsonby Made Up won Gold in the Traditional Handcrafted Signs & Illustrations category and a Silver in the Shop Fronts category with its large lifelike suspended ear to showcase interchangeable jewellery, resulting in a memorable focal point.
Dowding Place Otaraua Hapu MMCreative won Silver in the Traditional Handcrafted Signs & Illustrations category. This mural represents a fusion of cultural engagement, environmental storytelling, and technical craftsmanship, a reflection of the place it inhabits and the collaborative process behind its creation.
3 Days ’till ANZAC Day Red Star Signs won Gold in the Traditional Handcrafted Signs & Illustrations category. With just a three-day turnaround, the team managed to create an airbrushed Massey Ferguson Tractor Bonnet for display on Anzac Day, painting the Gallipoli trenches from a photo the client had supplied.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
Road Metals Big Omaru Mural Dream It won Bronze in the Traditional Handcrafted Signs & Illustrations category. This Big Mural, 39 metres x 13 metres was hand painted and sprayed with automotive guns and airbrushed. Undercoating the wall took five days.
Fishing and Adventure Boat Wrap BackPocket won Bronze in the Digital Illustrations and Murals category. The design for this work has evolved over five years with the aim of making the boat a moving canvas. Every element on the wrap design was hand drawn before being digitised for the wrap itself.
Power Trip The Sign Studio won Gold in the Digital Illustrations And Murals category. The work represents the client company and what it builds, an ambitious task given it is in one of the most difficult areas of any building. The job required a full in house design for accuracy.
2degrees Chameleon Wall Mural Big Ideas Group won Bronze in the Digital Illustrations And Murals category. This large mural, featuring the client’s signature chameleon character, brought its nationwide campaign into the physical office environment, creating excitement and engagement among staff while reinforcing the 2degrees brand internally.
Kia Dunedin Brandpartners won Silver in the Corporate Brand – Interpretation and Delivery category. The job delivered a locally engineered modular retail environment system, translating Kia global customer experience standards into a compliant scalable dealership delivery model.
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NZSDA AWARDS
Signage for People on Their Hardest Days Rapt won Silver in the Corporate Brand – Interpretation And Delivery category. The project involved delivering exterior and interior signage for the country’s largest private healthcare provider, spanning 22 sites across Aotearoa.
KFC – National Rollout Capitol Signs won Silver in the Corporate Brand – Interpretation And Delivery category. The job extended beyond standard brand implementation, requiring reinterpretation of the KFC identity across a range of environments such as heritage buildings, urban sites, and large public venues.
Bay Takeaway Bay Creative won Bronze in the Shop Fronts category. Working from a blank canvas, the team created an eye-popping logo and covered the entire shop with a newsprint featuring local news stories supplied via The Golden Bay Weekly archives.
The Sea Breeze Timaru Signs Graphix won Gold in the Shop Fronts category. Timeframe, scale, hand painting, and negotiating a busy work site added to the complexity of this job, but the result has become quite a prominent piece for the town.
Mauriora Kombucha Sign Network won Silver in the Shop Fronts category. The project delivers a cohesive and high impact shopfront that successfully combines storytelling, branding, and visual engagement with a mural creating a strong point of difference.
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August/September 2026
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NZSDA AWARDS
FAM Market Day Blink won Gold in the Original In-House Design category and Gold in the Brand Creation category with a job that embeds itself in Karangahape Road, reflecting the energy, diversity and character of the surrounding community.
Good Great Better Sign Network won Silver in the Brand Creation category. The completed brand delivers a strong, recognisable identity that differentiates Better Hearing Co, balancing professionalism with warmth, allowing it to connect with clients.
At a Crossroad Future Signs won Bronze in the Brand Creation category. Using the overbridge archway near Christchurch airport as inspiration for a new logo design, the team created a brand that shows the core elements of the client’s business.
Badboy Rebrand and Pies Badboy Grafix won Bronze and Gold in the Self Promotion category. A new logo had multiple layout and colour versions for different applications and placements, while entry in a local pie competition attracted diverse media attention.
Time for a Revamp Red Star Signs won Bronze in the Self Promotion category and Gold in the Work by an Apprentice category. The company gave its fleet vehicles a revamp with a nod back to early 2000’s JDM Motorsport, while retaining a modern, sharp and clean style.
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NZSDA AWARDS
The B Box Blink won Silver in the Self Promotion category. The work shows Blink’s in-house capability across graphic design and physical production with a tongue in cheek tone, reflecting the company’s crossover between creative and tradie worlds.
The Gateway to Signlink Signlink Graphics won Bronze in the Self Promotion category. With a brief to explore what you can about a sign writers sign, the team designed, created, and installed a 2.4 metre wide sign using a variety of techniques.
4WD Warehouse Jimmy Irwin of Red Star Signs won Bronze in the Work By An Apprentice category. He completed 50 per cent to 80 per cent of the various elements required for the job including setup and design; plinth fabrication; spray painting; hand marking; and installation.
Heli A1 Hoodie Artwork Xavier Tapp won Silver in the Work by an Apprentice category. This merchandise design features hand drawn artwork refined digitally into a bold monochrome hoodie print, combining client personality, industry symbolism, and clean screen-printed execution for strong visual impact.
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August/September 2026
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More than a supplier. Your trade partner. Offset Printing | Digital Printing | High-Res Inkjet | High Speed Inkjet Interested in becoming a partner? Call 0800 289 774 or register at www.wholesaleprint.co.nz
2026 SIGN + PRINT EXPO
2026 Sign + Print Expo This year’s Sign + Print Expo attracted a record number of visitors. New Zealand Printer caught up with the action…
From left: Craig Harrison, Kevin Artho, Rashid Ben, Maddison Boggs and Darrin Weir from Aarque Group
Paul Whitehead and Shea Lees-Thomas from Currie Group
Noel Morrison and Arlette Farland from Computaleta
From left: Darren Sunderland and Greg Stone, Roland DG; and Darrin Weir, Aarque Group
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From left: Reuben Price, 100% NZ; Justin Shepherd, Aarque Group; and Clark Jennings, 100% NZ
Ian Gibson, I & S Gibson Enterprises and Greg Clarke, Aarque Group
Logan Sutton and Mikayla Hopkins from NZSDA
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
2026 SIGN + PRINT EXPO
Shae Goom, Wise Studios and Jeremy Brew, HP
From left: Andrew Slane, Blink; Deena Hudson; Computaleta; and Tim Slane, Blink
From left: Ben Geden, Displayworks; Steve Wilson and Ivan Tvrdeich, TS Wilson Jnr; and Oliver Denford, Displayworks
From left: Craig Harrison, Kevin Artho, Rashid Ben, Maddison Boggs and Darrin Weir from Aarque Group
Bryan Simpson, CCG and Wayne Gates, Chrome Grafixx
From left: David Mountain, Danny Mountain, Stephen Monkhouse, and Max Lyness from Cardy
From left: Josh Lindsay, Direct Print and Mail Solutions; Dave Trotter, Studio Q; and Craig Paul, Currie Group
From left: Matt Ashman, John Bryson, and Graham Blackall from Durst Oceania
newzealandprinter.co.nz
August/September 2026
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2026 SIGN + PRINT EXPO
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Sonya Thorpe, Michael Blom, Scott Hobden, and Steve Maclean, Orafol
Rebecca Hughes, Konica Minolta; Grant Blockley, Total Supply; and Reuben Turner, Konica Minolta
Avinash Patel, Epson and Romano Bacci, Mutoh
AJ Dawes, Lamb-Peters Print and Craig Dear, Decrastrip
Lucy Mackie, Te Whatu Ora; Andrea and Mark Warden, Design Signs
Neli Tolova’a, Wholesale Print and Bruce Craig, New Zealand Printer
Greg Sandrey and Ella Roxburgh, Goodmates
Georgia Powell, Regan Bates, Michaela Hill, and Ollie Hill, Signosaur
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
2026 SIGN + PRINT EXPO
Luc Verstraeten, Wise Studios; Chris and Jenna Clough, Crafted Signs
Stu Jones and Hugo Gibbs, Rodier; and Blair French, Big Ideas Group
Denise and Rob Singleton, Singleton Signs
Grant Allsop and Tony Gunby, Competenz
Hamish Woulfe and Sam Mitchell, The Big Picture
Mo Nasir, Mark Bult, Angela Nauck, Liam Talbot, and Kris Hassett, Torque Digital
Brodie Caldwell, Decrastrip; Carl Willis, Signbase; and Steve Spear, Omnigraphics
Wayne Brown, Aidan Bennett, and Blake Douglas, Benefitz
newzealandprinter.co.nz
August/September 2026
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2026 SIGN + PRINT EXPO
Andy Lowe, Image Creators and Chris Field, Field Signs
Kevin Gregory, Computaleta; Scott Walklin, Sign Network, and Wayne Shaw, HP
Denise Kirby, Kirbyco and Tim McGuire, ImpacTex
Ethan Moir, Alexandra Images; Jake Connon, PSP; Aaron Joines, Alternative Graphics & Design; and Angela Barrowcliffe, Alexandra Images
Duncan Rourke, Sign Foundry; Arko Biswas and Matthew Guthardt, Cutting Edge Signs
Dean Johnstone, Dream It; Esther Riley, Identity Signs; Bevan Weal, Onsight Signage; and Paul Walters, Identity Signs
David and Yasmeen Atkins, SCG
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Scott Shaw and Geoff Gibson, Adgraphix
Gena Neal, PSP and Jeremy Hunt, Big Brown Industries
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
EVENTS
Printing, Packaging & Signage Forum moves to April 20, 2027 Events provide a chance for us to catch up with old friends, make some new contacts and celebrate the future of our industry.
The Industry Training Graduations are among the most popular events in the print calendar
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rintNZ and New Zealand Printer have announced a new date for the New Zealand Printing, Packaging & Signage Forum. The event will now take place on April 20, 2027 at Sorrento in the Park, running through the day, to be followed by the Industry Training Awards event. Sandwiched between those events, the People In Print Awards and Rising Stars Of Print Awards will recognise the individuals who have made an extraordinary contribution over the past year. Ruth Cobb, chief executive of PrintNZ, says, “We are thrilled to again work with New Zealand Printer to bring this event to the industry. The Forum proved highly successful last year giving industry professionals the chance to look, listen, and learn. It is gratifying that we can offer this once more. “The Industry Training Graduations are one of the most popular events in our calendar, and we look forward to acknowledging the efforts of everyone involved in this vital area of our industry. We thank our sponsors BJ Ball and Heidelberg and Competenz for their ongoing support for our industry training and celebrating the hard work of the graduates and apprentices.
newzealandprinter.co.nz
At the Auckland Industry Training Graduations ceremony, PrintNZ will announce the sector winners for the Apprentice of the Year Awards and the finalists for the Trainer of the Year and training Company of the Year. Opportunity to connect New Zealand Printer publisher Brian Moore says, “We are thrilled to join with PrintNZ for these events. The Printing, Packaging & Signage Forum presents a great opportunity to gain actionable strategies and connect with the sector’s top minds. Once again, we will welcome a quality lineup of keynote speakers and panel discussions. The programme caters to: • Owners and directors of printing, labels, packaging, and signage companies. • Senior managers and operational leaders responsible for production, sales, and strategy. • Designers and brand representatives who specify materials and services. • Emerging talent and rising stars who are the future leaders of the industry. • Suppliers and service providers to the printing and packaging sectors.
August/September 2026
Ruth adds, “These three events offer industry professionals the opportunity to connect with each other; a chance to catch up with old friends and make some new contacts and celebrate the future of our industry. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the events.” Brian says, “Without a generous anchor Platinum Sponsor like Durst Oceania, or Gold Sponsors, Chrome Grafixx, Cyber, Koenig and Bauer and Konica Minolta, learning and celebratory events like these could not take place. “We thank all Sponsors and Supporters for their generous support, and welcome new Sponsors and Supporters to add their highly visible support of our events specifically and the New Zealand printing, packaging and signage industries in general over the next seven months as we prepare and promote a great day of print. “I welcome enquiries about Sponsorship and Supporter plans which will give impactful exposure to brands in the seven-month lead up to our April 20 event, on the day and in postevent coverage in print and online. Call me on +61 410 578 876 or email brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz”
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Join the Leading Suppliers and Printers/Converters/Signage Businesses Sponsoring or Supporting the
2027 PEOPLE IN PRINT & RISING STARS OF PRINT AWARDS + NZ PRINTING, PACKAGING & SIGNAGE FORUM Now co-located with PrintNZ's Auckland Industry Training Awards event April 20, 2027 | Auckland PLATINUM SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSOR
SUPPORTERS
SPONSOR/SUPPORTER PACKAGES Brian Moore (Publisher) +61 410 578 876
AWARD NOMINATIONS Bruce Craig (Editor) 021 631 559
ATTENDING / TICKETS Tania McDougall (Ticketing) 021 587 072
brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz
bruce@newzealandprinter.co.nz
tania.mcdougall@printnz.co.nz
Proudly Powered by New Zealand Printer and Print NZ
Build your brand’s exposure and prestige as a Sponsor or Supporter of the New Zealand Printing, Packaging and Signage Forum AND the People In Print Awards + Rising Stars Of Print This full day of events in Auckland on April 20, 2027, is proudly presented by New Zealand Printer magazine in partnership with PrintNZ and is co-located with PrintNZ's Industry Training Awards event - so even more reasons to be part of one of our industry's biggest days in print. SPONSOR INCLUSIONS GOLD •
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Complimentary NZP print and/or digital advertising to the value of Sponsorship investment 6 tickets to attend the daytime Forum and the Awards in the late afternoon, value $1194 Opportunity to speak about why the brand supports the Forum and the Awards before introduction of Speaker at the Forum (short video of the Sponsor’s brand to play as its representative walks to the stage) Up to 10 months of exposure of brand logo and identification as a Gold Sponsor on all print and online pre-promotion and post-event coverage as well as Forum signage on the day and during the Awards evening
SILVER •
• •
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BRONZE • • •
Complimentary NZP print and/or digital advertising to the value of Sponsorship investment 2 tickets to attend the daytime Forum and the Awards in the late afternoon, value $398 Up to 10 months of exposure of brand logo and identification as a Bronze Sponsor on all print and online pre-promotion and post-event coverage as well as Forum signage on the day and during the Awards evening
Complimentary NZP print and/or digital advertising to the value of Sponsorship investment 4 tickets to attend the daytime Forum and the Awards in the late afternoon, value $796 Opportunity to speak about why the brand supports the Forum and the Awards before introduction of Speaker at the Forum (short video of the Sponsor’s brand to play as its representative walks to the stage) Up to 10 months of exposure of brand logo and identification as a Silver Sponsor on all print and online pre-promotion and post-event coverage as well as Forum signage on the day and during the Awards evening
SUPPORTER • •
2 tickets to attend the daytime Forum and the Awards in the late afternoon, value $398 Up to 10 months of exposure of brand logo and identification as a Supporter on all print and online pre-promotion and post-event coverage as well as Forum signage on the day and during the Awards evening
Credit: iStock.com/toxawww
NZP CLASSIFIEDS To advertise please email brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz Women in Print & Sign November 3, 2026 | Quality Hotel Elms, Christchurch November 11, 2026 | Sorrento in the Park, Auckland Women In Print & Sign has become more than just a networking event. Specifically for the women in our industry, these sell out events have become calendar highlights so be sure to lock in the date in your diary.
Custom Manufacturing Made in NZ
printnz.co.nz All In Print China
Ringbinders & tabs Finishing services Mounting up to SRA2 Strut cards Case binding Clam shell diecutting Wiro binding Flatbed printing Lanyard pockets Rego holders & wallets Counter Mats Self adhesive pockets Satchels & tags Drilling, eyeletting, stringing Stationery & diaries
October 12-16, 2026 | Shanghai, China The show promises a comprehensive overview of the printing supply chain with the product range covering prepress, printing equipment, paper, ink, related services, and software solutions.
LOUPE South China December 2-4, 2026 | Shenzhen, China The event features all things labels, as well as flexible packaging and inline folding carton converting with a show floor alive with running presses, real-time demonstrations, and materials ready to test.
Fespa Global Print Expo April 6-9, 2027 | Munich, Germany
Specialists in Finishing & Synthetic Stocks
Co-located with the European Sign Expo, the Personalisation Experience, WrapFest and Textile, the show features product launches, live demonstrations, expert talks, and competitions like World Wrap Masters.
Eamar: 11b Culperry Rd, Glendene, Auckland Tabbing: 6 Southgate Pl, Henderson, Auckland sales@eamar.co.nz
09 836 9069
www.eamar.co.nz
Keeping it local, let the world know
Foodtech Packtech September 21-23 | Auckland Showgrounds Held biennially, New Zealand’s largest food manufacturing, packaging and processing technology trade show offers visitors a mix of new technologies, source solutions, and connection with suppliers and fellow industry professionals.
drupa May 9-17, 2028 | Düsseldorf, Germany Planning is well underway for the printing and graphics industry’s leading trade fair. It will showcase the latest innovations and technologies with a focus on the trends that will guide the industry into the future.
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PNZORG0000 Keeping print in New Zealand is more important than ever. Use this logo so both you and your customers can demonstrate the part you are playing. Apply to PrintNZ on info@printnz.co.nz or phone 0800 654 455
W O R K I N G
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Women In Print & Sign have become sell out events
August/September 2026
newzealandprinter.co.nz
Thank you to all of our 2026 sponsors
Celebrating work that moves our industry forward
Blue Star Group (New Zealand), GratPak, Kale Print, SCG, Sealed Air Hamilton
XPS GROUP
New Zealand - Rob Crough (61) 423 337 788 Sydney - Rob Crough (61) 423 337 788 Melbourne - Greg Knight (61) 411 338 855 Sydney : 38 Victoria Street, Beaconsfield, NSW 2015 Australia Brisbane - Giorgio Rossi (61) 423 776 622 Tel: (61) 2 9318 0099 Fax: (61) 2 9318 0399 Perth - Alan Strugnell (61) 418 955 512 Singapore - Tel: (65) 6272 8936 Malaysia - Tel: (60) 3 7955 1668 (Kuala Lumpur) Indonesia - Tel: (62) 21 2555 8924 Thailand - Tel: (66) 2 682 3411-4 Tel: (60) 7 598 0771/2 (Senai, Johor) Vietnam - Tel: (84) 9 0938 9468
New Zealand : 3C Rothwell Avenue, Rosedale, Auckland 0632 New Zealand. Tel: (61) 2 9318 0099
sales@cyber1976.com www.cyber1976.com