Image NZ

Welcome to the August issue of Image NZ. In this issue we catch up with Toby Marsh and his journey from apprentice of the year in 2019, to owner of Universal Sign Co. With the NZSDA awards now open we go behind the scenes with some of our local legends Paul Walters, Michelle Henry and Cameron Garrett who were invited to be guest judges at the UK/Ireland Sign Awards. Their insights into what makes an award winning project is perfect timing for those submitting entries for the NZSDA Sign and Display Awards.

Speaking of NZSDA, make sure you register for this year’s conference to be held in Napier June 1315. For those of you looking to venture further afield there is also Drupa which is being held in Dusseldorf, Germany, May 28 - June 7. It is the first Drupa since 2016 and promises to be the largest print trade show we’ve seen since COVID.

EDITORIAL

Looking for something a bit closer to home you could also visit Visual Impact which will be held in Brisbane July 17-19. As always we’ll be at all of these events, bringing you the latest in product and industry news. If you want the latest industry news delivered direct to your inbox every week make sure you visit www.imagemagazine.co.nz and register for our weekly newsletter.

As always we love to hear about your latest projects so please reach out to us at editor@imagemagazine. com.au

Best regards,

Janet Maitland Publisher ImageNZ

Epson CoverPlus extends to industry-first seven years

Epson CoverPlus, the extended protection program, has created an industry first by offering SureColor S-Series signage printer owners an option for premium service and support for CoverPlus packages for up to seven years.

Epson says that no other manufacturer in Australia offers a comparable level of protection for signage printers.

The new CoverPlus year six and year seven provide a way to extend the length of protection beyond the limited warranty for up to seven years of continuous coverage whilst still enjoying all the benefits of Epson’s premiumlevel service and support.

The enhanced durability of Epson signage printers enables machines to be operated for longer than has been traditionally possible. The new extended CoverPlus with its additional two years – making seven years in total – ensures owners can continue to operate their equipment with comprehensive cover for reduced risk and greater control over operational costs.

Epson has a range of purchase timing options for the new CoverPlus years six and seven, and the new program applies to the full S-Series range – the SureColor S40600, S60600, S80600, S60660L and S80660L. To qualify for the new 7-year CoverPlus package,

seven

then available subject

approval

If Epson is unable to repair a product during the sixth or seventh CoverPlus year, the customer will be entitled to a full refund of the purchase price of the applicable year of CoverPlus.

Epson’s S-Series signage and décor printers are designed to produce superior output with faster, more efficient and cost-effective operation. They are compatible with an enhanced range of media, including a full range of paper, canvas, film and vinyl substrates.

Roland DG Launches New VersaOBJECT MO-240 UV Benchtop Flatbed Printer

Roland DG has announced the release of

“The MO-240 is Roland DG’s newest benchtop UV Flatbed that updates previous models to realise beautiful, high-definition output with higher productivity by adopting a variety of new technologies,” says Tony Miller, President of Roland DG’s Global Sales and Marketing Division.

The MO-240 achieves productivity of 2.07sqm/h in standard mode by combining two newly developed large print heads in a staggered layout with a powerful UV-LED lamp and dot control technology optimised for high-speed output. Productivity for simultaneous white printing has also been improved to approximately double that of previous models. In addition, the ink can be cured in a shorter time so that small characters, fine text, and subtle gradations can be reproduced in high definition to the smallest detail.

Roland DG EUV5 inks include Orange and Red in addition to CMYK plus White and Gloss.

By controlling Orange and Red inks as process colours, the colour gamut is expanded by approximately 20% compared to CMYK printing, resulting in superior colour reproduction and accuracy. Gloss ink produces premium gloss or matte finishes and realistic textures, including 3D embossed effects.

EUV5 inks can be printed on a wide range of soft to hard materials, including plastic, paper, leather, wood, etc. Glass and metal can be printed on, using primer ink. The MO-240 enables printing on smartphone cases and custom promo items as well as leather bags, bottles, awards, signs, electronic devices, control panels, membrane switches and more.

The printing area covers 610 mm x 458 mm (24” 18”), and you can print on three-dimensional objects up to 204 mm (8”) thick. The MO-240 has the ability to incorporate tall fixtures printing on items of various shapes. In addition, with the optional rotary axis unit, the machine can print on cylindrical objects such as bottles from a minimum of 10 mm (0.39”) to a maximum diameter of 121 mm (4.76”).

The 7-inch full-colour touch panel makes printer operation more intuitive. It allows quick access to print settings, maintenance operations, and other items in an easy-to-use visual format. The new automatic cleaning function keeps the print head in good condition to help achieve consistent print quality. The included VersaWorks 6 professional RIP software processes PDF, EPS and PS files with precision and high speed and auto-generates White, Gloss and Primer layers with one button to maximise the capabilities of the MO-240.

Miller concludes, “Our VersaOBJECT series has been meeting the needs for small lot, highmix production in manufacturing and services with its high definition and beautiful printing. In recent years, new services such as customisation and personalisation have been attracting attention in various fields based on diversifying and individualised consumer needs, and the MO240, with its advanced productivity, will bring a high level of competitiveness to customers in these businesses. We will continue to develop and provide attractive solutions to contribute to our customers’ creativity and business expansion.”

the MO240, a new UV flatbed printer in the VersaOBJECT series that enables direct printing on threedimensional objects with higher productivity.

New VUTEk h+ Series Hybrid Printers from EFI

EFI has announced the EFI VUTEk h3+ and VUTEk h5+ hybrid flatbed/ roll-fed LED printer series with enhanced printing and media handling capabilities. The VUTEk h+ series is a re-engineered and refined version of the high-volume, superwide-format hybrid VUTEk h series platform. The enhancements made for the VUTEk h+ series offer improved productivity, print quality, reliability, capability, and profits.

“We are excited to bring these new printers to market,” said Todd Zimmerman, SVP/GM Display Graphics & OEM Ink of EFI. “VUTEk printers have been the leader in the hybrid category in signs and display graphics for more than two decades, with more than 300 installations worldwide. The VUTEk h+ series answers some of the key pain points for our customers, all while improving ease of use and offering the LED environmentally friendly benefits you expect from EFI VUTEk technology.”

The EFI VUTEk h+ series was designed to give sign and display graphics customers a competitive edge with significant improvements to the original platform that will come standard on all new printers. Media handling improvements are a notable enhancement in the VUTEk h+ series. An upgraded vacuum table allows for better control of thicker media and thin-light-edged materials thanks to double the vacuum strength on the print table.

All new media hold-down rollers mount to existing Media Edge Guide (MEG) rails, and the spring rollers force media into the vacuum, often eliminating the need for MEG skis. When MEG skis are needed, they are now available in 0.063 in, 0.094 in, and 0.012 in thicknesses.

The VUTEk h+ series offers new optional colour configurations as well:

• CMYKcmyk + W + Clear

• CMYK x 2 + 2W

• CMYK x 2 + Clear

This opens the door for two new clear ink options for VUTEk h+ series users. Building on the success of the EFI UltraClear Coat flexible ink introduced for EFI superwide roll-to-roll LED printers, EFI extended

the offering to the VUTEk h3+ and h5+ printers. A second clear ink, EFI VUTEk Endura Clear, which has a harder surface finish for increased protective qualities, is also now available for the VUTEk h3+ and h5+ printers.

UltraClear Coat and Endura Clear inks can be used for decorative applications – to enhance an entire image (full flood) or selected areas (spot) to add an extra pop to colours or special effects to graphics – and for a final protective coating. They print inline, simultaneously with the image, with a gloss or matte finish.

In addition to the clear inks, an optional innovative Gloss+ print mode – a unique new software capability that regulates the curing process –can be used to add a flood or selective gloss effect to graphic prints. It’s the perfect way to add value to short-run, specialty jobs without using clear ink.

Compatible with the VUTEk h+ series printers are the next-generation, LED-curable digital inks that EFI formulated for first- and secondsurface interior and exterior and non-backlit and backlit applications where common thermoforming is specified. EFI Transform-TF inks exhibit outstanding elongation characteristics while maintaining excellent adhesion and opacity and provide ideal characteristics for heat bending and routing of acrylic sheets with no chipping or loss of adhesion. And since Transform-TF inks adhere to a broad range of materials, applications go well beyond thermoforming.

More developments are in the works for VUTEk h+ series printers, too. Expected soon is enhanced double-sided printing for high-value blockout applications. Existing VUTEk h3 and h5 printer owners can also upgrade their current unit with most new enhancements to the VUTEk h+ series printers.

Currie Group is a distributor for the new h Series in both Australia & New Zealand.

Currie Group and Elitron Announce Exclusive Partnership

Currie Group and Italian robotic cutting and automation specialists, Elitron, have announced an exclusive channel partnership which will see Currie Group supply the Elitron range of cutting systems for digital print, packaging and textiles to print service providers in Australia and New Zealand.

The Elitron range ideally complements

Currie Group’s EFI and Canon Production Printing wide-format printers and once again highlights the company’s commitment to providing end-to-end solutions, while providing Elitron with a reliable and efficient channel partner for distribution and service support in the region.

Established more than 30 years ago to serve the TCF industry, Elitron offers an unmatched breadth and depth of innovation expertise, expanding its reach to solutions for the digital print, packaging, fashion, furniture, automotive and industrial sectors.

In all its solutions, Elitron’s aim is to meet the evolving challenges of each market sector with sophisticated, high-precision cutting, automation and materials handling systems that deliver a ‘stressless’ workflow.

All are designed, developed, engineered and manufactured in Italy under the watchful eye of Elitron’s highly-qualified engineers and technicians, drawing on the power of AI and the latest robotics and automation technologies, to provide solutions which are versatile, adaptable and, above all, designed to streamline production and minimise operator intervention to save time and money.

As the number one producer globally of state-of-the-art cutting systems, the Elitron name will already be familiar to many in the ANZ region. In the print and packaging sector, that includes the Kombo SD and SDC series cutting systems – the latter of which will be demonstrated with an Elitron KUMULA stacking system at FESPA next week.

Fast, flexible and versatile, they are

designed to handle an exceptionally wide range of materials, from Forex and Dibond, to PVC and plastics, films, fabrics, re-board, paper, cardboards and corrugated, foam products and more. This makes them ideal for retail, merchandising, POP, display and signage products, as well as prototype and short-run packaging solutions.

Other ranges include the innovative Kombo TH and Kombo THC systems with two cutting heads. Both Kombo models are designed to handle rigid boards, with the THC model with conveyor also ideal for all roll materials used for digital print and packaging applications, and the Kombo TAV-R designed specifically for packaging applications.

The breadth and diversity of the Elitron range is testament to the company’s ability to transfer acquired technological knowhow from sector to sector – a strength which has not only made it the number one global producer of state-of-the-art cutting systems and software in these markets, but has seen it develop numerous patented technologies –and pick up many awards – over the years.

Paul Whitehead, Currie Group’s Business Unit Manager – Sign & Display, says the partnership with Elitron is an important move in Currie Group’s continual pursuit to provide the best end-to-end solutions for Sign & Display customers across Australia and New Zealand.

“Currie Group is thrilled to be entering this new exclusive distribution partnership with Elitron, a proven platform built on 30 years of experience, combined with an exciting roadmap of unique cutting-edge technologies,” Paul says.

“This new partnership will enable our Sign & Display and Packaging customers to maximise the productivity of their printing devices by delivering unparallelled efficiency when it comes to finishing.  And, with an extensive range of table sizes and models including the

fully automated KOMBO TAV-R, we will be able to address the diverse requirements of the entire market.

“Of course, these systems will all be backed by Currie Group’s renowned service and support network, giving customers peace of mind when it comes to maximising uptime and meeting customer deadlines,” he adds.

Paolo Malatesta, Executive Director of Elitron, says his company is delighted with the new partnership.

“Both myself, and Team Elitron, are excited and enthusiastic for the start of this important sales and service partnership with Currie Group in Australia and New Zealand, he says.

“Elitron’s commitment to best serve all customers can only be achieved by working with the most reliable and efficient partners worldwide and, in Currie Group, we have certainly ticked all the boxes.”

Rob Mesaros, CEO of Currie Group, says the partnership is a strategically important one for both companies, and aligns ‘perfectly’ with Currie Group’s commitment to provide the ANZ market with total solutions across all its market sectors.

“Elitron is an impressive addition to our top-tier technology partnerships, with its demonstrated ability to deliver sophisticated solutions that not only meet today’s requirements, but position businesses to respond to the challenges of tomorrow,” he said.

“We are delighted to join Elitron’s strong global network, and look forward to working closely with their team across all areas of business, to ensure wide-format and packaging printers in Australia and New Zealand have access to the latest, and best, solutions to support their productivity and profitability…with the strong expertise and service which supports their investment.”

Digital Image Magazine Editor appointed Chair of Women in Print

Women in Print has announced its Board for 2024 following a successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November 2023. The new leadership team features an independent Office Bearer for the first time in the association’s history.

Editor of Digital Image Magazine, Stephanie Gaddin, was unanimously voted in as the new Chair, with recently appointed Tasmanian Patron Sam Dobie stepping up as Deputy Chair. Commenting on the inaugural events in Tasmania, Dobie said: “2024 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for us. In the few short

months we have been operational in Tasmania, interest has been enthusiastic across the board, from both women and men, from executive levels through to those on ‘the tools’. This tells me we are creating opportunities and events with value that resonate with everyone, and ultimately, that’s what this is all about being passionate industry leaders, doing things that benefit all of us.”

Replacing Lisa Blachut of Advance Press in Perth, Kimberley Skinner, General Manager of Total Digital Solutions, is the new West Australian Patron, with Diana Nikolic from Ball & Doggett taking the reigns for the South Australian community.

Following the expansion of events in Tasmania in 2023, the association confirmed that it intends to appoint a Patron for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in 2024, with plans to include the Northern Territory to follow. Women in Print says it is committed to fostering inclusivity and support for women and other diverse communities nationwide.

Irene Daws, an industry veteran with over 20 years in various printing companies, and most recently at Image Nation Print in Melbourne, has been appointed Secretary. Daws expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming year: “I am thrilled to take on the role of Secretary and contribute to Women in Print’s ongoing success. The dedication of our Board and Patrons is a

Dream Greener with Mulford NZ

Why Astariglas

testament to the strength of our community.”

Hina Chadha, from Bendigo Adelaide Bank, makes history as the association’s first independent, non-industry Board Officer and Treasurer after a recruitment process by the Hiring Committee formed for this purpose. Chadha says “I am so excited to be joining the Board, and very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the empowerment of women in the printing industry. I look forward to learning about industry from my fellow board members and the community members at the events in 2024.” Chadha brings with her over 10 years’ experience in the banking sector and a broad philanthropic network as a co-founder of TheChangeMakers.

Gaddin shared her vision for the organisation, “I am honoured to lead Women in Print into this exciting new chapter. Together with our diverse and talented team for 2024, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that empowers women across all facets of industry and fosters not only leadership growth but encourages participation in our industry at all levels.”

The Breakfast Series will take place from 13 -26 May, across the country, with tickets going on sale by early March. Women in Print also confirms it will also host an event at Visual Impact in Brisbane in July.

NZSDA News

We are starting the year full steam ahead working hard to bring more value and opportunities to our members. With both a new board, and Mikayla joining the association, there are some fresh ideas on the table! We ended 2023 with a strategic planning meeting where we committed to improving our membership value proposition.

After the success of the Regional Meetings in the main city centres last year we will continue these for 2024 and will include the smaller regional towns. These are a great opportunity for us to engage with our members, and gain insight into how we can bring you value. This year we are presenting members of 10+ years with Certificates of Recognition to show our appreciation for their contributions to the industry.

One of the bigger projects for the year is a complete refresh of our website to make it more user friendly for our visitors and members. We will be simplifying the structure and rewriting the content to provide a streamlined user experience. This will be live in early March so make sure to check it out! Following the launch, NZSDA members will be sent instructions on how to login and navigate the new platform.

Mark your calendars for our 59th Sign Makers Conference in Napier, scheduled for June 13-15. Embracing the theme “Engage to Empower,” we will explore the process of converting vision and strategy into actionable plans by empowering and motivating team members. The programme for this will be released soon. As always, this will be followed by the prestigious NZ Sign Display Awards. The awards will be held on 15 June at the War Memorial Centre in Nelson. Entries open on 29 February and close on the 29 April 2024.

We are also excited to announce a new partnership with Anna Ramm from Network HR. Anna will be providing discounted advisory services for NZSDA members and will also deliver quarterly webinars on a variety of HR related topics. The first of these webinars, ‘Quick Wins for Attracting, Engaging & Retaining Staff,’ will be held on 7 March. Anna will discuss the best ways to attract skilled workers, both within New Zealand and overseas, your responsibilities around the 90 days and how to best engage and retain your staff within today’s difficult market.

Unveiling Signage Excellence A Judging Panel Perspective

The judging panel for the UK and Ireland Signage and Display Awards , consisting of three seasoned signmakers with decades of experience, has concluded their deliberations to select winners for 18 coveted prizes. The awards’ highly anticipated gala dinner is scheduled for March in Birmingham, UK. In this feature, the panel, which includes local experts, Michelle Henry and Paul Walters , shares their observations, challenges, and rewarding experiences.

Can you provide a brief overview of your background and experience as a signwriter?

Michelle Henry is a fourth-generation signwriter from the UK who lives in NZ. She began creating signs for her friends’ bedroom doors at the age of 4 and, in 2010, founded her own awardwinning sign company. In 2021, she sold her business and embarked on a new journey in New Zealand. Michelle’s dedication to the industry remains unwavering as she now contributes her expertise to Wise Studios.

Paul Walters is the CEO of Identity Signs in Christchurch, NZ. He is a stalwart of the signwriting industry and has witnessed its evolution from the era of hand-painted brush skills to the forefront of modern technology. Despite embracing the advancements, Paul remains steadfast in his commitment to preserving the fundamental skills that define the industry.

Cameron Garrett is a sign industry veteran with over two decades of experience. Currently serving as a Teacher of Certificate III in Signs and Graphics at TAFE Queensland, Australia, Cameron brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the judging process.

What criteria did you use to evaluate the entries?

Michelle : Last year, we relied heavily on instinct, followed by intense debates during the final selection round. Determined to improve, we reached out

Paul Walters

to the New Zealand Sign and Display Association (NZSDA) who permitted us to adapt their judging criteria for our awards. This year, we’ve taken a more structured approach by breaking down each award category into specific judging criteria. These criteria serve as a helpful guide in our decisionmaking process, ensuring fairness and thorough evaluation.

Can you describe the judging process and any challenges you encountered?

Michelle: With the limited information provided, it’s tough to gauge the true difficulty of a project. We also strive for fairness, so we do our best to see beyond the glossy marketing added by those who can afford professional agencies. Were there any entries that stood out to you, and why?

Michelle : So Many! The Ad Gefrin Distillery & Visitor Experience by Astley signs were simply stunning. They used some beautiful natural materials and craftsmanship. I also loved the Cemcor by Sign Reload. The diversity of signage and industry expertise showed through with this entry.

Cameron : I found the judging to be quite difficult this year. The quality of some of the signage was so high that choosing the best was a real challenge.

Paul : For me this was Cemcor. This showed the full catalogue of a sign shop. Covering everything from brand design, vehicle fleets and building signs. Every element was included, and it was the most diverse project.

Did you notice any emerging trends through the submitted entries?

Michelle : It was great to see so many entries using natural materials. It seems sustainability is leading the way in the UK and Ireland. Hopefully, we will see the NZ and Australian markets follow suit.

Cameron : The signage industry is constantly evolving, so I see emerging trends in most of the signage that I see. The main trend that I find inspiring is the focus that some companies have on sustainability.

Paul : Sustainability was the most common trend. Especially the use of neon flex. I think that nearly every entry mentioned sustainability.

How does the signage and display industry in the UK and Ireland compare to New Zealand?

Michelle : The UK and Ireland signs seem to pack more of a punch. The availability of materials has a big part to play, and I know from experience that simple things like LED fairground lights are pretty much impossible to get hold of here. There is also the competition factor. With there being so many businesses in the UK, owners know that they have to stand out and signage is an obvious way of achieving this.

Cameron : Regarding the comparison to Australian signage, the differences are mainly in the availability of materials from the UK. The range here is nowhere near what is available in the UK and Europe. What were the most rewarding aspects of being a judge for these awards?

Michelle : Seeing the industry progress and the emerging trends. I just love how diverse our industry is. It’s also great catching up with Cam and Paul. They are just as passionate about the industry as I am, and it is always great to geek out with other experts.

Cameron : Working with people who are such industry legends is what I find the most rewarding. Being involved in these awards has been a true highlight of my career.

Paul : The use of modern technology. Artwork and CAD files showing the different layers. New painting effects and technologies. It was great to see some of the creative designs and effects from CNC work.

On the flip side, I was very disappointed to see the lack of entries for the traditional signwriting category. The UK has some amazing signwriting projects and highly skilled signwriters, but this was not reflected in the entries and needs addressing. I feel that the solution is to judge everything on its professional merit rather than just giving a Gold, Silver or Bronze. If it is not good enough, then an award is not given. This

will raise the bar and, hopefully, encourage more talented entries and prove that awards are not fixed.

What innovative or unique approaches did you observe in the entries?

Cameron : The sustainability of some of the signs was very impressive, and the use of multiple materials in some was very impressive, especially the overall winner of the awards.

What advice would you give to signwriters looking to submit their work to awards competitions?

Cameron : One of the challenges we found was that some signage entered into categories that really didn’t fit. A couple in particular were very good, but they didn’t hit the mark. Take some time and look at what you want to enter, and be sure that it fits.

Paul : Don’t just submit photos of the finished product. Include photos of the different processes. If you have done a car wrap, include photos of the door sills and other tricky areas. If you completed the wrap six months ago, submit some current photos of it. This way, we know that your work has stood the test of time.

Michelle Henry

Cameron Garrett

From Apprentice to Business Owner

In this issue, we catch up with Toby Marsh, 2019 NZSDA Apprentice of the Year, to update us on his journey so far.

“I have been in the industry for close to 10 years, starting as an apprentice with a large signage company where I learnt all avenues of this industry. Finding my way into a position as an account manager, I soon wanted to further my career by taking the leap and opening up my own sign shop, so I am now the owner-operator of Universal Sign Co,” explains Toby.

“When I introduce myself to someone in a social situation, and they ask what I do, the common response to ‘sign maker’ is “Oh, so you make Street signs?”. This shows the lack of understanding of the industry and that the young generation is not being exposed to what the signage industry can offer as a career platform. As a young bloke, I enjoyed all things creative and also being hands-on; my favourite classes were graphics, engineering and graphic design. When asked how I would utilise graphics in my future by my teacher, I responded by becoming a sign writer and using graphic design to make signs. Her response was that signage is a dying industry, and I’d be better off studying through university and getting into magazine publishing.”

“Today, I prove that point wrong. The world wouldn’t function without signage. I love that there is so much diversity every day in this industry. We get to develop a concept design, build an artist’s impression of how the finished product may look, and then work out how we would fabricate, make, and install the finished product.”

“Being in business for myself brings me daily satisfaction, knowing I’ve dedicated my utmost effort to creating a lasting first impression for each client. I thrive on being as creative as the brief allows, often persuading customers to extend their vision for mutual benefit. Moreover, I relish the networking aspect of business—meeting new people, building meaningful relationships, and fostering the growth of both myself and my company for the future.”

“I remain committed to encouraging young individuals to join the industry, having actively participated in various initiatives to promote it, including receiving the 2019 Apprentice of the Year award at the NZSDA conference,” concludes Toby.

Breaking Barriers: The Fusion of Speed and Heritage

An exciting collaboration between the Sign Foundry and the University of Canterbury Engineering Department has seen a 7.5-meter, rocket-shaped electric vehicle (EV) decorated as a homage to the iconic racer Burt Munro.

The vehicle, which is set to break speed records, has been designed with a red, black, and gold palette to enhance its aerodynamic shape. It features a subtle portrait of Burt showcasing his love for speed. The number 35 has been featured on the EV to commemorate Burt’s 1967 achievement of reaching 184 mph on the Utah Bonneville Salt Flats. This digit symbolizes perseverance and excellence, connecting past and present.

The design used 3M gloss dragon fire red vinyl, meticulously applied to the clear-coated carbon shell. We integrated translucent images, sponsor insignias, and signatures in a classic but timeless way, each element a testament to the synergy between technology and art.

A pivotal consideration in crafting this vehicle was aiming for a stunning design without compromising performance. Applying translucent images and overlays was more than just a visual marvel— it was a strategic approach to weight-saving. By selecting this method, our team has underscored a commitment to engineering excellence, ensuring that every aspect of the vehicle contributes to its performance on the global stage.

Our project is guided by a deep respect for the Munro family’s legacy. Their support of our creative reinterpretation is a testament to Burt Munro’s spirit. It is a collaboration steeped in respect, admiration, and a shared vision of propelling New Zealand’s proud heritage onto the global stage.

As the journey unfolds, we remain steadfast in our commitment to channelling the spirit of Burt Munro and the pursuit of excellence, inspiring future generations to dare, dream, and break barriers that once seemed impossible.

Are Your LED Drivers Compliant?

WorkSafe New Zealand has issued crucial regulatory notices aimed at raising safety standards for electrical and electronic products and equipment distributed within the country.

These notices hold significant importance for individuals involved in the testing, certification, importation, supply, or manufacturing of such products. Understanding these updates is essential to ensure that your illuminated signage meets compliance requirements, offering protection in case of any unforeseen incidents.

Of particular note, these notices specifically address high-risk and mediumrisk articles, with LED drivers now falling under the high-risk category. This means that importers, whether they are suppliers like Computaleta or individual importers sourcing directly from countries such as China, bear the responsibility of ensuring the safety of these products.

Each LED driver should be accompanied by a Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) document. Electricians must review these SDoCs before signing off on the illuminated sign’s code of compliance.

An SDoC is a document that has a description of the article and a test report confirming how it complies with the required standard or AS/NZS 3820.

As drivers are considered to be a highrisk product, they must be formally approved or else covered by certification or registration on the Electrical Equipment Safety Scheme (EESS) that is recognised as an approval under the regulations before being offered for supply or supplied in New Zealand.

Failure to comply could lead to serious consequences in the case of accidents, such as fires, as witnessed in various incidents reported in 2023. WorkSafe investigations and potential nationwide recalls could ensue.

Furthermore, WorkSafe conducts audits of electrical products available in the market. If selected for audit, importers

must be prepared to give accredited reports, approval certificates, and safety SDoCs within a 10-working-day timeframe.

What if you are importing a pre-made sign with LED drivers and modules already installed? In such cases, the sign must still comply with AS/NZS requirements, necessitating AS/NZS-approved LED drivers. Furthermore, imported illuminated signs are classified as ‘medium risk articles’ and therefore an accredited report and SDoC is mandatory.

At Computaleta, we have taken proactive steps to ensure compliance for the OSRAM drivers we supply. Registered in the EESS Registration Database as a responsible supplier, Computaleta provides LED drivers with the necessary SDoCs to meet compliance standards. Additionally, all drivers undergo independent testing to AS/ NZS Standards, offering peace of mind to users and installers alike.

Staying abreast of the latest WorkSafe regulations and ensuring compliance with safety standards is imperative for all involved in the supply chain of electrical products. By adhering to these guidelines, businesses can uphold safety standards, mitigate risks, and protect both consumers and themselves from potential liabilities.

All our SDoCs will be available for download at  www.clgroup.co.nz

If you would like to know more about our OSRAM LED modules and drivers, or have an illuminated sign mapped for fitout, contact our LED Specialist today:  aaron.morrison@clgroup.co.nz

*For more information refer to Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 (under Regulations 86 and 86A) and go to worksafe.govt.nz (see Electricity > Appliances and fittings > High and medium risk products).

Light is a visual experience and Computaleta want New Zealand sign makers to love their letters, inside and out. We are the exclusive channel distributors for OSRAM Lighting Solutions, state of the art modules and drivers engineered in Germany.

Headquartered in Munich, OSRAM is one of the biggest lighting brands in the world and is renowned for quality and consistency.

LIGHT IS OSRAM

With a 5 year warranty, Computaleta can provide the complete solution of LEDs with dedicated matched drivers, at a price point that is competitively pleasing.

Get in touch with our Lighting Specialist Aaron Morrison for more information at aaron.morrison@clgroup.co.nz, or on 027 245 1849.

How Dzine Signs attracts and develops talent

Dzine Signs has been a trade-focused business since 1997. Founded by my father, Steve Brattle, a signwriter with a career spanning the 1960s to his retirement in 2020, the company has a deep-rooted connection to the sign trade. I, myself, trained through a signwriting pre-employment course at Wellington Polytechnic, before joining the industry as an apprentice. Since then, I have focused my efforts towards continually training apprentices for the New Zealand sign market through Dzine Signs.

We have multiple tradespeople now qualified and running their own Sign Shops, all successful in their own right. We currently employ 9 tradespeople and have 5 apprentices employed and training within Dzine Signs. The trade is something we are proud to promote as a point of difference from our competition and we encourage all staff to sign up to an apprenticeship upon starting with us.

Dzine Signs also encourages all staff to keep upskilling constantly through multiple courses and accreditations like our ISO 9001 (Quality) ISO 45001 (health and safety) and ISO 14001 (Environment). We have memberships and accreditation with Avery Dennison Platinum Partnership and NZ Made platforms which also has great benefits for our staff.

All Roles within Dzine Signs have good progression avenues for tradespeople to push into, such as Sales, Project Management, Engineering, Install and Design. Apprentices and qualified tradespeople work in all sectors of Dzine Signs as we believe the trade is the foundation on which we stand.

Other tools we use include the Gateway programme through secondary schools which is a great tool for students to use to experience the trade and see if it is in fact a career path for them to consider. We have also had mini job projects within secondary schools to help include the design classes or art classes, which can open students’ eyes to a pathway they never knew existed.

To ensure the success of our apprentices, Dzine Signs collaborates with Competenz (ITO), ensuring apprentices receive comprehensive job schedules to excel in their coursework. We provide a complete array of all tools needed to excel on their apprenticeship journey

within the company.

Again current Apprentice Maddox Brattle applying Dzine Signs New fleet livery.

Jackson Brattle – left: Designed, Printed and applied the Heretaunga College School Van while on Gateway Programme. And Right: Now second year apprentice applying a full printed wrap.

Then Apprentice Caleb Bowater now Qualified Tradesman Learning on the job with Gold Leaf Traditional Signage.

Current Apprentice Sam Latham Applying Vinyl Graphics from cherry Picker onsite.

Two current Apprentices applying a full wrap. Left: Maddox Brattle and Right: Tyler Jaquiery.

Above: Apprentices Upskilling session with Welding Supplier/tutor.

Right: Apprentice Melissa Huntsman pictured with Tyson Laws (Key Accounts and Projects) also qualified Tradesman. Both receiving NZSDA awards at the 2023 conference.

Sign On Celebrates 28 years

In January 1996, Bevan and Suzanne began Sign On in their garage as a part-time hobby. Six months later, it became a full-time business, and the couple said goodbye to their engineering and accounting careers. In the beginning, they were cutting vinyl with a basic 4B Roland Cutter, akin to a typewriter with only six fonts.

Over the next six years, Sign On expanded with technological advancements, incorporating computers, wide-format vinyl cutters, and CNC routers. The team grew, and notable clients like DB Breweries and Ruapehu Alpine Lifts joined the Sign On family, putting the business in the limelight.

In 2001, Sign On transitioned from a home-based operation to its first premises on Totara Street, Taupo. This move marked the introduction of digital printing with a 300-wide Gerber Foil Printer. Bevan’s leadership pushed boundaries, earning Sign On recognition at the NZ Sign Display Awards, solidifying its position as an industry trailblazer.

By 2008, the company had outgrown its Totara Street location, leading to the construction of a purpose-built facility on Ashwood Avenue, Taupo. The subsequent years witnessed further expansions to accommodate the growing team and larger projects, including the 18-month fit-out of Mobil Synergy Wave gas stations nationwide.

In 2020, faced with global challenges, Sign On pressed forward. Bevan’s decision to construct a new workshop in Curly’s Way, Taupo, materialized in June 2021, moving the team into a state-ofthe-art building. Despite unforeseen hurdles, Sign On continued to shine, securing Gold Awards at the NZSDA awards.

Now, at the 28-year mark, Sign On enters a new phase, having been acquired by the ARA Group. The ARA Group’s proven track record promises an exciting chapter for Sign On’s dedicated team. As the legacy of Sign On unfolds, it stands as a beacon of innovation, resilience, and enduring entrepreneurial spirit.

Excitement Builds For Visual Impact Brisbane

Visual Impact is returning to Queensland after a long hiatus, so exhibitors are understandably keen to showcase their latest offerings to businesses in the region. Bookings for more than 80% of floorspace had been confirmed by December, with several remaining stands on hold. And, with the show in Brisbane for the first time since 2018, it’s sure to be popular with visitors, too.

“Visual Impact is Australia’s only dedicated show for the sign, display and graphics sector, and this year’s show will feature a full range of advances from well over 50 exhibitors, covering signage, displays, routing and engraving, laser cutting, wideformat and textile printing, LED, promotional products and more,” says Charly Blades, Events Manager for Visual Connections.

“This is a show for businesses who are looking to improve their productivity and profitability, expand their offerings to the market and create profitable new revenue streams, bringing the very latest right to the doorstep for businesses in the region.”

“We expect the bulk of visitors to come from Queensland, NT and Northern NSW, but it’s also just a quick step away from other states of Australia, many of whom will welcome the opportunity to enjoy some midwinter sunshine – from the North Island of New Zealand and the surrounding pacific area including PNG, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji.”

The show, supported by Platinum Sponsor Roland DG, Gold Sponsors Epson, HP, Spicers, Trotec and Graphic Art Mart, will

have plenty on show, with a list of exhibitors covering virtually every facet of the sector.

Leading the pack in terms of stand size are Roland DG , Mimaki, Elizabeth Machines , Sign Essentials , Ball & Doggett and Celmac Currie Group, HP, Wilenco, and Amari Visual have nabbed front-row positions for their displays, and other large stands will be presented by Alfex CNC, Avery Dennison , Creative Graphic Supplies , Epson, Graphic Art Mart , Multicam, Mutoh, PHE , Pozitive, Smartech, Spicers and Trotec

They will be joined by a host of other leading names, including Adzon , Arlon , Digital FX Machinery, Eventech, Goodsense, Interone, Lettertech , M-Power Software , O’Brien Engineering, Poli-Tape, Print IQ, Pulse Laser Systems, SaLED, SAS, Sign to Badge Solutions, Stick On Signs, Thunder Laser, Velflex, Worldkougei Inc and Zoom Tec

This extensive exhibition will be complemented by what organisers call an ‘Expert Connections Program’, which will allow visitors to connect with and learn from industry experts, thought leaders and product specialists.

“For this show, we are creating a more intimate setting for information sharing, with shorter sessions that will be more like conversations than traditional seminars,” Charly explains. “The idea is to provide structured but informal opportunities for visitors to connect with the experts, explore trends and innovations, and have the chance to really delve into how this information could relate to their particular business situation.”

“The program will include Expert Connections sessions covering economic and business information, market trends and insider insights, and Market Connections sessions dealing with specific technologies and advances,” she says.

“In all, it’s a comprehensive offering and one which is sure to be welcomed by businesses keen to gather the information, ideas and inspiration they need to stay ahead of the curve and plan for future success.”

Visual Impact Brisbane will run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 17 July, and Thursday, 18 July, and from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday, 19 July, at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre at South Bank. To find out more or pre-register for the show, go to https://bit.ly/VI24DIMreg

Anticipation is building as industry suppliers scramble to book the few remaining spaces at a packed Visual Impact Brisbane, held from July 17-19 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Charly Blades Events Manager, Visual Connections

Brisbane 2024

17-19 July, 2024

Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

COMING TO BRISBANE 2024!

Australia’s leading exhibition for sign, display, wide-format print, engraving, vinyl applications, textiles, digital print, routing and laser cutting.

www.visualimpact.org.au

Are cost increases killing your profit?

Every day, material prices go up, and with skilled tradespeople in short supply, it is harder than ever to keep a lid on wages. How do we make sure that our profits keep pace with cost increases?

Looking at how we price our jobs gives us insight to understand the challenge.

Square metre rates are the most common way sign-makers price their materials in quotes. Square metre calculations are easy to understand, easy to calculate. You list all the materials you use in the business and calculate a square or lineal metre rate. The rate includes the cost of factory work, such as laminating, trimming, and printing, and your profit.

You charge for extra artwork, factory, and installation work at a factory rate that includes the cost of the overheads. You might have worked these back to some price lists for standard-sized signs to make it easy for the team to quote.

The trouble with these fixed price methods is that they are difficult to adjust and don’t allow for waste.

Consider an industry benchmark - a printed and laminated aluminium composite panel sheet (ACP). Breaking down the job, we have material costs for the composite panel, vinyl, laminate, digital printing inks and some labour time. Each of these costs can increase at different rates - do you recalculate your price each time one cost changes, or keep our price the same and hope it works out OK?

Taking a more detailed look at the pricing for our composite panel sheet; we know the costs of those materials using list prices from well-known suppliers. A printed sheet of ACP costs $143 to manufacture or $50 per square metre. But what about the cost of labour?

The table above shows the actual cost per hour of labour when we factor in superannuation, downtime due to holidays, personal leave and public holidays. A tradesperson earning $35.00 per hour now costs $52.00 per hour they spend on the job. Even the most efficient tradesperson is not always working on paid jobs - toolbox meetings, maintenance and other work that can’t be directly billed for means that 70% productivity is a goal. Including these non-billable hours, our labour cost rises to $68.00 per hour.

Wage Costs Analysis

Our sheet of ACP now costs $177 per sheet to make or 61.00 per sqm. With a 7% price increase and a 5% wage increase, this cost increases to $189 per sheet.

From this these numbers, we see that the actual cost of labour is much higher than we imagine. If you are charging $80-100 per hour, your time estimates and staff management had better be accurate, or you risk losing money.

Together these cost increases seem to have a minor effect on the total cost of the panel. Depending on your current price, we need to increase the price by 2% and 5% to make the same profit. If we don’t pass these costs, then the effect on our bottom-line profit is more dramatic. If you start with a 15% net profit figure, it drops by 24% to 11% net profit on sales. In conclusion, while printing is highly profitable, you must pass on cost increases.

Square metre rates are easy to work with, but I doubt that many people take the time to check their rates whenever there is a cost price increase. We hope that our fellow sign makers pass on their prices, too, or we are competing against people who are flying blind.

You can use the QR code to download our costing breakdowns and modify them with your costs.

There is another way to price jobs: to calculate the actual cost of each material and process used. All good software estimating systems should automatically calculate the material and labour costs in a way that is as simple to use as a square metre rate calculation. You can still price to the market but be confident that your actual job profit targets are maintained.

Written by Nigel Davies Founder of M-Power Software and President of FESPA Australia Association

How to Steal a Client

Now that’s a headline. Isn’t it? How to steal a client.

Some years ago, I received an angry email from a company. Let’s call them ABC Signs, abusing me for stealing his best client. I had recently “picked up” this client, who was a well-known WA business. But let us put this into perspective. At the time, we were a major sponsor of the Perth Wildcats basketball team, a most successful sporting franchise at the time. They had played in finals in the longest successive run in world sporting history, 35 years in a row and something not to be sneezed at. I attended many club networking events to allow sponsors to mingle and get to know each other. Over a glass of wine and cheese, the cheese was in my hand, not the glass. The client approached me, and we chatted for some time, where he indicated they had been using ABC Signs for many years but found them unreliable, but their work was quite good. My response was to suggest they give us a go, and if they’re happier with our service, I would love to do their work.

And there it is. I didn’t “steal” a client. ABC Signs “lost” a client. It’s almost impossible to “steal” a client. Sure, you can “buy” a client by underpricing or “buying” the client in the long term, which is how you can get your pricing back to commercial rates, but that’s risky. And many clients don’t get tempted if they know the price is too far off commercial rates. Clients aren’t stupid and can smell a low-price con like all of us.

If the name of this article is to be examined, how do you win a client, if not steal one?

In my experience, it’s best to identify your target market, whether print, signage, manufacturing, or whatever your strength is, and then target the most significant users of that medium. It might be a dozen or more companies that would be your “dream” clients. Then, you need to make contact with a key person. It might be the owner, CEO, or contract administrator. It doesn’t matter, but the

Photo Credit: Hivan Arvizu Soyhivan (Unsplash)

higher up in the food chain you can get, the better. Then, you need to learn how to play the long game.

It’s best to have a strategy to continue contact with this person for a prolonged period. You may be on their tender list, so you will get invites to tender anyway. If not, get creative. Find opportunities to reach out. Send them samples of new technology you’ve invested in. Send them emails of your recent successes that mirror the work they’re likely to do. You just bought a new flatbed, so send them samples of what you can print on. If it’s a laser cutter, knock out some samples they can use or appreciate.

Eventually, one of two things is most likely to happen.

1. Some will tell you to leave them alone; they are delighted with their supplier and have no intention of moving.

2. Or, their regular supplier just messed up a project, and you get that phone call you’ve just spent 16 months pursuing, starting to believe you’re wasting your time. Payday just arrived.

In my experience, it is generally a long game, so you need some real patience to win this game. And, if you did it well, clients from option one may end up giving you an opportunity when their longtime supplier does let them down.

Let’s say you have targeted twelve companies. You might only win one or two, and they may take a very long time to win over. If you have researched correctly, one or two new clients will considerably change your business life. So, yes, the long game is worth playing. Then, apply it again and again and again. You chose to run your own business, and no one said it would be easy, so the long game is exactly what running a successful business is all about.

No one steals clients in reality. To do so, that means another client has to lose a client. We all hate losing a client; they’re very hard to replace, so the real skill in business, in my experience, is keeping clients and winning new clients.

Networking is always a great way to meet people, and many networking opportunities exist. They don’t have to be businessbased and active networking groups. Your local golf club is a networking opportunity. Offer to sponsor a hole on the weekly Saturday game or buy the drinks at trophy night. These are what I term as more passive networking events. You are simply putting your name out there and waiting for the client to contact you.

Passive networking is also part of the necessary means of marketing. As is your webpage, social media and vehicle signage on your company fleet. The better your company vehicles look, the better they are received by those who view them. The same applies to your website and socials. Look at what your competitors are doing. See how their website is presented and what they do on social media.

Some very large sign companies in Australia have very average websites, which means they are far more active in more aggressive marketing. Face-to-face marketing and long-term relationships. These companies rely on their websites and social media as secondary marketing. Their website is there mainly for clients to research them rather than deciding “who” to use. That decision has likely already been made, and the clients are doing due diligence.

Ask me what my choice is for winning new clients. The answer should be self-evident for you at this point.

All of the above and as much of it as you can physically manage.

Photo Credit: Linkedin Sales Solutions (Unsplash)

Trade Shows

Events

Seminars

Exhibitions

Open Days

Conferences

Training

ISA SIGN EXPO 2024

https://www.signexpo.org/

10 – 12 April 2024

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, USA

WOMEN IN PRINT BREAKFAST SERIES 2024

www.womeninprint.com.au

May 2024

Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

DRUPA 2024

https://www.drupa.com/

28 May – 7 June 2024

Düsseldorf, Germany

DRUPA A/NZ NETWORKING EVENT

ruth.cobb@printnz.co.nz

3 June 2024

Dusseldorf, Germany

NZSDA CONFERENCE

www.nzsda.org.nz

13 – 15 June 2024

Napier

VISUAL IMPACT BRISBANE

www.visualimpact.org.au

17-19 July 2024

Brisbane Convent and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Queensland

Photo Credit: Jonny Gios (Unsplash)

Attracting and Engaging New Staff: Challenges and Strategies for Success

In today’s competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is more challenging than ever for employers. With shifting expectations, evolving work environments, and a renewed focus on employee well-being, companies must adapt their recruitment and onboarding strategies to stand out and retain their new hires effectively. Despite these challenges, there are several strategies that companies can employ to attract and retain skilled workers:

• Offer Competitive Salaries and Benefits: To compete with other industries, offer competitive salaries and benefits packages to attract and retain skilled workers. Consider offering flexible work arrangements and opportunities for advancement to appeal to a diverse workforce.

• Collaborate with Educational Institutions: Partnering with schools, colleges, and universities to develop training programs that align with the needs of your Industry can help attract young talent and ensure a pipeline of skilled workers for the future.

• Recruit for Overseas: Partnering with Recruitment, HR Consultants and Immigration Specialists will help make this process less daunting. So, you can focus on securing the right skills and experience you need to grow your business.

BUT NOW THAT YOU’VE GOT THEM WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THEM? ONBOARDING

This process is often overlooked and often referred to an “induction”. However, a good onboarding process will significantly impact on an employee’s satisfaction, retention, and productivity. Key strategies

for success include:

• Clear Expectations and Goals: Providing your new hires with a clear understanding of their role, responsibilities, and goals from day one will set the tone not only for your employment relationship but also for their success. This simple task at the beginning of the process will help them understand how they contribute to the overall success of the team and your business.

• Mentorship and Support: Providing your new recruit with a trusted employee i.e. “buddy/mentor” will provide guidance and support during their transition period. This will ensure that the employee feels connected to the team and brings them up to speed faster.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

Successful workplaces thrive on collaboration, communication, and engaged employees and managers. Unfortunately, there has been a concerning trend of “quiet quitting” over the past year, with many workers becoming increasingly disengaged. Disengaged employees lack enthusiasm for their work and do not find joy in their workplace. Turning these disengaged workers and keeping you new recruits happy is vital to your success. Key strategies include:

• Offer Growth Opportunities: Provide your employees with opportunities for growth and development, such as training programs, mentorship opportunities, or advancement opportunities. This shows them that you are invested in their longterm success and encourages them to stay with your company.

• Fostering a Positive Work Environment: Creating a positive work environment

where employees feel valued, supported, and respected helps turn your employees frown upside down. Simple strategies like offering flexible working, recognizing and rewarding achievements, promoting a healthy work-life balance and simply saying thank you all contribute to a positive work environment.

• Encourage Open Communication: Encourage open and honest communication between employees and management. This helps build trust and transparency within the organization and allows employees to voice their concerns or ideas freely.

• Offer Competitive Benefits: Provide competitive benefits packages that meet the needs of your employees, such as healthcare, retirement plans, and paid time off. This can help attract top talent and keep them engaged and motivated.

• Recognize and Reward Performance: Recognize and reward employees for their hard work and contributions. Traditionally these have included bonuses, promotions, gift cards etc however think outside the box, get to know your staff what they would really like a weekend for two, a monthly recognition award that they can have on their desk for all to see. There is no right or wrong answer.

Attracting and retaining top talent requires a combination of strategic recruitment efforts, effective onboarding processes, and a focus on employee engagement and retention. By addressing these challenges head-on and implementing these strategies, you can attract and retain the best talent in today’s competitive job market.

Sustainability Outlook for 2024

Sustainability will continue to be an essential focus for many companies in 2024, and the preference for solutions that are less impactful on the environment will only continue to grow. The move towards sustainable signage and print is driven mainly by brands and companies who want to meet their ESG Goals and promote their sustainability initiatives to their customers.

Companies are not only evaluating their products and services; they are looking further down their supply chain to ensure that the companies they do business with are also aligned with their environmental values and goals.

If you are a sign and print company that hasn’t yet investigated and adopted any sustainable practices within your business, 2024 will no doubt be the year where, at some point, you will be required to address how your business is going to service the requests that will inevitably come from your customers.

Many of the world’s largest companies and consumer brands, such as Apple, Samsung, Adidas, Nike and Estee Lauder as a handful of examples, have made commitments to reduce and phase out PVC content in their products due to health and environmental concerns. As environmentally conscious print buyers become more aware of the extensive use of PVC in the sign and print industry, they are increasingly requesting alternative materials and changing their visual merchandising accordingly. Brands like L’oreal, Patagonia and Dr Martens already have guidelines in place to ensure PVC is replaced where possible in store.

Photo Credit: Bruna Soares (Unsplash)

DENISE KIRBY

Beyond brand preference, we will see increasing regulations managing the use of PVC and other plastic materials. From March 2024, Western Australia is set to ban single-use plastic promotional films used for short-term outdoor advertising that are harmful to the environment when not disposed of correctly. These are baby steps, but these highlight a growing awareness of the impact of printed advertising materials on the environment.

Ad Net Zero is a recent global initiative to reduce the carbon impact of developing, producing and running advertising and harnessing advertising power to support behaviour change. Members include leading agencies and consumer brands.

These are all clear indicators that the world is changing, and more importantly, the needs of our customers are changing. As the saying goes - “it’s not the strongest or the smartest who survive; it is those who are the most adaptable to change”. Just as our industry evolved from the brush and paint, sustainability is the next evolutionary step for our industry.

For the last few years, many products have claimed ecofriendly credentials simply by being PVC-Free. Given that most PVC materials end up in landfills, this is an excellent first step as it reduces the toxicity of waste languishing in landfills for thousands of years. However, this does not address the volume of waste going to landfills, nor is it necessarily green. Just because something isn’t PVC doesn’t automatically make it environmentally friendly.

2024 will see an increasing lack of tolerance for greenwashing. Companies claiming environmental benefits and promoting ecofriendly products must do more to back up their claims than

just using words and green imagery. The market is demanding more transparency and authenticity around environmental statements. The European Parliament and Council have a provisional agreement on new environmental claims rules to protect consumers from being misled. The directive will prohibit generalised environmental statements like “eco-friendly”, “green”, “carbon-neutral”, and some other environmental jargon from being used in isolation. The goal is to legally prevent companies from making unclear and unsubstantiated environmental assertions about their products and services. Advertisers will be required to provide credible and verified evidence. While not directly applicable to our region yet, the passing of such a directive will most certainly be influential on our regulatory management of greenwashing in advertising.

2024 will also see a greater demand for products with more meaningful environmental credentials. Products that can be recycled or repurposed, contain recycled or PCR (Post Consumer Recycled) content and those that offer a fully circular solution will be seen as more valuable and sort after than those that are just “not PVC”.

Far from being a trend, sustainability is well and truly here to stay and 2024 will be a pivotal year where we will see more investment and innovation from machine, ink and material manufacturers.

Going green isn’t just about saving the planet. Businesses are fast recognising that introducing sustainable initiatives such as energy savings and waste reduction reduces costs and increases production efficiency and profit. In 2024 providing sustainable solutions will be critical in keeping your business relevant and competitive.

DENISE KIRBY has nearly thirty years’ experience supplying self-adhesive media to the sign and print industry. Initially starting out in the family business as a distributor, she went on to work for leading self-adhesive manufacturers in marketing, business development and product management roles across Australia and New Zealand. She now has her own business, Kirbyco, which develops and supplies eco-friendly, recyclable and sustainable print media, and created ZERO, a product stewardship scheme which recycles end of life printed media. Denise is highly passionate about the industry and enjoys writing about applications, opportunities and new developments in print and signage. Her goal is to inspire people to explore new creative, functional and sustainable opportunities in print as well as educating the industry on products, trends and innovations.

Photo Credit: Harper Sunday (Unsplash)

Six Tools To Get Your Businesses Finances In Shape in 2024

Financial management doesn’t happen by accident. It requires organisation and systematisation, yet it doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are some tools to get organised.

1. ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

With cloud systems linked to bank accounts, it’s easy to track finances. You need to keep track of transactions for the tax office, lenders, and, importantly, yourself.

A well set up system will provide information ensuring:

• You pay everyone correctly: staff, suppliers, business owners, tax office etc.

• You know where you’re making and losing money, e.g. which products/services are most/least profitable, where you’re going over/under budget on expenses, when costs are rising and margins are being squeezed, and it’s time to review pricing.

• Customers pay on time - reporting who owes what for how long. Then, send statements/reminders to slow payers.

2. A BUDGET

The most essential tool in business is a Budget. Starting a business without a budget is flying blind!

A budget is your financial roadmap that keeps you on track monthly. It sets out how much you plan to sell, what sales will cost and what will be your expenses and profit monthly.

Once developed, a budget needs to be entered into your accounting system so that you can report monthly on actual versus budget. Doing this monthly, you see where things are on/off track and fix them quickly, avoiding further losses.

3. CASHFLOW FORECAST

Achieving sales and profit targets is great; however, if you don’t handle and keep an eye on cash flow, your business could fail due to a lack of cash.

Photo Credit: Firmbee.com (Unsplash)

A cash flow forecast shows when you expect the cash to come in and go out of your business. By forecasting, you’re pre-armed with knowledge that you can act upon. For example, if things don’t go according to plan and cash looks tight for the future, you can ramp up sales, inject cash from loans or shareholders, sale of assets, speed up customer payments, speed up finishing jobs so they can be invoiced, sell off slow-moving or obsolete stock. On the outgoings, you can reduce expenses, slow up supplier payments, arrange to pay off tax debts, delay shareholder payments, etc.

4. MONTHLY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CHECKLIST

An easy way to ensure financial management stays on track is to follow a checklist, including Monthly Reports: Profit and Loss Report, Balance Sheet, Cashflow Forecast, Outstanding Customers, Outstanding Suppliers, Job Management, Stock Management, Detailed Sales Report by customer, product, division etc.

Also include:

• Reconciliation/payment of suppliers, taxes, superannuation etc.

• Reconciliation/follow up customer amounts owed

• Reconciliation of bank accounts, credit cards, etc.

• Monthly accounting entries for non-cash transactions, such as depreciation of assets and amortisation of large amounts, such as yearly insurance (break it down monthly)

• Tax returns such as GST/VAT and staff payroll taxes

• Reconciliation of Work in Progress and Stock

• Reconciliation of inter-company loans/accounts and suspense accounts

• Foreign Exchange – accounting for losses/gains

5. A SPREADSHEET SYSTEM

A spreadsheet is an excellent tool for calculating things like:

• Pricing – gather all your direct costs, then add a margin to calculate a price. Conversely, if you need to adhere to a price, deduct a margin and determine how much is available for the cost of the item.

• Markup – once the cost is known, add a markup to achieve the desired margin.

• Breakeven – The sales you need to make to cover running expenses after direct costs of the product/service.

• Anything you want to know to ensure you’re on the right track.

6. A LOGICAL BRAIN!

Businesses run on ‘gut feel’ can succeed. However, those run with logical thought processes are more likely to prosper. Selling things you love is great, but if you’re not charging the right price and running things efficiently and cost-effectively, you will struggle to profit from your efforts. It’s easy to use a ‘thumb suck’ to decide on a price or match competitors. If you aren’t sure of your ‘true cost,’ you could not charge enough and go out of business due to lack of profit. Taking time to analyse before you get started can save headaches. It seems an unnecessary step when you want to get on with selling and making things, but it will save money if you pause to ensure you’re on the right track at the beginning.

If you’re not a ‘left-brain’ logical thinker (many entrepreneurs are right-brain creative), find someone who can guide and keep you on track. They could be a resource and ‘sounding board’ for your ideas, ensuring they’re profitable!

For more information on financial management download our FREE eBook 11 Steps to Business Numbers Made Easy

CFO-ON-CALL is a team of Financial and Business Advisors who work with open-minded people committed to business growth and achieving success. For a no obligation FREE chat about your profit growth opportunities please call us on 1300 36 24 36 or visit www.CFOonCall.com.au