New Zealand Printer July 2020

New Zealand Printer

July 2020

Apprentice of the Year A century of Soar Print Farewell Sue Archibald PrintNZ is here for you

Logick supreme at Pride In Print Awards

1987-2020

with

WIDE FORMAT

years in print

+Plus

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500 Free * T-Shirts with the Epson T-Shirt Printer

Contact FUJIFILM on 0800 242 646 or check out wideformatprinters.co.nz to find out more details of this great offer!

wideformatprinters.co.nz * FUJIFILM Epson T-Shirt Offer runs from Friday 5th June to Friday 31st July 2020 (Promotional Period) or while stocks last. Promotion is open only to individuals over the age of 18 years and New Zealand registered companies. Promotion applies to the Epson SureColour F216 DTG (Eligible Printer) purchased from FUJIFILM NZ LIMITED (FUJIFILM NZ). Free T-shirts will be given as a credit for 500 Unisex Basic Tees from AS Colour. Eligible Printer must be paid for in full or through approved finance during the Promotional Period. Eligible Printer must be installed by FUJIFILM NZ during the Promotional Period, unless agreed otherwise with FUJIFILM NZ. Installation & training costs are additional to Eligible Printer cost. Excludes purchases through other Epson New Zealand dealers, an Epson website or second hand or refurbished printers. Offer not available with any other FUJIFILM NZ promotion.

Full terms and conditions available at https://wideformatprinters.co.nz/webpages/fujifilm-500-free-t-shirts-with-epson-t-shirt-printer-offer-terms-and-conditions/

July 2020 Features p8-47

8 Fuji Xerox: Southern Colour upgraded one of its Fuji Xerox Versant 2100 digital presses to a 3100 and added the GX print server 10 Currie Group: Westprint has totally revamped its production with refurbished HP Indigo Digital Presses, supplied through Currie Group 24 Print Sales: Meqa Smith says we need to address customers’ unmet expectations quickly 25 Kodak: The digital giant has released some heavyweight solutions that would have shown at drupa 26 Vale Rex Bridgford: We farewell Rex Bridgford, one of an important group of print managers who changed the face of the industry 34-35 Soar Print: One of the country’s most successful family print companies celebrates its centenary this year 36-42 PIDA: We feature this year’s winners plus the recipients of the AIP special awards

CONTENTS Cover Story Logick Print p20-21

Most of the print industry streamed the announcements live online to their tearooms or boardrooms but the supreme award winners found out elsewhere PrintNZ p12-18

12-13 Helping Hand: Iain MacIntyre looks at how PrintNZ helps us all 14 Comment: Ruth Cobb says thank you to Sue Archibald for Pride In Print 16-17 Training wins: We catch up with this year’s training awards winners 18 Top apprentice: Vanessa Hooton is our Apprentice of the Year Wide Format Plus p27-32

Advertiser’s index

Aarque 7, 29 APM 7 Currie Group 7, 11 Cyber OBC Eamar Plastics 50 Fuji Xerox 9 Fujifilm IFC Graphic Lamination & Coating 5 Graphic Machinery NZ Ltd 7 NZSDA 31 Pride In Print OFC, IBC PrintNZ 15 Ricoh 19 VPR 50 Wholesale Print 33

30 NZSDA: Melissa Coutts puts a positives spin on a crisis 32 Fuji Xerox/Esko: Fuji Xerox has installed an Esko Kongsberg X Edge table at its Technology Centre

43 Fellman: Newton’s laws of motion have application to print sales, says Dave Fellman 44-45 Romano: Frank Romano reports on how the US industry is coping during the pandemic 46 Competenz: Fiona Kingsford, chief executive at Competenz, will represent the industry training as we transition to the new normal 47 Printerverse: Deb Corn offers a set of strategies to keep your business ahead during Covid-19 48-49: Real Media Collective: Kellie Northwood outlines the facts v the myths about The Collective

NEW ZEALAND PRINTER PO Box 32-395, Devonport, Auckland 0744 EDITORIAL: 021 631 559 Bruce Craig, Editor: bruce@newzealandprinter.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS: Ruth Cobb, Deb Corn, Melissa Coutts, Dave Fellman, Iain MacIntyre, Kellie Northwood, Frank Romano, Meqa Smith CIRCULATION: subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

p18 Tainui Press training success, from left: Sheryl Ertel, Vanessa Hooton, and Dale Ertel

ISSN 1171 7912

DISPLAY ADVERTISING SALES & SERVICE: Brian Moore – brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz +61 410 578 876 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Brian Moore – brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Carrie Tong – carrie@i-grafix.com

New Zealand Printer is mailed to members of the printing, packaging and graphic communications industry in New Zealand 11 times a year, February-December.

newzealandprinter.co.nz

2020

Official Media Sponsor

New Zealand Printer is a member of the

Printer Media Group New Zealand: New Zealand Printer, ProPack.pro Asia Pacific: ProPack.pro Australia: Australian Printer, ProPrint MANAGING DIRECTOR: James Wells – james@intermedia.com.au GROUP PUBLISHER: Brian Moore – brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz © Copyright 2020: Contents of this magazine are subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

July 2020

3

NEWS IN BRIEF XAAR, the printhead manufacturer has celebrated its 30th birthday in style with Champagne sent to every member of the team to toast the business and its role in pioneering the use of industrial inkjet technologies around the world. Based at Cambridge Science Park in the UK, Xaar’s focus on research and development has resulted in over 2000 patent applications filed and the development of several inkjet printheads and technologies that have contributed to the global expansion of inkjet printing.

PRINTING UNITED, the US print trade show, will transition from an in person event in Atlanta to a digital platform.

The show plans to present four weeks of hosted global programming and new product unveilings from October 5. A series of community-based, content-rich insight days will deliver a programme each week, highlighting a focus spanning apparel, commercial, digital textile, graphics, wide format, in plant, industrial, mailing, and packaging. Mark J. Subers, president of Printing United, says, “Our expert team has worked diligently to build a digital model to ensure that all market segments have a front row seat to this amazing event.”

PACKAGING looks likely to surge, according to a new report from Research and Markets. The drivers behind this growth include the increased demand for fast moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical packaging, and the rising ecommerce sales that have come about from lockdowns. The report projects the Asia Pacific region, including New Zealand, to grow quickly because of the easy availability of packaging raw materials such as plastic, fibre, and glass, and the presence of manufacturing facilities of most of the packaging companies.

TRMC submission halts bylaw vote Wellington City Council has stayed a proposed bylaw on print advertising materials that would have seen fines implemented for distribution of printed material into letterboxes displaying ‘No advertising materials’ signs.

Kellie Northwood, chief executive at The Real Media Collective (TRMC), says the organisation contacted all councillors and the mayor. It challenged the presumption that print has a detrimental effect on the environment and the Wellington community. She says, “The council has stayed the bylaw. It will consult the community and industry for more information so it can accurately vote on the issue.”

TRMC points out that the channel forms part of a large industry that employs 20,938 New Zealanders. The paper and print industry contributes to the New

Kellie Northwood, chief executive at The Real Media Collective Zealand economy, a fact that government often overlooks.

She adds, ”New Zealand has a 100 per cent planted forest industry. This means that companies harvest and replant trees for paper production in accordance with regrowth harvesting technologies. This increases local species, supports biodiversity and provides strong carbon sinks. In particular, catalogues are

100 per cent recyclable via the standard household recycling bins.

“As an industry we often face these comments and labelling as ‘junk mail’, which is disappointing, particularly when it comes from governments.

However, we know these channels have higher environmental credentials than others. E-waste is a significant issue globally.

Epson proves socially responsible The FTSE4Good Index Series has included Epson for the 16th consecutive year.

The Index Series measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong environmental, social and governance practices Selection for the Index Series indicates that Epson has been independently appraised for its efforts towards the environment and in solving issues in society, and has been recognised as a sustainable company. Epson says it

aims to create new value by looking hard at solutions to social issues, understanding the expectations of society, and then providing products and services that far exceed those expectations.

The company says its commitment to the development of a sustainable society comes through the four areas of innovation identified through its Epson 25 Corporate Vision. In 2017, Epson developed a materiality matrix that identifies key Corporate

Social Responsibility (CSR) themes, such as environmental issues, respect for human rights, human resources development, and governance.

Epson uses this matrix to guide and strengthen their CSR activities and to help make the world a better place.

Epson adds that it will fully demonstrate its creativity in CSR by creating value through the products it develops and manufactures.

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July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

NEWS

Heidelberg pulls out of drupa Germany’s giant press manufacturer, Heidelberg, will not exhibit its solutions at drupa, or any other international trade fairs next year.

Rainer Hundsdörfer, chief executive at Heidelberg, says the company made the decision early because the situation with the Covid-19 pandemic remains unclear for next year, and he expects this will impact the number of visitors who can attend.

He adds that, with technology changing so rapidly, customers need to stay up to date with new technology more flexibly and quickly. He says, “So the company has decided to not participate in international trade fairs next year and will thus not be taking part in drupa.”

“In 2021, drupa will be a very different event.

Global travel restrictions and hygiene regulations mean significantly fewer visitors and constraints on communication.

“Traditional international trade fairs with busy booths and halls will very probably be difficult to implement

Not at drupa: Heidelberg has other plans for marketing next year and will likely lose their status as global meet-up events for customers and manufacturers.

“As a longtime partner to drupa, Heidelberg will be happy to continue to offer its experience when it comes to bringing future trade fair concepts into line with new digital possibilities and customer requirements.”

Heidelberg has turned its focus to an Innovation Week that will run in October 2020. The company will deliver this event by virtual livestream and face to face communication.

It has events planned at its Print Media Centres in Atlanta, Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Tokyo.

Hundsdörfer adds, “We will invest more in new, virtual trade fair concepts to ensure closer and more individual customer communications as well as in regional events in our growth markets.

“This means we will be able to consistently align ourselves with our customers’ expectations.”

IN BRIEF WERNER DORNSCHEIDT has retired from drupa organiser Messe Düsseldorf after 37 years and almost 17 years as president and chief executive.

He says, “Trade fairs are my life,” says the outgoing CEO. “What we have built up together with my team over all those years benefits the company today.

While conditions are difficult at present, it is comforting to know that ‘my’ company is in good hands. The team is already busy working on a re-start and developing further digital addons so that Messe Düsseldorf will also remain the successful, reputable company in future that it is today. I have made my contribution.”

EFI has brought back Scott Schinlever to the role of chief operating officer of its global inkjet business, charging him with expanding its industrial inkjet position. He has responsibility for all equipment, ink, and service solutions for EFI’s portfolio in display graphics, textiles, packaging and building materials.

Schinlever worked for Vutek, which EFI acquired in 2005. He joined Gerber Technology in 2018. His time in digital print goes back to the late 1990s, when he worked for Xerox.

Kiwis prefer printed books A new report from the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) has revealed Kiwis still vastly prefer print books, with sales of physical books growing while demand for ebooks has shrunk.

Despite significant investment by publishers in digital formats, ebooks make up just 7.2 per cent of total trade and education sales.

The New Zealand Publishing Market Size Report 2019, completed by Nielsen Book Research for PANZ, shows that in the trade market (books for the general consumer) print book sales increased by +7.1 per cent in 2019, while digital books declined by -4.5 per cent.

Julia Marshall, president at PANZ, says, “The report confirms that New Zealanders continue to newzealandprinter.co.nz

prefer the experience that a physical book has to offer.”

The report provides a snapshot of an industry that was in good heart at the end of 2019, experiencing a six per cent increase in total revenue on the previous year. Dealers sold 21.1 million books in 2019.

The closure of physical and online bookshops in Level Four lockdown from late March 2020 caused a 20 per cent decline in domestic book sales to the end of May 2020.

However, in the second week of Level Two, domestic revenue through bookstores rose 22 per cent compared to the same week in 2019, although sales overall are still down year-on-year.

The book trade generated $292.2 million in total revenue last year with content exported around the world.

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July 2020

5

NEWS

Robot makes plate loading automatic Agfa has introduced a plate loading robot that it says will streamline and speed up prepress operations, while reducing overall cost.

The company says its robotic plate loader frees prepress staff from heavy manual, repetitive tasks such as plate loading cassettes of autoloaders, or fixing pallets on the base frame of skid loaders.

Iris Bogunovic, product manager for Plate and CTP Systems at Agfa, says, “Heatset printers usually have multiple presses with different sizes, and therefore multiple CTP lines. Linked to that come so called combo loading configurations, each consisting of a pallet loader and autoloader. The robotic plate loader replaces both configurations, reducing footprint by up to 30 per

Automatic plate loading now a reality: Agfa says its new robotic plate loader will boost productivity in print shops cent, and making prepress operations more efficient and productive.”

In the first roll out phase, Agfa offers its plate loading robot to printing companies using its Avalon VLF platesetters. The robot, custom-built according

to a printer’s exact needs, can simultaneously feed multiple plate production lines with a picking speed of up to 80 printing plates per hour, independent of plate size. The set up helps printers needing to handle multiple plate sizes.

The plate loading robot fully integrates with Agfa’s Apogee workflow software. Scandinavian printed marketing solutions provider Stibo Complete has installed the robotic plate loader.

Svend Erik Grue Nielsen, operations and development manager at Stibo Complete, says, “Automation is important in the strategy of any growing and forward looking company.

“Agfa’s new robotic plate loader gives us a real competitive edge because it improves our productivity and reduces costs. Because it is automatic, it minimises mistakes and optimises working conditions for our employees. Our new plate loading robot saves our employees from around 230 tonnes of heavy lifting per year.”

Competenz farewells Simm Competenz Trust Board member George Adams will take over as chairman after Mike Simm announced his retirement from the role.

Fiona Kingsford, chief executive at Competenz, says Simm has made an invaluable contribution over the last eight years.

She says, “Mike’s passion for youth development, vocational education and our industries has led Competenz to become a highly respected and trusted advisor with our industries and government.

On a personal note, I have

truly valued Mike’s support and mentorship over the past four years and will miss his wisdom and insight.”

Simms says, “It has been a great privilege to have been part of the Competenz journey, overseeing the genuine contribution that we make to the New Zealand economy through vocational training and to be closely associated with the people that bring that to life.

“Some of my most treasured moments have been visiting workplaces and discussing

their challenges and opportunities with employers and learners.

This is where ‘the rubber hits the road’ for us and where I have been able to experience first-hand the opportunities we have to make a real contribution to upskilling the New Zealand workforce and all the collateral benefits that accrue from that.”

Adams joined the Competenz Board in April 2018. He has 30 years’ experience leading companies in New Zealand, Africa and Europe. A former

chair of the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council, he currently holds chairman and directorship roles on several boards The Trust Board has announced that it will leave open the vacancy left by his transition to Board chairman. It has given a one-year extension to the terms of existing board members. These decisions reflect an expectation that the Competenz Trust will likely wind up in the foreseeable future as part of the Government’s Rove plans.

Ricoh calls in Pollok for Aussie role Ricoh has announced that its Australian managing director Andy Berry will leave the role this month.

Mike Pollok, managing director of Ricoh New Zealand will assume responsibility for Ricoh Australia for the foreseeable future, and until the company identifies a permanent replacement.

6

Toyohito Tanaka, corporate senior vicepresident and regional managing director for Ricoh, says, “We are fortunate to have an experienced executive of the calibre of Michael to take charge of our Australian business for the foreseeable future and to lead the business through

its next phase of growth as a provider of digital services.

“Michael is an experienced senior executive with a strong operational, strategic and leadership background who has successfully run Ricoh New Zealand for many years.

“He will be valuable in driving the transformation

of our business as a sustainable digital services company dedicated to helping customers succeed through empowering their digital workplaces.

“Ricoh Australia has extended well beyond print to become a recognised smart workplace technology provider and has achieved many milestones.”

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND PRINTER DIRECTORY - PMS 308

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- PMS 308 - PMS BLACK Please respect legend colours integrity

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Print Service & Supply Businesses - Stay in Front Stay in front of your prospects, New Zealand Printer readers, with an ad in the New Zealand Printer Directory. Pay just $150 ex gst a month over 11 issues and get noticed by the people who need your goods or services. The Directory is published monthly near the Print Calendar at the end of the NZP news section.

Contact Brian Moore on +61 410 578 876 or email brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz for details

PRINT CALENDAR Print, Sign, Display & Graphics Virtual Trade Show

Fespa Global Expo

drupa 2020

March 9-12, 2021 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Organisers have moved the show again. They still have the backing of exhibitors wanting to provide an innovative wide format. It will run alongside the European Sign Expo and Sportswear Pro exhibitions.

Postponed from June, 2020 to April 20-30, 2021 Düsseldorf, Germany The world’s leading trade fair for printing technologies has changed the expo landscape with its decision to move the show to 2021, meaning other shows such as the Melbourne’s PacPrint will also have to move.

www.fespa.com

www.drupa.com

Labelexpo Americas

NZSDA Conference and Sign Expo

Postponed from May, 2020 - date to be announced Crowne Plaza Hotel, Auckland The Community Newspaper Association Conference and Awards provide a platform for independent owners of community newspapers to learn, network and celebrate.

March 23-25, 2021 Rosemont, USA America’s largest label show includes multisubstrate presses, digital presses, laser die cutting, prepress and plate making, decoration systems, multi-process ink systems, high technology label materials, films, sleeves, and wraps.

www.cna.org.nz

www.labelexpoamericas.com

July 8-10, 2021 Auckland The now postponed conference, awards, and Sign Expo will still feature everything that would have happened this year. The awards event acknowledges outstanding design and craftsmanship across a range of signmaking methods.

ProPak Asia

Interpack

October 20-23, 2020 BITEC, Bangkok Originally slated for June, the biggest processing and packaging trade exhibition in Asia postponed due to Covid-19. The show says it will feature 65,000 square metres in nine halls, with more than 2300 exhibiting companies from 50 countries, but watch this space for changes.

Feb 25 - Mar 3, 2021 Düsseldorf, Germany Considered the largest event in the packaging industry, Interpack specialises on the packaging process within the food, beverage, confectionery, bakery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, non-food and industrial goods sectors.

Running now until September 30, 2020 Online 24/7 Visitors will see product demonstration videos, virtual tours, sales presentations, downloadable brochures, product photo galleries, website links and show specials, accessed by clicking dedicated links on a virtual stand.

www.visualconnections.org.au

CNA Conference & Awards

www.interpack.com

www.nzsda.org.nz

PacPrint 2021 September 28 to October 1 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Since 1970, PacPrint has provided a platform for suppliers and visitors to get together and generate business opportunities through the latest technologies, solutions, and trends.

www.pacprint.com.au

www.propakasia.com newzealandprinter.co.nz

July 2020

7

DIGITAL

Fuji Xerox Versant matches colours at Southern Colour

A

ward winning mainland print company Southern Colour recently upgraded one of its Fuji Xerox Versant 2100 digital colour presses to a Versant 3100.

Tim Murphy, prepress manager at Southern Colour Print, says, “Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to replace one of the Versant 2100 presses, so we took that. We also added the Fuji Xerox GX print server.

“We wanted to get greater colour consistency in our digital output, and this has happened.

Part of the reason we use the Fuji Xerox Versant machines is for proofing for our offset work. We need this capability to accurately match the colours.

“The Fuji Xerox Versants, and the GX print server, do what the salesperson told us they would do. This is great because they fit right in our sweet spot in terms of volumes and they fit perfectly with our need to produce high quality digital printed material. They also enable us to complete the colour adjustments when we need them. We have to match customers’ specific requirements.”

The Fuji Xerox GX print server targets high resolution at high speed and features APPE, the Adobe PDF Print Engine, and CPSI, the Configurable PostScript Interpreter, 1200 X 1200dpi resolution, 10-bit colour and straightforward spot colour management. Inside, it produces an intermediate data format that reduces RIP load while a Rip Accelerator Board maintains image quality through high-speed, lossless compression. Fast serial transmission accelerates the processing of heavy image data.

The GX print server’s full width array technology features automated colour calibration and profiling; digital smoothing technology for sharper text and lines and 3D Calibration for highly precise colour management.

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Fuji Xerox’s Versant digital presses and GX print server improve colour consistency and print quality

Murphy says, “The Fuji Xerox GX Rip is really user friendly and intuitive making our job a lot simpler and saving us time.

“Having it installed just before lockdown meant that Fuji Xerox couldn’t immediately deliver the training on the GX or the Versant. But these solutions are so intuitive that we were able to work things out and have them humming.

“We have come to expect high overall quality and consistency from the Versants.

With the Fuji Xerox Versant 3100, we found that its sheet registration, front and back, is really good and holds the colour really well. Plus, we are still happy with the performance of the Versant 2100.

“The Versants run really well, and we do our own preventive maintenance, keeping them clean and topped up and dealing with the normal wear and tear that you get with any machine.

We get very few breakdowns.

“The Versants play an important role in our normal print production needs.

We have a range of printed products from magazines and brochures to posters. We can produce all of these on the Versants. They are great workhorses; solid machines that also deliver good print quality. Before we decided on the Versant 3100 and the GX print server, we did shop around. We looked at the

market. There are many digital production machines out there, but the Fuji Xerox Versants are the ideal solutions for our needs. We have them running all day and every day.

“Customer reaction to the work they are getting from the new digital line up is positive.

They are more than happy with the printed product and pleased with the quality.”

Southern Colour Print completes local, national, and international work. It has won the supreme award at Pride In Print for its postage stamps.

He says, “The work goes across the world: Europe, Africa, all over the place. The best thing working with international customers is how it is always changing. It becomes quite interesting and we get totally absorbed in the work.”

He sees a good future for print and for Southern Colour.

He says, “Our business is varied, here and overseas, and that diversity helps us to keep a positive attitude.

“Obviously, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected our production and the business environment is a bit different to what it was but, generally speaking, we are keeping pretty busy.

“We have a great relationship with Fuji Xerox New Zealand. They are a good group of people. The technical specialists get on top of any problems quickly.”

Colour consistency: Digital operator Jimmy Park at work with the Fuji Xerox Versant 3100

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

Knock off early.

The Versant 3100 Finisher D6 has everything sorted (and trimmed and folded).

The new Fuji Xerox Versant 3100 Finisher D6 produces sophisticated full bleed booklets thanks to its 3-knife trimming, heavyweight paper support, and creasing features. With improved performance and convenient finishing in one pass, the Versant 3100 is the time-saver your business needs.

To find out more visit www.fujixerox.co.nz

DIGITAL

Westprint diversifies with HP Indigo and Currie Group Busy West Auckland print shop partners with Currie Group to grow its business

R

ecently, Auckland-based Westprint installed two refurbished HP Indigo Digital Presses into its New Lynn plant.

Martin Nicholson, director at Westprint, says, “We removed a six-colour offset press and a digital press, replacing them with the HP Indigo Digital Presses: one sheetfed and one dual engine continuous feed engine. We wanted something with offset quality but also to give us improvements in speed to market and efficiencies.

“We can be dual running the two machines in colour at approximately 21,600 A4 sheets per hour or, in production mode, 32,400 A4 sheets per hour. Monochrome on the web HP Indigo W7200 produces approximately 57,000 per hour double sided A4s which is perfect for the forms or pharma market.

“With these production speeds, it allows us to compete in the low and mid volume offset market without needing to have a specific ‘offset’ or ‘digital’ solution. It has changed our mindset away from this, to now just providing high quality print solutions to our customers.

“The machines are spot colour capable with our mixing station and run specialised colours like white, clear, matt, and fluoros. The HP Indigo W7200 gives us versatility in the types of medias we can run through it. We have run everything from 38gsm greaseproof burger wraps through to a 500um folded box board. It is this flexibility that allows us to supply new markets traditionally not available to us, like the label industry and the folded box market.

“We engaged Currie Group last year to come up with a solution that met the direction we wanted to take the business. Currie Group presented the two machines fully refurbished with the latest software and current capabilities. Paired with top end finishing solutions from Horizon, they make a perfect fit.

“The Production Pro software added a lot of automation to our prepress and the finishing solutions addressed pain points we wanted solved in the factory.

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We looked seriously at other solutions at the time, but Currie Group was the best fit and has come through on what was a complete print shop change.”

Craig Paul, country manager Currie Group New Zealand, says, “Westprint is proving how print companies can achieve great results with these solutions and out of the box thinking.

We are pleased we could partner with the team at Westprint to help them reach their goals.”

Bright future Established in 1988 in Clark Street New Lynn, Westprint moved several times settling in its current Puriri Street site 20 years ago. Martin took over the family-owned business in 2007 when his parents, aunty and uncle retired. His business partner, Phil Goodwin began at Westprint, completing his offset apprenticeship before moving into production.

The company’s team of 12 offers high volume digital solutions to the print, packaging, and label industry.

Westprint also specialises in envelopes under the Tudor brand for trade customers like mail houses and other printers. Westprint has taken charge of its own future. Martin says, “Post Covid-19, the print industry will face challenges for sure, but it’s

been a tough industry for a long time and business owners are resilient.

Our focus for now is servicing our customers, talking with new prospects, and keeping our staff in jobs. In the near future, the main challenge will be that the runs are just not there or downsized. It is affecting most companies and particularly those in the commercial print sector. We are using this time to develop new markets and focus on workflow improvements for when the industry picks up again.

“We have come out the other end of a complete business change and it is exciting. The best thing is seeing the staff enthusiastic about a new project.

We may be running a perfect bound publication in the morning and then a label in reels next job on. It is vastly different to a traditional offset plant now and the staff are loving it. The hardest part is the steep learning curve that has come with the change and the occasional frustrations you naturally hit with new machines.

“Our business development manager and art director Darren Blomfield has a focus on strategy for growth in key target markets. He has been busy with factory tours and showing everyone the scope of the new operation.

“With the heavy investment in technology and automation from Currie Group, the future is bright.”

From left: Martin Nicholson, director; Darren Blomfield, business development manager and art director; and Phil Goodwin, director between the HP Indigo Digital Presses

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

helping hand

Working for you through

D

rawing upon the print, packaging, and visual communication sectors’ collective strength to ensure the industry remains strong and vibrant, both now and into the future, is the key driver of national body, PrintNZ. While COVID-19 may have provided particular visibility to the association’s work across the whole sector, PrintNZ chief executive Ruth Cobb emphasises her team is “not just here in a time of crisis”.

She says, “Important work is continuously being undertaken on behalf of the large number of companies and individuals who work in the industry. A new issue is always appearing on the horizon and requiring a well prepared resource to address.

“However, often this work is carried out behind the scenes and is not so visible to the broader industry.”

Recent notable engagements have included: • vocational education changes • employment legislation changes • challenging corporate greenwashing claims • promoting the efficacy and environmental sustainability of print • ensuring print has a voice across as many forums as possible

Proud history Established as the Federated Master Printers’ Association of New Zealand, PrintNZ celebrated its centenary in the Year 2008.

Cobb says, “From its earliest beginnings, the organisation has served as a collective voice.

That function remains as important today as it ever has.

Having such representation ensures that the sector: • Acts collectively on issues impacting it. We have a strong voice that gets heard • Is seen by government, employees, other industries, and the public as a cohesive group of businesses 12

IAIN MACINTYRE

PrintNZ works hard for you, not just in times of crisis

Ruth Cobb

Glenda Keegan

• Has established its own community. Members can share information and ideas to their mutual benefit • Is provided with member services which add real value. That would otherwise be difficult for individual businesses to provide themselves She adds, “While our industry has changed greatly over the past 100 years, many of the issues remain the same.

“PrintNZ is still lobbying hard to influence government policy. We work closely with industry training organisation, Competenz, to constantly update training and to ensure the sector is able to attract and retain appropriately skilled individuals.

“We are also helping members in their businesses to thrive in an increasinglycompetitive environment.”

She expresses great pride in being able to serve such a diverse and high-quality sector.

She says, “Our industry is made up of businesses that range from the very small owner/operator through to large multi-nationals. They all produce a variety of fantastic work and it is very rewarding to be able to work with the people in these businesses.

“The industry is agile and has always been a fast adapter of new technology. This has allowed our businesses to deliver innovative solutions to their customers and to keep print as part of the conversation.

“We all have the same goal: to promote print as a positive communication tool and ensure that we have a strong and vibrant industry. It is exciting to be a part of this.”

Services As well as the overarching functions PrintNZ delivers for the industry, its experienced team works with businesses of all sizes to provide information, advice and practical assistance on issues affecting individual members.

A general summary of its services includes: • Employment advice • Implementation and monitoring of health and safety • Industry training • Industry promotion • Lobbying • Information for business planning • Benchmarking • Cost-saving deals • Industry statistics

The team As chief executive, Ruth Cobb represents the industry across all aspects of its engagements from lobbying Government to working with individual members.

With considerable experience and expertise, she has a broad understanding of the issues facing the sector and works with both internal and external groups to develop solutions. She has a particular focus on employment law and works with individual members to provide assistance with their employment relations matters.

She says, “Print is a passion and I feel proud to act as a representative of the industry.

I have worked in a number of roles in the sector, including at a printing company itself through to co-managing the Pride In Print Awards for the first five years. This experience

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

helping hand

thick and thin: PrintNZ Susan Johnston

Pam Seymour

provided a sound background and to now be able to head the industry organisation is a privileged position that I fully respect.”

Glenda Keegan is PrintNZ’s membership co-ordinator, covering the lower North Island and all of the South Island.

In this role, she visits members and provides advice, PrintNZ updates and information on issues affecting businesses. Specialising in health and safety, she has worked closely with a large number of members to oversee the implementation and ongoing compliance of their systems in this regard.

She says, “One of the highlights of my role is forming relationships with members as we get to know each other over time. I enjoy the variety that this role has to offer and being associated with an industry that is fundamental to everyday life.”

The newest member of the team, Susan Johnston, has the role of membership coordinator for the upper North Island. She has many years of experience in the printing industry and brings with her a wealth of knowledge about print processes and a broad network of industry peers.

She says, “My entire working life has been in print. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the businesses in this industry. It is a privilege to meet with our members, share their stories and assure them that PrintNZ is working behind the scenes on their behalf and is here to help.”

Pam Seymour, PrintNZ’s administration manager, most often described as the glue holding PrintNZ’s back office newzealandprinter.co.nz

Tony Sayle

functions together. Her duties include organising events, processing event registrations, maintaining the membership database, updating the website, and managing the accounts.

Cobb says, “Pam is a valuable point of contact for many of our members and co-ordinates activities among the PrintNZ team to ensure that all of our ducks are in a row and any member queries are responded to promptly.”

Governance Led by president Tony Sayle, who was elected to the role in 2014, PrintNZ is guided by a seven-person board of management, which contains a wealth of experience and knowledge across the industry.

The board sets the direction for and oversees the operation of the organisation, with board members elected by the membership at the AGM each year, apart from Ruth Cobb’s appointed position.

Below the board sits a management advisory group, which also consists of volunteers representing the different sectors within the industry and regions throughout the country, to ensure a two-way flow of information between all parties.

Cobb says, “PrintNZ is able to be the resource for the industry that it is, because of the collective strength of the people in it.”

A key strength is the team’s knowledge of the individual businesses that make up the industry.

Cobb explains, “One on one visits to members twice a year ensure we have a clear

understanding of the issues affecting them and that enables us to analyse emerging trends/ issues and act accordingly.

“This personal connection provides an insight to the products each member produces and allows us to recommend those members and their services to both buyers of print and other printers looking for products/processes they can’t produce themselves.”

In addition to site visits, information is communicated to members and other parties via: • Media releases • PrintNZ monthly Helping Hand article in New Zealand Printer • articles in other media publications • E-newsletters • Website postings • Facebook page postings • LinkedIn postings via Ruth Cobb • Member surveys • E-mails • Phone calls • Other ad hoc campaign involvement and resource circulation

Industry awards The association places a strong emphasis on recognising the best of its industry.

This includes individuals’ training achievements through annual: • Graduation ceremonies for all trainees who have completed one of the sector’s wide range of qualifications • Top 10 Apprentice of the Year finalists • Apprentice of the Year sector winners • Print Apprentice of the Year • Diploma of Print Management Student of the Year • Trainer of the Year • Training Company of the Year Cobb adds, “PrintNZ plays a contributing role to the Pride In Print Awards which recognise the excellence of the work produced by our industry and provides another platform for promoting the innovativeness and effectiveness of print.”

July 2020

13

Thank you Sue, a job well done

I

want to use this article to pay tribute to Sue Archibald and the amazing job she has done with the Pride In Print Awards over the last 27 years.

Involved with the awards programme since its inception, Sue leaves on July 31. More than 27 years ago, the Board of what was then the Printing Industries Federation, contracted Sue to see if the industry had an appetite for a combined awards programme that covered all aspects of print.

Sue worked extensively with several key players in the industry who were keen to see it succeed. The Pride In Print Awards launched in Wellington in April 1993. A 12-location road show followed, giving Sue and John North the opportunity to speak to industry members and to get them to engage with the awards. From there, it was a case of wait and see as the first call for entries came in 1994.

Well, the industry had certainly listened. Members bought into the programme with a massive 989 entries in that first year. The first judging took place in March, cramming in to one day what now takes three. Then we had another wait to see if people would attend the event. And attend they did. One thousand people attended the first awards presentation at the Auckland Aotea Centre on May 16, 1994.

The event saw 16 Gold medals and 42 Highly Commended awards handed out.

From there, the awards have gone from strength to strength.

Under Sue’s management, she has made sure that the Awards have continued to evolve as our industry has evolved.

The Awards have become a benchmark of excellence and have continued to raise the bar each year. They have moved from being just for our industry to being about our industry with an external focus.

From an actual audience of 1000 on the first night, to a virtual audience of a similar number this year, so much has changed over the 27 years.

What has remained constant, however, is Sue’s enthusiasm to see the Awards succeed and 14

Pride In Print Awards manager leaves with heartfelt thanks

Thank you: Sue Archibald, Pride In Print Awards manager achieve the purposes for which the association set them up: to recognise the excellence of craftsmanship in our industry and to show New Zealand just what our industry is capable of.

Sue has worked tirelessly to ensure that categories remain current; that the judging process is refined that the marketing opportunities are expanded; and of course, that Pride In Print delivers a spectacular awards evening in style.

The key event on our print calendar, the Pride In Print Awards offer a chance for everyone in the industry to come together and celebrate.

The awards have maintained their momentum across Sue’s tenure as she has found staging, effects, presenters and entertainment to wow the audience with each year.

While the disruptions of 2020 meant we could not celebrate in person, Sue and her team put the virtual event together with the same level of professionalism and delivered it without a hiccup.

In fitting recognition of the outstanding role she has played, Sue accepted an invitation to join the Pride In Print Awards Roll of Honour during the 25 year celebrations in 2018. The Roll of Honour recognises those who have played an influential part in the development of the Awards and honours them for their services to the programme. This is where she belongs.

Sue, you have done a tremendous job and it has been a pleasure to work with you on the awards programme, from being part of the team that put on the first awards, and experiencing the thrill of having 1000 people show up for that event, through to being part of the committee that has followed your lead in steering the awards to new heights.

On behalf of the industry, the entrants, the judges, the patrons, the sponsors, the committee, a huge thank you.

The standing that the Awards have in the industry is a testament to the fantastic job you have done.

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

CONGRATULATIONS to all our 2020 print and training winners

We are proud to be part of an industry that celebrates achievement and recognises excellence

TRAINING

Training takes a bo

T

his year’s Training Awards accompanied the Pride In Print Announcements in a live online broadcast.

Across the country, industry professionals watched the presentation, and a few got to celebrate with their work colleagues and families as the evening wore on.

We had the opportunity to catch up with the Training Awards winners so we can share their stories.

Training awards show industry members’ dedication to print

Diploma commitment pays off The Competenz Diploma of Print Management Student of the Year is Beacon Print production manager Taryn Gannaway.

The former Swug Apprentice of the Year winner and Print Industry Apprentice of the Year finalist says, “I was quite surprised to receive the award during the virtual announcement but it has felt quite special to replay the online awards feed and share in the commendations paid with my family.

“This diploma has helped me have a greater understanding of how the company works, especially over the whole lock down period and realising the impact that has on the business and understanding the decisions made.”

Having commenced work with Beacon Print when just 14 years of age, Gannaway gained an appreciation of the various roles within the business and has enjoyed seeing the industry evolve as she has made her own progression within it. She says, “I still enjoy my job. At the moment, we are in the process of installing a new Goss press on site. We will have one of the newest presses in New Zealand.

Being at Beacon Print during the installation and seeing the changes that will have on our company is exciting.”

She expresses her gratitude to the people who have assisted with her studies and training: Grant Alsop from Competenz; 16

Taryn Gannaway, production manager at Beacon Print, the Competenz Diploma of Print Management Student of the Year Beacon Print general manager Brian Cornes; and Beacon Media Group chief executive Aaron Buist.

Buist says, “We are thrilled to see Taryn’s efforts rewarded, particularly as she juggled becoming a first-time mother during her studies.

“The whole team is absolutely rapt and, without sounding too presumptuous, we are not surprised just given how diligent and passionate Taryn is about print and about what she does for us here at Beacon Print.

“She has always been really committed to her studies and most recently to the diploma, and to doing a great job there.

So, it is really good to see that recognised.”

He adds that her professional growth has also impressed the company. He says, “Taryn started with us as a hand collator, back before we had automation in the print business here. She has progressed with us through to, within the last year or so, being appointed to the position of production manager. She is literally working alongside our general manager running that business day to day.

“Again, that’s just a testament to how well she has

done and her approach to what we do at Beacon Print and her part in that.”

Beacon Print has currently engaged two web offset apprentices. Buist says the company remains fully committed to ongoing training and to the industry overall. He adds, “We are really excited about print and we see a great future in print. It is great to have awesome people who are committed to come along on this journey with us.”

The other Competenz Diploma of Print Management Student of the Year finalists were: • Brent Martens of Gallagher Group • Cherie Williams of Ovato • Colin Lean of Logan Print • Gregor Inger of Brebner Print • Hamish Chapman of Webstar • Matt Walsh of Philstic • Stacey McCormack of Brebner Print

Career evolves in training The BJ Ball Papers Trainer of the Year is Blue Star Collard operations manager Allen Masterson.

A former press operator whose career evolved into

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

TRAINING

bow online in 2020

Allen Masterson, operations manager at Blue Star Collard, the BJ Ball Papers Trainer of the Year management during 27 years with the company to date, Masterson says he has enjoyed his involvement in training throughout his career.

Reflecting on his personal contribution, he strives to share the full breadth of his knowledge.

He says, “When I was still running a press, around 20-odd years ago, the training side of it was more specific to operating the equipment itself. But now, having been in the management side of it for so long, I am able to give to the apprentices on a wide variety of other relevant training matters and paint the picture a little better.

“Whether we are covering health and safety issues or how the different pieces all connect together, that is probably what I enjoy the most.”

Masterson won the award after being named a finalist for the first time. He says, “I think it is a huge compliment, not only to myself but to the group and the other staff that contribute to the training. It all comes from the top, the group has quite an impetus to training and further developing our staff. “Pretty much most of the divisions have apprentices in various fields. We are strong on training and development.” newzealandprinter.co.nz

Wayne Romminger, plant manager at Graphic Packaging International New Zealand, PrintNZ Training Company of the Year The other BJ Ball Papers Trainer of the Year finalists were: • Jared Maxwell-Smith of EIL • Dale Ertel of Tainui Press

Graphic success The PrintNZ Training Company of the Year is Graphic Packaging International New Zealand.

Wayne Romminger, plant manager at Graphic Packaging International New Zealand, says, “I was surprised and pleased to have our firm named PrintNZ Training Company of the Year.

“We were in fairly good company as a finalist. It was the first time we even considered entering it. We are about two years into a pretty big apprentice programme.

We have 100 staff and eight apprentices. Companies normally have one or two at a time.

Training is a significant investment and we made it a deliberate strategy a couple of years ago to address an ageing workforce and loss of essential skills.”

Graphic Packaging International New Zealand has a proud training history and the current crop of apprentices

represents a decent crosssection of industry capabilities.

He says, “Of our apprentices at the moment, two are in printing; three are in diecutting; two are in gluing; and one is an engineering graduate, so it is right across the board.

“The apprentices receive solid support from supervisors and the people who put the extra effort in to train them.

There are probably half a dozen people who, as part of their job role, KPIs and responsibilities, are now making sure these people turn into outstanding operators.

“They are going to be the operators of the future and we’ll be looking forward to putting one forward next year for the Apprentice of the Year I would say.”

Other PrintNZ Training Company of the Year finalists were: • Adhesifs • Blue Star Group New Zealand • Hally Labels • Labelmakers • Oji Fibre Solutions Paper Bag • Ovato • Permark Industries EIL Division • Rapid Labels • Tainui Press Design & Print July 2020

17

TRAINING

Hooton hailed as Apprentice of the Year

P

rintNZ has named Tainui Press Design & Print graphic designer and digital printer Vanessa Hooton the Print Industry Apprentice of the Year 2019.

Hooton describes hearing her name read out during the online Pride In Print Awards evening on June 25 alongside family, friends, and her work colleagues as a surreal experience. She says, “All of us were in the back room watching it and I was shaking. It was insane, there were multiple tears and yelling.

“First and foremost, I thank Dale and Sheryl Ertel for giving me the opportunity. I was a 16-year-old coming out of school and they saw some potential in me and hired me, and I have never looked back since then. It was a huge chance they took, and I am really grateful for that.

“I am also really thankful for my high school college gateway teacher, I didn’t know what I wanted to do and she pushed me in that direction, and Competenz manager Grant Alsop, he was always very supportive and happy to answer any of my questions.

“I am grateful for the staff that I have worked with over the years. You bounce ideas off each other and grow with each other.”

Also named PrintNZ Digital Apprentice of the Year, she found the entire apprenticeship experience rewarding. She says, “I gave my family a bit of a tour of the factory and caught myself babbling away about processes and stuff. It is when you do that, you stop and think, ‘Wow, I have actually learned so much more than I realise’. That is such a cool thing and a cool thing to be a part of.”

Small and successful The country’s latest Print Apprentice of the Year thoroughly enjoys working within the small Matamatabased business.

She says, “My favourite aspect is probably seeing the whole process come to life and having a happy customer. We had one the other day; she 18

Tainui Press training success, from left: Sheryl Ertel, Vanessa Hooton, and Dale Ertel

Tainui Press trains its fourth finalist and second Apprentice of the Year winner

shook my hand and she was absolutely stoked with what we gave her.”

Looking forward to continuing to advance within the firm and further broadening her horizons, Hooton says she feels excited and keen about commencing work on the Diploma in Print Management. This comes as no surprise to Dale Ertel, managing director of Tainui Press. He says, “She is a wonderful kid, an absolute delight.

“We watched the announcement in the tearoom, and we all roared at the same time. It was a real treat to have her family with us. When you see parents with their eyes glistening with pride, that really is pretty cool.”

A former sheetfed apprentice, Ertel strives to follow the example of his own first trainer, who had a philosophy to “train you to be better than I am”.

He adds, “It is easy to teach kids if they are willing to learn.

There are many ways we can help. Maybe I can spot potential in them, or I see a passion maybe that we can work with and bring the best out of them.

I get as much of a thrill out of seeing these people change, grow and all sorts of things. It

is great to see them mature.”

Hooton is Tainui Press’s fourth Apprentice of the Year finalist and second winner.

Following the announcement, Ertel promptly phoned his firm’s first Apprentice of the Year winner of almost two decades ago, Jackie O’Reilly (nee Tye). He says, “I said to her that she set a standard that the others have tried to match.”

He readily shares his dedication for training and for printing. He adds, “I have total admiration for the work the PrintNZ plays in acknowledging those in training. The team there do a tremendous job.”

The other Apprentice of the Year finalists were: • Parth Bhatt of McHargs (Binding and Finishing), Print Finishers’ Association Binding and Finishing Apprentice of the Year • Ryan Scott-Fellows of Hally Labels (Reelfed Printing), BJ Ball Packaging Apprentice of the Year • Nurudin Pelenda of Ovato (Sheetfed Printing), Heidelberg Sheetfed Apprentice of the Year • Bonny Seymour of the Gisborne Herald (Reelfed Printing), Trust4Skills Reelfed Apprentice of the Year

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

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PRIDE IN PRINT

Logick takes top spot

M

ost Pride In Print supreme award wins take place on stage, but the Covid-19 pandemic made this year’s announcement and presentation virtually special.

While industry members around the country streamed the announcements into their tearooms and boardrooms, the supreme award winners heard the news while driving between Napier and Taupo, through intense rain in low visibility.

Holding the phone while live streaming this year’s awards announcements, Jan Gick worried she would lose coverage in a dead spot before hearing the final results. But, at Te Haroto on State Highway Five, the Gicks heard their entry had won the supreme award. They had earlier scored the category win for paper and board packaging.

The announcement took Dave Gick’s breath away, followed by the realisation that his peers had described the work as ‘world class’.

He says, “My first reaction was how unbelievable it felt. It is a national award system and to hear the judges’ comments was pretty cool.”

Logick has produced international packaging jobs previously. It has placed in the Pentawards and has numerous gold medals, category wins, and two previous Pride In Print supreme awards to its credit. So, when Dave Gick felt good knowing that the amount of effort that went into this job was certainly worthy of its entry into the awards, he had a sound base for his quiet confidence.

However, as in every year, he did not know the standard of the other entries in the competition. You can produce your best work but, when someone else comes up with a superior job, you have to appreciate it and acknowledge it. He admits that element of doubt certainly added to the thrill of hearing the announcement and the judges’ comments.

Logick has a long association with Pride In Print. Dave

20

A special presentation, from left: Dave and Jan Gick with Peter Thomas, managing director of Pride In Print Patron Fuji Xerox New Zealand

Logick Print & Graphics has joined Service Printers as the only companies to win three Pride In Print supreme awards

and Jan Gick believe strongly in supporting the awards programme and other industry initiatives such as training and apprenticeships.

Dave also admits having a need to excel. He says, “I am always more than happy with a gold medal, but, like anyone, I want to go deeper than that.

Once I get a gold, I truly believe I’ve done a good job. But this is something else. It was quite a satisfying afterthought to know we have longevity through the awards and that they are judged by our peers. When the judges said we were ‘world class’, that is a big reward for us.”

Logick Print & Graphics, has now taken out three Supreme awards in eight years for top quality, high end packaging and printing work. Logick’s first was in 2012 and in 2017 it took it out again over stiff competition, also for luxury honey packaging.

The company specialises in high end bespoke printing and packaging and aims to be the best at what it does. Jan Gick says Dave has the ability to produce almost anything, having the attitude that anything is possible.

She explains, “Dave says ‘yes’ when everyone else says ‘no’. He is a perfectionist and

doesn’t know the meaning of ‘it can’t be done’.”

Bee happy The supreme award started out as a job for a new client and ended up involving several companies.

Established in 2015, family owned and operated BeeNZ (pronounced like the bank) has grown from a small company initially employing just two part-time staff working from small premises in Katikati, to exporting to over 13 countries worldwide from much bigger facilities.

Owners David and Julie Hayes oversee the the entire operation process from beehive to bottle. That means being a beekeeper, extractor, processor, packer and exporter; all unusual for a single honey business in New Zealand. David Hayes says, “It was pretty cool to see it actually won.

We will definitely use it in our marketing. It is great promotion for our product and we believe we can get some legs out of it.

“Honey is such beautiful product and to have it complemented by such amazing packaging is awesome.

“The presentation box is exactly what we had in mind when we talked about it. Of

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

PRIDE IN PRINT

with a honey of a box Janine Field, general manager of Paper Source, says, “Dave is correct. That was the first big job we did with Extract.

We are so excited that Logick produced such an amazing piece and to grab the supreme award is fantastic.”

Great job everyone

Small and supreme in 2020. The Logick team, from left: Wendy Weekes, Chris Simeon, Jan Gick, Carl Mayhew, and Dave Gick course, it took some smart work by some clever people to get the concept and transform it into something physical.”

Green Society Logick Print worked with Tauranga-based ad agency Society, which specifically wanted an environmental credential for the packaging that would fit with the green story around the honey.

Dave Gick says, “Society had done the background work on this. I spoke to Pete Radich from Society and he had a clear idea about what he wanted so we got together to see what was possible. Our relationship began there.

“We had to complete some machine proofs. This proved invaluable as the job contains some elements we had not produced before. It was critical that we could work with that and, of course, the new stock.”

Society had suggested a stock supplied through Paper Source called Extract. Paper Source began importing Extract in 2018 and it featured as the cover story of New Zealand Printer’s July issue that year. Extract, made from recycled coffee cups, fits the story that Society wanted to tell about BeeNZ. newzealandprinter.co.nz

Tom Lear, co-founder of Society explains the packaging: “The dark green was inspired by the deep remote bush of New Zealand where the high potency Mānuka is sourced.”

Dave Gick continues, “I think at that time, it was the biggest job anyone had done on the Extract stock. Paper Source could not have been more helpful too. They were excellent to work with and, to be honest, that stock was a pleasure to run.”

Logick had Blue Star Collard tint the paper to the colour required. Dave Gick says, “I can’t say enough about the sub-contractors on this job.

Everyone played their part to produce the finished product.”

Contact Labels die-cut and foiled the large sheets. GLC (Graphic Lamination and Coatings) produced the gold foil polyester laminate and Larsen and Best did the folding and assembling.

Dave Gick adds, “On the inside of the base is gold foil we put an anti-scuff laminate on top of that because it needs that kind of longevity. Sometimes you place layers upon layers to get the right solution for your client.”

The last word goes to outgoing Pride In Print Awards manager, Sue Archibald, who says, “It is great to see a small printer such as Logick Print consistently win gold medals and now be standing alongside Service Printers as the only company to have three supreme awards.”

The winning work July 2020

21

PRIDE IN PRINT XXX

Pride In Print: more

The 2015 Pride In Print Committee celebrating excellence in print, from left: John Jenkins, Graham Judd, Laurie Lark, Sue Archibald, Scott Porter, Ruth Cobb, Fraser Gardyne, and Dan Blackbourn

S

ue Archibald retires after 27 years helping establish and develop New Zealand’s premiere printing industry event, the Pride In Print Awards.

This is her take on the nearly three decades of her involvement from Pride In Print’s inception to today’s major annual event, where the industry gathers to celebrate and hear the winners announced.

Sue Archibald: “What a most excellent journey I have travelled with Pride In Print.

With 27 years involvement of the actual awards presentation and a further two in 1991 and 1992 promoting and developing the awards concept alongside the industry, formulating the initial skeleton structure that would form the Pride In Print programme we have today, it has been a blast.

“Back in 1993, the initial idea was to have an awards programme that was not affiliated to any one body, that was not owned by any supplier and all companies could enter – basically a truly independent programme that all could participate in.

22

In her own words, Sue Archibald talks about our national print awards

“It did not matter what product or substrate was used to produce the job, nor the company’s affiliation status to any one body; all were welcome to participate. The only rule was the job must be produced in New Zealand. The Pride In Print Awards were established to promote New Zealand print.

“In the early 90s, there were many strong associations representing all areas of print. A member of each body was invited to form the first committee. This committee would then provide the governance for the programme.

Requirements for any meeting: swords needed to be left at the door before a meeting and collected on departure. This worked extraordinarily well and the Pride In Print Awards became a place where industry met and worked together to promote the New Zealand industry to print buyers.

“In those early years, the promotional activity was about getting industry engagement.

The first awards proved that this was successful with over 1000 attendees and 900 entries. The doubting Thomas’s were no longer given a voice and the awards continued to

gather momentum.

“The biggest complaint in the early years was this was for the ‘Big Companies’ not the small printer. However, it did not take long for this to be dispelled when Caxton Print, under the leadership of Bruce Bascand, took out the supreme award in the late 90’s.

Today, this remains the same and for the current supreme award champion to be a small printer – who now has taken this award three times is proof that argument is well dead and buried.

“I have been extremely lucky to work alongside so many passionate people over the years, particularly the judges who possess a wealth of industry knowledge and people that are happy to work alongside competitors and praise the best of the best.

“I guess here the ‘swords are still placed at the door’ rule still applies. The same can also be said of the committee who works behind the scenes keeping a watch for industry and providing the governance the programme requires.

“I have also enjoyed the support of some fabulous chairs over the years. In the early

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

PRIDE IN PRINT XXX

than just a party

Glammed up for the show, from left: Aimee Watkin, Sue Archibald, and Lizzy Tankard says, John North, who arrived with an idea from Chicago and who I worked enthusiastically alongside to promote this idea.

Scott Porter followed John and supported me over some pretty tough years. His leadership and guidance I will always be grateful for.

“I wish Lisa Hegh well in the role moving forward. It is one where neutrality is important as the award’s strength, in my opinion, is that they have always been totally neutral and unbiased. By being this way, many have embraced the opportunity and been great participants over the years.

Long may this continue.

The industry suppliers that have supported this programme are legends. They are imperative to the success of the programme and, particularly this year, have shown what true supporters of the industry they are. Thank you for your support and I hope the programme goes from strength to strength moving forward.

“Finally, I have to acknowledge the engine room of the awards programme over the years, especially the team that has worked alongside me diligently over the years newzealandprinter.co.nz

and who many of you are well aware of. A big thank you to Haley Feringa-Howley, Georgia Oosthuizen, Trish McKinnon, Rosie Sutcliffe, Aimee Watkin, Kristie McGregor, Lizzy Tankard and of course the wonderful and extraordinarily kind Lauren Keen. The awards have been a far superior event due to your diligence and attention to detail over the years. No one will ever know how much work behind the scenes you have committed to ensure seamless programmes and flawless events.

“To the PR and design teams of MacIntrye Public Relations, Pete Bonner of Art Services, Rosemary Williams and Neil MacKenzie of Online Photos, the fabulous social media and design gurus led

by Angela Lane at Wholesale Print over the last few years, all of your contributions have been valued and have seen the awards continue to flourish in the new world. It would be poor form not to acknowledge the support from our very own New Zealand Printer Magazine team in getting the news out to the trade and working alongside the programme to deliver all the news you wait for.

“My time at the helm is over, I am proud to have been part of this journey and know the hard work has paid off, the awards are more than just a party.

This year highlights that. The printers participated in strong entry numbers, and when we were hit with Covid-19, it became obvious that the industry wanted the results as the results are a marketing opportunity. The reason they enter the awards is to have the opportunity to get that marketing edge.

“When we surveyed entrants to gauge how to handle the announcements there was overwhelming support of the programme, and whilst disappointed to miss the awards ceremony and networking opportunity, the most important factor was getting the results to air.

“The awards are about promoting New Zealand print first and foremost and providing the opportunity and platform for this to happen.

“Kia kaha my friends I wish you well in the days and years ahead and hope that whoever takes the helm for the next part of the awards journey takes you to even greater heights.”

July 2020

23

BUSINESS

Is your customer onboarding process costing you sales?

From the outset, you need to address unmet expectations, which lie at the beginning of all customer dissatisfaction

A

s we recover from the Covid-19 lockdown and prepare to make the most of the rest of 2020, it is more important than ever to make the most of the return on your investment in marketing and sales.

Most businesses focus a lot of time and money on getting new customers to grow their revenue and profit. But sadly, the same businesses often fail to realise the full profit potential of the new customers’ lifetime value.

Why? Because their expectation to reality ratio (E:R) is out of whack.

What does that mean?

Marketing and sales set the expectations your future customers have of your business: what you can do for them; what they’ll get out of it; and how things work.

Then, as soon as they sign on the dotted line and become a customer, they are hit straight between the eyes with the reality of dealing with your business.

What happens in most businesses is that, without meaning to, the marketing and sales process sets expectations that are not in alignment with the reality that the customer will experience as soon as they sign up to work with you.

This causes so many issues for your business,like wasting time on emails and calls with unhappy customers; wasting money redoing work; stressing your team out, customers moving to another supplier; customers not trusting you to do any other work for them; and customers not giving referrals.

So how do you fix this problem? This is not about being perfect or having the 24

The strategy lies in setting and communicating clear and realistic expectations and then delivering on them

MEQA SMITH

best product or service in the market. This is about setting and communicating clear and realistic expectations and then delivering on them.

Customers need to trust you and fully understand what you can offer them so that when you get a customer, they become a customer for life and you make the most of the customer life value time, which means a great return on the acquisition cost.

There are eight stages you need to focus on aligning in the first 100 days to get this ideal result: 1. Assessment: The time leading up to the decision to buy or not. The opportunity to set expectations to align with the experience they will have if they decide to become a customer.

2. Activation: The day the customer signs on the dotted line and you get paid. The customer feels a sense of hope and possibility for the results you can deliver. Don’t let them down.

3. Affirmation: Begins in the minutes and hours after the purchase and can last for weeks. This is where buyers remorse kicks in and they wonder if they made the right choice. Do something that reinforces they have chosen well, they can trust you, you’ll deliver.

4. Admission: The customer gets the product and or service they purchased in their first order. This first

impression (physical and emotional) sets the tone for future interactions while at the same time welcoming the customer.

5. Acclimation: During this time, the customer will be learning the ropes and interacting with your team members. Do things in a way that makes your customer feel that this is an experience they enjoy and they want to continually keep having.

6. Assimilation: The customer should be experiencing benefits that your product and or service has delivered to them (usually around the 30 to 60 day mark).

7. Adoption: The customer is used to working with you and is seeing consistent benefits. This is where you’re starting to become irreplaceable and you can cement a customer for life type of relationship.

8. Advocacy: Work with customers to identify prospective clients as well as strengthen the bonds with existing customers via case studies and testimonials.

This is about leveraging all the hard work you’ve done to serve your customer.

Review your touchpoints across this journey in each stage of the first 100 days and create at least one for each.

To make it effective, mix up the way you communicate throughout the process, keep it fresh, exciting and appeal to different senses.

Use a combination of these channels: phone call or Zoom meeting; in person meeting; e-mail; video; gifts; or direct mail (postcard or letter).

Start simple and keep refining your customer onboarding process.

Always remember to keep your E:R as close to 1:1 as possible.

To unlock profitability through emotional engagement in marketing and communications, Meqa Smith launched The Unforgettable Agency, which she currently heads as its strategist.

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

DIGITAL

Kodak unveils new solutions

A

new inkjet press and an enhanced portfolio of offset and digital solutions will give Kodak customers food for thought.

The company says its new Prosper Ultra 520 Press delivers offset-like quality. It prints at 150 metres per minute on glossy papers with high ink coverage and variable print.

It claims the industry’s lowest cost of operation.

The first Kodak manufactured press using Kodak’s Ultrastream writing system employs high precision placement of smaller, perfectly round, satellite-free drops to produce the highest inkjet image quality available in the marketplace today, according to Kodak.

The Prosper Ultra 520 prints on a broad range of substrates. Kodak says it uses the industry’s most versatile, highest quality and cost effective water-based inks. The company says the new press will help printers profitably grow their businesses.

Applications include direct mail, marketing collateral, catalogues, and books. Kodak will make the Prosper Ultra 520 Press available at the end of 2020.

Growth the target for new Kodak technology

Fast: At 150 metres per minute, Kodak says its Prosper Ultra 520 Press delivers offset-like quality or more with variable content and it is available now.

Process free plates Innovations in process free plate technology see Kodak announcing the introduction of its next-generation Sonora plate technology, the Sonora Xtra Process Free Plate, scheduled for the end of this year. The company calls Sonora the world’s most widely used and trusted process free plate technology, embraced by over 4,000 printers of all sizes around the world.

Sapphire Evo

Magnus speeds prepress

Kodak calls its Uteco Sapphire Evo W Press the world’s most productive digital flexible film press. The company says the press matches the productivity of flexo and the quality of gravure. It uses Kodak’s high-resolution Ultrastream inkjet technology and QD Packaging Inks. It can produce run lengths of up to 20,000sqm

Described as the world’s fastest eight-page CTP for process free plates, the new Kodak Magnus Q800 Plate setter with T-Speed can image up to 80 plates per hour. For increased automation, Kodak has introduced an updated multi-pallet loader.

It matches the 80pph speed with a capacity of up to 3200 plates. Kodak will make the T-Speed Magnus Q800 plate setter available for beta testing this month. Production begins in September. A 1500 plates per pallet capacity for a single pallet loader or multi pallet loader has already begun shipping.

Next year, Kodak will unveil the Magnus Q4800 Plate setter for extra-large format (XLF) plate making. Kodak says it will deliver the fastest throughput for XLF size plates for 96-page presses. The company adds that this provides market-leading

Available now: Kodak’s Uteco Sapphire Evo W Press newzealandprinter.co.nz

throughput for 1650mm size plates, with dual plate loading.

It will also have the flexible pallet automation available with up to eight plate sizes online and up to 4800 plates online.

Prinergy in the cloud Called a new global platform, Prinergy On Demand, marks the next evolution of Kodak’s Prinergy workflow. Kodak says Prinergy On Demand hosts a suite of offerings that modernise and maximise a customer’s Prinergy Workflow investment. Benefits include increased security, reliability, efficiency, and remote work flexibility. Kodak hosts and manages Prinergy On Demand hosted in the cloud under a monthly subscription.

Backed by the secure network infrastructure of Microsoft Azure, Prinergy On Demand is available now, with new options planned for roll out at the end of 2020.

Jim Continenza, executive chairman at Kodak, says, “Kodak is investing approximately US$25m ($38.5m) a year in advancing print technology, doubling down on digital print and delivering the products our customers need to drive productivity and growth as the industry evolves.

“The new Prosper Ultra 520 Inkjet Press is the product of our heritage of innovation in print and our continuing focus on developing breakthrough technologies.”

July 2020

25

OBITUARY

Vale Rex Bridgford

I

t is with much sadness we report the passing of Rex Bridgford, who was well known and respected in the industry.

A one company man, he started at Wilson in Horton in 1953 as a cadet and, by the time he retired in 1991, he had held the posts of general manager and executive director.

He continued his links with the industry after he retired, with directorships of both Manders Inks and Jenkins Labels.

Rex served as president of PrintNZ (the Printing Industries Federation back then) from 1985 - 1988.

Centenary memories During the PrintNZ Centenary, the organisation asked Rex Bridgford to look back on the 1980s as the era in which the NZ Printing Federation took massive strides forward, and moved from being an administrator driven organisation to one which gave real benefits to members.

It was the decade when the presidents who led the Federation began to take a more hands on approach to the direction of the organisation, and encouraged the delivery of benefits such as discount schemes, which gave members a sense of getting greater value for their subscriptions.

As one of the people who led the way, Rex remembered the transformation happening “quite quickly”, as people like John McQuarrie, Michael Leggott and Brian Hartley recognised and began instituting the changes necessary for the betterment of the industry.

These included trade training; the introduction of product numbering, a more professional approach to management; alongside recognising special industry groups. For example, the business forms and selfadhesive label manufacturers were actively encouraged to operate within the Federation’s auspices.

26

Rex Bridgford with The Printers Handbook, one of a number of direct benefits that the Federation began to provide for its members

Rex worked with a committed group who changed the industry

Rex wrote: “It was an era when a lot of change was occurring, in the industry as a whole, and it was reflected in what happened in the Federation. When I got on to the Council in the early 1980s it was still the old, well-oiled machine that was really run by a professional administration and secretariat in Wellington.

“The Federation had established a format and influence in particular sectors which weren’t necessarily recognising a time of change, and in that scheme of things presidents appeared to have limited power.

“Conferences followed a set pattern where people got up and delivered a speech reporting on the work of the committees in areas such as industrial relations and paper supply.

“But during the 1980s there were a succession of presidents who wanted change. These were people who managed their own businesses and were aware of the changes that were affecting the industry.

“We saw the need to take a firmer hand on the direction the Federation had to go in, because of changes such as computerisation and the introduction of scanners and photo setting. Plus, there was change happening generally in the business world, with the Closer Economic Relationship with Australia.”

Among the changes implemented was a pro-active

programme for the Federation to work more closely with organisations in more areas of the printing and allied trades, such as paperboard and packaging, graphic arts and plate makers, while closer ties were developed with the Australian Federation.

This led to the first recommendations for the creation of printing awards for the New Zealand industry, something with which Rex credited John North, for bringing into being the Pride In Print Awards in the early 1990s.

Perhaps indicative of this change in attitude in the Federation was the very fact that Rex himself was president only five years after getting on to Council.

He continued: “In the past, you had to serve your time before you got anywhere near the top. I was put on the ‘guarding of machinery’ committee which got about five lines in the annual report.”

The 1980s was a key decade in making PrintNZ what it is today.

Rex added: “We began doing things like running surveys on financial performances so members could see where they had to improve their own operation. Those who took note of it got a lot of benefit.

“The industrial climate with the unions improved a lot and the employer and employee became closer. Conferences were revamped and we had workshops to examine technological issues facing the industry along with improved management techniques.

Training underwent a complete overhaul for the better.

“And in Warren Johnson we finally got an executive director who was from within the industry itself, who understood its needs and requirements.

Having been a member of Council, he understood very clearly the directions the Federation needed to take.

“Perhaps it required a bit of presidential power to get it underway. But in the end, the Federation became the servant of its members – and I am proud to be a part of that.”

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

WIDE FORMAT +Plus

Fuji Xerox commits to Esko Kongsberg tables NZSDA gets positive on business l Fespa moves venue again l Virtual trade show rolls on

WIDE FORMAT NEWS

Fespa Global Print Expo moves again The Fespa Global Print Expo will move to Amsterdam next year.

It will no longer take place in Madrid in October.

Organisers made the change because of the continued public health risks and business disruption that Covid-19 has caused. They will stage the international event at the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, from March 9-12, 2021. The Fespa Global Print Expo will again co-locate with the European Sign Expo and Sportswear Pro. Neil Felton, chief executive at Fespa, says, “In March 2020, we took the decision to delay the Fespa Global Print Expo by six months. Then, we faced the advancing pandemic and its implications for our exhibitors and visitors.

On the move again: Fespa will take place in Amsterdam in 2021 Since then, the development of Covid-19 has been dynamic and unpredictable.

While many regions are now gradually emerging from lockdown, at this point in time we cannot be confident that we could

match exhibitor and visitor expectations of a Fespa event if we were to go ahead in October this year.

“Early March 2021 offers the strongest alternative.

It gives our exhibitors and visitors time to recover

and ourselves time to prepare fully for any new operational requirements.

Feedback from the market indicates that, having faced the considerable commercial challenges of 2020, our community will welcome Fespa Global Print Expo in March 2021 as an important platform for business recovery and forward progress early next year.”

Fespa says Amsterdam offers a popular and proven destination city for its events. The city has played host to successful exhibitions in 2006, 2009 and 2016. Visitors can access it easily from many areas of Europe.

This new March 2021 edition of Fespa Global Print Expo will replace the scheduled Munich 2021 event.

Virtual expo generates sales The Visual Connections’ Print, Sign, Display & Graphics Virtual Trade Show has received over 8000 visitors since it opened its virtual doors in June with many exhibitors reporting positive flow-ons, genuine leads and some early sales.

The show has filled a gap left by the postponed Visual Impact and drupa trade shows and will run until the end of September.

Peter Harper, chief executive at Visual Connections, says, “Together with our

exhibitors, who have their finger closely on the pulse of the industry, we took the view that any resource we created had to be available in the longer term, so businesses could come back, time and again as their circumstances dictated, to find solutions to help them recover, rebuild, and create new opportunities into the future.

“Time will tell, but every indication so far says it was the right call. Industry businesses remain keen for information, ideas and inspiration and the Virtual

Trade Show is providing a valuable resource.”

Brad Creighton, national marketing manager at Mimaki Australia says the company’s ‘six-month cash back’ offer on finance generated numerous leads.

Jake Higgins, from Roland DG, says the company saw a spike in web visits and sales, driven by its show participation and end of financial year promotions.

Ben Eaton, chief executive Starleaton, reports an uptick in activity and enquiries, particularly related to the Zund cutters

which featured at the show.

Luke Wooldridge from Fujifilm says the company received strong interest in show specials.

Australian company ControlZone developed the platform for the virtual expo and has received numerous enquiries from around the world.

John Hadfield, chief executive of ControlZone, says the company has already sold the technology to event organisers in Belgium and the UK on the basis of its familiar, ‘website-like’ environment.

Free signage graphics provided HP and 3M have collaborated to share large format graphics for commercial signage applications.

The partnership will see the launch of a 3M Graphics Covid-19 related signage library for HP. This online resource provides templates, design elements 28

and poster artwork to communicate guidance on social distancing and signage for wayfinding, in addition to signage for public health awareness as businesses reopen following Covid-19 restrictions.

Users can access it for free through HP PrintOS or HP Applications Centre.

With 3M providing free access to its collection of Covid-19 related designs, HP Applications Centre users can configure a customised space in three steps. By selecting desired content from different sources, graphics can be altered by scaling, duplicating, recolouring

or adding objects and logos, or adding text for personalisation with the option of a virtual preview in a variety of environments. This enables print service providers to provide businesses and public facilities social distancing signage through the free online library.

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

0508 22 88 73 | www.aarque.co.nz

Put a positive spin on this crisis

C

ovid-19 has devastated the world but some good can come of it.

The New Zealand Sign & Display Association, and industry members, have created many positive opportunities and we are excited to see how they will help to shape our future.

Industry support, connections, and engagement became even more important during and post lockdown.

Many collaborations saw the creation of some amazing social platforms to share good stories and innovations.

The association has also created good connections on our social media platforms.

Encouraging engagement with our industry, we have new initiatives and good stories to get the positive vibes flowing.

Once a month, we expose an NZSDA member in our new segment called ‘Industry Exposed’. New Zealand has many good sorts and we want to acknowledge those in our industry doing great things for their local town or city, supporting, innovating and standing strong. They proudly demonstrate what it takes to be a valued and trusted member of our association. On our social platforms and website blog posts, you will find who we exposed last month. We are always on the hunt for more good stories, innovations, and inspirations so, if you are a member of the association, get in touch with us. We would love to hear your story.

Sharing knowledge to the industry is a key part of what we do. It not only enables the power to do better, but inspires great creations, and so each and every Friday on our social media platforms we share ‘Friday’s Inspirations, or Hints and Tricks’ from not only within our own country and industry but from around the world.

We also celebrate and welcome our new members more publicly with an announced post on our public Facebook page and Instagram, giving our industry the heads up on some inspiring and innovative new sign makers applying for memberships. We highlight their sign shops with 30

MELISSA COUTTS

The NZSDA offers some exciting initiatives to overcome the Covid blues

a summary on their specialities, along with their social media links and websites.

With the postponement of our Expo, Awards and Conference events, we looked for ways that we could ensure that our members, sponsors and exhibitors didn’t miss out.

In June, we released ‘2020 NZ Sign Expo Exposure’. We called upon the ‘would have been’ exhibitors to showcase the wow of their expo stands. Whether competitions or product demonstrations, we have made them all accessible to NZSDA members and non-members via the NZSDA online platforms, presenting more opportunities for our industry to connect and engage with what we know and love.

We are also offering tailored meetings over July and August with John Hadfield with a number of interested members engaging with topics such as ‘People First, Foremost And Always’; ‘Embracing The Process, Technology And Opportunities’; and ‘Building Value, is your business an asset or a liability?’ If you are a member and keen on gaining some knowledge on these subjects, get in touch with us.

The New Zealand Sign Awards 2021 will welcome the biggest entry submission yet, allowing entry for work completed from May 2019 to April 2021 to be entered. The judges can’t wait to see the high calibre of entries and we look

forward to bringing you the electric atmospheric platform that this event deserves in what may be a sell-out event.

The NZSDA still wanted some form of design competition to offer our members and what better opportunity than to redesign our NZSDA logo. We are looking for a simple refresh to make it more current with design sensibilities, so we are giving NZSDA members the opportunity to take part in this redesign, with all designs being put forward to public vote. For more details on this competition, head along to our website.

And although we have created some good positive initiatives for our industry we also acknowledge and considerate that some of us need more support than ever with wellbeing. Your association is here to help out if needed.

We have resources and mentors at the ready to listen and give advice, so just get in touch with us and let us take on the load and point you in the right direction. For a simple but effective way to improve your wellbeing, download the Mentemia App. All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan collaborated with medical experts to create Mentemia, which translates as ‘My Mind’ from Italian.

Visit https://www.mementia. com to access the App.

Sharing knowledge: head to the NZSDA website for tips and tricks on signage

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

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Adding Value, Experience and Knowledge to the Industry

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DON’T WAIT, JOIN TODAY AND ADD VALUE TO YOUR BRAND!

Contact 0800 0800 52 or email secretary@nzsda.org.nz Visit the NZSDA website for further membership enquiry at www.nzsda.org.nz

WIDE FORMAT

Fuji Xerox confirms its Esko commitment

R

ecently, Fuji Xerox New Zealand installed an Esko Kongsberg X Edge table in its Technology Centre in Auckland.

Grant Blockley, packaging, and applications specialist at Fuji Xerox New Zealand, says, “This investment forms part of Fuji Xerox’s ongoing commitment to the Esko brand and to our customers in the New Zealand market. The Kongsberg X Edge is available in six different sizes from 1680 X 1270mm to 2210 X 6550mm.

It is perfect for any job or application. You can even use it to cut flexographic plates as part of the Esko Digital Flexo Suite.”

He lists the reasons you should choose an Esko table: Operator Safety: The DynaGuard Safety System protects the operator and bystanders from potential machine hazards. A set of photocell sensors surround the movable parts of the machine (Traverse, Carriage) and, when activated, will immediately stop the machine, and wait for the operator to resume operation. If moved, ‘crash pods’ on the ends of the traverse will also stop the machine.

Rack and pinion drive system: This twin-drive system provides speed, durability and strength and it can easily drive through dense/ thick materials with greater dynamic repeatability. It offers greater accuracy over belt driven alternatives with its twin motors as opposed to a single motor on competitor tables.

Steel Construction Tabletop: The Kongsberg X series features the famous, rock-solid Kongsberg Tabletop construction that will never warp or go out of level, even after decades of heavy use.

Power: The X Series offers the raw strength required to process even the most rugged materials at high production speeds. Kongsberg X tables will keep on going when others might quit.

Milling: Kongsberg X tables can be configured for milling applications ranging from sporadic, light-duty routing to lengthy jobs working with heavy-duty materials, all with record-breaking productivity.

Toolheads: A set of advanced, quick-change 32

Esko solutions are available through Fuji Xerox New Zealand

Grant Blockley, packaging, and applications specialist at Fuji Xerox, with the Esko Kongsberg X Edge cutting table toolheads provides versatility, making it easy to set up the machine to process any material for just about any application.

Tool inserts: A full assortment of insert tools are available for cutting all relevant materials, ranging from thin paper to synthetic sheets through heavy-duty packaging and display material. The tooling selection also includes crease tools, plotting and drilling tools.

Quick and error free Tool Exchange: Exchanging tools on a Kongsberg X is fast, simple and error proof. Just insert a tool and hit Start. Every tool is identified by a bar code with tool parameters stored in the memory, preventing any operator errors.

Table Mapping: Dynamic table mapping procedure provides real-time update to the exact field conditions.

Precise automatic z-control during finishing means less damage to the underlay.

Sign production: The Sign Production application kit makes it easy to produce signs from flexible, roll material and rigid sheets. An integrated camera and software provide vision cutting, while advanced tools enable high quality, high speed milling and cutting of a wide variety of materials. i-cut Production Console: The next generation i-cut Production Console front-end features an intuitive, completely redesigned, user interface that enables straightforward and efficient operation. It allows

operators to get the most out of the Kongsberg tables while optimising day to day production. From preparing jobs, to keeping an eye on the ongoing production, the i-cut Production Console prevents errors.

Improving operating efficiency: The i-cut Production Console reduces the time from file to finished product. Decked out with a wide range of intelligent features, the i-cut Production Console streamlines the complete workflow. The i-cut Production Console tackles all applications, from sample making to the production of packaging, signage and displays.

Expandable for the future: In a world with rapid technology and business change, it is important to invest in equipment that offers all of the capabilities you need for the present, but with flexibility for the future.

• Start with only the tooling options you need, with the knowledge that you can invest in more capabilities later, when your business grows.

• Tooling and functional addons can simply be retrofitted in the field to meet future needs.

• An innovative extended beam clearance capability can be field retrofitted to handle materials up to 86 mm thick.

• Productivity options such as conveyor feed, sheet feeder and roll feeder unit can be retrofitted.

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

E AD TR Y! NL O

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CELEBRATE PRINT

Soar Print flies past its

O

ne of the country’s most successful print companies celebrates its centenary this year.

Established in 1920, Soar Print has overcome any number of challenges during its 100 years in business. The effects from the global Covid-19 pandemic presents the latest speed bump for the innovative company.

Fred Soar, managing director at Soar Print, says that while the nascent business avoided the initial onset of the 1918 influenza pandemic that killed 50 million people globally, it could not dodge the other major events that shook the world in the intervening years. It survived through the Great Depression in the 1930s; World War II; the Oil Shock in the 1970s; the opening up of the NZ economy in the late 1980s; the advent and ongoing rise of the internet and digitisation; and, just over a decade ago, the Global Financial Crisis.

He says, “With those challenges, we had to pare back our options to fit the level of demand. The print industry has experienced considerable change in its markets. Digital technology, and the ascendancy of the cell phone, has changed communications massively.

Our challenge is to find areas of print not affected by those communications shifts.”

However, Covid-19 presents one of the toughest challenges for the business. He says, “The government’s financial support package was a boon, providing that important piece of breathing space to see us through the toughest part of lockdown.

“A greater proportion of the business is now in the packaging and labelling area and the pandemic has actually seen a surge in that sector. For example, we have experienced an increase in packaging we have produced for businesses in the food manufacturing and home-meal delivery area.”

Other areas of print have declined such as company stationery. He says, “This was

34

July 2020

Third generation siblings at Soar Print, from left; Jenny Carter, Fred Soar, and Vicky Soar

Still family owned, Soar Print offers a blueprint for Kiwi business success

a mainstay of the business for decades. Post volumes are a proxy for print volumes, and we have seen a huge drop in the amount of material mailed out.”

Generations and technology A century ago, Soar’s grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Soar, set up the original print business on Onehunga, Auckland.

The exact details remain sketchy. Fred Soar says, “We know my grandfather bought an existing print business owned by a printer in Fiji, but we don’t know for sure the exact day the business opened.”

Early work included printing ferry timetables, catalogues, wedding invitations, personal stationery. He says, “You don’t see much of that any more, or certainly not as elaborate as it was then.”

Lieutenant Colonel Fred Soar, a Gallipoli veteran, also set up the Onehunga RSA, helped establish the

Territorial forces, and served as Commandant at the Hopuhopu military camp in the Waikato through the second world war.

He handed over the reins of the business to his son Harry in the 1960s, after suffering a stroke. Fred Soar now runs the business alongside his siblings Jenny Carter and Vicky Soar.

Along with new generations of management and staff, Soar Print has welcomed the introduction of new generations of print technology. Over a century, the company moved from lead type presses to offset printing. The company’s first offset press, a Heidelberg GTO, arrived in 1970, when the business moved into a new factory, still in Church Street, Onehunga.

Soar Print has continued to lead the country’s print investment in the latest technology. Just over 10 years ago, it installed the country’s first Heidelberg XL105 Speedmaster and, last year, it unveiled New Zealand’s first push-to-stop CX102 newzealandprinter.co.nz

CELEBRATE PRINT

century milestone

Small beginnings: The original Soar Print building in Onehunga

Father and son: Fred and Harry Soar in 1970 Speedmaster. Soar says, “This press is pretty cool. We have taken out two presses and replaced them with the CX 102 six colour and coater.”

Heidelberg installed and optimised the new press, which runs off the Prinect workflow.

The turnkey solution offers makeready under five minutes and about 60-70 sheets. The press uses spectrophotometers and, once it gets up to colour, it inserts a tag and identifies when it has saleable sheets.

Soar Print installed its first digital press, an HP Indigo, 16 years ago. Digital printing now comprises around 50 per cent of the company’s work.

This includes a range of digital production machines including the HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press and, for label production, the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Label Press, all supplied through Currie Group.

Like most print businesses, Soar Print has seen the changes in printing technology causing profound changes to printing culture. newzealandprinter.co.nz

He says, “In the past, being a printer was like being a mechanic. Now it is totally automated. You work off computer screens. There is no set up time, and everything is variable. In terms of output, the increase is huge. This has expanded the horizons considerably; you are only limited by your imagination and your data.

“Print runs continue to shrink in size, particularly as product life cycles become shorter. Of course, with digital printing, the cost of changing and managing content and printing different versions has also dropped. “ Offset still features prominently. He says, “There’s still a place for offset printing.

For those longer runs it is more cost-effective, particularly in the packaging area. The technology changes have taken a lot of the subjectivity out of printing, but printers retain that sense of pride in the craft, particularly around finishing.”

Sustainability In the New Zealand printing industry, Soar Print has played and continues to play, a leading role in bringing environmental and sustainability issues to the fore.

The company uses vegetable inks rather than mineral ones and has cut down its use of chemicals dramatically.

He says, “The paper we use is sourced from certified renewable plantation forests, and we have 13 different recycling streams to minimise our waste to landfill.

“We also see increasing consumer concern around the importance of recycling and a big move to cardboard and paper packaging rather than plastic.”

This commitment has not gone unnoticed and Soar Print has the gongs to prove it. The company boasts one the most impressive lists of environmental awards and certifications of any business in New Zealand, print or otherwise. As one of the larger family owned print businesses around, Soar Print works hard to maintain a family culture

around the business. He says, “We have a ‘can do’ attitude and it’s important to be flexible. Our business has a lot of deadlines.”

The company values loyalty.

Some of its customers have partnered with Soar Print for more than 30 years. A number of staff members have topped three decades with the company. Three current staff began their apprenticeships with Soar Print, which has pushed through more than 50 apprentices over the years.

Soar Print takes an active role in supporting the local community through initiatives like providing pro bono printing for not for profit organisations. He says, “We see huge value in giving back to the community. That can mean supporting a variety of community organisations in the arts, health, or sports.”

Future plans Print has a real future and Soar Print intends to play its role in that future. Soar says, “In certain situations, print is relevant. For example, packaging and labelling for food manufacturing won’t go away any time soon.

“And then there’s the whole area of ‘deep learning’, the power of the printed word in books, especially for young people. You can print books with a run of one. It is more targeted communication and easy to share.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has given the team at Soar Print a chance to reflect. He says, “It has opened up the possibilities of remote working for our office support staff and it will be interesting to see how that works out.”

Despite the current uncertainties in the world, Soar Print will celebrate its centenary later in the year.

With around 90 employees in Auckland and Hamilton, it promises to be a great shindig.

He says, “Getting to 100 is pretty special. You don’t see it happen that often with private businesses that have stayed in one family for that long. So when the time is right, we will remember the milestone in a fitting way.”

July 2020

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PACKAGING

PIDA gives packaging de

Food winner: Planet Protector Packaging’s Lobster Protector won the gold award in the Food category

Announced virtually, we bring you the PIDA winners in print

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he Packaging Innovation and Design Awards (PIDAs), the combined Australia and New Zealand programme coordinated by the AIP in conjunction with Packaging New Zealand, recognises companies and individuals making a significant difference in their field across the two countries.

The awards also work as the exclusive feeder programme for the World Packaging Organisation’s WorldStar Packaging Awards. All 2020 PIDA winners gain automatic eligibility for entry into the 2021 WorldStar Packaging Awards competition.

The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year company awards recognise organisations that have designed innovative packaging within the five manufacturing categories of Food; Beverage; Health, Beauty & Wellness; 36

Domestic & Household; and Labelling & Decoration.

The 2020 PIDA sees finalists in special awards: the Sustainable Packaging Design Special Award; the Accessible Packaging Design Special Award; and the Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award.

Food The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award — Food category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, within food packaging and processing including fresh, frozen, or other.

Planet Protector Packaging’s Lobster Protector won the category award. This flat-packed, recyclable, biodegradable, renewable and compostable solution is made from 100 per cent food safe materials; the first time this has been achieved in the seafood industry.

The packaging design consists of three key components: a wool liner, a fibreboard insert, and a corrugated carton with a specific coating to

make the carton water resistant. The Lobster Protector, both 100 per cent certified food safe and 100 per cent recyclable and biodegradable, with the critical wool liner compostable (even home compostable, has no plastic components.

Judges say the materials used in the overall design of Lobster Protector have been brought together to offer the ultimate innovative packaging solution: 1. A corrugated cardboard carton, made from 50 per cent recycled content with an environmentally responsible external outer coating to make it water resistant 2. The recyclable fibreboard insert as it has been designed to ensure prevention of built up moisture and carbon dioxide levels 3. The natural wool liner made with a special blend of wool waste fibres that is felted together to create a robust and performance-based lining. The Lobster Protector packaging has demonstrated to keep live lobsters at between 7 and 12 degrees Celsius beyond 36+ hours.

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

PACKAGING

design a chance to shine

Coca-Cola Amatil won gold in the Beverage category and a special award

Pact Group claimed gold with its Glow Lab’s amber bottles in the Health, Beauty & Wellness category

The packaging works with technology such as data loggers to enable real time temperature monitoring by the customer during transit. Industry testing has also demonstrated that the Lobster Protector design outperforms traditional packaging such as polystyrene.

The Lobster Protector has the capacity to remove approximately 1.21 million polystyrene boxes from the supply chain each year: by volume, equivalent to six rugby fields, one metre deep.

For the silver award, judges tied Disruptive Packaging (Uniqcor for cold chain environments) and Platypus Print Packaging (Youfoodz Meal Kit). Judges also awarded a special commendation to Primo Foods for the Red Range Slice Pack.

largely petroleum-based PET resin to 100 per cent post-consumer recycled PET resin (rPET). While other bottlers have converted their water bottles to 100 per cent rPET, Coca-Cola Amatil is the first to achieve this on carbonated soft drink bottles; sensitive warm filled bottles; and aseptic dairy bottles.

Coca-Cola Amatil was also able to deliver a small weight saving on the warm fill and dairy packs when they converted to rPET. It achieved this weight reduction of approximately 8.5 per cent without impacting the existing functionality of the packs. On average, it saw a 50 per cent reduction in carbon footprint converting the carbonated soft drink range from virgin PET and for the warm fill and aseptic packs, it achieved an 8.5 per cent weight reduction and a carbon footprint reduction of over 65 per cent.

The Ecolean Bannister Downs Dairy WA chilled pasteurised range won gold for its lightweight flexible packaging designed for liquid food products. It designed the solution to reduce its impact on the environment with convenience, innovative and eyecatching packaging.

The designs and shapes of the packaging make it stand out on shelf and present a quality product to consumer. Designed for chilled pasteurised beverages, the packaging performs well in refrigerated and frozen requirements. The material, non-penetrable by UV light, maintains

Beverage The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Beverage category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/ or materials, within packaging and processing for liquid or dry tea, coffee, water, and soft drinks including wine, beer, and spirits.

AIP announced a tie for the gold award between Coca-Cola Amatil and Ecolean.

Coca-Cola Amatil won gold for delivering a world-first by converting all its single serve PET bottles from newzealandprinter.co.nz

the products coolness due to the pouch’s natural composition. When kept at, or below four degrees, the milk stays fresh for longer. It will also not leak when laid down on a fridge shelf, can be frozen when sealed and microwaved safely once the seal is broken.

Packaging can also be microwaved for a short warm up period depending on the range. Every surface of the packaging has printed artwork to communicate to consumers and stand out on the shelf.

Features of the pack include area self-standing and self-supporting pouch once filled, and inflated air handle completed by filling machine after the pack is filled and a design that enables the customer to handle, hold and carry the package easily. With a perforated easy to open tear-off area at the spout of the pouch, the packaging can also be easily and fully emptied with no residue or liquid waste in the pack.

The lightweight nature of the packaging and its durability allows the packs to be interlocked and laid down at inter outer carton shippers, reducing weight and space in freight. The lightweight nature of the packaging means less weight, less material, and less logistics costs around weight and size. The Ecolean materials have been approved through REDcycle to provide the option of returning washed Continued on page 38 July 2020

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PACKAGING Continued from page 37

Sealed Air won the gold award in the Domestic & Household category for its Korrvu solution

out pouches in-store for recycling.

Brownes Dairy won the silver award for Australia’s first renewable gable top milk carton.

Health, Beauty & Wellness The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Health, Beauty & Wellness category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and or materials, within cosmetics, toiletries, personal hygiene, supplements, vitamins, perfumes, hair body and oral care.

This award also covers packaging of all medicines including over the counter medicines, medical equipment packaging.

Pact Group claimed the top award, working with the New Zealand Earthwise brand to launch a postconsumer sourced (PCR) 100 per cent rPET bottle range for their Glow Labs brand. The new range (body wash, handwash, shampoo, conditioner) consisted of seven 100 per cent rPET bottles and replaced the former virgin PET designs.

Converting to recycled rPET, Pact Group was able to further light-weight 38

Glow Lab’s amber bottles by an average of 27 per cent (approximately 37 tons per annum). Based on Glow Lab’s volumes, this equates to approximately 130 tons of plastic that has been reused and diverted from landfill.

Earthwise household cleaning products are also Environmental Choice certified (New Zealand’s highest independent accreditation for eco label). Earthwise has pledged support to the New Zealand Plastic Packaging Declaration, committing to have 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025 or earlier. With packaging already recyclable, moving to bottles made from recycled content was the next step.

Domestic & Household The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award – Domestic & Household category recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, packaging within domestic and household items, toys, stationery, gifts, clothing, garden equipment, decorating. All entries are also judged

on Sustainable Packaging Design Considerations and what packaging changes they are undertaking to meet the 2025 National Packaging Targets.

Sealed Air claimed the gold award for its Korrvu uncompromised product protection.

Korrvu delivers versatility, space efficiency, uncompromised product protection while delivering a specific customer brand experience using a package that is simply fun and sustainable. The custom engineered low slip transparent film used with Korrvu keeps the product in place, providing protection against damage during transportation.

It also serves as a display window to showcase products and brands.

The efficient design enables packages to be easily opened, reused, and recycled. Beyond designing to protect from damage as well as delivering a solution that uses less material and is recyclable, this innovation helps brand owners grow their brand, particularly as e-commerce growth accelerates.

In addition, it fulfils the requirement to bring the retail experience to e-Commerce. The customisation capabilities of Korrvu

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

PACKAGING

NCI Packaging won gold in the Labelling & Decoration category packaging provides an in-store feeling for at-home consumers. Korrvu offers a completely seamless branded solution for omni-channel retailing, whether orders are fulfilled at a distribution centre or ship-from-store, that incorporates logos and graphic displays within the box.

Korrvu packaging uses highly resilient low-slip film that suspends products in the centre of the package, reducing damage from shock and vibration while maximising the visual appearance.

A range of specialty features and non-standard options ensure perfect protection for each application. The

product can be easily removed from the box without the need for additional protective shrink wrap which is hard to grasp and open, often requiring scissors or a knife.

This format’s easy disposal also drives brand appeal. Korrvu packaging is recyclable through the PREP tool.

The fold at design minimises storage or disposal space. It is also reusable for return shipments, minimising waste at both ends of the distribution cycle.

The silver award went to Birdstone Collective & NCI Packaging for the DuluxGroup Cabot’s Ready Bucket.

The winner of the Bronze award is Birdstone Collective & Orora Cartons for the recyclable Telstra Sleeve.

Labelling & Decoration The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year Award - Labelling & Decoration category recognises the addition of content to a pack which creates a distinctive or innovative appearance, function, or communication. This may include labels, sleeves, tags, coding/markings, etching, directly applied inks or by any other similar process.

NCI Packaging & DuluxGroup won the category for the Porter’s Paints superior crafted paint can range. NCI Packaging worked with Porter’s Paints to produce a superior crafted paint can that showcased the brand’s premium

quality and differentiated itself within Bunnings stores.

When shopping in paint or hardware stores consumers can be overcome by different paint brands, all fighting for attention using packaging screaming features and benefits, in overwhelmingly bright colours and glossy finishes.

The Porter’s point of sale concept creates a store within a store approach within Bunnings. Porters has worked with Bunnings to create a shopping experience, unlike anything seen in the market today. The Porter’s range sits together in the point of sale unit, simplifying the shopping experience.

This differs to other brands, which are grouped in categories.

Knowing that the paint can industry in Australia has never produced a matte can before has allowed Porter’s and NCI to set the tone and be very creative with how they went about using colours, fonts, dyes and materials against a matt finish.

The matte finish created a smoother, more luxurious quality, whilst differentiating the brand in the crowded and glossy retailing environment. This matte finish, in combination with the gold metallic logo and trim, is instrumental in propelling the paint can as a first-class deluxe item.

Continued on page 40

Outside the Box Caskets won the inaugural Outside of the Box award newzealandprinter.co.nz

July 2020

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PACKAGING Continued from page 39

Outside the Box During the judging for the Domestic and Household category, judges noted several innovative designs and they decided to introduce a new category called ‘Outside of the Box’.

The gold award went to Outside the Box Caskets for an ecological solution to the traditional timber and MDF casket.

Outside The Box designs have a different aesthetic and sustainable footprint to current solutions. The distinctive sleek modern design incorporates both straight edges and curves, with the tapered curves on both the lid and side profile giving it a softer and sleeker feel. It has been functionally designed in a way which means it needs no glue, no staples, screws or metal parts.

The design consists of an outer base, an insert which adds to the structural integrity, a rigid laminated cardboard base and a lid, weighing 20kg less than alternatives.

The structural design has been developed to meet the strict requirements of the global green burial movement by being fully compostable, which leaves no footprint.

While still being functional for its intended purpose, the solution has been rigorously weight tested and has 300 kg load bearing capabilities: all the while being cardboard.

This innovation is also the first cardboard casket in New Zealand to meet Natural Burials requirements which means the carbon footprint is even lower compared to a traditional option. In partnership with Trees for Survival, the company also donates a native NZ tree back to the community.

The winner of the silver award, Gaprie, produced P.C. Nets, a re-usable, alternative for pallet containment. The Bronze award went to Sealed Air for the Daisy Pool Covers.

Special Awards Ecolean won the Accessible Packaging Design Special Award for the Bannister Downs Dairy WA chilled pasteurised range.

The Special Award - Retail Pack category gold award went to Coca-Cola for its 100 per cent recyclable post-consumer recycled rPET bottles that won the Beverage category. Pact Group won the silver award for New Zealand’s Earthwise brand of PCR 75 per cent rHDPE household cleaning range. The bronze award produced a tie between Brownes Dairy for Australia’s first renewable gable top milk carton and UPM Raflatac & Kiwi Labels for the Custom-Pak rPET Cherry Punnet with self-adhesive label, permanent adhesive that is also washable at the PET recycling plant.

Orora and Sealed Air won gold for the 2020 Sustainable Packaging Design Special Award – Product Protection category. The judges awarded a high commendation for the Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year – Product Protection category to Omni Group for the PerformX 100 per cent recyclable stretch wrap.

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Ecolean won the Accessible Packaging Design Special Award

UPM Raflatac & Kiwi Labels won bronze in the Special Award — Retail Pack category gold award for the Custom-Pak rPET Cherry Punnet

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

PACKAGING 2020 Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award The purpose of the Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award is to provide incentive and recognition to young professionals who are both currently working in and wish to continue their career path within the Packaging industry.

structure-function relationships with characteristics of paperboard products and how their structure responds to loading and environment.

Wade and his team target corrugated board boxes that fail in supply chains and cost New Zealand and international company’s billions of dollars in damaged goods. He investigates solutions designed to strengthen boxes before they begin to fail. Scion will base these solutions on novel box designs incorporating biomimetic principles.

of the mornings and even on weekends, as he goes out of his way to help each and every member of the organisation.

The Australian Institute of Packaging Special Awards One of the key objectives of the Australian Institute of Packaging is to recognise individuals making a significant contribution to the packaging industry and the Institute is pleased to honour some extremely deserving people in 2020.

Joe Foster receives the AIP Fellow title

AIP Fellowship

Kelly Wade: the 2020 Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award A Kiwi won the 2020 Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award, Scientist Kelly Wade works for Crown Research Institute Scion.

With a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical and Materials Engineering from the University of Auckland and a PhD investigating intervertebral disc nucleus microstructure and biomechanics relationships, Wade received a number of awards and postdoctoral research fellowships in spine research which found him studying overseas.

He returned to New Zealand in 2018 to work in the Scion Biopolymers and Chemicals team, applying his background of microstructure and biomechanics relationships to innovative packaging solutions. Wade is responsible for managing and operating Scion’s White Room. This internationally distinctive facility is designed to replicate the effects of humidity and temperature on boxes under stress in the chilled distribution chain.

Understanding the conditions under which packaging will likely fail allows manufacturers of packaging materials and packaging to design materials fit for purpose.

Wade currently works with leading global box companies and leading exporters to make sure their products reach the market in perfect condition.

He can combine his previous knowledge around intervertebral disc newzealandprinter.co.nz

Mark Kelton receives the AIP Honorary Membership award

AIP Honorary Membership AIP Honorary Membership recognises an individual who has contributed to and significantly supported the Institute and over a long period of time.

The AIP Board recognises Mark Kelton, member services manager of the AIP Australasian office, as an honorary member.

The board acknowledges Kelton for his unwavering and tireless input into helping to create the successful Institute that we see today. Kelton has been instrumental in the day to day operations of the AIP for close to 15 years and looks after the members, the event bookings, the website, the accounts and so much more with professionalism and ease.

Any member of the AIP will receive emails from Kelton in the early hours

The grade of Fellow, the highest recognition available to AIP members, recognises the significant and sustained contribution to the technology, science, or application to packaging in the industry.

This year, the AIP awards the title to Joe Foster, co-founder and director of OF Packaging. Foster has had a passion for flexible packaging for most of his life and has run four businesses across four countries over the last 40 years.

Foster has spent the majority of his career working to not only understand flexible packaging at its core but progress the possibilities of flexible plastics with a continued focus on packaging innovation.

AIP says Foster’s true legacy revolves around his resoundingly passionate attitude towards flexible packaging. It adds that he sees beyond what flexible packaging is, to what it can be, and hopes to create an evolved understanding of flexible packaging and the place it holds in society.

His goal is to improve the relationship we have with flexible packaging and plastics, helping inspire new respect for packaging and improving consumer and waste behaviours along the way.

AIP Life Membership The AIP Life Membership title has only ever been awarded five times in 57 years. The Life Member award is designed to recognise someone who has consistently contributed to not only the packaging industry but also to the AIP as a volunteer.

Continued on page 42 July 2020

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PACKAGING Continued from page 41

Alysha Baggett, one of the two 2020 Harry Lovell Award winners

2020 Harry Lovell Award AIP Life Membership: Terry Waterson The AIP awarded its newest Life Member title to Terry Waterson. He has been a member of the AIP for over 35 years, is a past president and fellow of the Institute and has been an influential and consistent contributor the wider industry for 60 years.

Waterson owns specialist packaging and processing operation Metalprint Australia, which holds the international licences for several packaging technologies and his contribution to economic development of packaging is exemplified in his perseverance to introduce the Spouted Pouch packaging system to Australia for both baby food and dairy companies.

Outside of his tireless contribution to the industry, in the last 35 years, he has never wavered from helping others and being available to help the AIP whenever needed.

Alexandra Brayshaw, one of the two 2020 Harry Lovell Award winners 42

In 2006, the AIP acknowledged the important role of packaging education and training. It established the Harry Lovell Award in recognition of the commitment and contribution of Emeritus Professor Harry Lovell to education and training for over thirty years in the institute, in particular to the Diploma in Packaging Technology.

AIP presents the Harry Lovell Award to graduates of the Diploma in Packaging Technology who have achieved exemplary results in their examinations.

The organisation does not present this award each year; only presenting it to outstanding students in packaging technology.

AIP has awarded the Harry Lovell Award to only five students in the last fourteen years: Aleah Back, Maria Indrayati, Misbah Khan, Nina CleeveEdwards and Sarah Squire.

This year, extraordinarily, the AIP education team has presented two Harry Lovell Awards. The recipients: Alysha Baggett, a senior packaging technologist within the Global Packaging Support Team of Suntory Monozukuri Expert; and Alexandra Brayshaw, a senior technical and design lead within Arthritis Australia’s Accessible Design Division.

The awards recognise outstanding academic achievement as students leading to attaining the Diploma in Packaging Technology.

This follows their global recognition in late 2019 by the United Kingdom when Baggett received the Best Student Award for 2018/19, while Brayshaw received the Best Packaging Related Research Project 2018/19 for ‘Understanding the consumer’s experience of difficult to open packaging and the factors contributing to these negative experiences, especially for the ageing population’.

AIP says Baggett and Brayshaw, two exemplary young packaging professionals, stand out and make a difference in their fields.

Ralph Moyle wins the Founders Award

Founders Award The AIP Founders Award honours the Foundation Members of the Institute, recognising their significant contribution to the development of packaging technology and the industry in Australia and New Zealand. Over 57 years, only four people have previosuly received the Founders Award: Professor Harry Lovell, George Ganzenmuller, Llewelyn Stephens, and Professor Pierre Pienaar. The fifth AIP Founders Award now goes to Ralph Moyle.

Moyle, an experienced food packaging consultant has 40 years in the food processing industry and 25 years focused on packaging.

Through a range of senior management experiences across packaging, operations, technical and quality assurance in large and medium FMCG businesses, he has brought increased value to many organisations through the value of smarter packaging at less waste. AIP says Moyle’s packaging knowledge has resulted in successful contemporary designs and material selections, improved shelf life, lower material costs, shorter supply chains and environmentally friendly selections that have provided greater economic value. It adds that his invaluable role as a trainer and lecturer within the AIP Education team has been instrumental in training over 1000 people in the last 12 months in Sustainable Packaging, 2025 National Packaging Targets, the Australasian Recycling Label and PREP. Moyle is a past president, regional chairperson and fellow of the AIP and a Certified Packaging Professional (CPP).

Nerida Kelton, executive director at AIP, says, “The AIP, in conjunction with Packaging New Zealand take this opportunity to congratulate all of the finalists and the winners for once again showcasing the innovative packaging designs that are created by amazing packaging technologists and designers across Australia and New Zealand.”

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

FELLMAN

The physics of printing sales and sales management Fellman applies some of Isaac Newton’s laws of motion to print sales

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lot has been written about the psychology of selling over the years, but not so much about the physics.

And that is unfortunate, because there are certain physical laws that apply to the challenges of gaining and keeping customers.

The better you understand these ‘immutable laws of physics’, the more likely you and your salespeople will have success at meeting your salesbuilding challenges. And it turns out that the same physics applies to sales management.

First law Understanding the physics of sales management starts with an understanding of Newton’s first law of motion, sometimes referred to as the law of inertia. It is usually stated this way: An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Here is how Newton’s First Law applies to sales management. Your salesperson is the object, and your objective is to keep him or her in motion: prospecting; following up with both prospects and customers; educating; seeking out new opportunities; and providing both customers and prospects with new ideas.

A salesperson in motion tends to stay in motion, or to put that another way, top achievers build up some level of momentum and then keep it going, unless they are acted upon by an unbalanced force. What might that be? The most common negative forces newzealandprinter.co.nz

I see affecting this kind of positive momentum are printshop owners and production problems.

Far too many owners become impediments to their salespeople’s success by demotivating them, with examples of this ranging from the complete absence of management to rather extreme levels of micromanagement and what I can only describe as pettiness about commissions, expenses, and other compensation issues. Beyond that, the most common complaint I hear from salespeople is that production problems regularly cost them opportunities with prospects and stress their relationships with customers. And while I know that at least some of what I am hearing is simply, “It’s not my fault,” complaining from underachievers, the sheer volume of complaint seems to indicate that at least some of it is real.

As the owner/sales manager, you are the ‘unbalanced force’ and you definitely want to use this power to stimulate motion. Be careful, though, to provide motivation rather than de-motivation. You have the power to push an under-performer into motion, which stands to produce the results you are looking for. Remember, though, you also have the power to push a solid performer off track.

Second law The ‘power to push’ takes us to Newton’s second law of motion, which is usually stated this way: The acceleration of an object as produced

by a net force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force, in the same direction as the net force, and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. This can also be expressed by the equation F=MA, or Force equals Mass times Acceleration.

Here is what this means to you as a sales manager. The farther behind your expectations your salesperson is, the harder you must push just get to him or her in to motion. In other words, poor performers need more management.

Third law Newton’s third law of motion tells us that, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This law helps explain why most salespeople push back at perceived micromanagement.

The secret to using Newton’s third law of motion as a sales management tool is to have a frank conversation with your salesperson. You might say, “I am going to push you to do the things that will make you successful and you have to make a choice about how to respond to that. You can resist, and continue to do things your own way, or you can channel the energy you might have used to push back at me and simply do what I want you to do.”

I would probably add, “Please make your choice now.”

There must always be urgency when dealing with an underperformer. A closing thought: No one has ever died from too much sales management, but far too many printing salespeople have underperformed because they didn’t get enough.

Dave Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, Raleigh, NC, USA, a sales and marketing consulting firm serving numerous segments of the graphic arts industry. Contact Dave at dmf@davefellman.com. Visit his website at www.davefellman.com July 2020

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ROMANO

Printing in a time of pandemic

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ike most countries, the United States has taken a medical and financial hit that may require years for recovery.

At first, the US government did not define printing as an essential industry and thus allow it to continue to operate.

But forceful lobbying by US printing associations changed the definition, mainly by putting printing in the same category as mailing.

Seventy nine per cent of print industry executives now state that the crisis has had a significant impact on their business, with a further 19 per cent indicating a critical impact. All strongly agree that Covid-19 will cause significant ongoing market disruption.

The decline in print volumes is being tempered by increased print demand in the healthcare and government sectors.

Overall, 70 per cent of all printers are seeing a significant decline in print volumes.

Some printers immediately began producing masks and other protection gear. And almost all lost business as their customers cut back or cancelled scheduled work. Some printers found work in medical forms, advisories, mailers and even signage used by hospitals and businesses.

The suggestion of mail-in ballots for our national election excited many printers because of the need to print almost 300 million ballots and their

FRANK ROMANO

Frank Romano discusses the impact of Covid-19 in the United States, as printers seek new work without the option of face to face meetings

Some US printers have produced protective equipment 44

envelopes. However, the idea is still being debated as national elections loom in only a few months.

A majority of printers have reduced spending and put investments on hold.

Seventy two per cent have cut costs, with 24 per cent saying that they have made staff redundancies. This will ripple through the supplier community and perhaps force some mergers.

The challenge is finding new work in a time of pandemic.

Face-to-face meetings are limited. Some printers have used direct mail and have even re-discovered variable data printing. In fact, printers with digital printing are seeing new interest in variable data printing. People quarantined at home now appreciate personalised physical mail.

On demand book printers are using social media heavily.

At least 11 short-run book printers are using Google Ads and Facebook to promote ondemand publishing. Families are publishing photo books and cookbooks, just to have something to do.

Magazine publishers are still producing their editions but some advertising has been cut, which reduces page count. Catalogue marketers are holding their own, but amazon. com is seeing a huge surge in business. And they print mostly boxes.

Smaller newspapers are eliminating one issue per week and pushing readers to their digital version. They have suffered because the many businesses that run ads are closed. A large volume of advertising has moved from print to social media sites.

Trade exhibitions have been cancelled or postponed. We all know that the venerable drupa show has been re-scheduled to 2021.

Packaging is the major growth area. Panic buying has emptied store shelves of just about all items. Breakouts of the virus have closed some food

plants but they are coming back into operation.

Most meetings are now via Zoom and there are no copies of presentations. You save a PDF. Governments once ran on paper, but now a lot of communication is via their websites. Paper trade associations report that printing and writing paper volumes have been down for several months in a row. So, what are printers printing on?

Those printers with wide format and flatbed inkjet are seeing a surge in signage.

Some are producing advanced face shield and retail counter guards.

There have been Federal bailout packages designed to infuse a trillion dollars into the economy. Much of that money went to giant corporations, not to small and mediumsized business. Now they are talking about another such

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

Zoom meetings have become the new way for printers to discuss options with clients infusion. Most states are seeing monumental numbers of applications for unemployment payments. So many workers have been laid off that unemployment funds are being depleted. US unemployment is at levels unseen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

There is cautious optimism for recovery. Thirty one per cent are cautiously optimistic that business could return to normal in less than three months. However, 45 per cent expect it to take up to a year.

Some expect it to take longer or do not believe that there will be ‘business as usual’. Many positive reactions tend to be wishful thinking.

Sixty seven per cent state that they will need to change their operating model going forward. Fifty seven per cent state that they will be bringing new products and/or services to market, mostly involving digital newzealandprinter.co.nz

printing. With PDF job input and internet communication for proofing, as well as the ability for graphic designers to work from home, jobs can be created and transmitted. We just need more jobs.

Until a vaccine is universally available and applied, the situation will be more of the same.

There is great conflict between the need to self-isolate and the need to open businesses to get the economy back into growth mode. Without customers creating work, printers have nothing to print.

There is some work, but it is not sufficient to maintain growth.

Printing flourishes when the economy flourishes and that will happen when the scourge of this pandemic is over. Then we must rebuild our lives and our businesses.

Hang in there, we are all in the same boat.

Change up: US printers will bring new products to market July 2020

45

Training body gets print, signage and packaging representation

T

he Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has appointed the members of the interim Establishment Boards (iEB) who have the task of establishing the six Work Development Councils (WDC) as legal entities.

The Commission says the appointments will help to provide critical industry experience in the formation of the new standards setting bodies for industry training.

The iEBs will also work with transitional industry training organisations, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST), and other providers to inform the tertiary education system’s response to Covid-19 impacts.

For the print, signage, and packaging industries, TEC has appointed Comptetenz chief executive Fiona Kingsford to the iEB of the Manufacturing, Engineering, Logistics and Technology (MELT) Workforce Development Council.

Competenz says her appointment will ensure that print, signage, and packaging will have a strong voice in the development of the new council, which is part of the Reform of Vocational Education.

Kingsford says, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join this interim Establishment Board, and will advocate to ensure that our future workforce is armed with the skills it needs to navigate the shift to industry 4.0 in this post-Covid-19 world of industry training reforms and critical skills shortages.”

Throughout her career within manufacturing, engineering and hospitality sectors, Kingsford has advocated for work-based learning; embedding qualifications into workplace practices; understanding the benefits of training to productivity; and career development. Her background includes organisational design and development, vocational education and training, 46

Print, signage and packaging training advocate on the iEB: Fiona Kingsford, chief executive of Competenz

Kingsford adds strong industry voice to WDC formation

strategy, M&A and change management.

Recently, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST) Establishment Board selected her as chair of its Work-Based Learning Working Group, providing advice on this critical component to the reform of vocational education.

Previously a member of the establishment board and chair of Auckland Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Consortia, Kingsford is a member of the Forest Industry Ministerial Advisory Board and director of group training organisation ATNZ. Tim Fowler, chief executive of TEC, says, “The quality of the applications and the calibre of the selected board candidates reflects how much value and potential our industries see in Aotearoa New Zealand’s vocational education system and its importance to learners, employers and communities.

“The selected members have strong industry connections and mana, brilliant governance and communication skills, and a fundamental appreciation of the value of education and training in skills development for industry and individuals. The specific and complementary blend of expertise across the boards will

enable robust and innovative work to be undertaken that will be integral to the success of the future WDCs.” As part of May’s Budget Trades Training announcement, Education Minister Chris Hipkins made the decision to fast track WDC establishment by a target date of October 2020, ahead of the original deadline of mid-2021, to help support New Zealand’s Covid-19 response and recovery.

TEC says WDCs will work collaboratively with providers and Te Taumata Aronui, as well as centres of vocational excellence and regional skills leadership groups to fulfil the longstanding objective of the reform. They aim to create a strong, sustainable, unified vocational education system capable of delivering the skills that learners, employers and communities need to thrive.

This year also sees the establishment of 15 independent Regional Skills Leadership Groups to better manage changing skills and workforce needs in regions and cities and to support the recovery of labour markets.

Planned before the arrival of Covid-19 as part of a joined up approach to labour market planning, the groups aim to enable the workforce and education systems to work together and more effectively meet the different skills needs.

TEC says WDCs will contribute to the new vocational education and training system by: • Providing skills and workforce leadership for the industries they represent.

This includes identifying current and future needs and advocating for those needs to be met • Providing vocational education investment advice to the Government • Developing qualifications, setting standards, and moderating assessments • Endorsing provider programmes • Promoting the benefits of educating employees to employers

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

TALES FROM THE PRINTERVERSE

What’s next matters more than what’s now

I

have always prided myself on being able to see the forest through the trees when it comes to problem solving. It gives me an edge for project management and getting from point A to point B and beyond with the least resistance.

Over the past few months, I had to adjust my thinking to be able to react with every Covid-19 news report and be super present in the realm of now, making sure my messaging and communications were also hyper-current. I focused on the only things I knew for sure: people who needed print’s help were in a crisis, and one day the world would reopen.

Now, we are reopening.

Living in the present means you’re late, and looking too far ahead can be dangerous for your bottom line. Here’s how to plan for both at the same time.

Communication – phase 1 As your print customers and community businesses come back, give them a moment to breathe.

Let them assess their state of being before you pounce on them for sales. Start by letting everyone know you are open, let them know of any changes to processes or procedures for working with you, and let them know you will be circling back to schedule a strategic planning meeting. This is a business discussion about their business, not yours.

At the meeting, whether live or online, find out their short and long-term marketing needs, and what are the business results they need to achieve to keep their business open. Don’t pitch them at this meeting, listen. Even if you know exactly what they need, walk away. Prepare a formal document that recaps your discussion and presents all or any that apply: a marketing plan with costs; a menu of appropriate print items to help achieve their goals; and options for packages that bundles applications and services together for cost savings.

The best way to present your offerings is in person, but if that can’t happen, create newzealandprinter.co.nz

DEBORAH CORN

Three ways you can plan for the long term and short term, at the same time

a sample kit that includes everything you are suggesting they need, any relevant stats and case studies that may apply, and information about your company including the bio of the salesperson, key personnel, and press operators.

Put your people in your pitch.

Also, include anything your company had done to help the world before Covid-19, and what you intend to do moving forward.

Get trending I am obsessed with watching television commercials for the foreshadowing of marketing campaigns to come, and as the indication of what is appropriate to talk about and sell.

Brands spend money on broadcasting and that sets the tone for who they are and what will follow in our mailboxes, magazines, shelves and streets.

How does this translate to an opportunity for a print shop?

National advertising starts a conversation that you now have permission to bring to a local level.

No idea is off the table to keep your print shop, printing.

Look around and see what is happening, see the messages brands are spending millions to deliver, and translate that into a way to help a business achieve a positive result. That is how you will keep customers coming back for more in 2020, and how

you can stay in front of what is needed, next.

Capitalise on your success Not everything is opening at once, so you have a chance to test the waters and see what you excel at based on the business results you helped to achieve for your customers.

You may find that you have the most community success with shoe stores, and the most B2B success with customers who require direct mail. Create a prospect list focusing on those two things.

You may find more successes with other verticals and B2B print applications.

Keep updating your prospect list and sharing your customer stories, especially on your website. Give visitors plenty to read and research when they look you up, and they will.

Deborah Corn has more than 25 years of experience working in advertising as a print producer. She is the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist, international speaker and blogger, host of Podcasts From The Printerverse, cultivator of Print Production Professionals, Head Girl in Charge at Girls Who Print, host of #PrintChat, the founder of International Print Day and the founder of #ProjectPeacock.

You need a set of strategies to keep abreast of the coming changes in the industry

July 2020

47

REAL MEDIA COLLECTIVE

The Collective – more

I

keep telling people that we’ve all grown up now, as the Collective moves away from traditionally promoting the industry with campaigns, client engagement, and events to now holding a firm position on centre stage with government working groups, Australia Post industry solutions, industrial relations advice, workplace healthy and safety guidelines, policy and governance across both federal and state levels, Fair Work Commission as well as award review and submissions, economic stimulus advice, industry advocacy and more across the entire scope of our offering. And this is simply the beginning.

With some common questions still being tabled across our industry, it felt timely as we embrace the recovery period, to address the top three myths and facts I regularly respond to about The Real Media Collective, referred to fondly by members as ‘the Collective’.

Myth #1 TRMC is for big companies only.

Fact #1 Of the 324 member companies, only three are termed ‘patron members’ which means they have an annual turnover over $100 million. The majority of our members, are less than $3 million in annual turnover and termed ‘small businesses’ by definition.

The second tier of membership sits across our commercial print, publishing and mail-house sector ranging from $5 million to $15 million, and $15 million to $50 million.

This does exclude the supplier membership cohort who are often multi-nationals such as paper supply and OEM members. They offer a separate level of membership with keen interest to support the industry initiatives and ultimately their clients and partners for the betterment of a strong and stable industry. Our membership demographic is 48

KELLIE NORTHWOOD

Exploring the myths and facts surrounding the work of The Real Media Collective

supported by our deliverables.

The promotional campaigns – VoPP, Two Sides and Open Up to Mail – provide marketing resources to our members who do not have dedicated marketing teams. Our industrial relations templates and tools provide support to members who don’t have a dedicated HR or IR resource.

Our larger members often have these resources and join for advocacy and research deliverables.

Each member has varying requirements and building a model for these members is complex. However, since the merger of three associations to one and the emergence of The Real Media Collective, we have developed pillars to ensure each member group has access to relevant deliverables that benefit their business.

Myth #2 TRMC just does marketing.

Fact #2 Our campaigns promoting the industry are strong and well recognised across many sectors. Perhaps this is why this myth has prevailed. It is true, our industry promotion has a strong presence in our charter and our deliverables.

Clients and print buyers across Australia and New Zealand actively engage with our VoPP campaign, which promotes the power and effectiveness of print across all channels. The VoPP Mag is issued to 10,000 marketing managers, agencies and brand agents across Australia and 5,000 of them across New Zealand. Members receive printed copies for their clients to raise awareness on powerful statistics and facts about effective print campaigns. From major international brands to local bespoke pieces, we collect case studies and content that showcase how print is evolving and using intelligent print technologies to push the creative boundaries further each and every time.

Our monthly e-newsletter highlighting the print’s credentials as an important,

relevant and effective media is delivered to over 2,500 people across the country.

Our Open Up to Mail campaign is mailed to 6,891 designers across Australia and just shy of 3,000 designers in New Zealand promoting the power of direct mail and how to create effective campaigns for maximum impact.

Two Sides, our most established campaign, is part of an international global community promoting the environmental credentials of paper and print. It is a campaign that has overturned 73 per cent of the greenwashing claims made by companies pushing consumers to online communications to ‘save the world’.

We have a suite of resources, fact sheets, videos and slides for members to educate their clients on the recyclability of print as well as the renewability of paper. We explore the credentials of sustainable forestry, the footprint of print compared to email and the increased forests, noting that Australia alone has two million hectares of working forests and growing.

That equates to over a million MCGs’ inland area covered. We promote the environmental credentials of print without apology and arm our members with credible and verifiable evidence to support our claims.

Yes, we market and promote the industry; however, it is not all that we do. We lobby and advocate, building an industry specific voice across government, Fair Work and Australia Post to deliver outcomes for members and the industry.

Across the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we have achieved success across the COAG Waste Export Ban, having paper waste bans held until 2024.

We’ve had success and direct reference in the Fair Work Commission review across the nine awards our members sit across. We have delivered Charity Mail and Print Post product relaxations to provide support for members using Business Mail products and services with Australia Post.

July 2020 newzealandprinter.co.nz

REAL MEDIA COLLECTIVE

than just marketing

Snippets of what makes the growing success of The Real Media Collective We have established a Print Post working group for better engagement with Australia Post.

During our Keep Me Posted campaign, calling for companies to be banned from charging a fee for paper bills and statements, we achieved a COAG Consumer Affairs review and a Treasury Consultation which concluded those companies implementing such fees need to develop a consistent and transparent waiver for consumer protections. This year, we recognised the growing concern that our industry had lost a specialised expertise across industrial relations with outsourced and hotline models eroding what was once a unified industry resource to develop consistent arguments and ultimately precedents across industrial relations matters nationally.

To that end, we engaged an expert many of you know, Charles Watson, as our GM – IR, Policy and Governance.

He brings 17 years of industry expertise and strong relationships with many of you having worked together across newzealandprinter.co.nz

those years of experience.

Despite COVID-19 being a particularly difficult period, our membership has grown since the appointment of Charles, as the industry recognises that a consistent and industry focused approach is critical for us all.

I have been accused of having too commercial a focus on the membership structure; however, in the current climate and even before that, industry associations can no longer rest assured on legacy membership.

Our members must have a return on their investment, a tangible deliverable, or value benefit for their membership investment. This is why it is important that we continue to listen to our members and build our products and services as our members’ needs expand.

Myth #3 TRMC is not an industry association.

Fact #3 The Real Media Collective is an industry association and registered as such with the appropriate government bodies.

We operate under a constitution which clearly outlines our rules of operation. These include the structure of the board, the role of the executive committee, the charter, member ownership, not-for-profit compliance and administrative procedures.

The rules are lodged with Consumer Affairs and any amendments must be accepted by over 70 per cent of our membership, and all amendments must be passed by resolution and submitted in accordance with the legislation. Our financials are independently audited each year and submitted for acceptance at our annual general meeting.

We are proud of our achievements. The Collective team work tirelessly and passionately to deliver for our members and the broader industry. Our members are future-focused, successful entities that are committed to an innovative and sustainable industry well into the years ahead. This chapter has been difficult; however, we’ve stood together, supporting each other in the tough times and forward facing as we rebuild.

I’ve worked in varying roles across this industry for 20 years and am proud to continue to do so. Our industry is resilient, creative, robust and intelligent.

There isn’t much not to love about its fierce determination.

For your resilience and grit, the Collective will promise to continue to serve, build solutions for your challenges and assist your businesses to thrive. So, let’s throw out the myths and look forward to a vibrant and strong future together.

Kellie Northwood is the CEO of The Real Media Collective, an industry Association representing the paper, print, mail, publishing and distribution companies across Australia and New Zealand. Northwood also holds the executive director position for the Australasian Paper Industry Association (APIA). For more information contact: 03 9421 2296 or hello@thermc.com.au. www. therealmediacollective.com.au July 2020

49

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