President's Post - April 2025
The most exciting new I have heard from the news over the last week or so is not the shares falling all over themselves, nor the talk of the tariff battles that seem to be playing out, but that Cardrona ski field received 10 centimeters of new snow, and they are enlarging their ski field. There is so much information flying around out there that sometimes we just need to block out the stuff that has little interest, or we have little control over, and focus on the little things that just make you happy.
We have all survived another financial year end and now have all that extra paperwork to do, and any new budgets to work through. While Easter seems to be a bit later than usual this year, it still feels like it has come around very quickly. With ANZAC Day falling on the Friday after Easter Monday, that makes for two weeks of very limited signage being made and installed. It does work out well for me, as the ISA Sign Show takes place during that short week. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have quite a busy four days over in Nevada, meeting and greeting people from the ISA, looking at the latest and potentially greatest new technology, and attending seminars on 3D printing and the impact AI will have specifically on sign shops and our industry. That one’s going to be particularly interesting.
Just touching base on that last part, I put into my AI app, “5 topics to talk about for the New Zealand sign industry 2025.” In about 5 seconds I got a very detailed response based on current trends, technological advancements and industry priorities. These included:
- Sustainability in Signage Design and Manufacturing – with a description going into detail about recyclable substrates, eco-friendly inks, energy efficient production processes and illumination.
- Integration of Digital and Smart Signage – The rise of digital signage and interactive screens that offer opportunities for innovation, including smart signage embedded with sensors, QR codes, and real time data can enhance customer engagement in retail and public places.
- Advancements in Printing and Fabrication Technology – This discusses 3D printing, UV printing, and laser / C&C cutting, and how these tools improve efficiency, Precision, and customization.
- Supporting New Zealand’s Cultural Identity through signage – Incorporating Māori language and cultural motifs into signage design.
- Workforce Development and Industry standards – Addressing skills shortages and promoting excellence, including the role of apprenticeships, and something that surprised me, especially as this is a fairly recent development, it said to engage with NZSDA initiatives like the new Master Sign Maker accreditation, and how upskilling your team members in new technologies ensures the industry remains competitive in 2025.
All that information in literally 2 minutes, and clearly based on some very recent developments. This is only just scratching the surface, a small change to the question entered will give me a completely different answer. The changes and opportunities that are coming are just mind-boggling.
As I write this, there are 20 days left to put your entries into the Awards of Excellence, being celebrated in Nelson in June. Please do not leave this to the last minute, and if you have not yet committed to attending the conference, or as a minimum our 2025 Awards of Excellence dinner, please book your tickets. It will be great to see you all there celebrating our industry.
