President's Post - October 2026
September involved a fair bit of travel for me, and I’ve come home with sore feet, plenty of ideas and a renewed appreciation for the industry we’re part of.
Connecting Across the Tasman
I was fortunate to attend Visual Impact in Sydney and the 2026 Easy Signs National Sign & Graphics Awards. It was fantastic to be part of the festivities, catch up with fellow Kiwis and spend time with our Australian industry friends. There’s some outstanding craftsmanship happening across the Tasman –almost as good as ours 😉
Awards evenings are always a good reminder of the skill and creativity in our trade. We spend so much time working through deadlines and solving problems that we don’t always stop to appreciate what we produce. Seeing that work celebrated, and the people behind it recognised, is something I really enjoy. Even when I don’t know the people receiving the awards!
A big thank you to the Australian Sign & Graphics Association, particularly Mick and Damian, for extending the invitation and making us so welcome. The NZSDA and ASGA have a great relationship, and spending time together gave us an opportunity to compare notes on our events, our associations and the challenges we share.
We’re always exploring opportunities to work more closely together through shared resources and ideas. There’s plenty we can learn from each other, and I’m looking forward to seeing those conversations develop into more practical benefits for members in the future.
Big Shows, Fresh Perspectives
From there, I headed to Shanghai with some other keen kiwi sign shop owners to explore Sign China. It was one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve had.
Shanghai itself was full of surprises. The scale of the city was incredible, but so was how clean and surprisingly quiet it felt, with electric vehicles everywhere. Between the street food and experiencing the views from Shanghai Tower, there was plenty to take in before we even reached the show.
Sign China was on another level. We went in with a plan to move quickly through the halls, get our bearings and then return to the things that interested us most. That plan didn’t last long. Even after a full day of walking, we’d only covered three halls. The feet were certainly feeling it!
The technology, materials and machinery on offer were impressive. From automation, 3D printing and channel letter equipment to laser welding, cutting and new LED technology, there was something around every corner to get you thinking.
Seeing equipment in person gives you a different perspective from browsing a catalogue or watching a video. You can look at how it’s built, ask questions and consider where it might fit into your workshop. It also gets you questioning the way you currently do things. Could we simplify that process? Could we produce that ourselves? Would this free up time for our team?
Of course, working through those questions in another country brings its own challenges. Some conversations involved broken English, lots of ‘google translate’, a fair bit of patience and making sure we understood each other. There were moments that pushed me outside my comfort zone, but also good connections made along the way.
Having attended the ISA Sign Expo in Las Vegas last year as well, I’ve gained a much wider appreciation of just how big and varied the signage game really is.
These visits have also given me a real appreciation for our excellent suppliers here in New Zealand. After seeing so much on offer internationally, it’s reassuring to know that our local partners give us access to some of the very best products available anywhere.
The range of materials and hardware they bring to our market is impressive. Having people we know and trust to help us choose a product, understand its application and work through a problem is something worth valuing. And then there’s the after sales support – I came home encouraged by how well our industry is served here. So thank you to our amazing suppliers – you guys are amazing!
The Best Part Is Always the Conversations
I guess by now I sound like a broken record, but for me, the best part of these trips is always the conversations with fellow industry people.
Travelling with a few good industry friends made a huge difference. Everyone brought a different perspective. One person would spot something the others had missed, ask a useful question or see an application that hadn’t occurred to the rest of us. Comparing notes over drinks or a meal helped us make sense of everything we’d seen.
That’s where ideas start to become useful. You talk them through with someone who understands the work, the pressures and the practical realities. Sometimes they get you more excited about an opportunity. Sometimes they help you think it through a little more carefully. Both are valuable.
So my encouragement to you is simple: get out of your shop. If the opportunity is there, take a trip to an international show. It will open your eyes to the scale of our industry and what’s possible.
But – don’t do it alone! Travel with another signee. Compare notes, collaborate, question things and bring home some big ideas that might just put you a step ahead. A fresh perspective or a stronger relationship can make the trip worthwhile.
Our own NZSDA conferences offer a fantastic opportunity to do exactly that here at home. Stepping away from your business and spending time with people who understand your day-to-day challenges can be hugely worthwhile. Some of the best conversations happen between sessions, over dinner or while catching up with someone you haven’t seen in a while.
Make the time to be there. Introduce yourself to someone new, ask what they’re working on and share what you’re learning. We have so much knowledge within our membership, and those conversations are how we put it to work.
It’s good to get out of your comfort zone. And it’s even better when you’ve got people alongside you to share the experience.
Logan Sutton
NZSDA President
NOTE: NZSDA covered only my return flight to Australia.