President’s Post – Reflections from Expo & Awards

First day back in the office today, and I’m still riding the high after an incredibly rewarding week at the 2026 Sign & Print Expo and Sign Display Awards of Excellence.

There was a real sense of energy and optimism throughout the event. Attendee numbers were significantly up on previous years, exhibitor feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and everywhere I looked there were people connecting, learning, and sharing ideas.

The technology, machinery, and products were impressive – but for me, the highlight was the people.

Sign Camp and Shared Challenges

In my welcome address at the Awards, I spoke about a member who had been counting down the days until “Sign Camp”. How good, and how accurate, is that?

We come to see what’s new, to learn, and to grow. But a huge part of why we keep coming back is the people: the friendships we’ve built, the conversations over the bar, the supplier relationships, and the chance to reconnect with others who understand the realities of running a sign business.

Events like Expo and Conference remind us that we’re not navigating those challenges alone. The conversations, ideas, and shared experiences are what make our industry stronger, and remind us we’re part of something much bigger than our own businesses.

A Week to Be Proud Of

This year’s Expo felt different from the moment the doors opened.

The show floor was busy, the speaker sessions were well attended, and there was a genuine buzz around the venue all week. Everywhere I turned, people were exploring new tech, discussing challenges, sharing ideas, and reconnecting with industry friends.

I was particularly proud of the variety of content on offer. Whether your focus was business growth, design, technology, sustainability, tendering, wrapping or simply learning what is happening across the industry, there was something to take away.

The feedback from exhibitors has been overwhelmingly positive. Many spoke about the quality of conversations, strong engagement, and valuable opportunities to connect with customers and industry peers.

We’ll continue refining and improving the event, that’s part of our job – but it’s also important to pause and acknowledge when something has gone well.

By any measure, Expo & Awards 2026 was a success.

Investing in the Future

One of my personal highlights this year was serving as a judge on the quoting station for the inaugural Young Signee of the Year competition.

Watching those young signees work through the challenge was fantastic. For many of them, quoting was unfamiliar territory. Suddenly they weren’t just thinking about making signs – they were thinking about labour, materials, margins, overheads, and all the hidden costs behind a successful sign business.

What I enjoyed most was the mentoring aspect. There were moments where you could almost see the lightbulb switch on as they realised just how much goes on behind the scenes of a sign shop.

The standard throughout the competition was impressive, but what encouraged me most was their willingness to learn. If this group is representative of the next generation entering our industry, I think we’re in very good hands.

Congratulations again to Xavier Tapp, who took out the title of 2026 Young Signee of the Year and walked away with a well-earned $5,000 prize.

Celebrating Excellence

Of course, no Expo recap would be complete without mentioning the Sign Awards – the perfect way to finish the week.

The quality of work submitted this year was exceptional and showcased the creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship that exists right across New Zealand.

A special mention goes to our MC, Luke Bird, who had the room in stitches all evening. While I’m not sure Evan Marshall knew exactly what he was signing up for when he walked into the room, he took it like a champ and proved himself to be a very good sport. (If you were there, you’ll know what I’m talking about!)

Congratulations to all of our award winners, finalists, apprentices, competitors, and of course our new Master Sign Makers. Every person recognised should be immensely proud of their achievements.

One of my personal highlights of the night was standing alongside former President, Master Sign Maker and all round legend, Paul Walters to present plaques to ten newly accredited businesses.

Master Sign Maker has been a major focus for the Association over the past 18 months, and it’s exciting to see more businesses engaging with the pathway.

Seeing ten businesses recognised on stage was incredibly rewarding, not because of the plaques themselves, but because of what they represent: professionalism, continual learning, craftsmanship, and a genuine commitment to lifting the standards of our industry.

On the night, I challenged the room to ask a simple question: “What do we need to do to become a Master Sign Maker?”

The pathway is there, the framework is in place and the opportunity is sitting right in front of us. Our vision is for Master Sign Maker to become the most trusted mark of professionalism in the New Zealand sign industry. That only happens if more businesses commit themselves to the journey.

So if you’ve been thinking about it, this is your nudge. Get started. If you’re unsure or have questions, please reach out. I’d love to see how many new Master Sign Makers we’re celebrating this time next year.

More Than an Event

On behalf of the NZSDA, I want to sincerely thank our exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, volunteers, judges, suppliers, competitors, and everyone who pitched in and showed up.

The amount of work that goes into planning and delivering events like these is enormous, and they simply don’t happen without the support of people across our industry. Seeing everyone come together over the week was incredibly rewarding.

What leaves me most encouraged, however, is the sense of community.

Our industry is full of people willing to share knowledge, support one another, and invest in the future. Whether it was mentoring a young signee, helping a fellow sign shop owner solve a problem, applauding award winners, or stuffing goodie bags for Expo, I saw countless examples of people giving back.

That’s what makes this Association strong. Because ultimately, the Association isn’t the Board, the team, or the events we run. It’s all of us.

A community of signees, suppliers, apprentices, business owners, and industry professionals working together to strengthen our craft and support one another.

If Expo 2026 showed us anything, it’s that the future of our industry is bright.
I can’t wait to see what we build together next.

Logan Sutton
NZSDA President
Creative Director, Future Grafix