President’s Post – July 2026

The months are getting colder and wetter as we move deeper into winter, but that doesn’t mean the opportunities disappear. If anything, winter gives us a chance to work on our businesses just as much as in them.

Since our incredible Expo and Awards week, I’ve had some fantastic conversations with members from around the country. We’ve talked about staffing, technology, apprenticeships, business growth, and one topic has come up more than any other. Collaboration.

In basic terms, collaboration is people working together to achieve something they couldn’t as easily do alone. And when I think about it, our industry has been doing exactly that for years.

The obvious example is installation work. I win a job in Hamilton, but instead of sending my own installers, I call a member in the area and tee it up with them. Their company gives mine greater reach, my client gets the service they’re expecting, and another member benefits from the work. It’s one of the real strengths of belonging to the NZSDA.

But I think we’re only scratching the surface.

Stronger Together

There are so many more ways we can work together as like-minded signmakers that create value for everyone involved. Here are five ideas that I’ve either experienced firsthand or seen work well for others.

1. Share labour, not just the whole job.

Too often we think the options are either, “We’ll do it ourselves,” or, “We’ll outsource the entire project.” But there’s a middle ground.

Instead of sending a full crew across the country, why not send one experienced installer with the van, the tools, and the project knowledge, then lean on another NZSDA member for an extra pair (or two) of hands?

We’ve done exactly this in our own business. Most recently, on a large installation in Hamilton, we sent a small team and partnered with another member to provide additional labour on site. It reduced our travel costs, kept capacity available back at the workshop, made the install more efficient, and gave both businesses a win.

2. Collaborate on manufacturing.

A few years ago we manufactured channel letter cans for another member who didn’t have that capability in-house.

But we didn’t build the whole sign. They assembled, fitted and wired the LEDs, then installed the job. Everyone won.

We kept our production line busy doing what we’re good at. They maintained ownership of the project, created valuable learning opportunities for their team, and retained more margin than if they’d outsourced the entire job.

Sometimes collaboration isn’t about handing over an entire project. It can be as simple as helping another member fill a gap in their capability.

3. Share knowledge.

This might be the most valuable collaboration of all.

Every one of us has solved a problem that someone else is facing right now. Maybe you’ve found a smarter production method, a better workflow, an AI tool that saves hours each week, or a simpler way to tackle a difficult install.

Thinking back, we’d been making folded ACM panels the same way for years, but I was never completely happy with how the corners finished. During a conversation with another member, I happened to mention it. The next thing I knew, he’d sent me photos and files showing how they folded theirs. We’ve been doing it that way ever since.

That one conversation improved our product, and it didn’t cost either of us anything. Every time we’re willing to share an idea or a lesson we’ve learned, we help lift the standard of our entire industry.

4. Share people.

At first glance, this one sounds a little strange. Why would you share an employee?

But I know of a printer and a sign company that did exactly that with a talented graphic designer. Some weeks the split is 50/50. Other weeks it’s 30/70 depending on each business’s workload.

On their own, neither business could justify employing someone of that calibre full-time. Together, they can.

The designer enjoyed stable, full-time employment, both businesses benefited from access to great talent, and neither carried the full cost alone. It’s creative thinking like this that reminds us collaboration isn’t just about projects – it’s about building stronger businesses.

5. Create apprenticeship opportunities together.

Not every business can expose an apprentice to every aspect of our trade.

One shop might specialise in fabrication. Another in vehicle wraps or illumination. What if, instead of seeing that as a limitation, we saw it as an opportunity?

Imagine apprentices spending a few days with another NZSDA member, learning skills they simply wouldn’t experience in their own workshop. They return with new ideas, greater confidence and a broader understanding of our industry.

We all talk about investing in the next generation. Collaboration like this is one practical way we can actually do it.

A Challenge for this Winter

The truth is, these are just five examples. Once you start looking for opportunities to collaborate, you’ll see them everywhere – from sharing knowledge, equipment, apprentices, people, or simply picking up the phone to ask another member, “How would you tackle this one?”

One of the things I’ve always loved about this community is that while we’re competitors on paper, we’re colleagues in practice.

Most of us genuinely want to see each other succeed.

That doesn’t mean giving away your secret sauce or sacrificing your competitive advantage. It simply means recognising that there are times when working together creates outcomes that none of us could achieve alone.

As we head through the rest of winter, I’d encourage you to think about one simple question: Who could you collaborate with over the next few months?

It might be another member in the next town. It might be someone with equipment you don’t have. It might be someone who’s solved a problem you’re wrestling with. Or perhaps you’re the one with the experience that could help someone else.

If our expo reminded me of anything, it’s that the greatest strength of our Association isn’t the machinery in our workshops or the signs we produce. It’s the people behind them.

Let’s keep talking. Let’s keep helping one another. And let’s keep proving that, as an industry, we’re stronger together.

Logan Sutton
Creative Director – Future Grafix
President – NZ Sign & Display Association