PrintNZ conference kicks off in Auckland

This year’s PrintNZ conference has begun at Sky City Convention Centre in Auckland with an enthusiastic group of print industry members looking at significant issues for print in New Zealand.

The conference is one of several print events this week including the Apprrentice of the Year Awards and Pride In Print.

Ruth Cobb, general manager of PrintNZ, started the ball rolling by delivering a quick overview of PrintNZ’s perspective. She showed some statistical graphs showing sales and profit in the local industry and, unfortunately, the lines on the graphs headed in a downward direction. She says, “The industry is changing and it is challenging. She says, “There are things we can do smarter to lessen the effects of some of the challenges we face. I attended Ipex in March and it was a very different show to what it had been. However, the biggest message I got from Ipex was about the value of print. Something as simple as a wedding invitation tends to have a greater value when it is printed compared to an invitation on email or Facebook.

She mentioned the amalgamation of CMITO into Competenz and the reasons for it. She says, “The government’s industry training review started in 2011. Then, we had 38 industry training organisations, now we have 12. The reason for this rationalisation is to make them stronger and more cohesive bodies. The CMITO sought a suitable partner last June and it was able to find Competenz, which covers 3500 businesses employing trainees with a broad range of skills.

“Importantly, I want to thanks our sponsors, especially our major sponsor HP, but also APM, BJ Ball Papers, Competenz, Equip Recruitment, Konica Minolta, Printcost, PSI and the document institute.”

Cobb says the conference speaker line-up will cover a range of important issues that print industry members will find relevant and compelling.

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