The PrintNZ Conference offers a range of opportunities for print and packaging companies to improve their practices, with access to experts in sectors of print, packaging and related disciplines. Dave MacIntyre outlines what we can expect at the conference
The time is rapidly approaching for those companies that have not already committed themselves to attending the PrintNZ 2012 Conference, to decide on the number of staff they are bringing and choose from the range of attractive packages available.
The PrintNZ Print: Part of Life Conference will run for two days at the Heritage Hotel in Auckland (the old Farmers building on Hobson Street) on June 28-29, ending early on the afternoon of the second day so that members can prepare for attendance at the Pride In Print Awards at the Langham Hotel (formerly the Sheraton) that evening.
Juxtaposing the two showpiece events is a deliberate way to save costs for out-of-town print and packaging companies who can now attend both events in one trip.
Opportunities
The conference is a once-in-every-two-years opportunity to improve your businesses and progress careers within the printing industry including those in production, sales and marketing, and management, with a special emphasis on people you have identified as rising talent.
Specifically, the conference will give you the chance to:
Bring new ideas and industry innovations from around the world into your business
Give your staff the chance to learn new skills they can use to make them more effective in their roles
Identify opportunities to increase efficiencies and business performance
Gain access to industry best-practice
Increase your knowledge of industry and business best practices
Give you access to new ideas and tools you can use to be more effective in your role
Strengthen existing relationships with others in the industry and make new ones
Learn skills that will help advance your career
And gain value from having access to world-class speakers
New ideas
Joan Grace, chief executive of PrintNZ, says print companies need to take full advantage of the cost and logistics savings available through having conference and Pride In Print running side by side. She says, “This year’s event offers multiple benefits to your business and your staff. It gives you the chance to bring new ideas and industry innovations from around the world into your business, identifying opportunities to increase efficiencies and business performance.
Along with the presentations and workshops, a panel of printers and insurance professionals will offer their take on some of the lessons learned from the Christchurch earthquakes such as what cover businesses need.
The conference has a modular format so members can pick which sessions they would like to attend. So they can mix and match their attendees with sessions relevant to their particular role within their businesses. So some staff can attend the whole conference or they can attend for one day or even one session, offering more flexibility. There are discounts for multiple attendees from the same company.
Top speakers
Goran Roos, honorary professor at Warwick Business School in the UK, numbers among the top speakers lined up for the conference. He will discuss manufacturing strategy, what it is and how to set a business up for success (See next page for other top presenters).
Gareth Kiernan, managing director of independent New Zealand economic forecasting and consulting business Infometrics, will discuss business conditions in New Zealand, what is happening in specific sectors that are big customers of the print industry, and the economic outlook.
Phillip Lawrence, managing director of Eco Logical Strategies in Australia, is an environmental and business strategist with years of experience in the paper and printing industries, who works with organisations wishing to develop their environmental strategies in line with recognised international standards. He will discuss print and the environment, providing an update on environmental issues relating to the print industry and discuss practical ideas to implement at work.
Debbie Mayo-Smith, motivational speaker and best-selling author will present The Good, Bad and Ugly of Social Media, a session on how business can utilise various social media; what works and what doesn’t. She will also share tips on getting the most out of business software including email, excel and powerpoint.
Andrew McCourt, principal of McCourt Consulting & Communications, a print industry researcher, analyst and writer will offer his take on what was hot and what was not at drupa. Will digital technologies lead the way for a brave new world of print media, or could this have been the last drupa as we knew it?
Malcolm Keif, professor at Cal Poly State University, California, will provide an introduction to the various forms of printed electronics, common technologies used for production, unique production challenges, tools used for characterising and validating various ink layers, and how to transition a business to produce printed electronics in the future. He will also present a session on reducing set-up times.
Mitch Mulligan, founder and managing director of Böttcher Australia, will offer advice on how to boost production to maximise press performance and run a more efficient print room. His current focus is on education and reducing the consumption of raw materials, and reducing the carbon footprint required to produce printed communications.
David Nottage, former world toastmasters champion, will explain how to look and sound confident when delivering a presentation, what to say, the order in which to say it, and presentation delivery skills.
Ambrose Blowfield, a trainer specialising in business marketing, will offer tips on how you can improve the impact of the sales team and boost business sales and revenue.
