According to the quote below from NZSDA's latest newsletter, one can get a sense of the scale of damage to the Christchurch sign industry as well as an indication of the willingness of other NZ signies to help their peers.
....Offers of assistance for the sign industry have come from Gerald Horton Signs in Rangiora, ph 03 313 5846, All About Signs in Timaru, ph 03 686 6256, Elite Signs, ph 03 338 7132 and Viscom Sign Management in Christchurch, ph 03 339 6363, all of whom are fully operational and willing to help. Sabre Signs are temporarily relocated to the Viscom premises and are also fully operational and can assist if called upon. Similarly Clarkson Sign Studios are fully operational and can accommodate a small sign business within their premises if need be. Elite Signs have a 10,000 square foot workshop and can accommodate anyone from the industry who needs to relocate on a temporary basis.
Others that are fully operational include Signz NZ, Commercial Signs & Illustrations, Signtech the Signmasters, Sign Advertising, Award Plastics & Displays, Dennis Thorpe Signs, Fulton Hogan Signs, JBFX, and Riccarton Signs. Some have suffered minor building damage and/or liquifaction problems and certainly most had to tidy up storage areas, computer rooms and offices but all are definitely fully operational with no damage to their infrastructure. Customers can be assured that no time sensative work will be affected by the quake.
Signs Illuminated and Miller Studios are not able to get into their buildings as yet as they are inside the four avenues grid, both believe that their buildings are undamaged. Work continues at a temporary location for Signs Illuminated and Millers are working remotely at this stage.
On the supplier front those that are fully operational are Computaleta Sevices, Aarque, Digital Vision, Ascot Canvas, Trade Signs, The Production House, Total Supply, Blue Print Imaging, PSP, Vinyl Source, Peek Display, Footpath & Beyond Signs, Jenrite, Braille Signs, Zimstone, and Sign Supplies. All can take orders and supply product in a timely fashion
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Mulford Plastics have had a huge clean up to do but will be fully operational by next week. Orders are being fulfilled from other branches in the meantime so there is no disruption to customers needs.
From an employers perspective if you have staff who are likely to be displaced or want to relocate for peace of mind, job opportunities exist in the North Island for signmakers. At this stage we are aware of two positions available in Taupo, one in each of the Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and Auckland. By the same token, Fulton Hogan Signs in Christchurch can also offer employment within Christchurch.....
New Zealand Sign & Display Association
www.signs.org.nz
