General manager at Cactus Imaging Keith Ferrel was one of the select number of presenters at the Fespa Theatre, and told his audience that diversification and automation were essential for business growth.
Ferrel said that the company was a 90 per cent billboard printer before it decided to diversify. He said, "We moved into building wraps, transit, events, retail, and construction. We bought the best equipment to do this."
He also said the company had responded to changing situations around it: for instance, the legislative requirement for buildings under construction or renovation to have mesh wraps around them.
Ferrel also said Cactus had invested in highly automated finishing technology which had slashed turnaround times, as part of its strategy of investing in automation.
He told the audience that the company had also developed a whole new product, Cactus Gold, which provided extra care and generated extra revenue.
The threat of digital signage is real but can be met with "speed, speed and speed", he said, pointing to the fact that while 54 per cent of outdoor media spend was now with digital, the rapid increase in print changeovers from two a year to the current 14 a year, with higher numbers on the horizon, meant more print.