| 61 PSI Brand offers a service for businesses and individuals seeking to have their brand, logo or message actually embedded in products made through rotational moulding processes. PSI Brand Sue Russell MANUFACTURING “We’ve found the market has really responded to the opportunity to have their designs captured permanently. It adds a new level of visual impact and looks really professional.” Napier business PSI Brand was established to meet an existing need for company’s to market themselves by branding more effectively on plastic products. The company offers a service for businesses and individuals seeking to have their brand, logo or message actually embedded in products made through rotational moulding processes. When a design is actually in the plastic, not on it, it creates stylish, practical and long-lasting visual outcomes. “We’ve found the market has really responded to the opportunity to have their designs captured permanently. It adds a new level of visual impact and looks really professional,” says General Manager, Jim Crawhaw, whose father Stephen established the initial rotational moulding company. A useful case-study of what can be achieved through in-mould branding can be seen with one of New Zealand’s leading hire service businesses, Hire Pool. The company supplies councils and civil companies with pedestrian barrier systems. We’re all familiar with seeing the linked barrier units applied along roadsides and footpaths, as a means to ensure pedestrians remain safely separated from areas where machinery and hazards exist. “Their mantra is to work smarter, not harder and they were having an ongoing problem with their Hirepool brand sticker applied to each barrier unit.” The sticks would deteriorate in quality and peel off the plastic surface of the barrier, so the logical solution was to look at ways to avoid needing to use stickers. This is where PSI Brand came to the party offering Hirepool its Inmould technology. “They wanted to find a way to save long term on sticker replacement and in reducing loss of the barrier units, so their brand name is now permanently in the plastic’s surface. It’s been a win-win for the company, cutting down on any need to waste time reapplying stickers that will ultimately peel off again.” Jim says when a brand is in the plastic it just brings it to life because the brand is part of the unit, not an add-on. It’s about bringing a brand to life. “We know that behind every great brand is a great story. We’re making it possible for that story to be seen is all sorts of situations.” When Australian kayak manufacturer Aquayak was approached by a Harris Plumbing who ordered ten promotional kayaks decorated with their own branding, they contacted PSI Brand for the answer. “We took the Harris Plumbing brand and applied it to the inside of the mould when each kayak was formed. We’re geared up for small through to large-volume orders.” In-mould branding comes into its own in situations where the product will be in water, or subject to abrasive conditions. Such has been market response to the products PSI Brand offers, including PostMould and Vinyl Decals that business has grown overall each year by nearly 20%. And that achievement has been recognised by the Hawke’s Bay Exporting community in the form of being named a finalist in the Best Emerging Business category. Jim says the process was worthwhile and interesting. “We put together a business-case scenario, describing challenging and opportunities and typical markets where we are exporting to. We’re the only company offering the services and products we do.” In his role, Jim is also concentrating on increasing middle-management capability in the company and with the challenges of COVID and an inability to travel Jim’s keen to get out on the road again. “There’s nothing like face to face encounter when marketing your business.” When Business Central spoke with Jim he had just returned from an industry-specific show in Melbourne, describing it as 100% worthwhile being there. “We were given the opportunity to present for about 15 minutes and I’m off to the USA in early November to talk with people in the industry over there.” Keen to continually improve their service and strengthen the business PSI Brand engaged ‘customer insights’ research business ‘What Lies Beneath’, who contacted PSI Brand customers to get feedback. “We got some awesome messaging. We’ll be working on our website to make sure it continue to reflects the information our customers will gain the most value from reading.” In-mould branding delivers the message
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