Welcome to a new era of Insite Graphics where award winning event signage is matched with maximum sustainability.
For those of you not in the know, Chris Berrisford has headed up Insite for over two decades, ever since he co-founded the company way back in 2001. We thought we’d fire a few questions at our esteemed, yet bashful, leader in order to give you more of an ‘insite’ into our world and just what makes us tick.
So without further ado.
Chris, why did you originally create Insite Graphics?
I began my career in the outdoor advertising industry and was always coming up with ideas for new products. The best one was for a street furniture light box that could be used by advertisers and exhibitors. I presented it to a few exhibition organisers and they loved it. The product evolved into illuminated ‘You Are Here’ plans and then other products took off from there.
How did the company evolve?
I’ve always been motivated by innovation, quality and design. Over the years, the company became synonymous with these core values. For the past five years I’ve included sustainability into that mix too. My passion is for designing highly attractive, sustainable products and offering our clients the very best service possible – it’s what drives us forward as a company.
You’ve been ahead of the game at the forefront of sustainable design and production for many years now, can you tell us how this came about?
I saw what was coming down the line way back in 2013 and tried to point us towards sustainability back then. The first really big changes came in 2017 when we invested in our Dye-Sub machine (which uses water-based ink) and Zund cutting machine (which minimises waste). These machines really help to make us stand apart from the crowed. We’ve continued to research and re-invest into the latest ECO technologies ever since. This is what makes us so relevant and accountable in today’s eco events. For example, our range of printing and finishing machines enable us to use recycled weave in our soft fabric signage. We can now create and install highly innovative eco graphics, signage and CONFEX exhibitor booths. I’m going to continue on this mission to make our products increasingly sustainable and attractive, it’s my passion.
You’ve achieved the ESSA Sustainability Accreditation Tier 5 and retained your ISO14001 for the last five years. Why is this so important to you?
The ISO 14001 is a globally recognised sustainability standard which has to be resubmitted every year. We put a lot of work into ensuring we maintain our high eco standards and I’m incredibly proud that we achieve the accreditation each year. We were the first company to ever achieve ESSA’s Tier 5 Sustainability Accreditation which clearly establishes us as leaders in the sustainable events industry.
Regarding the design of the products, how have you created them with sustainability in mind?
Simply put, our card based signage can be completely recycled, our fabric soft signage is recycled into fuel for energy, and our aluminium frames are always reused.
Nothing goes to landfill from Insite Graphics.
Aluminium is the most abundant mineral on earth and is infinitely recyclable, hence why we use it. For printing we only use water based or green guard inks.
And are you doing any carbon offsetting?
Yes, we’re a carbon neutral business so we’re currently carbon offsetting our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and have a Sustainability, Wellness and Communications lead, Carolyn Seager, onboard to ensure that our emissions are tracked. We’ve also got some pretty robust sustainability policies and carbon management plans in place, so we truly are committed to our Net Zero target.
And what about working with your clients on sustainability options?
Yes, we also like to be involved in the decision making process with our clients and offer them sustainable options as a matter of course.
Chris, you obviously have a real passion for the industry still, what is it you love about it?
The industry is a fast evolving, creative environment and I love being part of this new era of sustainable events. No two Insite days are ever the same so yes, it can be challenging and difficult but my team and I thrive on problem solving. it’s what makes life interesting.
And what are your views about Net Zero Carbon Events?
As I see it, the exhibition industry can be a real force for positive change. I think Insite clearly demonstrates this through our own environmental processes. We were the first company to ever be awarded ESSA’s Tier 5 Sustainability Accreditation and have achieved the ISO14001 standard for the past five years. I would like to see us all viewing sustainability holistically and not just as a tick box exercise. We’ve got to work together as an industry which is why we’re now proactively working with organisations like ESSA to gain knowledge and training our staff for further accreditations.
And are you excited about the future?
Yes, the future is looking very bright for Insite. I see us continuing to be a leading supplier of high quality, eco graphics signage and sustainable exhibitor booths specialising in smaller CONFEX events. We’ve had a really busy 2023 with booths and signage for events across Europe and the UK.
And do you foresee any other trends for the future?
Smaller, more dynamic events that are held more often and in a range of interesting venues seem to be on the rise. We’ve seen this change on the horizon for a while now and we’re ready for it!
If you’d like to find out more about Insite Graphics and our sustainable products, phone Chris directly on 0207 096 3201.