2011 has been a year unlike any other for Christchurch. For those readers of this blog who are overseas, our City has faced many large earthquakes this year (as well as two heavy dumps of snow). We are now a city without a central business district, and Cantabrian’s have had to adapt extremely quickly to the rapid changes that occurred.

Fortunately for CQ, our building was relatively unharmed. Once we pushed the digital presses back into place and had the building inspected, we were back up and running a day or two later.

Our mission statement is “We love helping” and it was a privilege to be able to open our doors to five other business who needed temporary premises after the 22nd of February. We also found that old rules of business engagement were re-written, as we were also able to help companies that we would normally have been in competition with. This camaraderie was witnessed in business circles all over Christchurch and was wonderful to see on a city-wide basis.

It’s definitely a year that we won’t forget and will always look back on for many years to come.

It’s because of this that we would like to give a very special and heartfelt THANK YOU to our customers for your continued business this year. We hope that amongst all these changes, we managed to remain a constant and reliable supplier, who helped in giving you some peace of mind throughout the year.

And as I’m writing this we have just had another large aftershock. The first for a very long time. Staff are now ringing family to check on loved ones.

Let’s pray that 2012 is a lot better for Christchurch!

A great big CQ welcome to Marilyn!!!!! She has joined the CQ team and will be doing quotes. We are really glad to have Marilyn as part of the team. She has many years of experience in the digital print industry and has accumulated a huge amount of knowledge.

All quote requests are still to be sent to quotes@cq.co.nz

Every week her speech bubble will say something different.

What would you like her to say?

Click on Collette’s image below to go to the Collette Quinn photo album and enter your comments (nothing rude please). Best comments will be used on the wall and photographed for facebook.

Here are photos taken from the last four weeks showing the new offices taking shape. Hover over the photos for comments and click on them to enlarge.

Mid May:

Early June:

Making Print Fun:

Being the professionals that we are we couldn’t allow everyone out at once. So while some lined up outside, others looked out longingly through the windows.

Thank you and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUTH!!! xxx

From left to right: Ruth, Maree and Viviana in the accounts office.

Chelsea scanning in our data division.

      Ellise, Josh, Karyn and Julie in production.

From left to right: Karyn and Julie in production.

Janet in production.   

Dean trying to look like he’s working!

We’re so hot Green right now!

From left to right: Julie, Josh, Ellise, Karyn, Dean, Viviana, Ernesto, Ruth, Maree, Janet and Chelsea.

Karyn is demonstrating the right way to dress up in a loud shirt with complimentary accessories, whereas Dean has got it completely wrong!

Here are some of the CQ Manchester St team from left to right Julie, Josh, David, Nicolette, Dean and Janet. In front are Karyn and Susan.

CQ Blenheim Rd completely outdid Manchester St with their array of Hawaiian shirts. From left are Ian, Bernadette and Ben. Bernadette was the winner of our loudest shirt competition with the help of the matching red pen!

Karyn has now decided to go one step further and has begun training toward a Diploma in Print Management.

CQ has great pleasure, celebrating with Karyn in her achievement.