What an incredible journey! Last month, from April 24th to 26th, Kwik Kopy Australia lit up the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney for our CONNECT 2026 Conference. A dynamic hub filled with over 160 attendees—including our incredible franchise centre owners, their staff, partners, suppliers, sponsors and Kwik Kopy staff—all gathered under the powerful theme, “United in Purpose”..
The conference weekend was a brilliant spotlight illuminating the fantastic milestones we have achieved, marking our first major gathering since joining Fortidia in 2025. It was a celebration of the energy and network strength that fuels the Kwik Kopy network.
The conference unveilied an exciting future defined by clarity and consistency. From the ANZAC Day Dawn Service to the “Thinking Bigger” session led by the AlphaGraphics team from the USA, we spent time together as a united community. The weekend was a prime opportunity to connect, learn, and grow. Our breakout sessions were full of conversations sparking new ideas—from AI integration to hands-on installation workshops. These sessions sharpened skills and reinforced that invaluable feeling of being part of a supportive, forward-thinking community.
The pinnacle of this high-energy weekend was the Gala Dinner Awards Evening, where we celebrated our wins with an Art Deco theme and a Great Gatsby twist.
It was an amazing, high-energy, insightful weekend designed to empower everyone in the our network to connect, learn and be united in purpose as leaders of industry.
Pre-Conference Centurion Activity & Welcome Drinks
The festivities commenced on Friday, 24 April. Our Centurion group, comprising our top centres, were taken on an exclusive tour of Taronga Zoo for their morning activity. They then spent the afternoon together in specialised workshops with the leadership team before heading to the welcome drinks event on Friday evening to join the main attendee group.
Our community was in full swing by evening as all attendees gathered at the Wentworth Bar on Level 5 for welcome drinks and canapés on the rooftop terrace, allowing everyone to reconnect before the first day of the Conference begins.
Saturday, 25 April, was a day of profound significance, beginning at 4:20 am as attendees gathered at Martin Place for the ANZAC Day Dawn Service. This solemn morning of remembrance transitioned into a day packed with professional growth, starting with a Welcome Town Hall and sponsor addresses. We gained invaluable insights into Large Format expansion during the “Thinking Bigger” session led by the AlphaGraphics team from the USA and our local leadership. Throughout the day, owners sharpened their skills in specialised breakouts, from “Installation 101” workshops with Platinum Sponsor Graphic Art Mart to exploring the AI revolution with PrintSpeak. The afternoon was capped off by a masterclass in leadership from our keynote speaker, Sir Peter Cosgrove, whose address on unity and resilience left the room inspired.
Saturday evening marked the Kwik Kopy Gala Awards Dinner, where the spotlight illuminated some of our most outstanding Centre owners, recognising and celebrating their stellar achievements. The Ballroom at the Sofitel Wentworth was transformed with an Art Deco theme with a Great Gatsby twist to match the hotel’s historic elegance.
In the Excellence Category, Kwik Kopy Perth CBD earned the Customer Excellence Award for consistently delivering outstanding service, backed by over 100 five-star reviews in under a month. Kwik Kopy Cheltenham was honoured with the Community Award for their role as mentors both within the network and their local community, while Kwik Kopy Gosford took home the Operational Excellence Award for their highly efficient, technology-driven business practices. The Possible Award was presented to the team Kwik Kopy Norwood for their incredible resilience through a management transition and relocation, and Kwik Kopy North Melbourne won for Local Marketing Excellence following their multifaceted digital and community strategy. Kwik Kopy West End was named the Consistent Player for maintaining habits of excellence and reliable growth, while Scott Watlkims from Kwik Kopy Knoxfield was celebrated as the Brand Ambassador for his professionalism and commitment to advisory groups. Kwik Kopy Knoxfield achieved a remarkable triple sweep, winning Highest Sales Growth Over a Million with the highest year-on-year growth, Highest Sales Growth as a New Owner, and the title of 2026 Rising Star as a new owner.
The Performance Category saw Kwik Kopy Surry Hills win for Highest Sales Growth under $1M, and Kwik Kopy Perth CBD secured the award for Highest Sales overall, underpinned by revamped systems and a bold large-format strategy. In the Large Format specialities, Kwik Kopy Taren Point won for Large Format Category Growth, while Kwik Kopy Liverpool achieved the Large Format Sales Growth award with a staggering YoY increase. Kwik Kopy Camberwell was recognised for Zenith Sales Category Growth, and Kwik Kopy Gosford won Highest Zenith Sales in Dollars.
State and National honours rounded out the evening, with Kwik Kopy Kawana Waters named Queensland State Centre of the Year, Kwik Kopy Dandenong for Victoria, Kwik Kopy Pitt Street for New South Wales, Kwik Kopy Hilton for South Australia, and Kwik Kopy Canning Vale for Western Australia. Ultimately, Kwik Kopy Pitt Street was crowned the National Centre of the Year for achieving the best growth metrics across the country.
After an evening of celebration, our network reunited the next morning for the Supplier Showcase. This high-energy weekend was only possible through the support of our sponsors, led by Diamond Sponsor Smartech Business Systems. We also thank our Platinum Sponsors Konica Minolta and Graphic Art Mart, Gold Sponsors Spicers and CMYKHub, and our dedicated Silver and Bronze partners, Mimaki, HeroPrint, Ball & Doggett, PHE, Vivad, Stone Lane, Epson, Windcave, and Hilton Laminating. A special thank you to our partners at the Visual Media Association and the Australian Sign and Graphics Association, as well as Pack & Send.
It was an amazing, insightful weekend designed to empower everyone in the Kwik Kopy community to truly shine! Congratulations to all our winners; we return to our centres energised, inspired, and truly United in Purpose.
