Over the past 10 years, Palmerston North signwriting company Brushstrokes has grown from one man with a paint brush into a technology-savvy business that can do anything from designing a corporate logo, to printing a photograph on an aeroplane.

The company competes successfully with signwriters from Auckland and Wellington, because overheads are lower in Palmerston North and freight services are good.
"You can be anywhere," owner Tony Croucher says, "People don't see us as a small business in Palmerston North - they see us as Brushstrokes Ltd."
Brushstrokes is also the only firm whose owner is a qualified signwriter Mr Croucher says.

Using a computer speeds up signwriting and reduces labour costs, but this is offset by the cost of modern materials, he says.
Computer created sign are made faster and better though. The speed is where the 'miracle worker' part of the Bruchstrokes logo comes in, Mr Croucher says.

"A customer can come to us on a Friday and have the job completed on a Monday,"