News Archive

• Saunders’ Komori shipped overseas 

  

  A Komori L528 Lithrone offset press from liquidated western Sydney printer Saunders Print Group has been sold and shipped overseas to an undisclosed destination.

• Online sales drive up containerboard prices 

  

  2017 will be remembered as the year in which the global containerboard industry grew in every region and there’s no sign that demand will ease any time soon, according to analyst Tim Woods.

• Winds of change: new Converga CEO 

  

  Luke Clark, the former chief information officer at Canon Australia, has been appointed CEO of the company’s information management business Converga, effective 1 May. Current CEO Paul Bellette is leaving after ten years with the company.

• Corporations refuse to budge on paper charges 

  

  Major Australian banks, telcos and other companies are refusing to drop paper billing charges despite a two-year campaign by lobby group Keep Me Posted that has won widespread community and political support.

• Huge rent bill threatens Museum of Printing 

  

  The Melbourne Museum of Printing is under threat, with 77-year-old owner Michael Isaachsen almost half-a-million dollars behind on the rent. Industry historian James Cryer wonders whether the renowned museum can be saved.

• Paper recycling crisis to hit ratepayers 

  

  State governments and local councils are scrambling to deal with the looming recycling crisis following an import ban on recycled paper and plastic by China. Analyst Steve Balmford says ratepayers may end up footing the bill.

• Jet Technologies launches Asahi flexo plates 

  

  Jet Technologies and Asahi Kasei have announced a new deal to bring the full range of solvent-wash plates to packaging and corrugated markets in Australia and New Zealand. “This will allow printers to achieve a higher quality image reproduction.”

• Which Pantone guide is right for you? 

  

  Take the guesswork out of choosing the right Pantone Color Guide. From Spot Colours and beyond, discover the right professional colour guide to help with your print production or design workflow.

• Digital encabulator set to shake up printing 

  

  Until now, the turbo-encabulator’s printing applications have been limited to conventional presses. That is set to change with Japanese manufacturing giant Shigatsu-Baka launching its new digital turbo-encabulator, aimed squarely at the digital print market.

• Heidelberg secures $516m to expand digital 

  

  Press giant Heidelberg underlined the strength of the global print market by securing a €320 million ($A516 million) credit line to drive its digital transformation. “We have numerous options at our disposal,” says CFO Dirk Kaliebe.

• Tax cuts ‘critical’ for printing industry: PIAA 

  

  The PIAA has expressed “deep disappointment” that the Turnbull Government’s proposed tax cuts have been postponed after failing to secure the support of the Senate. “Businesses should not be penalised unduly by government for doing well.”

• Maxteq is BST eltromat’s new agent 

  

  German manufacturer BST eltromat International has strengthened its market position in Australia and New Zealand with a new sales and service partnership with Melbourne-based Maxteq.

• PwC launches 3D Printing Survey 

  

  PwC’s Skills for Australia initiative, which has joined with the PIAA to review print industry training, has opened an online survey to gather feedback on the state of the 3D printing industry.

• Image owner Kilpin sets down his pen 

  

  Stan Kilpin, owner of Image Magazines, has announced his retirement after 29 years in the industry. He has sold his magazines, including Digital Image and Sign Gear NZ, to new publisher Image Publications, headed by Janet Maitland.

• Rigid printing and white ink for HP Latex 

  

  HP has announced its Latex R Series of rigid signage printers at ISA Sign Expo in Singapore. The company is also releasing white ink for Latex, which it promises will not yellow over time like traditional UV white. The R Series will debut at FESPA, and will be available in the latter half of this year.

• Sign Essentials to distribute iECHO cutters 

  

  Brisbane supplier Sign Essentials has been appointed Australian distributor for iECHO flatbed cutting devices and will launch the flagship iECHO BK3 digital cutting system next month at Visual Impact in Brisbane.

• Konica Minolta rescues NFP mail house 

  

  A chance meeting between Konica Minolta CEO David Cooke and Beehive Industries chief Brendan Lonergan has secured the future of the Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation that supports seniors, people living with disabilities and the long-term unemployed.

• Graphic Impressions machinery auction 

  

  Liquidator PKF Melbourne is selling off several big-ticket items from collapsed Melbourne printer Graphic Impressions, which closed its doors earlier this month reportedly owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to creditors.

• Kayell brings in 1st Spectro LFP qb 

  

  Andreas Johansson deepens engagement with Italian colour measurement specialists, Barbieri Electronic, installing the new innovative device to focus on colour measurement in wide format textile printing.

• Salmat sells contact centre unit for $53m 

  

  ASX-listed direct mail and marketing services company Salmat is selling its contact centre business to a Sydney-based private equity firm for $53 million as part of a strategy to focus on core businesses including catalogue distribution.