News Archive

• Lightning in HP PageWide mega deal 

  

  A new HP PageWide T240 HD digital press is on its way to Melbourne book printer Lightning Source after its US-based parent signed a multi-million-dollar deal to buy 24 of the advanced presses for its global sites.

• Mailing veteran broadens scope into wide format 

  

  For 25 years, Cheque-Mates, part of Lamson Paragon Group, has been a big name in the for-trade mailing sector. Now it’s serving the industry in a new way, with the launch of a national wide-format printing service based out of its offices in Sefton, Sydney, using latex and aqueous printers.

• The need for speed: LIA digital event 

  

  James Cryer was delighted to attend this week’s LIA meeting – where the ‘need for speed’ was put under the microscope – and was impressed by the digital press line-up.

• Epson makes Mercedes glow in Singapore 

  

  Epson has created what’s believed to be the first glow-in-the-dark pit stop for Mercedes-AMG Petronas at this weekend’s Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.

• Australians prefer digital over print for news 

  

  A total of 13.2 million Australians read news media on digital platforms including smartphones and PCs in July, compared to 13.1 million who read newspapers, according to researcher emma.

• HH Global expands local wide format business 

  

  Print management firm HH Global is ramping up its Australian operation with a new sign and display division to meet “unprecedented” demand as it continues a rapid expansion in the Asia Pacific region.

• EFI launches advanced Fiery FS300 Pro 

  

  Digital front ends based on the new EFI Fiery FS300 Pro platform will drive presses across sheetfed, high-speed continuous feed, B1 folding carton and corrugated digital production systems.

• Early Xmas for government printers 

  

  Hard on the heels of Fuji Xerox DMS securing the lucrative printing contract for the same-sex marriage plebiscite, the federal government has handed out a raft of multi-million-dollar contracts and contract extensions to several major print companies.

• Pro-Pac signs $177m merger with IPG 

  

  ASX-listed Pro-Pac Packaging, chaired by former Australia Post CEO Ahmed Fahour, has announced a $177.5 million merger with flexible packager Integrated Packaging. The new entity will have annual sales of $450 million.

• Benny Landa opens door to the nano-future 

  

  After 15 years of planning and development, Benny Landa has shipped his first Nanopress to a customer from the Landa factory at Rehovot, Israel. Confounding critics the father of digital printing again steps into the front line with the first beta press at packaging printer, Graphica Bezalel.

• New website for print machinery sales 

  

  Ascent Partners says its newly launched website will allow printers to buy and sell machinery at a fair market price. “We want this site to be the industry benchmark – the industry’s Car Sales equivalent.”

• NSW bans paper fees on energy bills 

  

  The NSW government is to end paper bill charges from energy retailers as part of a new energy bill relief package – a move described as a ‘significant milestone’ by consumer group Keep Me Posted.

• Bauer ordered to pay Rebel Wilson $4.5m 

  

  Magazine publisher Bauer Media has been ordered to pay Australian actor Rebel Wilson more than $4.5 million dollars in damages over magazine articles that accused her of being a liar.

• Handcrafted books bring history to life 

  

  Early Australian history is being brought to life in limited edition, handcrafted books featured at Australia’s International Contemporary Art Fair in Sydney. “These are works of art,” says James Cryer.

• Fujifilm Uvijet inks now UL Greenguard certified 

  

  Obtaining Greenguard environmental certification for inks is no mean feat – the criteria are very scientific and rigid. Fujifilm Australia has announced that 14 of its Uvijet UV inks used in wide format printers are now UL Greenguard certified.

• Truepress Jet520 wins innovation award 

  

  Screen’s Truepress Jet 520HD with SC inks – featured at this week’s Print 17 in Chicago – has won a PIA innovation award for its ability to produce extremely high definition inkjet printing onto standard offset stocks without pre-treatment.

• Eco-friendly Digicut saves on waste 

  

  French printer Press Vercors has a long culture of sustainability and the addition of a new Polar digital cutter extends waste management to cutting processes as well as materials, reports sustainability consultant Laurel Brunner.

• ‘Old school printing’ is alive and well in Tullamarine 

  

  Blair Cariss has a traditional attitude to running his commercial printing business. His practice is informed by a conviction that an ‘old school’ approach to the trade is worth preserving.

• Investors take the helm at Spicers 

  

  Spicers has appointed Jonathan Trollip as its new chairman, as investors now make up five of the six positions on the paper merchant’s Board of Directors. Trollip, non-executive independent chairman of the Global Value Fund investment company, was appointed chairman following Wednesday’s EGM.

• Printers accused in alleged Victorian ALP scam 

  

  The Victorian Parliament is investigating claims that state Labor MP’s siphoned off hundreds of thousands of dollars from their printing budgets to pay for ALP memberships.