Well known Sydney printing identity Stan Halkeas – who founded, and then ran a major print business for 50 years in the latter half of last century – has died, aged 91.

Alex Commins, CEO of Jamestrong and former CEO and owner of Colorpak, pays heartfelt tribute to his Colorpak/GPI colleague David Johnson who passed away last week: “40 years a one company man. A great life taken too young.”

Press manufacturing giant Koenig & Bauer is among the manufacturers looking to the German government for support during Covid, requesting a €120m loan to help implement its Performance 2024 plan.

Offset press manufacturers Komori and manroland Sheetfed have joined rival Heidelberg to withdraw from global mega print show drupa next year, as the show itself cuts its duration, from 11 days to nine.

Daniels Printing Craftsmen in Perth is investing in an HP Indigo 7r Digital Colour Press – supplied by Currie Group – in order to increase its digital capacity.

The federal government will team up with the states to pump $1bn into the TAFE system to make courses free or low-cost for apprentices in certain sectors, including printing, as part of its new $2.5bn Covid youth strategy JobTrainer.

Paper, media, and hardware supplier Spicers is reorganising its business into two sales divisions – paper and packaging; and sign and display – with the aim of optimising its technical expertise for printers.

As the government pumps money into apprenticeships and TAFE, David Galbraith, senior recruitment consultant at JDA Print Recruitment (Vic), says there are a series of steps print business owners can take to ensure they attract the most suitable young people out there.

Printers will be able to claim half their apprentices' wages until at least March under the latest $2.5bn Covid stimulus package from the federal government with its new JobTrainer programme. Under the scheme, designed to boost local manufacturing and youth employment, print businesses can claim 50% of their apprentices' wages, up to maximum of $530 a week.

The budding printed solar panels concept is one step closer to commercialisation, with a demonstration project now in place at a Sydney shopping centre. If successful, the renewable energy project could be a boon for printers, with the panels printed on standard narrow web presses.

Specialising in commercial office graphics, Eyetonic is adding a new member to its team – the EFI 16h hybrid LED UV printer, supplied by Starleaton. The new wide format printer is the biggest investment the company has made to date.

Currie Group company EVOK3D has won a contract to supply Industrial-grade HP 3D printers to the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group.

Nationwide signage franchise business Signarama is looking to drum up new business under its new Power Up campaign, with a $5000 voucher for signage up for grabs in a prize draw.

A&O Print Mail production manager Steve Hulme is aiming to slash an hour and a half off his time in his second 100-kilometre ultra-marathon, and raise funds for an under-privileged youth centre from the run.

For the future of label printing digital and hybrid solutions offer converters and their clients new opportunities, with drupa next year set to become the showcase for those looking to enter the world of labels, says Isidore Leiser, CEO of Stratus Packaging.

Opus Print Group CEO Richard Celarc says tangible results are coming from the industry's campaign to persuade government and government funded institutions to buy Australian print, with his companies receiving enquiries for book jobs that would previously have gone straight to China.