The Gold Coast is proving a popular choice of venue for the first Visual Impact expo for 2020, with visitor pre-registrations for the show up 50 per cent on the last iteration of the event, the 2018 Brisbane show.

Australian company Aldus has acquired foilmaker API Foils Europe (excluding its Dutch and Asian subsidiaries), creating a new company, API Foilmakers.

Diversified marketing communications group IVE – which includes one of the country's biggest print operations – saw its half year performance metrics slip back from last year, but it still achieved a solid $40.1m EBITDA and paid out an ‘attractive’ dividend to investors.

National mail monopoly Australia Post group revenue for first half of 2020 was up four per cent year-on-year, but letters revenue plunged again, down by nine per cent, with CEO Christine Holgate warning “the time has come to transform these services".

Fespa Global will turn away any visitors from China that do not have documented proof they have been out of the country for at least two weeks prior to the big wide format show in Madrid next month, in response to the ongoing coronavirus issue.

Ooh Media revenue increased 1 per cent on the prior year to $649m, but the company’s underlying net profit after tax was down 23 per cent on last year to $37.9m, for the full year ending on 31 December.

Fujifilm is launching a new flatbed LED UV print system, the Vybrant UF10, which has been designed for printers looking for a cost-effective entry or capacity upgrade to flatbed printing with Fujifilm quality.

Durst will have the P5 350 hybrid wide format printing system with extended features, options and inks as the centrepiece of its stand at Fespa Global in Madrid next month.

Techkon’s ChromaLT – a lite version of the Chroma software – is now available in Australia, from the local distributor of Techkon colour-measuring instruments, Colour Graphic Services.

Registrations are now open for the first 2020 HP National Sign & Display Conference, and the associated HP Awards for Excellence, presented by Asga and Fespa Australia.

Western Australian printer Advance Press won Kodak’s Sonora Plate Green Leaf Award for the ANZ region, with Australian Community Media, Blue Star Print NSW, and Hague Australia also winning.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will not oppose the proposed acquisition of Direct Paper by Spicers, clearing the way for the merger between the two paper merchants to be completed by next Friday.

Currie Group label and packaging exec Wayne Quayle was among the 50 global distributors who went to the UK for a week-long training and workshop session with AB Graphic International, during which they were also privy to the new drupa releases.

Press operator Dave Weinart is celebrating his 25th anniversary working at Eastern Press, joining three others – Dave Chaplin, Colin Georgeson, and Sandro Maio – who have all reached the 25-year milestone at the iconic company.

Hexis Australia is to announce a new product during an open-house event at its headquarters in Queensland on 25 February, according to Ian Parsonson, the company's managing director.

Xerox is aiming to woo major HP shareholders with an exclusive dinner, as it continues with its hostile bid for HP – a company nine times its own size.