Roland’s TrueVIS VG2 series printer/cutters, the Roland Texart RT-640M multifunction dye-sublimation printer and the company’s TR2 ink have won prestigious 2019 Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) Product of the Year Awards. Other major winners include Mimaki, Epson, Mutoh, EFI, Canon, HP, Agfa, Kornit Digital, Summa, Durst, Drytac and DGI.

Not all vehicle wrapping film needs to be printed. The market for 'paint replacement' and 'custom colours' is growing fast and a major contributor to the outstanding CAGR of 22.5% predicted up to 2025 by Grandview Research. Currently the global wrapping film market is estimated to be USD$ 2.87 billion per annum for 2019. 3M has introduced a new range of films that have a protective layer.

Large format technology manufacturer Durst has acquired its former Australian distributor Photo Electric Services (PES), following the tragic passing of founder Paul Taylor last December, and officially launched a new Durst Oceania operation in Melbourne, with former PES sales manager Matt Ashman named as managing director.

The week following PrintEx, there was another trade show at Sydney Showgrounds – Convex 2019 staged by the Australian Promotional Products Association. This is the main event for anything to do with corporate branding of items, T-shirts, Printwear, umbrellas, totes, pens, mugs – you name it. It was the place to discover all about the new Aeoon Kyo direct-to-garment high speed printers.

At the second meeting of creditors on Tuesday 27^th August, the Deed of Company Arrangement put forward by administrator Simon Thorn of PKF was passed and will come into force. The deciding factor was when the ATO said they would support it in light of the 30 cents in the dollar eventual return, whereas a liquidation scenario would likely return zero.

The Centre Alliance party will reintroduce a Senate bill in the next sitting week to ban the importation of flammable cladding, a move that one Coalition senator has warned could "destroy thousands of small businesses, particularly those in the signage industry.” 

There are still limited spaces available for next week’s SGIA Colour Management Bootcamp at Starleaton in Melbourne (3-5 Sept), an intensive three-day course led by experts David Crowther (The Colour Doctor) and Peter Way (Starleaton) that will focus on colour management for wide format printers.

Print and marketing business IVE Group delivered another year of substantial growth, with revenue up 4.1% to $724 million in the 12 months ended June 2019 and net profit after tax rising by 4.4% to $37.5 million – despite what it calls “softer trading conditions” in the second half.

Out-of-Home advertiser oOh!media recorded a healthy 5% revenue increase to $309 million in the half-year ended 30 June but profit after tax slumped by 24% to $9 million - in part due to “subdued trading” during the May federal election.

A new combination of Xeikon’s X-800 workflow and PantherCure UV ink allows printers using the Panther inkjet press to enhance their range of labels by generating a tactile and textured layer. 

Despite a slight drop in visitor numbers, the co-located PrintEx19, Visual Impact and the Label & Packaging Expo generated value for both the visitors who made time to attend and for exhibitors who signed millions of dollars’ worth of deals at the show.

Outdoor advertiser QMS Media delivered “a strong operational and financial performance” in the first half of 2019, with revenue up 23% to $128 million on the same period last year and net profit after tax up 65% to $16.5 million. 

Photographer Brady Michaels travelled 40,000km throughout the country in a year to capture iconic and “distinctly Australian” signage for his book, Signs of Australia: Vintage signs from the city to the outback.

Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has launched the Business Energy Advice Program that offers free advice to small businesses to help choose best-priced energy options.

Hope Green, Passion Red, Fun Purple, Wave Blue and Energetic Yellow - Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions has introduced five new satin and gloss metallic colours to its Supreme Wrapping Film portfolio.

The show may be over but the follow-up lingers on. Most exhibitors reported good business and lead generation, showing that the industry is still investing in technology, which is good.

In his report to Creditors ahead of the second meeting on Tuesday 27^th August, the Administrator of Clear Skies Corp Pty Ltd, trading as Skope Group Services Manufacturing, Scream Visual Wholesale Manufacturing and FM Engineering & Wholesale Sign Manufacturing – Mr Simon Thorn of PKF states that the Company may have traded insolvently since 2017. Sign company Skope Group has put in an offer to buy Clear Skies for $100K and guarantee the 22 jobs, plus most entitlements.

After receiving a rush of inquiries from signage companies about the new national construction code (NCC-2019), a fire ratings expert has compiled a helpful guide that outlines how to comply with the new regulations.

Gavin Gomes, the former executive general manager at Canon Australia, has been named the new executive GM at ASX-listed managed print business CSG, where he’ll be responsible for Print and Technology operations in Australia.

Epson continues the expansion of its popular SureColor F-Series line of printers with the new F6370 that features faster print speeds and high-quality images for promotional products, soft signage and more.

Working in tandem with manufacturers including Mimaki, Roland, Epson and Ricoh, wide format media supplier Drytac has created thousands of ICC profiles based on popular printer models, inks, RIPs and Drytac media to enable customers to take advantage of high-quality plug and print capabilities.