Women in Print’s nationwide 2019 Breakfast Series begins in Adelaide SA this week (Thursday morning) before similar events in WA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

Canon is the latest print technology giant to consider moving its manufacturing facilities out of China because of the escalating US-China trade war. The Japan-based company says it’s looking at alternative sites in 40 other countries.

Tickets are now available for drupa 2020, with 1,800 exhibitors from 50 countries, including at least 400 first-time exhibitors, expected at the world’s largest printing industry trade show that takes place 16-26 June 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Organisers also announced the start of the ‘drupa world tour.’

The second major global technical conference on the growing use of electronic and conductive inks in the multi-billion-dollar printed electronics market will take place in Chicago next month.

The 40th anniversary edition of Labelexpo Europe in Brussels this month is set to be the largest to date, with over 600 exhibitors taking part in the biggest label and package printing event in the world.

The Builders Collective of Australia has thrown its support behind a petition calling for a Royal Commission into the building industry that has collected almost 25,000 signatures.

Ovato posted a loss of $4.4 million for the 2019 financial year, compared to last year’s profit of $1.1m, with its net loss blowing out to $84.3m after the addition of significant items. Sales of $669m were down $64m on lower revenue from Ovato Australia.

The multi-purpose LV series employs CO2 laser technology to cut-out, engrave or mark on hundreds of different materials - “perfect for anyone seeking to launch a new personalization business or grow their existing business by adding profitable new applications.”

Canon’s new entry-level imagePROGRAF large-format 5-Color 24-inch TA-20 and 36-inch TA-30 printers are aimed at small businesses and first-time large-format print users.

With the addition of the new Press Cutting Tool - PCT, Zünd expands its range tools for processing corrugated cardboard, offering greater stability and faster processing. 

The Fujimi Inkjet Innovation Laboratory will collaborate with research institutes and companies to innovate inkjet production processes and develop new inkjet-compatible materials.

Roland DG says the new VersaUV LEF2-300 benchtop UV flatbed printer that's being rolled out worldwide delivers 1.5-times the print area and print speed of the recently released LEF2-200 and comes with a range of new functions.

Hexis Australia MD Ian Parsonson and a group of like-minded, ultra-marathon athletes have signed up for the 200 kilometre Tracks in the Wilderness charity run through rugged NSW south coast bush to raise funds for 4ASDKids - a charity set up by dual-code international Mat Rogers and wife Chloe to support families with children who have autism spectrum disorder.

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.