100-year-old print specialist Soar Print and communications group ICG are merging, creating a Kiwi print powerhouse of creative, publishing and large format expertise, combined with commercial print, logistics and packaging proficiencies.

Australia's biggest street poster business, Rock Posters, says it has become the market leader in sustainable outdoor advertising, by offering its clients the option to print on a greener, more sustainable paper source.

For the third time in less than ten months, Agfa is increasing the price of its offset printing plates, with plates from Kodak and Fujifilm also going up, as raw material and shipping costs bite.

Ricoh is ramping up its DTG business, partnering up with industrial textile printer developer aeoon Technologies, to offer a range of industrial scale direct-to-garment garment printing systems.

Ongoing Covid uncertainty in Europe and Asia dented press giant Komori’s 2020/21 sales by 7.5 per cent, even as it saw recovery in the US and China. It stayed in the red, to the tune of $27m.

Snap Franchising has appointed Anne Cashman as its independent non-executive chair, as long-time incumbent Peter Russell heads for retirement. Cashman is the Avery Products ANZ managing director, and has served on the Snap board for the past seven years.

Industry mental health advocate Steve Gamble is moving to a full-time role at Man Anchor, and is receiving strong industry support for the move, which sees him leave Böttcher after 16 years.

Rainer Hunsdörfer, CEO of press giant Heidelberg, will leave his role in April, and is being succeeded by industry outsider Dr Ludwin Monz, currently chairman of medical instrument maker Zeiss.

The world’s biggest online print business Vistaprint, which operates with a print plant in Deer Park, Melbourne, is consolidating all its business units under a new Vista brand, to reflect its new market positioning.

Sunshine Coast printer 128950489 Pty Ltd (formerly known as Express Print & Mail Pty Ltd) was put into liquidation owing $3.18m in debts to unsecured creditors, according to the annual administration return.

Footy fans are in for a treat, with Pinnacle Print Group producing TINAFI, a memoir of sports legend Gordon Yea, which was co-edited by Naomi Johnson, daughter of Pinnacle account manager Rod Johnson.

Chris Watkiss, founder of innovative industry finishing solutions developer Watkiss Automation, has passed away aged 89, following a short illness.

Fresh from its acquisitions of Active Display and AFI Branding, marketing and communications powerhouse IVE has joined an exclusive club, celebrating a century in business, with The Link founded in 1921 by Oscar Selig, grandfather of current executive chairman Geoff Selig.

French sign and display boss Christophe Aussenac is the new president of global trade association Fespa, and has received a thumbs up from local Fespa supporter Cactus GM Keith Ferrel.

Digital direct-to-garment systems manufacturer Kornit has released its Presto MAX system,which it says will enable white printing on coloured fabrics, and will be a catalyst for new business practices.

Heidelberg’s has launched its first cloud-based Prinect app, Print Shop Analytics, which is part of the press giant's new Heidelberg Plus digital ecosystem.