NEW JOINT VENTURE CEMENTS INDUSTRY EVENTS INTO FUTURE

Suppliers association Visual Connections and the Print & Visual Communications Association (PVCA) have signed a new joint venture agreement to provide certainty for the future of the industry’s flagship events, including PacPrint.

The deal cements the two associations’ longstanding partnership, which dates back more than 50 years. The move comes courtesy of a new agreement just signed between PVCA and Visual Connections, which will see the two co-host the events under a new, joint-venture entity, Visual Industries Events.

In addition to PacPrint the new joint venture will be responsible for PrintEx, the National Print Awards, the State PICAs and the Print2Parliament annual event. The once-every-four-years PacPrint is set to run this year, 28 Sept – 1 Oct in its usual home, the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

PVCA CEO Andrew Macaulay joined Peter Harper, CEO of Visual Connections, to announce the new venture, saying it continues a longstanding friendship and working relationship between the two organisations. “PVCA and Visual Connections already co-host the industry’s leading trade shows, PacPrint and PrintEx, and our relationship has flourished for many years, through name changes, mergers and industry transformation,” Macaulay said, pointing out that the very first PacPrint exhibition in 1970 was co-hosted by the same two organisations, albeit under different names.

“While many things have changed over the past 50 years, the strength of our partnership, built on the intrinsic relationship between the industry’s suppliers and its businesses, has continued unabated. It is on this strong and positive basis that we have expanded our partnership to include the PICA and National Print Awards and the annual Print2Parliament event.”

Harper says the joint venture provides a sound basis for the future of the events, adding that the industry’s State and National Awards program, together with Print2Parliament which plays a vitally important role in raising the profile and priorities of the print, sign, display, packaging and label sector with government, are a “perfect fit” for the Visual Connections portfolio.

Harper said, “We have always been guided by our commitment to supporting a sustainable future for our industry, through education, sponsorships, grants, industry events and networking opportunities.

“The PacPrint, PrintEx, Visual Impact and Label & Packaging expos are foundational in supporting both industry businesses and their suppliers to invest in the future of our industry.

“The PICA and NPA Awards which recognise and celebrate the achievement of excellence are not only so important for the businesses who work so hard, every single day, to maintain the world-leading standards for which Australia is renowned, but also provide a vital platform to promote our industry, demonstrate the value of “buying local” within Australia, and market our advanced, high-quality offerings around the globe.

“We are particularly excited, too, to co-host Print2Parliament, an outstanding initiative which has already made inroads into the recognition and understanding of our sector with senators and others in the corridors of power,” he added. “We have long supported the event and look forward to working with our colleagues to ensure it continues to deliver even more benefits into the future.”