ASSOCIATION MERGER GETS GREEN LIGHT AS TRMC MEMBERS VOTE YES

The industry’s two big print associations, PVCA and TRMC, will merge, following a 100 per cent yes vote from TRMC members on the proposition.

The Real Media Collective (TRMC) held its Special General Meeting (SGM) this morning (Friday) to secure member voting to support or decline the proposed merger with the Printing and Visual Communications Association (PVCA). The motion was carried with no objections issued.

Next steps will include Charles Watson, GM – IR, Policy & Governance, TRMC, issuing minutes and application into Consumer Affairs Victoria to endorse the motion to finalise the merger arrangements. The swift support garnered by TRMC today should expedite this timeline forward from the end of August to a now projected July/August window.

Matt Aitken, chairman, TRMC, said, “I was humbled to receive the significant number of proxies in support to myself over the past month to the motion proposed in the 6 May SGM. Member backing across this merger was critical not only for governance reasons to proceed, but more so to ensure our members supported and recognised the value in the merger.
“We only exist because of our members, and to have unanimous support is a testament to the merger and to the unified TRMC membership vision.”

In the online SGM the conditions and terms of the merger were outlined in detail by Aitken, along with, Rodney Frost, The Lamson Group, as TRMC treasurer, and Kellie Northwood, TRMC CEO.

Northwood said, “The support from TRMC Members has always been strong and today’s outcome is no exception. That said, the Board has worked with PVCA over the past months to secure terms of equal benefit to both parties and TRMC Members recognised this as we outlined the terms in geater detail. Since the announcement, the overwhelming feedback from members across all sectors, commercial printers and suppliers, in particular, has been positive with an engaged and buoyed industry vision.”

The newly merged association has been strongly endorsed by the industry at large, giving print, as it will, one voice. Peter Clark will be chair of the merged association, Matt Aitken vice chair, the board will be drawn from members of the two bodies, with Kellie Northwood as CEO. The association will be at PacPrint seeking to engage with printers and sharing its outlook.

The merger brings the two largest industry associations for the paper, print, mail, packaging and publishing sectors together, leveraging from the foundation of the existing PVCA Registered Organisation authority, and the programmes, growth and membership of TRMC.

Click here to listen to the Print21 podcast which features Kellie Northwood explaining the rationale for the merger.

The merged association will have approaching 1000 members across almost all sectors of the industry. Details such as the location of head office have yet to be worked out, as has the name of what will be by far the biggest association in the industry. The merger will initially carry the PVCA name, and will look to renaming and rebranding projects in the new financial year.