Fespa has revealed the line-up of technologies and exhibitors for its Print Make Wear microfactory feature, which will take place at the Global Print Expo 2019 next week in Munich.

EFI is buying a leading manufacturer of reactive inkjet inks for industrial digital textile printing, as it seeks to ramp up its offering in what analysts say will be a huge market, worth US$4bn in hardware and ink sales alone in a few years time.

The latest online print operation to try and build a business in Australia is Zenprint, which says it will be able to give customers a 20 per cent saving on their print. Its managing director, however, also says most companies will not hesitate to spend a bit more on premium products.

PIAA says it has grave concerns following the budget and budget in reply, saying that the federal government and opposition have both failed to address the potentially disastrous training and skills crisis facing the print, packaging and visual communications industry.

As the skill shortage continues to bite the print industry, the nation's biggest trade printer CMYKhub has taken matters into its own hands, offering a self-developed cadet programme for aspiring staff.

Print21 is expanding, with media professional Toni Chapman joining the dynamic publishing team as its new business development manager, tasked with managing the media platform's growing client base.

The sixth drupa Global Trends Report is the first to reveal that commercial sheetfed volumes are in decline, and says digital is some way from making up for the loss in print.

Xeikon is expanding its range of digital presses to include UV inkjet for labels, and the first has landed in Australia. A label converter on the East Coast, whose identity is being kept secret by the company, has already got the first Panther up and running.

Well-known digital print industry identity, Anthony ‘AJ’ Jackson, has joined Currie Group to take on the role of national sales manager, commercial print.

The latest issue of industry bible Pulp & Paper Edge reports that printing papers being imported into Australia from the US and Europe are at risk of stink bugs, and as such will be subject to inspection at local ports.

The election statements coming from the Labor Party on casual employees are causing increasing angst amongst business leaders and at the PIAA.

Big Image Australia lived up to its name last night with the official opening of its impressive new headquarters in Hindmarsh, SA, and the unveiling of Australia’s first Gerber MCT cutter, supplied from Halifax Vogel Group (HVG) Australia.

HP Indigo users who take operator training packages from supplier Currie Group are now able to transfer the training free of charge to a new operator, should the original operator leave within 12 months, under the new Currie Protect programme.

A dozen packaging producers across Australia and New Zealand won Gold at Australasia's peak packaging awards programme – the Packaging Innovation and Design Awards – held at a gala event in Sydney last night.

Former Fairfax regional newspaper business ACM, which became part of Nine, has just been bought for $125m by the ex CEO of real estate website Domain.

Printers have until the end of the week to get their entries in for this year's PICAs, the winners of which compete for the National Print Awards.