Multi-award winning innovative Tasmanian print business Flying Colours has bought Saunders Signs to enhance its rapidly growing statewide sign and display business, and is rebranding its entire business as Flying Colours Group.

Paper merchant Spicers is clearing the decks ahead of its impending sale to Kokusai Pulp & Paper, realising sales on two of its Tasmanian properties, in Wesley Vale and Burnie.

Queensland sign business Higgins Signs & Plastics is in voluntary administration, a week after the ATO issued a winding-up order against the company.

Starleaton is celebrating its tenth year as a member of the prestigious colour standards group Fogra Research Institute for Media Technologies. Ben Eaton, CEO at Starleaton, says colour management is key to the company.

Leading print analyst and environmental commentator Laurel Brunner is calling on the paper industry to change its ways, or face continued shrinkage.

Graphic arts distributors Australian Visual Solutions (AVS), Chief Media, and Amari Plastics have merged into a new entity Amari Visual Solutions, which will serve the customer bases of all three businesses, says Steve Baker, GM of parent company MM Plastics (pictured).

Jet Technologies has launched a new plastic film for food and beverage labels and laminates, which degrades quickly after disposal. According to Jack Malki, director at Jet Technologies, the new films are price competitive against options such as cornstarch-based PLA.

Trotec Laser has opened a new 550 square metre showroom and demonstration facility in Brisbane to reinforce its Queensland sales and service operations.

Roland DG has launched the successor to its award-winning TrueVis VG series of printer cutters. The TrueVis VG2 series supports an increased colour gamut with what the company says are "new generation" inks.

Orafol Australia managing director Greg Nicholls has stepped down from the top job after a year and a half in the role. Nicholls joined Orafol in September 2017 along with sales director Anthony Kioussis.

Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA) is presenting Print & Packaging Perfection: Packaging is the brand experience, in the Auspack showcase theatre tomorrow, following its successful presentation on the same subject yesterday.

Soar Print has commissioned the first Heidelberg push-to-stop press in New Zealand, which is also the first in ANZ to be financed on Heidelberg's new subscription model.

The PIAA has laid into special minister of state Alex Hawke for comments he made apparently decrying print, forcing him into a quick retraction.

The quartet of separate out of home sectors all showed growth in spend in 2018 over the previous year, with three of the four up strongly, but retail only up a smidgen.

Konica Minolta is hosting two label print workflow and technology showcase events for companies looking to enter or expand digital label printing.

The inaugural Operator Saturday for HP Indigo operators hosted by Currie Group, Dscoop, and HP, saw some 25 operators at the event, and will now be expanded to NSW and New Zealand.