Energy usage calculations for digital presses assume there are standard digital presses and standard print applications, which there clearly aren’t. Laurel Brunner looks at the challenges of measuring the energy efficiency of digital print production systems.

GJS Group has announced the dates for its third annual roadshow, which will visit 13 locations around Australia from July to August this year. The tour will kick off in Townsville on July 11 and visit Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, SA, and WA before concluding in Sydney on August 26.

The Malaysian owners of Sydney-based packaging printer Anzpac will cease all printing operations and sell off most of the company's assets. Tien Wah Press Holdings announced to the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange that it would stop printing at Anzpac's Smithfield site by September 30.

oOh!media has won a major tender with the South Australian government for 40 large format billboards in and around Adelaide. Noel Cook from oOh!media said the contract would enable the company to continue delivering on its existing billboards, as well as upgrade key locations to digital.

Canon Australia has been awarded a Gold Partner Award in the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage's Sustainability Advantage Program, which helps companies reduce costs while improving environmental performance and sustainability. Canon has been a member since 2009.

Separate meetings of Spicers shareholders and its hybrid unitholders have both voted overwhelmingly in favour of a deal to break the long-running dispute that has 'significantly' limited Spicers’ commercial and financial activities.

Packaging and label equipment manufacturer Bobst has held a two-day open house to show off its latest innovations in gravure printing technology. The event, titled “Extending the scope, new technologies for gravure”, was held from May 11-12 at Bobst Italia, in San Giorgio Monferrato, Italy.

Sydney large format specialist Cactus Imaging, acquired last year by ASX-listed oOh!media, says a new Durst 512R printer has transformed its printing operation. “It takes Out Of Home advertising to another level," says Cactus GM Nigel Spicer.

The Keep Me Posted campaign has won a legislative victory, with the Senate approving a motion calling on the government to 'bring forward legislation that will give consumers the right to receive communications from companies by post for no extra fee'.

Printing Industries has launched a campaign aimed at providing printing industry training to students in NSW secondary schools. PIAA industrial relations manager Paul Mitchell discussed the matter this week with NSW Minister for Education, Rob Stokes.

Epson Australia has unveiled a new series of point of sale (POS) thermal receipt printers aimed at high volume retail, hospitality and financial institutions. “The TM-T88VI gives businesses the ability to add web and mobile POS services in stages, or run systems alone or in parallel."

An independent investigation into accounting irregularities at Fuji Xerox New Zealand has uncovered similar ‘improper practices’ at Fuji Xerox Australia. Parent company Fujifilm Holdings estimates the losses will total $A450 million and at least four executives at Fuji Xerox in Japan are stepping down.

Melbourne mailing house and marketing agency Digital Logic Asia Pacific (known as DLAP) has gone into liquidation and a creditors meeting is expected to be announced shortly. Industry sources say creditors could be owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The PIAA says the Finkel report into the national electricity market needs political unity in order to deliver affordable and reliable energy. “The emerging crux of the political debate seems to be whether there must be a future for plentiful, reliable and cheap coal,” says CEO Andrew Macaulay.

Brother has released a new series of colour laser printers and multi-function centres aimed at office and larger volume print environments. “These printers will exceed the expectations of businesses looking for secure, customisable and scalable printing solutions.”

Guilt is a powerful driver for improving environmental impacts and the print industry needs to reinforce the message that paper should not be thrown away because it can be recycled, writes sustainability consultant Laurel Brunner.