APN Outdoor and oOh!Media have called it quits on their proposed merger, walking away from the massive $1.6 billion deal after the ACCC released a statement of issues expressing 'preliminary concerns' earlier this month.

Lily D’Ambrosio, Victoria's Minister for Energy, Environment & Climate Change, will officially open PacPrint 2017 next Tuesday, May 23rd, before touring the show and visiting the University of Newcastle's printed solar panel installation.

Bathurst-based Laura Burgett from Spatial Services, this year’s Heidelberg-LIA Apprentice of the year, is very well credentialed across a range of disciplines.

Another US equity giant has joined the bidding for Fairfax, valuing the publishing and media company at up to $2.87 billion. Fairfax says it will invite both TPG and new bidder Hellman & Friedman to conduct due diligence to see 'if an acceptable binding transaction can be agreed.'

In a $2 million-plus sales spike in the run up to PacPrint, Screen GP and co-exhibitor Jet Technologies have sold two Truepress Jet label presses and a PlateRite flexographic CtP platesetter. “To say I am delighted is an understatement,” says Screen MD Peter Scott.

The role of digital print innovation in customized marketing is the focus of the latest issue of the Value of Paper and Print magazine from Two Sides Australia. "The opportunities to customise and target print marketing communications are endless," says TSA's Kellie Northwood.

The Fespa show in Hamburg brought together all parts of the sign and display business but very few exhibitors were shouting about their environmental credentials and the topic was mostly absent from the conference, writes Laurel Brunner.

More than 150 students from the Holmesglen Institute will be among 13,000 visitors at Pacprint in Melbourne next week. "PacPrint will be an enormously valuable opportunity to learn how they can leverage the power of print in their future careers."

Melbourne print powerhouse Mercedes Waratah has installed Australia’s first Océ VarioPrint i300 sheet-fed inkjet press at its Data Direct business in Preston and is considering buying a similar machine for its headquarters in Port Melbourne.

An executive shake-up at Ricoh Australia has resulted in the departures of three general managers, with the chief financial officer also retiring from the company. A Ricoh spokesperson said the restructure followed an internal review, and was aimed at streamlining decision making.

Leading Australian print group Southern Impact has launched a new packaging and label business, Onpack, headed up by Michael Nankervis, (pictured) specialising in self-adhesive labels for food, craft beer, industrial and chemical products.

Logick Print & Graphics has won New Zealand’s Pride In Print Supreme Award for 2017 after owner Dave Gick disqualified his company from winning the award last year when he realised that part of his entry did not qualify under the rules.

Printing Industries says a federal Fair Work Amendment Bill goes too far and would penalise the majority of franchise owners. "The bill over-reaches and hampers law-abiding franchises," says PIAA director of government relations, Mary Jo Fisher.

Wesfarmers has abandoned a plan to float its Officeworks retail chain, citing the poor climate for IPOs as the local retail market prepares for the launch of US online retail giant Amazon. “Officeworks is the most vulnerable to the intrusion of Amazon," says a retail consultant.

Private equity firm TPG has raised its takeover bid for Fairfax Media to $1.20 a share and is now proposing to buy out the entire media company.

Bathurst Regional Council in NSW may revert to a printed version of its Autumn Colours events directory after the first online-only publication was shunned by residents. “People don’t like it on the internet," says councilor Monica Morse.