With all the talk today about the importance of a good MIS system, EFI would like you to set aside some time at this years PacPrint to meet their expanded local MIS team and discuss the unique advantages of EFI power house MIS solutions.

First new imagePRESS series in nine years shares the spotlight with the groundbreaking Colorado UVgel release as the technology giant reasserts its relevance across printing markets.

Flint Group Australia is considering a local price rise after the company announced a global increase for packaging, narrow web and sheetfed customers. The Luxembourg based company announced prices would go up between four and seven percent from April 3, varying by product group.

German press giant KBA is building a new €6 million digital and flexographic press demo centre that it plans to open later this year in time to celebrate the company’s 200th anniversary. "Customers want to see the presses being operated in action before they decide to invest."

The ACCC again pushed back the date for its ruling on the proposed merger between outdoor advertisers oOh!media and APN Outdoor Group. The delay comes amid reports that competitors have raised concerns the merger could create a monopoly-like hold on some markets.

EFI says its new VUTEk UV LED inkjet wide-format printers offer high-volume, roll-to-roll signage and graphics printing with the fastest throughput in their product class. “We have listened to our customers,” says Scott Schinlever, senior vice president and GM, EFI Inkjet.

An Omni pallet wrapper from AAA Packaging that uses nano-technology to reduce by up to 70% the amount of film used to wrap a pallet has won a sustainable design award at the inaugural PIDAs in Sydney.

New Zealand training organisation Competenz is offering scholarships worth $3000 for those in a range of industries including printing. “For us, the focus will be on people in the industry who are interested in completing a diploma of print management," says Ruth Cobb, PrintNZ.

Australia’s only manufacturer of printing and packaging paper has expressed grave concern about calls for the removal of trade barriers for Indonesian paper products. “A stable trading environment is vital for the future of paper manufacturing in Australia,” says Peter Williams, COO, Australian Paper.

Two years on Ferd. Rüesch, CEO of Gallus (pictured) and at 9% the anchor investor in Heidelberg, declares he’s happy with integration of his family-owned label press manufacturing company into Heidelberg.

US private equity firm Platinum Equity has agreed to buy the Australian division of office products business Staples and is now sizing up OfficeMax, which would give the California-based investment company two of the three major office supply chains in Australia.

Paper manufacturer Norske Skog is increasing prices on all exports from its mills in Australia and New Zealand to Asian markets. "The price increase will be in the range of 5-10%, depending on the underlying cost increase applying to the relevant market and customer."

New Zealand’s corporate regulator has pushed back by another month its decision on the proposed merger of Fairfax NZ and NZME. An anonymous submission opposing the merger says the two media companies have "greatly underestimated the ongoing reach and importance of print."

Konica Minolta launched its latest digital label printer, the bizhub Press C71cf, aimed at commercial printers in the label print market. “The C71cf ticks all the boxes for short-run label printing in high-quality colour."

PrintNZ has named 11 finalists from print and related industries for the Apprentice of the Year award to be presented at the Pride in Print Awards in May. "Seeing the number of qualified staff entering the industry is encouraging as this is a tangible sign that print is an industry with a strong future."