A city block in West Melbourne - the scene of a suspicious fire that severely damaged the TLC Digital/Signarama print business less than two weeks ago - is up for sale and being advertised as 'ripe for development.'

Innovative Sydney sign and display house Art & Soul is putting on extra shifts to cope with demand following the installation of its new HP Latex 3100 grand format printer. “It's been a game changer for Art & Soul," says John Nicolas, a sign-maker and animator who established the business in 1983.

Australia's largest online book retailer Booktopia is pushing ahead with plans for a $150 million float on the ASX, with brokers organising for fund managers to make site trips next week to the company's headquarters at Homebush in Sydney's western suburbs.

Mark Andy's ANZ distributor Aldus Engineering has continued its busy year with the installation of its 3rd P5 label press in the past three months. Perth-based label manufacturer LabelForce has just installed its second Mark Andy P5, three years after the first one.

HP Inc. has launched its first production-ready commercial 3D printing system, which it says will 'revolutionise' design, prototyping and manufacturing. “HP’s new 3D system is looking to reinvent the $100+ billion manufacturing industry in Australia," said HP's South Pacific MD.

For those who came in late … the departure of controversial Kiwi senior managing director of the leading Australian digital supplier has set the industry alight with speculation.

Kalido, the creative and digital services division of ASX-listed IVE Group, has acquired customer analytics and marketing automation business JBA as part of the group's ongoing diversification strategy. "This acquisition will further enable IVE to deliver robust data and digital solutions."

A top quality line up of young graphic arts talent presented the judges of this year’s contest with a difficult decision. Four young industry professionals attended the NSW LIA Heidelberg event last night to learn of their fate.

Print-on-demand business Redbubble, started ten years ago by three friends in Melbourne, has completed a successful launch on the ASX, with shares up 9% on the first day of trading on Monday. "It's good for us to show that you can build a global tech company from Australia."

Screen GP Australia will showcase a range of innovations to its software, hardware and services under the GP i3 (integrated imaging for innovation) concept at drupa 2016, with both MD Peter Scott and technical sales head Peter Townsend gearing up to attend the show.

Auckland digital printer Fuzed punched above its weight at the NZ Pride in Print Awards for 2016, picking up 12 Golds and 5 Highly Commended prizes at a ceremony attended by 700 at Auckland's SkyCity. Logick Print & Graphics of Penrose took out the Supreme Winner award.

Lotsa Print & Signage has become the first printer globally to achieve a perfect 100% score for ISO 12647 colour QMS, using Mellow Colour. “This is a fabulous example where a business has overcome the challenges of operating in a regional area," said local MP Warren Entsch.

There are apparently over 6,000 chemical compounds used in printing inks, so this is a big problem. Its scale, plus trends in the graphic arts, suggest that recycling processes have to change, according to sustainability consultant Laurel Brunner.

Arson squad detectives investigating a fire at the TLC digital/Signarama factory in west Melbourne are examining CCTV footage taken in the minutes before the blaze broke out causing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage. A jerry can was found at the scene.