Offset industry leader Southern Colour has joined with Melbourne printer Impact Digital to acquire boutique digital innovator Intelligent Media under new parent company Southern Impact. All three businesses will remain operating as they are now.

An open letter from James Cryer, associate member, to the board and executive of Printing Industries, in which he offers his perspective on recent events and on possible avenues towards the future.

Australian Paper is expanding its envelope and paper manufacturing operations in both WA and Victoria. "As a market leader in stationery and office paper supplies, we are pursuing growth opportunities in Australia and New Zealand," said COO Peter Williams.

The recent COP21 deal in Paris has been hailed as a resounding success but how can printers and publishers support the agreement? "Whatever we do in the graphics industry must be easily achievable for small businesses, so here are some simple ideas," writes Laurel Brunner.

Another massive drop of 13.1% in imports of coated woodfree papers (CWF) in 2014-2015 reflects declining demand for an important sector of commercial printing

Family-owned northern NSW printer Printit has been forced out of business by an unfavourable tax audit, according to general manager Jeff Roberts. “It’s a kick in the guts as far as I’m concerned,” said Roberts, a 30-year print veteran who ran the business with his wife, Gaye.

Newsprint and magazine paper giant Norske Skog has called an extraordinary general meeting for 6 January after its major shareholder rejected plans to restructure debt of €1 billion that threatens the company’s operations in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia Post and the ACCC have issued warnings to postal customers to watch for parcel delivery scams arriving as email messages this Christmas. “Scammers take advantage of the busy Christmas season to send emails about a ‘missed parcel delivery’, said the ACCC.

Printing and marketing company IVE – formerly Blue Star - has successfully launched on the Australian Stock Exchange just six months after being forced to cancel a failed attempt in June. “Bring it on,” Geoff Selig, executive chairman, IVE Group, told Print21.

Disgruntled shareholders of newsprint giant Norske Skog have called an extraordinary general meeting as the company struggles with a massive debt of €1 billion that threatens its operations in Australasia. Private equity firms have called on three company directors to resign.

PIAA board member Susan Heaney has retired after eight years - the latest in a lengthy list of personnel changes at the association since the arrival of new CEO Jason Allen earlier this year. The move leaves Printing Industries with eight men on the board until a replacement is named.

B3 / B2 Digital / Offset – long standing, circa $5 million sales, which provides a gross profit of $3 million plus. Sell price $900,000 plus Work in Progress. Good client base that returns a very healthy profit.

Few industries have been so deeply impacted by change in recent times as ours, so it is with dismay that I look around at some of the recent commentary and feeble spin-doctoring that appears to be trying to assert a position of: “We’re change agents and we’re here to save you.”

The graphic arts industry has no formal body responsible for collecting carbon footprinting data. "Worse still is the lack of recognition, even ignorance that prevails in some of the biggest graphics markets." Industry consultant Laurel Brunner looks at the COP21 meeting in Paris.

On the eve of its planned listing on the ASX, IVE Group has announced a major deal with fast food giant McDonalds. Managed Solutions division IVEO will manage display and operational materials for McDonald’s 940-strong restaurant network.

Nexpress users in Australia and New Zealand will move to different print payment plans for their machines as Kodak opens up the market here in line with international experience.