Trade supplier Spandex is hosting coast-to-coast Christmas BBQs at all of its branches in December to celebrate a successful year for the company and its customers. "Who knows? Only Santa knows and we’ve invited him to all of them using his new Rudolph warp-factor propulsion system."

Extraordinary general meeting in Sydney on November 27 to decide the future of the JPE as Franca Balsamo is asked to remove Presidents Boards and Shields from Printing Industries as a result of the shift to new smaller offices in Chatswood.

Austrian-based Constantia has acquired leading Melbourne label manufacturer Pemara as it strengthens its position in the South-East Asia market. The deal, for an undisclosed amount, is expected to be completed in a few months.

Sydney supplier Pozitive has secured the exclusive Australian distribution rights for DGI wide format textile printers. "They will play a big role in the development of the Australian textile printing market," said Pozitive MD Philip Trumble.

Heidelberg’s push into new growth areas including services and digital helped boost the company’s sales in the first half of the financial year to $A1.75 billion (€1.16bn). Earnings before tax increased to $118 million, up from $79 million for the same period last year.

Sign and graphics franchise company Signwave says a 12 percent jump in September quarter revenue underlines the strength of the local signage industry. Half of the company's centres increased sales by more than 10%, with four increasing revenue by over 40%.

An ongoing European initiative linked to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directive could spell the end of gravure printing in Europe, according to industry consultant Laurel Brunner.

Bernie Robinson, managing director, sends a big vote of thanks to all the Currie Group customers, and the other industry professionals, who came to visit the mobile showroom this week at Osborne Park.

Focusing on the international world of printing, the latest issue of Print21 magazine hits your desk with on-the-spot reviews from Labelexpo in Brussels, IGAS in Tokyo and Visual Impact in Melbourne. If you’re not getting yours – sign up here today.

A severe global shortage of thermal paper used in ATMs and cash registers has forced Australian converter Charters Paper to meet in person with European mill owners to secure vital quotas needed by clients that include major banks, retailers and lottery companies.

Paper merchant BJ Ball is once again a major sponsor of this year’s Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) graduate exhibition at the Western Sydney University. The exhibition titled Emergent showcases major projects by 4th year students and is curated by the students themselves.

Melbourne large format printer Resolution Imaging says its new Screen Truepress Jet W3200UV-HS flatbed UV has been ‘a huge success’ in boosting production and quality. "A step up in productivity, a step up in quality and several steps up in versatility," said director Darren Watkins.

New print applications are often the best way to boost growth but good management practices are essential in order to avoid disappointing results, according to a new drupa report that surveyed 750 printers from around the globe.

The Label and Tag Manufacturers Association (LATMA) and the Flexographic Technical Association (ANZFTA) will vote this month on a proposed merger into a new group provisionally titled the Flexographic & Label Printing Association Australia (FLPA).

The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) could pass through parliament as law in early 2016. What does it mean for the printing and packaging industry? Will we get the flow-on from the much touted ‘jobs, income, prosperity’ mantra?