Bob Lockley is at the epicentre of the greatest rationalisation of newspaper presses in the history of the region. He talks with Patrick Howard about how Fairfax Media is adapting to the realities of the market and positioning itself for the future.

An American researcher looking for a way to sanitise water has invented a ‘drinkable book’ with pages that can be torn out and used as filters. The paper eliminates 99 percent of bacteria living in the dirtiest water.

Visual Impact Melbourne 2015 and the Exhibition Expo are less than a month away and organisers have released details of the free seminar program. Early highlights include: How to Build a Successful Social Media Campaign.

The packaging industry poses an absolute chaos of problems and possibilities for packaging printers. The recent situation in India, where Maggi noodles were banned because they had apparently been mislabelled and contained higher levels of lead than are permissible, is a case in point.

Long-running saga of PaperlinX Step-up Preference Securities (SPS) is back in play as New York Investment firm, Blue Pacific Partners, demands share conversion and audit of chairman’s remuneration.

Kodak has signed a groundbreaking deal with a newspaper publisher to print the Jersey Evening Post and 11 UK national newspapers using Kodak’s inkjet technology. “The Jersey operation will be a worldwide showcase for the digital printing of newspapers."

Fairfax Media has posted a 62.9% drop in full-year profit but says its booming digital business has helped to offset a continuing decline in print. Revenue from the Domain real estate advertising unit jumped 45% and digital subscription revenue was up by 36.2%.

Epson Australia is expanding into the thriving textile printing market with the launch of three new dye-sublimation printers. "“The new Epson F-Series printers will allow users to produce superior-quality textiles and promotional goods simply, reliably and cost effectively."

Paper merchant BJ Ball Group has signed up with Double A International to distribute Double A uncoated woodfree (UCWF) folio papers in Australia. “It seemed like a no-brainer to us,” said BJ Ball's Tony Bertrand.

A researcher examining rapid changes in the Australian printing industry has called on printing business owners to help with essential 'data from the coal face.’ "I want to shine a light on what’s actually happening out there," says Ian Nearhos.

Not getting paid in time costs companies money for every day of delay, so a Printing Industries’ webinar next week will focus on how to better manage trade credit and avoid the risk. The free 30-minute webinar will look at how, when and where to get help to protect business cashflow.

Getting the right enviro credential settings is a top priority for the Indonesian paper company as it seeks to leave behind a troubled history.

Mark Shergill’s Focus Print Group has continued its aggressive expansion policy by acquiring Liverpool Printing Service (LPS) in Sydney’s south-west. It’s the ninth acquisition by Focus Print since Shergill took over the company in 2014.

Australian mailing house D&D Mailing Services is leading an industry campaign against what it calls massive and unprecedented price rises announced by Australia Post.

Awareness of the need to manage the energy and consumables for print is rising, at least amongst printers who want to keep their margins up, according to Fespa consultant Laurel Brunner.

Fairfax Media has sold its former print and distribution plant at Chullora in western Sydney to property fund manager Charter Hall Group for $45 million. Fairfax last week sold its Tullamarine plant in Melbourne for $16 million to a luxury car dealer.