The finalists for the PANPA 2015 Newspaper of the Year awards have been named after a panel of judges spent weeks sifting through more than 700 entries. “Feedback suggests this has been the most competitive awards for a very long time.”

Newly merged supplier super-group launches onto the scene in Sydney with inaugural board meeting and reception.

Demand for newsprint in Australia has slumped by ten percent in the first five months of the year, according to newsprint and magazine paper producer Norske Skog. Demand for magazine paper remained relatively stable during the same period.

This well-established Sydney based business has a 14 year history of supplying signage solutions. The business specialises in manufacturing, printing and installing a wide range of signage products. The business operates from a spacious factory with plenty of on-site and street parking.

The sale of web offset manufacturer Goss to a US private equity group is unlikely to have an impact on the local market, according to Steve Dunwell of market leader manroland Australia. "The fact that SEC wanted out means it hasn’t worked out for them."

Almost six million Australians are now accessing newspaper media on their mobile phones and tablets, according to latest data from emma (Enhanced Media Metrics Australia) for the 12 months to June 2015. Growth in mobile phone and tablet readership was ‘particularly strong."

Fairfax Media has sold its Tullamarine print site in Melbourne to luxury car dealership Zagame Group for $16 million. According to an ASX announcement, contracts have been exchanged and the deal is expected to be settled next month.

There are hundreds of environmental labels and standards, mostly because there is good money to be made in creating and promoting a label. Even without the dross, printing and publishing companies are overwhelmed with choice.

Print management company E-Bisprint has expanded its leadership team and reported ‘astounding’ growth to begin the new financial year. The Tuggerah, NSW Central Coast-based company has appointed Sean Havard as its CEO to manage the restructured E-Bisprint team.

A new series of awards aimed at increasing the retention rate of printing industry apprentices have been presented in Brisbane. The Printing Industries’ Early Stage Apprenticeship Awards aim to recognise and encourage apprentices throughout their apprenticeships.

Major hikes in October from the main paper merchants will see the price of printing paper across the board rise by up to 11% in response to the growing strength of the US dollar.

Epson WorkForce Pro RIPS to solve print problems for Kayell customers who want to produce a wide range of products on a single printer.

Fuji Xerox Australia has printed 10,000 copies of a book by an 11 year Aboriginal girl to support National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day (NATSICD). The book, titled Little People, Big Futures was written by Saoirse and developed through Kids’ Own Publishing.

It’s not all doom and gloom in Mackay despite the recent collapse of Digimax Printing, which went into liquidation owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the wake of collapsing coal prices. "There are so many variables here that it is just not a straight forward doomsday."

The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has launched a mentoring program designed for women in the packaging industry. My Mentor Courageous Women is a 12-week program designed by AIP in collaboration with coaching group Emberin.