Opal Paper is considering a reduction in size, or the full closure, of white paper production (UWF and copy papers) at the Maryvale Mill, as production grinds to a halt following the court judgement against its log supplier VicForests in favour of a rare possum.

Precision Forme Cutting owner Alf Puglia will close the Melbourne-based business at Christmas, resisting sales offers, as he steps into retirement after 41 years in the trade.

Screen is giving its Truepress range of digital inkjet print systems new market-specific branding, which spells out the applications in three main categories, and will soon launch two new packaging presses.

Finishing solutions remain a key focus for the world’s biggest press manufacturer Heidelberg, with its investment in the development of folding, guillotine and die-cutting systems reaping rewards for print and packaging businesses.

Patrick Howard joins an LIA tour of the Penrith Museum of Print, and discovers 400 years of print technology, sustained by a dedicated band of enthusiasts, but whose premises are now under threat.

The latest issue of Print21 magazine, and the final edition of the year, is out now and arriving on the desks of print business owners and managers around Australia and New Zealand.

The government's new IR bill passed into law this morning – print industry employers' association PVCA is far from happy with it, but is committed to helping the industry as a whole, and individual print businesses, navigate through what could be difficult elements. It will run a special webinar the week after next.

The Print & Visual Communication Association hosted its EOY Event in Melbourne last night, with 100 of the merged entities' members and industry stakeholders celebrating the new found unity in print.

The contentious IR bill with its multi-employer bargaining stream looks set to pass into law, provoking warnings from business leaders of a return to 1970s style industrial relations and pattern bargaining.

PVCA is hosting a free end-of-year event next Tuesday, after work, in Melbourne, to network, celebrate the year that was, and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the new year.

PVCA has formally announced the appointment of Charles Watson as general manager – IR, Policy and Governance, to lead the industry on workplace relations and governance.

Industry employers’ association PVCA says the government’s proposed multi-employer bargaining legislation is poorly constructed, detrimental to growth, and will not lead to productivity improvements.

PVCA is not alone in opposing the new IR bill, almost all business groups are now rallying against it, and in particular the multi-employer bargaining part, even those that backed the bill at first.

The newly merged industry super-association PVCA and TRMC has its first Board, with a stellar line-up of experienced, intelligent and innovative print business leaders set to take the industry forward. Meet them in the latest issue of Print21.

Alf Holmes, former managing director of the collapsed Hygrade group of forme cutting suppliers, has been disqualified from being a director of any business for the next five years, by ASIC.

With one week to go, the Print21+PKN LIVE event, which will see brands, designers and printers come together to understand opportunities in digitally printed packaging, has now firmed up the panel that will conclude the session. Tickets still available.