Konica Minolta is launching its brand new FD-5BT Spectro-densitometer in Melbourne this week at PacPrint13 – the first industry event to be attended by the company’s new Australian managing director, Dr David Cooke, since his appointment at the beginning of May.

The space-age futuristic lines of the Canon stand at PacPrint drew almost as many comments as the wide range of technology on show. The ‘Star Trek’ style infrastructure was a fitting setting for the company’s new focus on its customers.

PacPrint is hosting the world premier of the new revamped commercial version of SCREEN’s Truepress Jet L350UV, with the Japanese press manufacturer’s top brass flying into Melbourne for the occasion.

Everyone has to change eventually and the unequivocal digital focus at last week's PacPrint13 trade show in Melbourne provided a lucid reminder that the future of the print industry in Australia is already here. Andy McCourt investigates the nature of the changing landscape.

With PacPrint13 and its dizzying array of new high-tech digital and digital-assisted machinery giving visitors a bright visual cue as to where the future of Australian print is heading, industry gadfly, James Cryer suggests it’s about time for the National Print Awards to reflect this future for print.

At a show that was filled with high-performance wide format inkjet the new Pro XF-640 was no slouch in claiming its share of the limelight. It is the fastest, most powerful large-format colour printer ever presented by the iconic brand.

The complete list of all the award medal winners at the National Print Awards dinner in Melbourne on Friday 24 May.

Local industry hosts the best display of printing technology likely to be seen anywhere in the world this year. Unparalleled levels of up-to-the-minute equipment gives the Australian and New Zealand industry plenty of reasons to be proud.

Fuji Xerox Australia is securing its place within the rapidly growing numbers of PacPrint exhibitors selling new machinery straight from their stands, with the company signing deals with Spot Productions for a Color 1000 and Minuteman Press for a Color Press 800.

PacPrint13 is playing host to the global launch of Lanier’s brand new Pro C5100S digital cut sheet production printer, with the new press making an impact at Lanier’s stand at the trade show and also picking up a Print21 PacPrint HotPick.

The swissQprint Nyala wide format flatbed inkjet printer at Positive Camtec’s PacPrint stand is netting the company Swiss prestige, with the printer picking up a Print21 PacPrint HotPick.

One of the first dedicated digital print finishing systems has travelled around the world to take its place on the Currie Group stand, with the new Horizon SmartStacker sitting in good company with two new HP Indigo 10000 machines on the Currie Group stand at PacPrint this week.

A good buzz around the aisles and increasing reports of unexpected sales from different suppliers has turned the show around. While attendance is still building at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre most exhibitors started off today with more cheerful expectations following a good second day at the show.

Former managing director of Kodak (Australasia) predicts growing traction and greater market acceptance for the revitalised imaging enterprise when it emerges from Chapter 11 in September.

Arin Tahmasian, an account executive at Upstream Print Solutions Sydney is this year’s recipient of Overseas Internship Grant valued at $15,000. He was presented with the grant by Adrian Fleming at a brief ceremony at PacPrint in Melbourne.

David Crowther of Colour Graphic Services is making use of his PacPrint exposure to showcase his broadening his range of precision colour management tools, which now includes the new RabbitScanner and software.