Decades of suspicion and enmity between the conservation organisation and the Indonesian paper maker mean it will take some time before anything is taken on trust.

In this second in a series of articles by US-based industry commentator, David L. Zwang, as part of a PRIMIR transformative workflow reference model, focuses on how a good business and information management infrastructure will support transformation.

Kirby International, a division of the BJ Ball Group, is set to bring into the Australia and New Zealand market the largest range of offset plates, graphic arts chemistry and digital print media available anywhere outside the Americas, Europe & Japan.

New recycled paper making machine at Botany, NSW, will help Amcor boost its 34 percent market share against its rival’s 59 percent. Industry sources suggest some of the new mill’s 400,000 tonnes output will have to be for the export market.

The Swedish print finishing equipment manufacturer and subsidiary of bicycle-maker Grimaldi, will maintain production at the UK-based manufacturing site at Milton Keynes. In Australia and NZ, Ferrostaal distributes Morgana while Fuji Xerox and Ricoh both represent Plockmatic.

Spending on print marketing communications will fall by more than 6 percent over the next two years as print drops to just below 30 percent of total spend. Mobile will get the greatest boost with its share of marketing budgets increasing by 8.8 percent to where it will account for 12 percent.

The paper company continues on its growth run by increasing its lamination offering and launching a new industry internet facility, The Portal.

Victoria and Tasmania will be the first states in Australia to kick off the year with Printing Industries’ Sustainable Green Print (SGP) certification program, with 12 February marking the start date for the courses.

Wide format manufacturer, Roland DG, is looking to top up its customers’ skill-set in the coming year, with the release of the dates for its 2013 VersaWorks Advanced training course schedule.

In his second Reverb column, Andy McCourt investigates the state of Direct Imaging print technology – a hybrid digital offset press system – in today’s industry, and discovers that the 1990s technology may be making a comeback in some sectors.

Victoria and Tasmania will be the first states in Australia to kick off the year with Printing Industries’ Sustainable Green Print (SGP) certification program, with 12 February marking the start date for the courses.

Farewell Bob Clarke – local print sector stalwart, Paul Carthew, remembers the industry entity behind Clarke Murphy Print.

Wide format manufacturer, Roland DG, is looking to top up its customers’ skill-set in the coming year, with the release of the dates for its 2013 VersaWorks Advanced training course schedule.

The printing industry is beset by discounting and unrealistic pricing practices. But have you ever stopped to wonder what effect giving a discount is having on your bottom line? And what happens if you do the opposite for a change and put up your prices – what effect does that have?

Ascent Partners’ Richard Rasmussen investigates what local print businesses should do if they find themselves subject to the so-called printer’s ‘fiscal cliff’ of financial difficulty.