Clancy . . . overflow . . . the best bits . . . funnies

As vice-president to outgoing supremo, Meredith Darke, a dedicated worker for the association and as a popular industry identity, there was never going to be a serious challenge.
And so it has proved. But what was unknown was who would succeed him in the vice-president’s role of the influential graphic merchant’s association.

Enter Mitchell ‘Mitch’ Mulligan, managing director of Boettcher Australia, who has accepted the nomination and steps up to the mark. No better man.

In the course of events Alastair Hadley made a gracious acceptance speech, to wit; “GAMAA is fortunate to have an extremely committed and active membership. In the time I have been a member, the Association has gone from strength to strength. I am enthusiastic about contributing not only to GAMAA’s future as its president, but to the industry as a whole through the work GAMAA does,” he said.

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And again, we reported the news here weeks ago but the official announcements tend to trail behind. This one confirms Scot Telfer as the new chairman of the National Print Awards. Scot is the national sales and marketing manager of Promentum and was vice-president to outgoing chairman, Alf Carrigan. Ron Patterson, as deputy chairman, will ably assist him. Ron you will recall did a great job as immediate past chairman of Pacprint ’05.

On accepting the position Scot Telfer said,” The ongoing support by our three major sponsors and the record participation of our patrons, entrants and award night attendees, has demonstrated a continuation in the level of awareness and profile of the Awards.”
Entries for this year’s awards close January 31, 2006, for work produced in calendar year 2005. Keep your eye on www.nationalprintawards.com.au, which is under construction, to download entry forms.


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Avery Dennison, the label stock maker, reports that it has been asked by the ACCC for information in connection with an investigation of its label stock business. The company says it is cooperating with the investigation. Avery Dennison, a Fortune 500 company with 2004 global sales of US$5.3 billion, took out competitor Jac a couple of years ago and since then has dominated the local label stock market as the only serious manufacturer in the country. No wonder it has attracted the attention of Graeme Samuel’s boys.

Stay tuned.

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Mind, it’s getting tough to make money out of paper as the crunch hits with a worldwide oversupply of pulp, static demand and soaring costs. PaperlinX is not alone in being battered. International Paper, largest manufacturer in the world, is also under the gun with lower earnings of US $162 million in the third quarter compared with $200 million in the third quarter of 2004.
Projected fourth-quarter earnings will also be lower predominantly because of skyrocketing raw material costs, particularly energy, and higher transportation costs.

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It would be unfair to attribute the latest round of redundancies at Fairfax to the recent appointment of David Kirk to the role of CEO. While the former chief of PMP is never shy about taking the knife to cut numbers to make the bottom line look better, Clancy is informed that the fate of the 55 journalists, or 7.5 per cent of the editorial team, who are destined for the chop, was decided before the new man took over. It is certainly going to keep the rest of them quiet for a while.

And one can’t help but wonder what would happen if it ever came to a choice between scribblers and ‘inkies’. After all good printers are hard to find and Kirk, although a bit of a journo himself, has a noted affinity with the heavy metal guys.

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And finally, some George W Bush sideswipes are just too good to let pass.


Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, three Brazilian soldiers were killed in an accident'

"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"

His staff are stunned at this display of emotion, and stand around watching nervously as he sits there, head in hands.

Finally, the President looks up and asks…”Exactly how many is a brazillion?'