In the absence of a local Single Width Users Group conference this year, Dan Blackburn invites Australian newspaper printers to Rotorua.
“With SWUG Australia not having a conference this year, we have invited and had a really good uptake from the Australian print fraternity. This will certainly add to what is expected to be another fantastic conference,” said Blackburn (pictured below).
This year themed Print with Passion and being hosted at the Qualmark Hotel Rotorua, the showpiece event of the web offset print sector is expected to attract towards 150 delegates and suppliers.
“We have never before taken the SWUG conference to Rotorua and the fact that it is an attractive tourist destination and centrally-located certainly assisted in the decision,” he said.
“We have a great line up of presentations covering a myriad of interesting print topics along with a few Who Am I addresses. There will also be several informative print site presentations, given there has been a fair bit of upgrading and moving of plants in New Zealand in recent times,’ said Blackburn.
Guest speaker Sir Ray Avery will discuss his life and latest invention – incubators designed for Third World countries.
The two-day event will include a gala Wednesday Awards Evening at the spectacular Skyline Rotorua, at which attendees will bear witness to the quality being produced by print sites throughout the sector as well as sharing in the bestowing of the Apprentice of the Year.
Thursday’s programme will include an educational tour of the paper-making plant of Norske Skog in Kawerau (formerly known as the Tasman Pulp and Paper Company) as well as an entertaining networking dinner/quiz night in the evening.
Speakers will also entail:
- Anthony Payne, Human Resources Director for Fairfax Media Print and Logistics division and Director of Health Safety and Environment for Fairfax Media, OH&S standards in Australia and what the potential legislations changes will mean to you
- Chris Smallwood, Managing Director, Thermal Imaging Services –preventative resource for your plant
- Russell Wieck, Operations Manager for NZME Ellerslie – Changes happening at Ellerslie and the challenge of continuous improvement for quality and what the IFRA club challenges were
- Andy Stephens, Managing Director, Global Press Technologies –importance of Blanket cleaning and difference between UV and conventional printing
- Molisi Saulala, SWUG Apprentice of the Year 2014 –Molisi will present on his prize trip for winning the award
- Steve Packham, Technical Service Manager Web, DIC Australia –optimising the benefits of participating in quality competitions
- Mitchell Mulligan, Managing Director, Bottcher Australia –impacts of running half webs and suggestions for improvements
- Malcolm Lochhead, Application Specialist for Fujifilm New Zealand –getting consistent colour across multiple devices and print technologies.