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RMIT University, has appointed a new leader within its International Centre of Graphic Technology (ICGT) following the controversial departure of Robert Black last year. Simon Cochaud has taken on the role of ICGT director with plans to tackle industry skills shortages and implement new education programmes.

Economic growth in the printing industry picked up during the December 2009 quarter according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). However Printing Industries says that despite the welcome pick up the industry still remains well below its peak activity levels.

Despite tough competition from other printing technologies offset will still have strong representation at Ipex 2010, with around 150 lithographic technology companies taking up a third of the show’s 60,000sqm floor space.

A global trends seminar focusing on retailers, sustainability and innovative packaging is the next big event in the Packaging Council of Australia’s (PCA) diary. The event being held in both Melbourne and Sydney will feature keynote speaker David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing of the Imperial College, London.

HP says that its HP ElectroInk White, available worldwide this month, is the industry’s first white ink for sheetfed digital presses.

The Single Width Users Group (SWUG) will be taking its annual conference to Tamworth this year. The conference will begin on Friday, March 19 and conclude with the SWUG Awards gala presentation on the evening of Sunday, March 21. There will be no Monday morning conference sessions as in previous years.

Allied Machinery Services says it expects the demand for personalised books to increase even further this year with the introduction of what it describes as relatively inexpensive Fastbind binding and cover making machines coming on to the market.

Local packaging firm Colorpak has reported half year revenues of $42.6m, a 5.6 per cent jump from the last year’s $40.3m, which the company attributes to a boost in sale as well as strong operational efficiencies.

The previously named Australian Packaging Machinery Association has been re-branded as the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) effective immediately. The Association's board says its membership base covers all areas of packaging and processing equipment including food processing and process engineering equipment and the new name identifies all aspects of the industry.

Japanese press maker Mimaki has launched its new direct-to-textile and dye sublimation inkjet printer. The company says its TX400-1800B features a newly developed adhesive belt carrier system, which stabilises flexible materials that tend to stretch and contract during printing.

Franchise operation Worldwide Online has called in the administrators after 16 years of virtually non-stop growth. The independent franchisees, of which there are more than 80 in Australia, are not directly affected as they run independent operations.

Administrator McGrathNicol is offering for sale the business and assets of ailing print shops The Printing Department and Carbonbook, which went into voluntary administration last month. McGrathNicol is seeking non-binding indicative offers for the businesses.

Konica Minolta and Kodak Australasia will host a number of road shows in capital cities around Australia this month. The road shows will extend the partnership formed by Konica Minolta and Kodak Australasia at PacPrint in 2009.

Hannapak, who recently installed the first Roland 700 HiPrint in Australia, is opening its doors for a manroland hosted open house, which will allow visitors to see the new generation Roland in full operation firsthand.

The world’s largest web offset manufacturer manroland is negotiating the purchase of Swiss newspaper press maker Wifag, with the deal expected to be finalised later this year. No details have been given on the terms, which are likely to be favourable to manroland. Wifag’s turnover in 2008 was around CHF500m, (A$520m) but the 2009 figure is likely to be substantially reduced.

Visual communications franchiser MBE Business Service Centres has awarded outstanding franchisees’ performance across Australia and New Zealand. More than 40 franchises participated in the awards, with four accolades taken out by Konica Minolta clients for their achievements in sales, growth and overall business success.

After purchasing the latest Watkiss booklet maker, along with a Digivac collator, Whitianga-based newspaper The Informer has sped up production of its 5500-run weekly community paper, which it distributes from Mercury Bay to Whangamata.

Salmat’s profits were up 21.9 per cent to $24.3m in the first half of 2009-10 compared with $19.9m during the same period the year before. While the company reported total mail volumes were down four per cent, its Targeted Media Solutions division earnings increased by 40.5 per cent to $20.7m following strong outcomes from efficiency programmes and new business wins.

HP has launched the HP Digital Print Awards 2010 (Asia Pacific & Japan) – HP Scitex. The awards will serve to recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of Print Service Providers (PSPs) in the signage industry across Asia Pacific and Japan, according to HP.

APN News & Media, the company that publishes the New Zealand Herald, the Listener and other major kiwi newspaper and magazine titles, turned to a full-year profit after impairments pushed its previous year’s results into the red, saying a pickup in trading in the fourth quarter has continued into the current year.