New Zealand

Autobond showcasing new laminators at Ipex

2010-03-12T13:00:00+01:00

Autobond is planning a technology demonstration at Ipex 2010 which it says could have implications far beyond the laminating process. The company plans to showcase a Mini sheet-fed laminator with the ability to inkjet print a spot UV, LED curable varnish in-line on top of matt film.

Kodak releases new Nexpress

2010-03-10T13:00:00+01:00

Aimed at commercial, photo and inplant printers Kodak says its new NexPress SE Platform delivers the best digital colour production on the market for commercial, photo, and in-plant printers.

PLC moves environmental concerns to forefront

2010-03-09T03:00:00+01:00

Auckland’s Pacific Lamination and Coatings (PLC) has announced that, along with Graphic Lamination and Coatings (GLC), all their UV coatings are now recyclable and biodegradable.

Tribute Tuesday: Heidelberg at Ipex

2010-03-08T13:00:00+01:00

This year at Ipex Heidelberg will not be introducing any ground breaking new products, nor will it be announcing its re-entry into the digital printing market. That re-entry should be announced later this year. Instead Heidelberg will introduce a wide range of updates in the move to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of its products.

PrintNZ announces PMA courses in Auckland and Melbourne

2010-03-08T03:00:00+01:00

PrintNZ and Heidelberg have announced two courses taking place in March and April for people new to the industry and for those who have already displayed some abilities.

Chilean devastation could affect world’s pulp supply

2010-03-07T03:00:00+01:00

Experts are predicting a sizeable impact on the pulp industry following the 8.8 magnitude February 27 earthquake that has devastated much of Chile, with transport systems seriously disrupted, power supplies damaged and a rising death toll.

Pentawards announces jury

2010-03-06T03:00:00+01:00

Pentawards organisers have announced the composition of an international jury, composed of designers and marketing specialists, to judge the packaging design competition, devoted to packaging design.

Offset holding its own at Ipex

2010-03-05T13:00:00+01:00

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.

Bobst says new hologram press foils counterfeiters

2010-03-04T03:00:00+01:00

Bobst has launched a new version of its Visionfoil press, specifically dedicated to security hologram application and designed to help brand owners make a clear difference between originals and forgeries and to protect assets by deterring counterfeiters.

HP claims world first for digital sheetfed white ink

2010-03-03T03:00:00+01:00

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

Allied Machinery Services to supply Fastbind machines

2010-03-02T03:00:00+01:00

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.

Fairfax’s digital profits up as print volumes drop

2010-03-01T13:00:00+01:00

Fairfax Media’s print division profits in New Zealand and Australia dropped 19.5 per cent to A$43.3m in the first half of 2009-10, however overall earnings for print were A$57.6M, less than one per cent below the A$58m reported the year before.

Swiss press maker Wifag to be bought by manroland

2010-03-01T13:00:00+01:00

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.

Coromandel newspaper increases speed with Watkiss booklet maker

2010-02-28T03:00:00+01:00

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.

APN turns to full year profit

2010-02-27T03:00:00+01:00

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.

Blue Star first half results show improvement

2010-02-26T13:00:00+01:00

Blue Star Print Group has reported earnings of $20m for the first half of 2009-10, which represents a 163 per cent improvement on the six months ended June 30, 2009. However, this is still down on the pre-global financial crisis performance of $27.6m for the six months ended 31 December 2008.

New Acuity Advance HS coming from Fujifilm New Zealand

2010-02-25T03:00:00+01:00

With the European debut of Fujifilm'’s Acuity Advance HS taking place at the Sign & Digital UK 2010 show in April, Fujifilm New Zealand has signalled that it is looking forward to releasing this latest model very soon.

New Zealand printing industry farewells Len Murphy

2010-02-24T07:03:52+01:00

Len Murphy, who founded his own machinery company, has passed away after more than six decades of service to the New Zealand printing industry.

SWUG conference set for October

2010-02-23T03:00:00+01:00

Organisers say that the 10^th annual SWUG (Single Width Users Group) annual conference, which it deferred in 2009, will take place at the Wairakei Resort, Taupo on from October 13-15, following the PrintNZ conference, which takes place from October 11-13 at the same venue.

Tribute Tuesday: the B2 digital press market

2010-02-22T13:00:00+01:00

It appears that the B2 format sheet fed digital press may be the Holy Grail for press manufacturers. In the 1990s Indigo regularly brought a mock up of a future B2 format press to the different trade shows.

Last week for Pride In Print entries

2010-02-21T03:00:00+01:00

As entries for Pride In Print head into their last week, organisers and patrons are doing all they can to assist anyone trying to put forward work for the competition.

PaperlinX in red as sales tumble

2010-02-21T02:03:16+01:00

The buffeting the global print industry suffered in the latter half of last year has been reflected in the latest set of figures from merchanting giant PaperlinX. The company’s merchanting sales for the six months to December 09 fell across the board, with Australian, New Zealand, European and North American operations showing double digit declines, making a volumes increase in Asia the only bright spot for the company.

Aarque announces new Roland DG inkjet printer cutter

2010-02-18T03:00:00+01:00

Aarque Graphics has announced the release of Roland DG’s latest VersaCAMM VS-640 inkjet printer/cutter, which it says will be available in New Zealand from March.

OPUS making bold expansions in New Zealand and Asia

2010-02-17T13:00:00+01:00

OPUS Print Group is expanding its print network into Singapore and China by forging a strategic alliance with printers in Singapore and China. Meanwhile the group is also strengthening its domestic New Zealand operations with the establishment of Ligare New Zealand.

Colourworx installs first HP Designjet L65500 in New Zealand

2010-02-16T03:00:00+01:00

South Auckland became the first place in the country to receive HP’s latex ink technology with the installation of an HP Designjet L65500 printer at Manukau printer Colourworx.

APM (New Zealand) aids museum print room

2010-02-15T07:34:19+01:00

APM (New Zealand) has donated a Heidelberg TP foiling platen to the print room at Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), adding an extra polish to the material printed there.

Ipex names John Crosfield seventh print champion

2010-02-14T03:00:00+01:00

The Ipex Advisory Committee has selected John Crosfield as its seventh champion in print in recognition of his role in pioneering the Autotron automatic register control and colour scanning technologies, which he developed with his team at Crosfield Electronics.

EskoArtwork announces judging panel for design competition

2010-02-13T13:00:00+01:00

EskoArtwork has announced the judging panel for its 'Software Packaging Challenge', a competition that tasks entrants with designing the packaging for the company's Suite 10 software. According to EskoArtwork, the panel of judges is comprised of five distinguished international packaging experts.

Omet appoints UPP as ANZ distributor

2010-02-12T13:00:00+01:00

Omet, the Italian manufacturer of narrow and mid web technology, has appointed Universal Print Partners (UPP) as its new distributor for Australia and New Zealand.

Heidelberg reports growth in Q3 but printers still reluctant to invest

2010-02-11T13:00:00+01:00

Heidelberg reports incoming orders and sales for the third quarter of 2009-10 were there highest for more than a year however Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberg says there is as yet no clear improvement as print shops are still reluctant to invest.