New Zealand’s HP users have an opportunity to place their best work up against printers from across the world in a new competition, the HP Indigo Digital Printing Contest, which intends to showcase high quality and innovative results customers achieve using HP Indigo digital presses.

With the recent announcement of Jenrite as the newest New Zealand distributor for Avery Graphics, Jenrite says it now offers Avery’ Graphic’s digital product portfolio and complete digital service solution to the New Zealand market.

Ferrostaal New Zealand has reached an agreement with USA company Kompac to supply a range of its products, including its finishing machines, to the New Zealand market.

The country's biggest sheetfed printer lost NZ$140.4m (A$108.5m) in the 2008-2009 tax year, as the full weight of the GFC hit the trans-tasman printing operation. Its operating loss was NZ$55m.

USA company Presstek says it will demonstrate its new 75DI digital offset press at the Ipex show, scheduled for May 18-25 in Birmingham, UK.

In recent weeks there have a number of press events announcing new products to be seen at the forthcoming Ipex exhibition in May. The following is a summary of announcements from Atlantic Zeiser, EskoArtwork and Kodak. In following weeks I will also be covering announcements from HP and Xeikon.

North Shore-based company Rocket Signs, which recently replaced all of its solvent printers with the new HP Designjet L65500 printer with HP latex inks, has also taken delivery of the smaller HP Designjet L25500 with HP latex inks, complementing the larger machine.

South Auckland printer Quality Print Service has placed itself into liquidation, another victim of the recession.

Inca Digital has launched its own awards to recognise outstanding printing on Inca machines, which have been created to coincide with the company’s 10th anniversary.

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.