Australian Printer March 2023

The new blueprint for wide format

I wish to say a huge thank you for accommodating all our crazy orders over the past fortnight, your brilliant service made it possible to reach all the deadlines.

Lizzie

Thanks for your help with these cards. The parcel arrived yesterday and they look great! We’re looking forward to pushing the raised foil more this year so we’ll pass some more jobs across soon.

Doug

The Guide looks beautiful! Gorgeous print and colours, thank you again for organising the press check and paying such close attention to our work.

Caroline

The print is amazing - even better than I expected. Everything went so smoothlyyou were so prompt to respond to me, the tracker you have with the daily and update emails is fantastic, even the courier service you use has such good tracking info.

Ellen

The folders look fantastic. Thank you so much for your help and tireless efforts getting them through for us. You are such a legend and fill us with confidence knowing you’ve got our backs.

Sarah

Printing has already dispatched – thank you!!! I always feel confident sending an urgent job your way, and in this online world where you rarely get to deal with a real live human, I really appreciate that.

Mel

YOU

The new blueprint for wide format

2023

6-12 NEWS: Australian Printer’s comprehensive industry news

14-15 FUJIFILM’S ‘BLUEPRINT LIVE’ ACUITY

PRINTERS GAIN WIDE APPEAL: The printers have been well received in the local and global industry, and the company tells us why

16-17 JOIN DURST AT THE FESPA GLOBAL 2023

PRINT TOUR: Attendees will be able to explore the latest developments in digital printing, finishing and converting technology

18-19 PEOPLE IN PRINT: Stormlink Group managing director Paul Cavalier

20 WOMEN IN PRINT: Print 2 Metal co-owner Marie Cosgrave

21-57 PRINT LEADERS FORUM 2023: Thought leadership on the year that was and the year that

Advertiser’s Index

To advertise call Carmen on 0410 582 450 or carmen@proprint.com.au

58-62

63 FESPA MELBOURNE BBQ GALLERY: Familiar faces spotted out and about at the event

64 PRINT DIARY: All the upcoming events

67-74 CLASSIFIEDS: The Australian print industry’s biggest marketplace

14-15 FUJIFILM’S ACUITY PRINTERS GAIN WIDE APPEAL

18-19 PAUL CAVALIER ON STORMLINK’S BEST PROJECTS

2 METAL’S MARIE COSGRAVE IN WOMEN IN PRINT

https://www.fujifilm.com/au/en/business/graphic/wideformat/acuity-ultraR2

The new blueprint for wide format

The new blueprint for super-wide format

Discover the perfect balance between quality, speed and cost.

A true flatbed with a unique and exceptional design.

Streamline your print processes from start to finish with our new blueprint for super-wide format, the Acuity Ultra R2. Our industrial printheads with a 3.5 picolitre drop size ensures consistent and high quality work, ideal for all applications from billboards and signage to indoor displays.

The IF Design Award winning Acuity Prime offers high quality printing on a range of rigid and flexible media across five dedicated vacuum zones. Using our Uvijet HM LED UV inks and jettable primer, bold graphics and fine text can be reproduced with variable drop sizes from 7 to 21 picolitres for near photographic quality.

The R2 is an iF design award winner (2022) with endless features such as a unique chilled vacuum table, capable of handling heat sensitive substrates. Paired with board backlighting for live print monitoring and an automatic nozzle spitting system for easy maintenance, transform your business with our state of the art R2.

Visit fujifilm.com/au/en, scan the QR code or contact your local FUJIFILM representation to request print samples and organise a demonstration.

Visit acuityprimeseries.com for more information or contact your local FUJIFILM representative to request print samples and organise a demonstration.

FUJIFILM Australia1300 650 504

FUJIFILM Australia 1300 650 504

FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia 13 14 12

FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia 13 14 12

www.fujifilm.com/au/en

It feels like we just celebrated the New Year, and yet we’re already well and truly into March. I hope this year has been treating you and your businesses kindly so far.

The 2023 market outlook seems to be more promising, as companies step out from their ‘cautious navigation’ of the past two years to make big and bold moves in the industry. The cash that they have been holding on to is now being spent on technologies and other types of business investments.

This time last year, I wrote about the uncertainties of COVID remaining and how the agile and forward-thinking can flourish. While COVID seems to be a test of the past, new challenges have emerged and it again rings true that only the agile and forwardthinking can prevail.

This issue of Australian Printer features the 2023 Print Leaders Forum where industry leaders address the matters and opportunities of today and what can be done to better the state of the industry. They also look into their crystal balls and predict what we can expect in the coming months and key trends that companies can align with. We hope you enjoy the read.

IVE Group reports robust first-half performance

By Piotr Wnuk

IVE Group (ASX:IGL) has reported a robust first-half performance underpinned by a $502.8 million uplift in revenue, an increase of 31.4 per cent compared to the previous corresponding period. The group announced its financial results for the six months to the end of December 2022 in a call hosted by the company’s executive chairman Geoff Selig, CEO Matt Aitken and CFO Darren Dunkley.

“Notwithstanding the impacts of COVID, which we managed very well as a business, we have consistently and effectively executed our strategic roadmap that, from our perspective, has been well articulated and communicated,” Selig said.

“We delivered on our financial forecasts, with our growth underpinning a solid return to shareholders. And throughout, we’ve maintained a strong balance sheet, which puts us in a position to pursue future growth initiatives.”

IVE achieved $502.0 million in revenue associated with leveraging the recalibrated cost base to drive strong earnings growth. Its EBITDA for the half year was $65 million, up 17.7 per cent from the previous year, while its NPAT was $24.3 million, up 16.5 per cent from last year. The company said the “solid performance” was broad-based and reflects the group’s leading industry vertical positioning, tier 1 clients and diversified revenues. The results also include a $60.7 million contribution from the Ovato acquisition.

Organic revenue growth for the half year was reported at around nine per cent, with the company saying this reflects a further

incremental uplift in activity post-COVID-19, strong new business momentum, continued high levels of client retention and ongoing cross-selling of the group’s broad offering.

“The first half result was ahead of expectations, underpinned by our strong performance. The half saw the completion of the final phase of our Victorian site consolidation initiative, the highly anticipated launch of our new e-commerce marketplace Lasoo, and the acquisition of major competitor Ovato,” Aitken said.

IVE Group also announced that it has signed a Heads of Agreement with Iberdrola, one of the largest renewable energy companies globally. The seven-year contract, expected to commence in January 2024, will see the group using electricity generated from renewable sources (primarily wind).

“While there can be no assurances about the timing of eventual gas price relief, there is a prevailing expectation that the gas market will improve in the near-term,” Aitken said.

“If so, this may deliver an upside relative to IVE’s upgraded FY23 guidance. The review and negotiation of the group’s power purchasing agreement come at a time of unprecedented increases in the cost of electricity and gas. We expect to finalise that contract with Iberdrola in the coming weeks.”

IVE Group CEO Matt Aitken

Now you can do more, faster than ever before. From cutting-edge techniques to conquering new markets, it’s time to expand your print business inways and places you never imagined.

Let Konica Minolta ignite your print possibilities.

Request a sample print

Opal ends white pulp and paper manufacturing at Maryvale Mill

By Hafizah Osman

Opal Australian Paper has made the final decision to stop the manufacturing of white pulp and paper at its Maryvale Mill, with the site producing its last ream of copy paper on 21 January.

The company’s decision comes as despite extensive efforts, it has been unable to find alternate logs on a viable economic basis.

“Despite our best endeavours, Opal has been unable to source viable alternative wood supplies to replace the shortfall from VicForests,” the company said.

Some 200 staff in regional Victoria lost their jobs, with the mill stopping operations a day before Christmas.

“Given this unplanned situation and after significant consideration and analysis of a range of potential operating scenarios, Opal has made the final decision to stop the manufacturing of white pulp and paper at the Maryvale Mill,” the company said.

Having seriously considered this option and consulting with team members and Unions on this matter, Opal said it will now consult further on the impact of this final decision.

Richard Eastaugh named GM of Marvel Bookbinding & Printfinishing

By Hafizah Osman

Marvel Bookbinding & Printfinishing has promoted Richard Eastaugh to the role of general manager, who is now responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company and working closely with the Marvel team to drive growth and consistently achieve goals.

Richard Eastaugh is the son of the company’s managing director Wayne Eastaugh. Richard has been working at the business for 15 years – both on the production floor and in office management.

Following that consultation, the process will then move through redeployment considerations and into a redundancy process in accordance with Opal’s legal obligations, which it outlined in January.

Opal said it will now strengthen its core strategy as an integrated manufacturer of cardboard fibre packaging in the Australia and New Zealand region.

“Opal is committed to working closely with our key stakeholders to achieve a successful turnaround at the Maryvale Mill by transforming the site to meet the growing need for fibre packaging in Australia and New Zealand,” it said.

“It is now important to re-set the Maryvale Mill over the long-term as a sustainable, profitable and focused packaging

manufacturing site within the integrated Opal business.

“We are continuing to work with the Victorian Government regarding any future support for the Maryvale Mill.

“In addition to Opal’s Employee Assistance Program and other support services, a Worker Support Service has been established by the Victorian Government to support Opal Australian Paper team members affected by stand downs and operational changes as may be required.

“Opal appreciates that the current situation is difficult for everyone and remains committed to continuing to keep our team members, customers and key stakeholders updated on further developments.”

“With a degree in economics and business management, Richard will also play a critical role in shaping the future strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring that Marvel continues to provide high-quality products and services to its customers’ current and future needs.

“I am very confident that Richard’s expertise and leadership skills will support Marvel as the business continues to thrive and grow in today’s competitive marketplace.

“I look forward to the contributions and fresh ideas he will bring to his new role, and I am hugely proud to support Richard’s promotion.

“Richard has gained the respect of staff, clients and suppliers alike, with a proven track record of success,” Wayne said.

“Richard is well-equipped and highly experienced to now move into the general manager role and be instrumental in leading our organisation to new heights.

“I started Marvel in 1986 and this announcement will secure Marvel’s long-term future for both staff and customers alike!

“Please join us in congratulating Richard on his well-deserved promotion.”

Opal Australian Paper’s Maryvale Mill

(l- r) Marvel Bookbinding & Printfinishing’s Richard Eastaugh and Wayne Eastaugh

Celmac and HP install Latex R2000 Plus at Sydney Print

By Colleen Bate

South Granville-based Sydney Print Media has purchased a new HP Latex R2000 Plus printer, which owner Karl Sun says will offer clients higher quality printing products and faster turnaround times.

The new HP Latex R2000 Plus, jointly installed by Celmac and HP, has become the third HP Latex R series printer in the Sydney Print Media stable.

Sun, a trade printer, has owned Sydney Print Media since 2005, and ventured into large format printing in 2008.

Over the years he has added an array of printers and kit to his factory floors –most notably the Inca flatbed, swissQprint flatbed and roll-to-roll printer, as well as Zünd automatic cutting table.

The company provides high quality value for money design, print, and display

OMA names Elizabeth McIntyre as new CEO

By Hafizah Osman

The board of the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) has appointed Elizabeth McIntyre to the role of CEO of the association and MOVE, which she will commence from 3 April. The announcement follows OMA’s extensive and thorough executive search to replace outgoing CEO Charmaine Moldrich who has held the position for 13 years.

McIntyre has spent the past 12 years as group CEO for Think Brick Australia, Concrete Masonry Association of Australia and the Australian Roofing Tile Association collectively. She has delivered over a decade of growth to the three boards who support the $900 million industry.

products and services to businesses that need branding solutions in the print media. Its offerings include banners, posters, POS displays, exterior and interior wall signs, rooftop signs, advertising stickers, vehicle graphics, floor decals, vinyl letters and graphics, flyers, postcards, business cards, catalogues, customised cardboard packaging, and exhibition displays.

Sun said the new HP Latex R2000 Plus, which was purchased in December and installed in January, was based on the decision to particularly improve the quality of the display products, corflute, posters and signage it offers to its customers.

As well as offering high quality printoutput, the 2.5m wide printer delivers high production speeds of between 45 and 100 square metres per hour. As a hybrid for both flexible and rigid printing, it can create graphics on a wide range of roll-fed, rigid and flexible substrates up to 50mm thick.

The HP Latex R2000 Plus delivers glossy white on transparent and coloured media, thanks to the HP Latex White Ink, and provides versatility through its single ink set – attributes which Sun also considered in his purchasing decision.

The new printer will not only complement Sydney Print Media’s HP Latex R roll-to-roll printers, but according to Sun, its ability to print on a variety of substrates, is an added benefit.

Regarding the purchase and installation of the new printer, Sun said he was impressed by the speed and service with which it was carried out, confirming that the purchase and installation had gone very smoothly.

“Jonny Romney, Celmac’s NSW state manager was a big help to me when I purchased the new printer, and the

McIntyre said, “It’s an exciting time to be leading the Outdoor industry having just achieved $1 billion in revenue and being less than 18 months away from the launch of new audience measurement platform, MOVE 2.0. I was drawn to the role for the opportunity to work in a creative and complex environment, coupled with the opportunity to advocate on behalf of members. I look forward to working with the OMA/MOVE team and the boards, to lead the industry to future growth”.

Outgoing CEO Charmaine Moldrich will depart the business in early April after a short handover period, to take six months off before considering her next move.

Inc oming OMA CEO Elizabeth McIntyre

A new HP Latex R2000 Plus was jointly installed at Sydney Print by Celmac and HP

Mediapoint buys

“top of the shop”

P5 350 HS D4 from Durst Oceania

By Hafizah Osman

Trade wide-format printer Mediapoint has further strengthened its relationship with Durst Oceania with its investment in a P5 350 HS D4.

The press, which is expected to be installed in June, will be the second D4 in Australia but will be the first of its kind locally with full automation.

It will perform at twice the speed of the fastest Durst machine installed in Australia to date, which is the P5 350 HS, and will provide Mediapoint with print quality and quicker turnaround times, amongst other benefits. It will also replace a Durst P10 that the company has used for about five years.

Mediapoint sales director Jamie Xuereb said, “Flatbed printing and board printing is where the bulk of our printing is. We’ve had a Durst P10 flatbed printer for close to five years now and have been hitting capacity on that printer”.

Xuereb said Mediapoint waited for the D4 over previous iterations as this printer

IVE rebrands Active Display Group and AFI Branding as Brand Activations

By Hafizah Osman

IVE Group (ASX:IGL) has rebranded its existing Retail Display teams, AFI Branding and Active Display Group –both of which it acquired in November 2021 – as Brand Activations.

According to IVE, Brand Activations will serve as a full-service display, signage and activation value proposition to the retail, events and exhibition spaces.

“We’re delighted to announce the launch of Brand Activations, a new and unparalleled offering in the Australian market,” IVE said.

future-proofs the company for the next several years and will get the highest volume orders done in the shortest amount of time possible.

“We’ve reached a point now where we need a machine that can offer more capacity to deliver on our customers’ needs – they require higher volume orders done and faster turnaround times,” he said.

“The P5 D4 has also got a much higher quality print running on standard mode, which allows us to keep all our prints consistent in quality.”

Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman said Mediapoint will be able to increase its capabilities once the machine is installed and up and running.

“Since installing the Durst P10 250 HS with three-quarter automation, Mediapoint has grown exponentially. It added the Rho 512R, which is a five-metre roll-to-roll machine, to its fleet as well but needed a faster, more automated workhorse. The P5 350 HS D4 is the perfect solution for the company,” he said.

“As a hybrid machine, Mediapoint will be able to run stack-to-stack, pallet-to-pallet.

“What this means is that it is automated with up to two pallets printing side by side and stacked side by side. Mediapoint will also be able to run it as a manual feed, three-quarter automation feed, or roll-toroll unattended.”

According to Xuereb, the capability to print from pallet-to-pallet will be the biggest plus for the business, adding that the new press will allow Mediapoint to implement some new stocks that it hasn’t been able to in the past.

“At the moment, we print several pallets of boards a day. So, with this machine we will be able to do four times the amount now and with less human interaction,” he said.

“We’re also in the process of revamping our offerings. With the P5 350 HS D4, we’ll be looking to introduce some thicker substrates that customers have been asking about, as well as some new application stocks which some customers have been asking about as well.”

in November 2021) come together to offer the most comprehensive onshore capabilities in Australia.”

The newly formed Brand Activations business includes in-house design teams, large scale print production including wide format and fabric, hardware manufacturing and fabrication, alongside a national installation network.

Its production facilities are located in NSW and Victoria. The business will serve a client base of Australian and global brands.

“Brand Activations will bring together a full-service display, signage and activation value proposition to the retail, events and exhibition industries.

“Brand Activations sees our existing Retail Display teams, AFI Branding and Active Display Group (both acquired

Prior to the acquisition by IVE, Active Display Group had a strong retail point of sale and visual merchandising history while AFI Branding had built a solid reputation in the event, exhibition, fabric printing and signage markets.

The acquisitions were reported to contribute annual revenues of around $45 million, additional EBITDA of $6.5 million and NPAT of $4 million post the full integration of both ADG and AFI into IVE’s existing operations.

(l-r) Durst Oceania’s Matt Ashman and Mediapoint’s Jamie Xuereb

IVE’s building in Homebush, NSW

Nathan Sable exits QMS

Print; launches new biz SIXP

By Hafizah Osman

ROLAND 700

Former QMS Print CEO Nathan Sable has left the business after 21 years at the helm, but remains in the visual communications industry with the launch of a new business, SIXP.

“My time at QMS Print (Omnigraphics, MMT and BMG) has been so rewarding, providing me with the opportunity of establishing great businesses whilst forming lifelong friendships and relationships,” Sable said.

“After founding Omnigraphics in 2001 and having been in the industry since 1995, I decided that it was time for new challenges, where I could utilise my existing contacts and relationships whilst at the same time broaden my horizons.”

Together with his business partner George De Crespigny, Sable created SIXP – a company that integrates and aggregates the supply needs that bring marketing, events, sports and brands to life. It provides service offerings through various sectors including print and signage, production and events, post-production, promotional premiums, procurement and placement.

“In these early stages, we are getting our hands dirty, doing a lot of running around ourselves, measuring sites, installing, delivering, and doing whatever is required to get the business going and established,” Sable said.

“We have already established a reputation in the corporate and sports arenas, in particular.”

Sable decided on establishing SIXP as he and De Crespigny saw an opportunity to provide an offering that integrates the packaging of services, automation and market testing, to achieve cost savings, efficiencies and service offerings for clients requiring print and production services.

“SIXP intends to provide a service whereby the print industry will be integrated with other forms of marketing and branding whilst having a particular focus on sustainability,” he said.

“We plan to offer a premium product at the best price and efficiency for brand and media product integration in the sports, entertainment, events, retail and hospitality industries.”

Sable expects his industry experience to bolster his new role.

“With over 25 years’ experience in the industry, I have established many strong professional and personal relationships that I will be able to carry into this new business. Having had the opportunity of running three print businesses for QMS Print has also given me fantastic grounding as well as enormous diversity of knowledge throughout the industry that will support me in this role,” he said.

SIXP’s head office is in Melbourne, but the company has representation throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as key relationships in Asia.

The widely acclaimed ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION litho press deploys an array of innovative technologies to give unprecedented levels of efficiency, productivity and print quality.

SIXP co-founder Nathan Sable

oOh! delivers “strong financial result” for 2022 - up 343%

By Hafizah Osman

of 64 per cent. That has translated to an Adjusted Net Profit of $56.2 million, up 343 per cent on the prior year.”

According to O’Connor, the company is seeing continued momentum into FY23 with its first quarter revenue pacing at eight per cent ahead of the prior corresponding quarter last year with February and March stronger than January.

oOh!media (ASX:OML) has announced its financial results for the year ending 31 December 2022, reporting an NPAT of $56.2 million compared to the $12.7 million it revealed for the prior year.

This is an increase of 343 per cent, with its revenue up by 18 per cent to $592.6 million and its Adjusted Underlying EBITDA up 64 per cent to $127.1 million.

Its CEO Cathy O’Connor said oOh! delivered a strong financial result demonstrating the significant structural growth opportunity of Out of Home as a fast-growing media format.

“Over the course of the year, Out of Home continued its strong structural growth, consistent with its prepandemic trajectory and is the fastest growing major media format in Australia,” she said.

“The Outdoor Media Association recently released the 2022 results where in addition to announcing that Out of Home had exceeded $1 billion in net media revenues it expects a revenue CAGR of nine per cent over the next four years.

“As the largest player in Out of Home across Australia and New Zealand, we continued to capitalise on this growth to deliver revenue growth of 18 per cent for the year.

“Meanwhile, our strong operating leverage and cost discipline has enabled us to grow earnings faster than revenue with Adjusted Underlying EBITDA growth

Within its various business divisions, its Road (billboard) division maintained its strong performance, continuing its solid result from the prior year. Revenue for CY22 increased by 21 per cent to $191.1 million.

oOh! added 31 digital locations to its metropolitan and regional roadside billboard portfolio during the period and now has over 200 large format digital signs across Australia.

Revenue in the Retail format increased by 14 per cent to $142.9 million compared to the prior year. The continued recovery in air travel reflected strong revenue growth in the Fly category which increased by 176 per cent to $33.8 million on the prior year.

In addition, revenue in the Locate format increased by 47 per cent to $17.4 million and revenue in Street Furniture and Rail increased by eight per cent to $196.5 million.

The Other category, which primarily includes revenue from the Cactus Imaging business, saw a revenue of $10.8 million from $14.1 million the previous year, but the revenue for the prior year included the financial results of Junkee Media’s digital publishing business that was divested to the RACAT Group in December 2021.

“I am pleased with our strategic progress during the year in continuing to build a more digital and digitised Out of Home business,” O’Connor said.

oOh !media CEO Cathy O’Connor

SCREEN Truepress Jet 520HD with SC inks – the digital inkjet press that prints superb colour on standard offset stocks.

SCREEN Truepress Pac 830F Digital flexible packaging using aqueous inks across 830mm web.

SCREEN Truepress Jet L350UV SAI digital label press. Up to 7 colours inc. White & High Opacity White. 60 m/min across 350mm web.

SCREEN PlateRite 8600NII New generation 8-page thermal CtP with fiber laser diodes. Up to 32 B1 plates/hour.

Fujifilm’s ‘Blueprint Live’ Acuity printers gain wide appeal

Fujifilm launched its Acuity range of wide format printers last year as part of a concept entitled ‘Blueprint Live’. The printers have been well received in the local and global industry, and the company tells us why

inks, and to print directly to almost any material in perfect registration, enables Acuity Prime printers to produce high value, creative work. In addition, it can be used with Uvijet HM LED UV curable ink. Thanks to the optional jettable primer, it is possible to print on a wide variety of industrial media, opening doors to further revenue streams.

Over the past few years, Fujifilm has completely rethought the design of its wide format presses to maximise value, productivity, and ease of use. The result of all that work is the Blueprint strategy, an Acuity range which according to Fujifilm, not only fulfils the intended objectives, but also achieves exceptional levels of print quality. Fespa Berlin presented the perfect opportunity to showcase the new range on the global stage last year, which includes the Acuity Prime, Acuity Ultra R2 Series and Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED printer. The range has since been met with wide appeal.

Acuity Prime Range

The Acuity Prime range offers high quality printing on a range of rigid and flexible media, supported by five dedicated vacuum zones and a jettable primer, and according to Fujifilm is a “true flatbed with a unique, exceptional design”.

The latest from the range, the Acuity Prime L, is a large-sized LED UV flatbed benefiting from all of the features of the standard Acuity Prime, being designed with the user in mind whilst offering a competitive ROI. It is very easy to operate, and produces high quality results at high speeds.

The Acuity Prime L provides a larger size table for printers that need to combine high productivity and high quality printing on larger sheet sizes.

It features six vacuum zones and 16 media location pins, as well as the ability to print side by side jobs with its dual zone function.

The Acuity Prime range also features a vacuum table that can handle almost any sheet material, securing both rigid and flexible media perfectly for high quality print across every sheet, Fujiflilm said. The option to print with white and clear

“The print market is changing, and the transition from analogue to digital technology is accelerating. Creating inkjet technology that drives the industry forward, we introduce a level of quality, speed, and usability that exceeds expectations and gives creative control to the user. We develop our products so customers can effortlessly reach the future and achieve their own goals.” – Fujifilm

With a new and user-friendly GUI, easy clean printhead maintenance, a dedicated nozzle check zone and visible status lights for the ink tanks, Acuity Prime operators can spend less time maintaining the machine and more time printing, the company said.

Acuity Ultra R2 Series

The “powerful” roll-to-roll inkjet superwide format Acuity Ultra R2 can print on a range of out of home applications where close viewing requires images to be exceptionally clear and vibrant.

According to Fujifilm, the Acuity Ultra R2 offers “excellent high quality, productivity and reliability on a massive industrial scale” – up to 5m wide; and includes 3.5 picoliter drop sized industrial printheads and specially developed LED UV inks.

With its massive format size, 2- or 3-up multi-roll potential, and ability to print on a broad range of materials, the Acuity Ultra R2 can be used to produce exhibition graphics, POS displays, high-value graphic art, backlit displays, outdoor displays, outdoor signage and more. In addition, Fujifilm’s LED versions can offer value and versatility to workflows, based on customer demand.

The Fujifilm Acuity Prime flatbed printer offers unique, exceptional design and high value

The Fujifilm Acuity Ultra R2 is a powerful roll-to-roll inkjet superwide format press

The Acuity Ultra R2 is also equipped with advanced features for flexible and productive printing, including a unique chilled vacuum table to enable printing of thin heat-sensitive substrates; an onboard backlighting feature to enable image quality to be checked during printing; and an automatic nozzle spitting system to maintain consistent print quality and onboard registration for double-sided printing. With features to speed up job set-up times, enable the status of the print to easily be reviewed, through to the day-to-day maintenance of the machine, the ease of use of the Acuity Ultra R2 is a key contributor to improving the user’s overall print ROI, Fujifilm said.

Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED

Part of the Acuity Ultra product family, the Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED offers all the benefits of ease-of-use, “ultra-high” quality and a competitive ROI, combined with the ability to print to both rigid and flexible substrates, according to Fujifilm.

The Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED is a 3.3m highend printer that offers “superb, high quality” printing to both rigid and flexible substrates. Printing at speeds of up to 218 m²/hr (RTR), and delivering a print resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dpi, the Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED is “unique in being able to combine ultra-high quality and a competitive return on investment, for both rigid and flexible applications, all in one platform”.

Along with media loading and unloading tables, the Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED also features a dimpled table surface to support all media types while allowing easy media positioning. A robust catch mechanism protects against accidental damage, and secure locking allows for media feed accuracy throughout every print run.

The GUI features the same “exceptional design features” found on the Acuity Ultra R2 and includes additional functionality to handle rigid media production – up to six sheets simultaneously.

An intelligent vacuum control system automatically turns on the correct vacuum zones needed for any print job based on the width of the media, and the vacuum motor power constantly adjusts to maintain optimal media hold down, regardless of media type and size, ensuring an “accurate and high quality print finish,” Fujifilm said. For maximum flexibility when printing roll-

to-roll, a bespoke designed airshaft allows dual roll functionality, so two media rolls of different diameters (each up to 36cm) can run at the same time.

Fujifilm has created an entirely new ink range, Uvijet UH, especially for the new machine, with six colours (CMYK, light magenta and light cyan) available as standard and white ink also available as an optional extra. The new ink has both Greenguard Gold and AgBB certification.

Uvijet UH has been carefully designed to adhere to a broad range of rigid and flexible substrates, while also matching the “exceptionally high quality” of the Uvijet GS and AU inks used in the Acuity Ultra R2. The machine and the ink have both been designed by the company and they work together to maximise quality while also minimising ink usage, helping to keep running costs down and boosting ROI, Fujifilm added.

Dedicated flatbed design

Compact footprint

Registration pins

Various colour channel options

Vacuum zones

Maximum print speeds of 75.8m2/hr in Express mode for the Acuity Prime

L model

Maximum media thickness of 51mm for the Acuity Prime L model

Uses Fujifilm Uvijet HM UV LED curable inks

Long lasting, low energy LED curing system

Ricoh Gen 5 greyscale, variable drop printheads

2.1m by 4.9m by 1.5m in dimensions

Print speeds up to 402m2/hr

6-color (CMYK, Lc and Lm), 6-color + WW and 2 x CMYK configuration options available

3.5 picoliter grayscale printheads

0.1mm to 2.0mm media thickness capabilities

Available in 3.2m and 5m models

Industrial UV and LED curing systems

Chilled vacuum table for handling heat-sensitive materials

Very quick start up and simple operator maintenance

3-level greyscale printheads

Auto media thickness and position

measurement

ColorGATE or Caldera RIP

Native 3.5 picoliter

3-level greyscale printheads

Linear-driven printhead carriage

A 3.3m high-end printer

Accurate and reliable media transport system

UV LED Curing

Fujifilm Uvijet UH inks

Ultra-high quality 6 channel with white option

Print speeds of 218m2/hr

Up to 51mm media thickness

Multi-roll printing

Prints on heat-sensitive materials

Print resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dpi

For both rigid and flexible applications

Acuity Prime key features

Acuity Ultra R2 Series key features

Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED key features

The Fujifilm Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED is a high-end printer that offers quality

JOIN DURST AT THE FESPA GLOBAL 2023 PRINT TOUR

Durst welcomes its Australian and New Zealand printers to join the company at its Fespa Global 2023 Print Tour and discover the latest innovations in printing technology.

In addition to the huge booth that Durst will have at Fespa in Munich, the company will be opening the doors to its premises in Brixen, Italy, where attendees will be able to explore the latest developments in digital printing, finishing and converting technology. While in Munich, visit Durst at its home!

Durst will be showcasing the latest of its technologies at its Customer Experience Centre, where attendees will take a factory tour, speak to its technical experts and enjoy a delicious lunch while seeing all of its printers in action. Durst Oceania will be organising a special Oceania Two-Day Event in Brixen on 21 May and 22 May.

See continuous live demonstrations of Durst’s top-of-the-line equipment, including the:

• P5 500i D4 – a press that maximises the productivity of the P5 UV series printing systems through the implementation of a double CMYK colour configuration.

• P5 350 HS – a hybrid solution for roll and board printing up to 3.5m and reaches a productivity up to 650 square metres per hour. Fast media change, easy maintenance handling and full safety render the printing process as way more efficient.

• P5 350 HS D4 with Automat –a hybrid solution with all the benefits of the P5 350 HS D4, plus Automat, which is a flexible automated inline solution which can manage up to two lanes with different board sizes – up to 3.5m width, 2.2m length and a loading capacity of 90cm.

• P5 TEX iSUB – a large format dyesublimation printer with an integrated inline fixation (iSUB) technology for

a one-step direct to fabrics printing process up to 337cm printing width. The integrated features of multi-roll and dual-roll printing make the printer very versatile and suitable for many soft signage and fabrics applications.

• TAU series – a platform that sets the benchmark in industrial digital UV inkjet label printing. Thanks to its outstanding performance, the TAU RSC platform is a game changer in short run production and transferring medium/long run flexo jobs to digital.

• Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition – the most productive digital printing system on the market, with a production capacity of over 1,500 rolls per day or up to 1.2 million linear metres per year. In addition to productivity and outstanding colour consistency across the entire print width or run length, it also delivers on TCO.

Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman said, “Durst sits in the high quality and high production end of the market but

there are two sides to that story. First, we know people want to produce reasonable volumes quickly and at a high quality, but we are seeing that turnaround time is more important than capacity.

“There is also a misconception that Durst caters for only high-volume large companies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Across several print sectors, Durst solutions are ideal for businesses of all sizes. When you look at the production footprint and labour footprint of a Durst machine, you can see how having one Durst printer can free up people, who can be better purposed in other parts of the business.

“Durst builds the most technologically advanced printing machines in the world. It delivers a commercial business proposition with a return on investment that can’t be ignored. With a single operator, you can deliver a world class result. Durst provides automation and efficiencies with greater reliability. From the Durst entry level label printer to the wide format P5 platform, which

is designed for versatility, our solutions continue to surpass our customers’ requirements.”

Plus, at the Fespa Global 2023 Print Tour, attendees will be able to discover how Durst’s innovative printing technology and substrates can help them to reach their sustainability goals while providing unparalleled quality.

In addition to this exciting print tour, Durst is inviting attendees to experience the rich culture and history of Brixen. Take a stroll through the historic old town, admire the unique architecture of this dual German/Italian city, and indulge in local delicacies.

“Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to network, learn, and explore. We look forward to hosting you and your team!” Ashman said.

Reserve your place today by contacting our Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman at matt.ashman@durst-group.com.

P5 500i D4

P5 350 HS D4 with Automat

TAU series

Alpha Wallpaper Edition

P5 350HS

P5 TEX iSUB

Stormlink establishes significant footprint within the printing industry

Starting out in the IT sector in his early years, Paul Cavalier then, by chance, moved into a career in commercial printing and now runs the Stormlink Group

As managing director of Stormlink Group, Paul Cavalier oversees the operations of three separate businesses: Print Storm (commercial printing), Sign Storm (signage and display) and Creative Storm Marketing Agency.

With Print Storm’s recent acquisition of GK Craig Printing in Orange, NSW, Cavalier looks at how far the company has journeyed from its humble beginnings to the fast-growing business that it has become today.

Q: Tell us about the history of Print Storm?

Paul Cavalier (PC): Print Storm is a forward-moving print company with humble rural beginnings in 2006. It started out with a team of just two people – a graphic designer and myself – and within two years, we’d outgrown our existing space in Gulgong, NSW. In 2008, we made the call to move into a bigger office in Gulgong.

In 2012, we purchased a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM52-2 press, prompting the need for even more space. The team moved to a 600-square-metre office in Mudgee, and in the same year, we expanded into offset printing. Since acquiring a range of new machines and plenty more equipment, signage and large format printing became the new focus area of growth for our business from 2014. Today, those areas constitute around 50 per cent of our work. While many traditional print companies started with offset printing and moved into digital, we did the complete opposite. As digital became more popular, Print Storm was just getting started. We then moved into offset printing.

Q: What services does the company now offer, and what technology has it invested in?

PC: Today, Print Storm is regional Australia’s premier print, design and

signage provider, located in the Central West of NSW. We service over 15,000 clients from across Australia from our three stores in Mudgee, Dubbo and Orange.

We are proud to offer high-quality, fast turnaround printing of a whole range of products including business cards, flyers, books, calendars, posters, greeting cards, notepads, sell sheets, labels, stickers, banners, tax invoice books, receipt books and more.

We believe that to produce a quality product, quality tools are a must. We’ve invested heavily in high-end production equipment from Fujifilm, Ricoh and Mimaki to best serve our clients.

For our larger runs and offset work, we use Heidelberg, who we believe are leagues ahead of the competition in the offset space – especially for full-colour printed collateral. Also in our service offering is copywriting, graphic design and more.

Print Storm’s large project featuring entrance signage for the Gilgandra Shire Council

Q: What are some of the biggest growth areas for the business?

PC:: The two biggest growth areas for Print Storm are:

1. Signage, which has played a significant role in Print Storm’s growth. With the flexibility of both roll-to-roll, flatbed and hybrid flatbed printing equipment from Mimaki and Mutoh, we’ve been able to cater to a whole range of customer needs. With solvent and UV-based inks at our disposal, we have the flexibility of choosing the most appropriate ink type and production method for each job, meaning our production teams can maximise output and minimise their turnaround times. I believe this has been a significant key to our growth.

2. Embellishment including letterpress, foiling and embossing. With the acquisition of GK Craig in Orange in late 2022, we added these to our offering of in-house services. Each of these techniques creates a premium, sophisticated feel, and is guaranteed to take clients’ unique design to a whole new level.

Q: What is fuelling the company’s upward momentum?

PC: Print Storm runs its own proprietary production management system, which has

helped to make us efficient in comparison to our competitors – we’ve worked on it for around 15 years now. A heavily automated workflow speeds up our job estimating and takes out the manual administration usually associated with the printing process.

We’ve also experienced a huge buzz around our services following the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve remained vigilant and future focused to take advantage of the upward momentum and change in customer expectations and demands.

Q: How do Print Storm’s recent acquisitions fit into the business’ growth plans?

PC: In March 2022, Print Storm acquired Dubbo-based business, Alexandria Digital Communication, adding further services to our offering including copywriting, graphic design and more. This acquisition worked well for us in that it aligned with our existing service offering, while also enabling us to further specialise in certain areas.

More recently, in October last year, our acquisition of GK Craig Printing in Orange added an experienced team of operators, administrative staff and designers, and in-house services including foiling and die cutting. We always intended to grow our capability in the Central West region, and the opportunity to buy a printing business (which we don’t tend to see very often) was an offering too good to refuse.

Q: What are some of the most memorable and unique projects that the company has worked on?

PC: We work on a huge number of memorable and unique projects, however two of our favourites in recent times have been:

1. Undertaking a large project for entrance signage for the Gilgandra Shire Council. These signs were fabricated using multiple components and materials, and a significant

amount of coordination was required from our team, including extensive travel throughout the region for installation with heavy earthmoving equipment. We were proud of the outcome, and it was a hugely impressive undertaking.

2. The fit out of the new Petries Trade Centre in Dubbo. This project was special to us because we were the only local signage provider that would tackle a job of this kind. The project required our teams to paint the entire building and install very large CNC lettering to the front wall and saw the installation of extremely large signage right across the site (both internally and externally). Production of the signage required us to pay specific attention to the Mitre 10 brand guidelines, and we were extremely happy with the impactful outcome.

Q: What is Print Storm’s short- to medium-term vision?

PC: We aim to increase our footprint and grow our customer base. We are squarely focused on moving into new markets including 3D modelling and printing for the medical, construction and mining industries. Moving further into 2023, we’ll remain future focused and continue to welcome new opportunities for growth.

Q: What is your assessment of business requirements in print in 2023, and which of these will be priorities for Print Storm?

PC: Firstly, print businesses need to be highly adaptable to the ever-changing needs of clients – unless you’re willing to constantly evolve with the requirements of your customers, you’ll inevitably bring yourself unstuck. We also need to be willing to move towards growth areas. Being agile is critical. One of our biggest challenges in recent times is planning for stock availability and trying to constantly be ahead of the curve to pre-empt shortages.

At Print Storm, we’ll be working to plan our procurement of stocks and consumables, and looking ahead to the potential future needs of our clients. We enjoy networking with industry experts and groups, and we’ll continue to do more of that to stay ahead of the game.

We’ll also be identifying opportunities to save on costs and improve our business efficiencies. Manufacturing – which is exactly what we’re doing as printers –requires high efficiency for maximum competitiveness. That’s something we’re constantly striving for. Above all else, we’ll be continuing to deliver an exceptional service to our clients right around the country, as we have done for 17 years and counting.

Stormlink Group managing director Paul Cavalier

Print Storm’s fit out of the new Petries Trade Centre in Dubbo

Establishing a unique business in Australia

With the increasing change to digital technology and declining sales in film processing and printing around 18 years ago, the photographic industry changed worldwide forever.

It was when faced with this predictable fate that husband and wife team, Frank Hoekstra and Marie Cosgrave knew they needed to use skills they had honed over 20 years of operating a photo lab in Prahran and try to re-create themselves.

Through some searches on the internet, Cosgrave found a small business in the US that had taken what they had learnt in the trophy and awards industry and started to print images on metal. So, after a brief visit to San Francisco in early 2010, they brought home enough knowledge to get Print 2 Metal started.

Today, Print 2 Metal has grown from a backyard business that was established 14 years ago to becoming a multi-award winning company.

“The arrival of digital technology has allowed us to extend our business beyond the retail setting. Based online, our clients come from all around Australia as well as New Zealand and a few other overseas countries,” Cosgrave said.

“To be the first in Australia to offer this print product, winning print awards and upsizing our equipment over that time to meet demand are just some of our key achievements.

“We’ve also had the opportunity to partner with ChromaLuxe as its preferred printer for industry competitions and

exhibitions like Head On and the 10th World Photographic Cup in Singapore.

“We are now not only a part of the photographic industry. Printing onto metal has also captured the attention of those in the design and architectural fields. We have been able to step into markets that we had never considered as photo lab owners.”

Cosgrave has been a business owner in the printing industry for the past 30 years. She comes from a small business family background in pharmacy and always saw her parents as her biggest inspiration for how to run a successful business.

Trade shows, industry magazines, Print 2 Metal’s suppliers and other successful small businesses have also been a great source of inspiration for her when coming up with new and interesting ideas. Also, as a member of the HerBusiness network for many years, Cosgrave looks up to its CEO Suzi Dafnis.

“Suzi Dafnis has been most helpful in offering her assistance and inspiring me and many other women to grow and scale their business,” Cosgrave said.

As the first point of contact for Print 2 Metal, Cosgrave has strong business relationships with people that she has got to know particularly well.

“The close relationships that I have built with artists as they emerge and grow, exhibit and sell their work, and talking with photographers about their marketing strategies, to hearing the story behind the beautiful landscape image from a hobbyist are all a very special part of my job,” she said.

“Attending exhibitions of the work we print has always been a fun part of my job. Our prints on display as a collection makes them look extra special and we love to hear the expressions of viewers especially those seeing metal prints for the first time.

“The challenges in this job are never ending but each day, we are surrounded by people’s special photos and artwork that when printed and displayed bring viewers much joy and that’s a nice workspace to be in.”

As a woman in the print industry, Cosgrave has taken a concerted effort in giving back to the industry and supporting female talent where possible.

“Over the years, we have hired many more females and I’ve always found opportunities within our businesses to recognise talented staff, enter them into industry awards, offer further training and encourage them to move towards their dream jobs,” she mentioned.

“Some have remained in the print industry whilst for others, the experience in the industry has helped them in their own graphic businesses. It has always been my top priority for our business to offer an enjoyable, creative, supportive, challenging and clean workplace for our employees.”

Cosgrave, together with her husband Hoekstra have big plans in expanding and growing the Print 2 Metal business.

“Since recently purchasing the Epson SureColor F7200 large format printer and SEFA heat press, we have been able to offer metal prints on the maximum ChromaLuxe sheets of metal at 2400mm by 1200mm and cut custom shapes,” she said.

“We are now set up as a leader when it comes to offering sublimation metal prints. We can now offer clients bigger prints and these machines have further expanded our capacity, resulting in Print 2 Metal being one of just a few companies offering this in Australia.

“Our next focus is on continual quality improvements. We are also looking forward to the launch of our new website and branding in March, with the latest in technology to assist with our marketing and to further grow the business.”

Print 2 Metal co-owner Marie Cosgrave

PRINT LEADERS FORUM 2023

If I was to categorise the year of 2022, I would say it was strong and better than many people had expected. This was a relief from the uncertainty that surrounded 2020 and 2021, which also proved to be very tough years for our industry. Generally, the industry was able to bounce back in 2022 from the challenges that it faced during the prior years and industry spend started flowing again. It was all about customers for the industry in 2022.

Companies looked at ways in which they could assist customers – whether it be by doing more of the traditional type of work that the industry is used to, or in new forms as during this time, many businesses reinvented themselves. I saw more of an entrepreneurial streak in people within the industry as they were trying new ways of doing business.

2022 was also around businesses being more nimble and agile. People adapted well and did what they had to do to keep their businesses going. For example, people got involved in new technology over that period because they saw it as an opportunity to build on their core offerings by including other products.

For Ball & Doggett, 2022 was about furthering our acquisition strategy. We acquired the Conect Enterprises business that supplies into the sign and display market. That has been a very successful acquisition and integration. And we’re just going from strength to strength.

As a key distributor for HP and Roland, we’ve also built on our ability to supply our

Doubling down on initiatives

traditional printer base with new hardware technology. Hardware is a key part of our offering into the sign and display market and into our traditional commercial print market where customers are looking for new ways to service their customers.

We’ve got a great range of consumables products in that space as the master distributor in Australia for Metamark. The business is certainly carving out a niche for itself in this market as the self-adhesive vinyl from the business is carbon neutral – this is a first in the industry from what I know.

Moving further into 2023, businesses need to stick to the fundamentals of servicing customers who rely on the printed communications industry. No matter where you are within the supply chain, we are still extremely relevant. So, we need to see ourselves as critical to the education of customers and have a clear purpose in mind on how to solve their challenges for them.

There’s no doubt that this year will present its own set of challenges – including high inflation and high interest rates. We’ve just got to hold firm, stick to what we know, and keep doing the best we can – that’s fundamental. And depending on your priorities for 2023, take the right steps for your business.

From a Ball & Doggett perspective, we’re very much focused on continuing our M&A strategy and continuing to be a broad supplier of printing equipment and printable material. We’re constantly pushing forward with technology and will be bringing to market more cutting-edge products. This is Ball & Doggett’s first year selling printing equipment and software technology.

So, for us, it’s about letting our customers know that we’ve got some very clever pieces of technology to supply into the sign and display market.

As has been the direction over the past few years, packaging is going to continue to be an enormous area of growth in our industry. The requirements around sustainability and recyclability are here to stay and Ball & Doggett is helping customers make sustainable decisions through its ecoporium initiative. Many organisations are now looking for partners like Ball & Doggett to bring to them solutions around the sustainability of products.

We’re doubling down on our fibrebased division and flexible packaging division. We recently announced our partnership with Sappi for our fibrebased barrier papers and this has been a significant move for people especially in the confectionery market that have traditionally relied on soft plastics. The reason behind all our activities is our focus on the customer – they are at the centre of what we do. We want to ensure we make business as easy as possible for them. Internally, we have a large project kicking off soon, which will see further technology embedded into our business for the next two years.

Ball & Doggett will also show continued support for the industry through charitable events, sponsorship and industry education. You’ll continue to see us at industry events, and it would be great to see some grassroots representation at these initiatives as well.

Tony Bertrand National Marketing Manager, Ball & Doggett

Australia’s largest distributor of printable materials, printing equipment and press consumables.

2023 & Beyond –The Innovative Industry Leaders

Product Trends – new information, ideas, and enhanced customer experience solutions like i_CONSIGNMENT

Sustainable Solutions – market leading products supported with ecoporium educational podcasts

Technology & Innovation – offering new cutting-edge products and services delivering operational efficiencies and savings

Labels & Packaging Specialists – offering diversity in labels, cartonboard or flexible packaging

Industry Support – through our ongoing sponsorships, charity events & education

ballanddoggett.com.au

1300 024 749

As 2023 gathers momentum, we are greeted with an equal measure of opportunities and challenges. The spoils will ultimately go to the brave and strong, and to those that have managed to navigate industry wide headwinds.

It is widely categorised as the postCOVID era. Most have managed through survival mode, some even thriving.

However, we have now entered a new operating environment that includes general inflation, spiralling business input costs, labour shortages and the consequences of supply chain disruptions. So, what comes next?

To remain relevant, we have all had to focus on reinventing ourselves, with ideas big and small.

We’ve seen a continued push into the growth segments such as labels and packaging, production workflow automation, customised short run production expansion, textiles and more.

Market consolidation through acquisitions is also gathering pace in these segments. Unquestionably, growth is there for the taking, even though we are all running into headwinds.

The shifts in human behaviour, and brand communication in general have caused an industry paradigm shift. As history has

Opportunities and challenges in a new era

shown, challenging macroeconomic cycles come and go. The challenges that we’re facing will normalise, and on balance I predict that towards year’s end, we’ll have seen off the worst.

Reading the trends and taking the relevant steps to diversify our businesses will ultimately pay off. The strong inevitably become stronger.

At Currie Group, we’ve continued to accelerate from a position of strength into the labels and packaging sector; our vendors in HP and others have exciting products that will once again cause a step change forward.

Our expanded portfolio in 3D print will allow us to capture the onshoring of highly customised short-run manufacturing parts. For many years, technologies were oriented towards prototyping rather than functional final parts; however, technology has now caught up with the hype.

We are excited about the multi-year opportunity. Equally we see continued momentum as we push into sign and display with our partner EFI. We’re now looking into the textiles market purposefully, along with other adjacent markets. We see plenty to be excited about in the future. Overall, we continue to believe in digital and printed communication in all its forms – whether indoor, outdoor, or labels and packaging.

As we transition from the post-COVID era, the best piece of advice I have is to accelerate change. If we stand still now, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Along with growth opportunities, the astute are closely monitoring operating costs, with a laser focus on process optimisation and getting the most out of every dollar spent. That should be par for the course of any good business. The idea is to become more efficient whilst not affecting your customer experience.

As inflationary pressures cause stress and strain on personnel, marketing, and company budgets, the million-dollar question is, what will happen to the volume of communication in 2023 and beyond? Many are predicting a softening, as a result, discussions have revolved around cost controls and prudent levels of investment.

Moving forward, the industry can continue to expect Currie Group to serve the print and manufacturing industry with best-inclass solutions and service, enabling our customers to realise their full potential. We’ve built an incredible fabric of trust in the industry and the foundational pillar for the business is offering unparalleled service levels. This year will see continued investment in transforming our service offering, as we acknowledge a diversity of needs in various market segments.

The power of print is alive and well.

Rob Mesaros Chief Executive Officer, Currie Group

2022 was a massive year of healing and reconnecting with customers, business partners and clients. The year started off a little slow but accelerated tremendously. That allowed the industry to heal from all the negativity that surrounded it for two years following the pandemic.

This was the first time following COVID that the industry looked to renew, refresh and grow. General outlooks were positive, and this gave the industry some hope for better times ahead.

In 2022, since sentiments were better, businesses looked to add automation to their operations, but also re-evaluated their online presence to include B2B and B2C portals to try and ensure that they’re casting their nets wide. Several customers also started developing their sustainability strategies for efficiencies and cost savings where possible.

From a supplier perspective, we had customers asking us questions about our machines that we’ve never generally been asked before, including questions around power consumption. Durst makes machines that are as efficient as possible but these questions used to be an afterthought for customers previously. Now, they’re certainly at the forefront of people’s minds. Historically, printers have not always been totally across their real costs of production, so it’s reassuring to see that they’re now more aware and heading in the right direction.

The industry can also get obsessed with base costs such as ink and consumables. In reality, this can be a misleading metric as with each device using different

A more promising year in 2023

technologies to print the same job, the real ink consumption is the true metric –not just the cost per litre.

For this reason, in February, we began to include the Durst Ink saving option with all Durst Workflow RIP solutions free of charge. This gives Durst Workflow users complete control over the ink usage, and hence, cost of goods produced.

In 2023, we can expect a more promising year. There will be some challenges to navigate, as always, but there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of.

On one hand, we will continue to experience high interest rates, high fuel costs and high energy costs. They will persist well and truly into the next few years. Luckily, the pressures around supply chains seem to be easing.

The industry will also continue to face challenges in hiring as quality tradespeople are hard to come by. The labour market still poses challenges in all aspects of manufacturing but hopefully now that local and international borders are open, we will have the opportunity to sponsor people from overseas if needed.

Durst is also working with universities here in Australia to bring in more young, smart and keen people who want to work in a great industry – we’re always looking towards the next generation.

On the other hand, packaging is evolving tremendously and crossing over into the printing world – we’ve got the likes of wide format printers diversifying into labels and large format printers doing short-run packaging. Packaging is going to be a huge focus over the next five years,

with trends looking towards sustainable packaging that are paper-based as well as the use of water-based inks.

Durst is preparing its strategy for the upcoming drupa event in two years, where people can expect many new and improved solutions launched into the market. We will be presenting and showcasing our innovations at a few other tradeshows such as Fespa, Labelexpo and Printing United later this year, but drupa will be Durst’s biggest tradeshow ever.

Durst will also be hosting its Fespa Global 2023 Print Tour in Brixen, Italy, in May. We will be showcasing some of our latest technologies at our Customer Experience Centre, including the P5 500i D4, P5 350 HS, P5 350 HS D4 with Automat, P5 TEX iSUB, TAU series and Alpha Wallpaper Edition. So, come visit us at our home.

The company is also focusing on growing its existing platform to be more versatile and include more functionality for our customers. Our customers are always a priority for us, and we will strive to keep doing the best that we can for them.

For example, we recently developed more software and more automation for the P5 series, along with increasing the speed of the machine. So, we’re always looking to improve, expand and bring new things to market – whether that be with our existing portfolio or with new options and equipment.

Durst also loves to work with the industry, so you’ll continue to see our support with the events that we sponsor and our work with the local trade organisations. Bringing together the industry for the greater good is what we hope to achieve.

Matt Ashman Managing Director, Durst Oceania

PRODUCTION EXCELLENCE

P5 350/HS

The hybrid printer that elevates the efficiency in your production cycle.

For more information, please visit durst-group.com/p5350

2022 was a more promising year compared to what the industry experienced during the pandemic. The year ended very strongly, with high levels of activity seen across the various print and visual communications categories in 2022 and moving into 2023.

Promotional graphics and rebranding were high on the agenda for many as events started taking place again and companies expanded their offerings. Many of our customers reported record sales for the second half of the year.

In addition, the supply chain issues that we faced earlier in the year, along with COVID restrictions and natural disasters from the years before seemed like they finally were in the distant past. This resulted in business, in general, being very optimistic.

We noticed many businesses in the industry starting to take more of a very pragmatic view and embark on business journeys to ensure that they had a product or service offering which was innovative and relevant to the changing markets and applications.

It’s no surprise that the pandemic disrupted many industries and during that time, businesses had to reflect and quickly act on strategies that would make their companies more relevant and be seen as a forerunner in the industry.

At ORAFOL Australia and ORAFOL globally, we enjoyed a record year for our FY2022 results. In Australia, we filled new roles and employed several staff with an additional 10 open positions for 2023. In addition, the company showed support for the industry by sponsoring many events and associations, a major one being the Fespa Future Leaders Program.

A continuous upward momentum

We have aggressive strategic plans for 2023, which includes continuing to grow our business across all three divisions and increasing our marketing to further enhance and grow our brand profile.

Another focus point for us this year is to work with the industry to assist in developing the level of skills across the industry by offering a broader schedule of training and coaching programs at our ORAFOL Creative HUB training centre.

Skilled labour in our industry is hard to come by these days and we need to ensure that as vendors and manufacturers, we contribute to upskilling, apprenticeships and training wherever possible to boost our industry.

As for the rest of 2023, we can expect the upward momentum that we saw at the end of 2022 to continue. It will be a very strong year for businesses across many markets, and our industry will see further consolidation.

The supply chain issues and the increasing cost of raw materials which we experienced in 2022 will continue to be present though, and this will influence many distributors of consumables and equipment who will have to pass on the increased costs to their customer base.

As such, the industry needs to be proactive and positive in its outlook. The economy is what it is, and businesses need to continue to maintain a high level of positivity, focus on what they can directly influence and increase activity to improve the situation.

To plan ahead, businesses should constantly review all costs in their company, have a detailed, five-year business plan, as well as focus on the

culture within the company and the retention of staff.

Internally, hiring and retaining experienced and professional employees has never been more important than before and establishing a great company culture will help set your business apart from the rest.

With regards to supply chain pressures, ensure that you have enough inventory and plan ahead for your growth. At the same time, continue to maintain a high standard of business ethics.

Externally, look into areas of profitable growth and to grow into adjacent markets. Digital print, vehicle wrapping and rebranding projects are just some examples of areas that provide opportunities.

Providing a compelling and relevant service or product offering will also give you an advantage as this is what customers are seeking. We can expect to see new printing equipment with a focus on productivity. Green initiatives across all materials will be high on the list of potential offerings as well, as major brands and specifiers demand more environmentally acceptable products.

Realise what these trends mean and how they will work for your business before implementing them. At the end of the day, each business is unique and as business leaders, you must take the right steps that work for you and your organisation.

We look forward to a positive end to 2023 and wish the industry the best for the rest of the year.

Alex McClelland Managing Director, ORAFOL Australia

2021 and 2022 were disastrous for our industry. Many businesses were negatively impacted, and we saw many small businesses fold or get acquired. The issues that we dealt with in 2022 were unprecedented, with supply chain shortages massively affecting our industry. The war in Europe and gas prices have resulted in a significant impact on the cost of sea freight and escalated prices on paper.

On the other hand, COVID has made people risk-adverse in both the commercial and non-commercial markets, meaning that the economy has not been moving as fast as it would have in a normal world.

All those things meant that suppliers were not making a lot of money last year. Manufacturers and printers were also faced with other challenges such as workforce shortages, and therefore elongating the pressures felt through the industry.

2022 was all about cash flow management for the industry. The hygiene around cash flow was essential last year, and it’s the same this year. That was a major strategy most businesses should have adopted last year. When running a business, you want to make sure that you don’t run out of money, you want to make sure you don’t borrow too much, make sure your customers are paying early, and ensure you have low inventory to convert your cash into liquidity.

Customer loyalty was also brought to the forefront in 2022. You must spoil your customers through different types of value adds. How do you give customers more, you may ask. Well, you’ve got to give them more with less expenses. That could be

Navigating a state of transition

through your own commitments to services such as having dedicated staff in your customer service centres, having the ability to send orders out on time, or having your technicians install machines on time. This needs to translate into 2023 as well.

The printing industry is in a state of transition now. Some areas of commercial print and advertising is in decline, but at the same time, packaging and label printing is booming. We need to realise this and make sure that we have what is needed to quickly pivot and change.

Looking at packaging technologies, I foresee growth in different types of equipment, the speed of manufacturing, the way cartons and labels are made and in the growth of 3D and 4D printing. These are things that our trade shows are going to be demonstrating.

Another thing that we need to be aware of is environmental sustainability. There’s a lot of relevant noise from all sectors –government to communities and societies – about the need to be environmentally conscious. But are we doing enough?

Zero landfill is a very important thing which not many manufacturers or distributors get. You must try to recycle your returned equipment and what’s in your warehouse. So, you need higher skills and there needs to be a lot of training for technicians and engineers to be able to do these things.

Another important aspect to focus on this year is measuring productivity. You must make sure that you’re measuring your productivity in a way that it is meaningful

for employees. And to be relevant, you also need to retain your staff. In this very dry and challenging labour market, you have got to keep your key people.

At Smartech, we made sure that we retained our staff and had a success rate of about 94 per cent last year. We went to the extent of being the first company to pay our employees a $100 fuel allowance per month just to let them know that we are with them in this very high-cost economy. When you do such things, you create an environment where the employees feel a sense of belonging.

Smartech has been in a phase of transition ourselves. We’ve pivoted into bulk document scanning, physical to digital and we’re in the e-Commerce space. These are the areas we want to be in together with our sign and display, print finishing and print mail divisions.

Smartech is looking to expand its business through acquisition. We’ve seen the success using this route with our acquisition of Quadient Oceania in 2020, which resulted in us increasing our footprint across Asia-Pacific. We’re in conversations now for two acquisitions and look forward to making these announcements when they’re complete.

We expect to see similar movements in the industry – there will be a continued pattern of larger companies moving very aggressively to capitalise on any opportunities in printing and beyond. Bigger companies are going to be looking at those smaller companies, which is why they need to be very diligent in terms of how they’re managing their cash flow frameworks.

Vincent Nair President and CEO, Smartech Business Systems

Large Format and Print Finishing Equipment Designed

for Today’s Market HP LATEX 2700

SMARTECH first sold device in Australia!

HP’s roll-to-roll wide format printers are designed to tackle high-volumes of large format signage and decorative applications, ensuring high-quality printing at a pace that is difficult to match. Print Speed: 89sqm, +30% colour gamut.

Provide the ultimate finishing touch with the NeoCut digital die cutter!

With automatic positioning, cutting and feeding, the NEOCUT-0806 Digital Die Cutter offers the highest quality finish, with minimum labour intensity required.

We entered 2022, cautiously optimistic, after two very challenging years that were peppered with draconian lockdown rules and laws. We asked ourselves if 2022 could be affected? Could we hope for the freedom to return to face-to-face client interactions, or would we yet again be restricted?

Thankfully, 2022 bounced back in a way that few would have expected, and it wasn’t long before supply and capacity issues became the new state of play. If we are anything as an industry, we are resilient and most of the people I interacted with were just happy to be busy again and making forward progress.

Adversity can be a uniting driver and our experience was certainly that post-COVID. Prior relationships with some competitors have historically been quite strained but I think COVID created a need to rely on each other.

Supply-side issues related to substrates and inks, capacity challenges due to stronger revenue rebounds and techrelated challenges on the back of a season where machines had not been accessible by overseas technicians were felt across our industry. So, the need to work together to help each other out when a job needed to get out the door brought competitors together and broke down some of the perceived barriers of working together.

In early February, IVE’s retail display division, together with AFI Branding and Active Display Group, combined to form part of a new market offering – Brand

Focusing on the fundamentals

Activations – which will bring unrivalled on-shore production and cost efficiencies to the Australian market. 2023 will be an opportunity to harness and consolidate the potential that this creates for our team and our clients.

AFI Branding was excited to become part of the IVE Group last year and quickly realised the synergies of being able to offer our clients a larger range of products and services.

We spent our Christmas period relocating to a huge brand-new IVE supersite where we are now co-located with IVE’s Retail Display division and can create and build more innovative solutions for our growing list of clients.

Ultimately, it’s our clients that enable us to do all we do, and so throughout 2022, it became increasingly important for us to understand our clients’ needs and help them engage with their audience.

For some of our clients involved in the exhibition and events sector, for example, they had essentially been in ‘hibernation mode’ for two years because of the restrictions around COVID, so we needed to closely work with them to meet their needs as they attempted to resource and rebuild.

A lot of momentum is gaining specifically around tradeshows – so I expect to see a continued trend to increase the use of SEG printed fabric and aluminium extrusions due to the long-term cost savings and their environmental credentials. Our clients are pushing us to be increasingly creative with the type of structures and solutions we

design and create, which is something that gets our team very excited to deliver.

Our clients are also increasingly looking to create memorable moments with their clients, and we are seeing them look to physical activations in or out of store to do so. This trend will continue to grow in 2023 as brands look to cut through the noise and build more meaningful touch points with their audience.

In 2023, I also expect supply constraints to continue to affect many businesses and as such, it will continue to be important to ensure healthy relationships with suppliers and larger than normal stock levels are on hand.

Manufacturing efficiencies via improved technology and automation are also a must to ensure momentum continues to support local manufacture versus offshore. Otherwise, we will find clients leaking back to offshore supply chains once normality returns to the freight industry. Investing in people and culture will also be hugely important to ensure businesses can retain and attract the best team members.

In conclusion, like any and every year, 2023 will be full of its fair share of challenges and curve balls and the businesses that focus on both their fundamentals and exceeding their clients’ expectations will be the companies that grow this year and every year.

Businesses can find themselves caught up in the calamity of today’s problems and the issues that are screaming the loudest. Focus on the fundamentals, and you won’t lose.

Glenn Watson

Strategic Director – Soft Signage, Brand Activations (part of the IVE Group)

Pushing the industry into new frontiers

Like the past two years, 2022 presented its own set of challenges even as the industry continued to navigate an economy still reeling from COVID and its effects on local business conditions. The year saw significant interruptions impacting supply chain issues globally.

The second half of 2022 saw some green shoots starting to emerge as many businesses realised it was time to simply push through. With restrictions lifted on hospitality and tourism, some of those industries who have been traditional volume purchasers of print, cautiously returned.

Whether it is COVID or the emergence of some other external force, businesses must continually monitor their external and internal environments to maintain relevancy in their markets and for their employees.

Much was written about the Great Resignation of 2022. Whilst I believe employment was quite stable within our industry, the pressure for employers to ensure employee wellbeing and security is as important now as it has ever been. More flexibility where it can be offered, and a greater understanding of employee needs when it comes to caring for their family or themselves, is key.

The average age of people in print is creeping upwards and this is a dangerous position for this industry. A greater focus on promoting the industry to younger people is vital. The recent win by PVCA to have printing apprenticeships reinstated is very welcome news for an industry under pressure.

We need youth to embrace all the print industry has to offer and to continue to push the industry into areas presently unknown.

The industry has shown its resilience over the last three years, and its ability to be nimble and adaptive. These very qualities are needed to push the industry into new frontiers.

I expect, like every year before us, that there will be a ‘black swan’ event – one that none of us can predict! One of the greatest challenges of navigating business and life is that we never know what is around the corner.

Should the Reserve Bank continue to raise rates as forecast, then the economy has no way forward other than to contract. We know historically, when rate pain starts to bite, consumption of everything is curtailed and all industries are impacted, either directly or indirectly.

The last few years have been surreal, to say the least. We had unprecedented and life-saving government monetary assistance, which was a cash blessing for many organisations. This was followed by unparalleled consumption due to the inordinate – and in some cases unjustifiable – influx of money. It was inevitable; a correction had to occur in the form of a financial hang-over!

Managing in an inflationary environment requires different strategies to those we have engaged over the past decade or so. Businesses need to understand their exposure to inflation and what areas within their business are most at risk.

With interest rates predicted to rise another four times this year, the cost of capital will increase substantially. Highly leveraged businesses will need to ensure costs are controlled and will place a greater emphasis on financial security.

Businesses only survive when they have the cash to operate. So, keeping an eye on your bottom line and ensuring you are maintaining good cashflow is imperative. Having a clear intention as to how you wish to operate your business and the values you bring to the table is also important.

Ask yourselves, “Why are you in business?” and “What do you wish to achieve?” on a regular basis.

With change happening at alarming rates, businesses must also partner with their clients to understand their changing needs. It is difficult to stay abreast of what is happening in the industries around us, so partnering is critical. I believe the areas of growth will come from fringe services that we are only starting to identify. Opportunities may be fleeting, so being attentive to the changes happening around us is also crucial.

In 2023, the Bright Print Group will be getting back to basics. We’ve always had an ethos – when in doubt, re-examine areas of our organisation over which we have control. Employee wellbeing and development; cost control; supply chain efficiencies; and customer service; are some of the areas that we will examine closely.

Bright Print Group has also remained a member of the PVCA for some decades, in addition to being one of the early members of the Real Media Collective. Our support of both bodies is testament to our commitment to the industry. As the NSW patron for Women in Print, I also look forward to promoting women within the industry at every opportunity.

Debbie Burgess

Joint Managing Director, Bright Print Group

2022 was a relatively positive year for a lot of people in the industry following the limitations that 2020 and 2021 set upon us. There has certainly been more consolidation that happened over the year too – which is a good thing for the industry.

Many companies evolved their business structures over the COVID period and 2022 was the year where they diversified further.

With the limited movements during COVID, a lot of businesses sat back and reassessed their operations, learning quickly that they should cut out what doesn’t work and put more emphasis on other parts of the business that did. 2022 was a continuation of that. The ones that didn’t evolve were the ones that had trouble.

A lot of printers recognised the need to automate as well as upgrading their older equipment with machines that are faster, require less handling and deliver on quality.

Staffing has been an issue in several industries and ours is no exception. It has been this way for the past two to three years. It’s very difficult to get the right people, and this seems to be a general trend not only around our industry but other industries too. That’s why getting the right automated tools for the trade is necessary, as it helps to alleviate some of these challenges.

Supply problems continue to remain an issue, although it’s starting to ease a little.

Growth in different aspects of the industry

It has been difficult to plan projects when 90 per cent of your substrates come from overseas.

Once upon a time, turnaround times from China or Korea used to be about six weeks, and this stretched out to about 16 weeks at its worst. But it seems to be a lot better now.

Cactus Imaging supported many businesses and the industry where it could in 2022. We sponsored several events including Woman in Print and the FESPA Future Leaders program, just to name a few, and supported several other social events. We are members of FESPA, PVCA and ASGA and support many other aspects of the industry. We’ve also helped other companies that have fallen on tough times.

In 2022, Cactus Imaging also had a huge increase in volume. So, the focus for us was to keep up with it. We’ve increased our business quite markedly over the last two or three years. A lot of that was through diversification and investing in new equipment.

The automation has brought about a huge difference for our business. You run as quick as your slowest point. You can buy all the printers in the world, but if you can’t finish your work, that’s the pace that you got to go at. So, that was the reason why we invested a lot of money on automation – to keep up with print capacity.

This is something that our industry needs to get involved with more in 2023 as

machines are only going to keep getting faster and, deliver on better quality. In terms of innovation, we can also expect to see greater advancements in software.

Cactus Imaging will have a new Durst printer installed at our premises in May. This P5 350 HS D4 machine is one of the first in the world of its kind, so we’re looking forward to the possibilities it presents us.

There are plenty of opportunities for expansion and growth in different aspects of the industry. Cactus Imaging will be focusing more on the flatbed space –the printer that we’ve bought is a hybrid machine so this will be one of our key areas of play. It also has roll-to-roll capabilities, which gives us the versatility to cater to the market’s ever-changing and evolving needs.

Another area of focus in sustainability. I hope it’s not just a buzzword and that its reach continues to escalate.

There are several companies and manufacturers getting more involved in the PVC-free self-adhesive space, offering different substrates. This will continue to grow. The demand is there from clients too and the industry needs to be leading the way for their adoption.

An area the industry is seeing growth in is packaging and labels. Many research firms have predicted the growth momentum that packaging and labels is on, and this trajectory doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

Keith Ferrel General Manager – Operations, Cactus Imaging

Nurturing relationships ensures a strong culture

What a strange year 2022 was –strong words on the back of the years we’ve had of late, I know. Floods, COVID isolations, colds and flus spreading teams thin, supply shortages, inflationary pressures – and the word that seems to be resting on everyone’s lips: recession – were just some of the challenges we faced.

Business has always been a rough game, but Currie Group CEO Rob Mesaros hit the nail on the head last year when he said there was a need to be ‘agile, creative, and brave’ to stay relevant.

Especially now as we look forward to leaving the COVID world behind, the need for organisations to remain nimble when tackling the problems of today, while having the courage to push on through the sometimes-stormy conditions is paramount.

Another element that has become vastly noticeable through recent years, is the need for businesses to work together; to look after the industry as a team. As service providers and product manufacturers, many of us have our niche within which we excel. And with that niche, we make just one portion of this industry.

Clark & Mackay has embraced this notion wholeheartedly by solidifying relationships – both with creditors and debtors – to continue to provide services where and when necessary.

The last year, which has been a continuation from the years prior, has been an interesting one for the Clark & Mackay family.

The pressures of the COVID years were a catalyst that has seen several conclusions: the knuckling down on what we do best in print production and the addition of expanded services in the arena of self and independent publishing. We’re looking at both pathways as the pillars of our service focus in the years ahead.

Much the same as my comments from last year, both internally and externally, business operators should be focusing on relationships and operational efficiencies. Connection within teams, can help smoothen the bumps ahead and foster creative problem solving; conversations with suppliers can uncover better or cheaper products – all of which will lead to operational improvements – a must when people everywhere are tightening their belts.

Taking this forward into the new year, relationships with suppliers, customers and internally within our own teams is important; foremost even. Nurturing relationships ensures a strong culture –this has been the backbone of survival through these past years.

Looking ahead at 2023, I think we will continue to ride some turbulence. As the Romans allegedly said, ‘We’re not out of the woods, yet’. While the bumps ahead might not be the same that we’ve experienced to date, the need to stay creative and nimble in our approach, and bold in our implementation will be required to see us through the year ahead.

I’ve also enjoyed watching the return of trade shows, expos, and a whole host of in-

person events locally and globally, and with it, we can see the production of marketing collateral and standing displays on the rise.

Particularly of note, is the way in which printed materials are being used in conjunction with digital marketing to provide value add, a touch of something ‘new’, and to make use of the consumer’s screen-fatigue.

Growth for the industry in 2023 will be for those savvy marketing and design teams who are able to provide solutions to their clients that combine the worlds of print and digital media.

For Clark & Mackay, we continue to see growth in boutique print productions, with clients wanting high-value printed products to add to their own businesses as value adds and differentiation.

Coming back to the crux of the message, the running theme through this thought leadership piece has been around relationships – internal and external to the organisation – as the vehicle for operators to stay creative, nimble, and operationally efficient.

As a closing statement, operating an organisation through COVID has taught us that plans seldom go to plan, but having strong connections within the team and with suppliers can provide perspectives, and perhaps the answers needed to stay relevant, and indeed operational. This, for me, is how companies can plan ahead not just for 2023, but for the future of their businesses.

Jason Smith Managing Director, Clark & Mackay

At Grand Print Services, we have had a very busy 2022. The purchase of a new machine – a swissQprint Nyala 4 that we bought from Pozitive – grew our business significantly and has allowed us to take on much more substantial jobs.

Grand Print Services’ investment in this piece of print equipment pushed us forward in terms of quality and print capacity. This has allowed us to bring on many print jobs we would have not been able to handle previously.

The reality was that we had outgrown our old flatbed printer and to keep relevant and to continue to support our clients’ growth, we needed to continue to invest in the latest technology and grow with our clients. We also brought on more staff to help produce and manage the extra volumes we have been producing.

The general feel in the industry was similar for most, in that most people were busy coming off the back of a quieter 2021 and customers were keen to spend again after the previous COVID-hit years where they experienced many challenges.

Many companies also spent more money on equipment within our industry, helping our suppliers. I believe that if we provide better service and quality to our customers, it helps to keep our industry in good stead with customers and continues to help the overall industry to grow.

Keeping our industry in good stead

It will be interesting to see what innovations the suppliers introduce this year, considering the many tradeshows that have been scheduled. The print quality of most reputable machines is already high, so I expect to see further refinement of print head technology to optimise more speed.

Personalisation and customisation is an area that continues to grow. Whether that be personalised for an end user or a business wanting individually printed pieces, digital technology has allowed this sector to grow and I expect its growth to continue.

Suppliers will also continue to release faster and more automated machines. Automation continues to be a pivotal factor in any business to be successful and suppliers will continue to come up with innovations in that space.

2023 is already shaping up to be an interesting year. A lot of clients believe it will be a busy year. Unfortunately, there is still the lingering recession talk which may prevent certain customers from spending.

It appears that this year will have its fresh challenges, like most years. To keep ahead, the industry needs to stay active and continue to offer services – even if there is a downturn of work.

The key here is that companies need to make business and investment decisions for not only the short-term, but longerterm as well. Yes, there are shorter-term

strategies, but businesses need to have a vision of where they want to push themselves to. We have made the mistake in the past of being on the conservative side when investing and we realised it cost us more money and work in the long run. Being a smaller business, we didn’t want to spend huge amounts straight away, but if we had spent a bit more at the start, we wouldn’t have had to change machines out so quickly once we outgrew them.

This year will be an exciting one for Grand Print Services. Our new print facility is currently being built and when it’s complete, it will not only have substantially more room than what we have now but will also allow us to be more efficient across the entire business – from stock management, to more efficient work spaces, to having a better working environment for our staff.

Our capacity will continue to rise as we continue to grow our team. Our clients are growing, and we will continue to support them with their growth.

Businesses should be keeping their clients’ best interests as their focus point. Too many businesses get caught up in the mentality of ‘this is how we do things’ and lose focus on what the client needs.

It is still very important to ensure your business is running sustainably and being profitable, but sometimes a small pain or reduced margin can lead to far more beneficial longer-term prospects than a one-off job.

James Sultana Managing Director, Grand Print Services

An upward momentum for print

2022 was a very successful year for the printing industry. Reflecting on my thought leadership pieces in 2021 and 2022, I can say that the industry is on an upward momentum. The designers, printers and overall printrelated companies that I have spoken with have all mentioned to me that they have had a fruitful and prosperous 2022. What a positive reaffirmation it has been for us.

Although it has been a year of cautious investments due to challenges that are beyond our control, most importantly, businesses managed to find their groove and focused on improved management philosophies –adopting a real ‘steady as she goes’ attitude.

In improving management, most businesses better considered clients and their specific needs. For example, Imagination Graphics provided better service by taking on more products to sell to our clients and to cater to their requests.

Imagination Graphics was also innovative by expanding its clientele base and updating its communication channels – such as its website interface – to make it more intuitive and easier for customers to use.

The need to convince businesses and individuals of the importance of print has become more important than before and as custodians of the industry, we must band together to increase the visibility and appreciation of print.

The more clients we have, the merrier it will be for the industry. New clients obviously

bring in new work, but with it could come a different kind of work. Some new clients’ demands may prove to be a challenge, but if you’re up to the task, it can be rewarding. New clients may also want services that you have not catered for previously.

In addition to increasing clientele and quality of service, businesses ought to focus their efforts on maximising the company’s time in an internal sense. They should consider the areas where they could save time, improve in efficiency –even if certain areas could be automated.

As I started to pen down my thoughts for this piece towards the end of last year, I noted ‘consolidation of print’ as one of the key trends. How true that has turned out to be. Within weeks of each other, we saw Manark Printing acquired by Precision Group and Print Storm acquiring GK Craig Printing.

I foresee this to continue. We may lose a few printers, but those with a good reputation will continue to operate and provide their services under a bigger brand name.

The second quarter of the year will be a time for consistency, with the third and fourth quarters seeing a strong pick-up in activity – a similar trajectory to what we noticed in 2022.

However, businesses must be cautious and keep a close watch on their debts as interest rates have been on the hike and are likely to rise again. With these increases and the rise in wages, couriers and consumables skyrocketing, everyone

must keep their finger on the pulse. Every owner or director must also be in tune with their own businesses and staff.

It’s no secret that our industry is going through a shortage in skills and companies must do what it takes to retain their staff. Regular check-ins with staff and providing them with the opportunity to upskill themselves are just some of the ways that companies can show their staff that they care.

This year, Imagination Graphics will be installing new software to help with production and online quotation. This will save us some time by allowing staff to concentrate on turnaround times on actual jobs.

There are several tradeshows happening later this year, which I am looking forward to. Personally, I believe tradeshows are a must as they not only allow us to converse with likeminded individuals about the future of the industry, but also inspect new machinery and innovations at our own leisure. If some businesses do not have the resources to invest, window shopping at tradeshows can offer ideas on how to improve business.

I understand that planning ahead can be very difficult, but if one stays stagnate and too wary, customers and opportunities may pass you by. Make sure you’re up to date with new technology and the most important thing is to understand your customers and their needs. I am constantly talking to people in our industry to see if we can do things better and faster and I urge you to do the same.

Emmanuel Buhagiar Owner, Imagination Graphics

For those who like to plan in advance, 2022 was a real headache. If felt like the more we planned, the more things changed. Impact International was fortunate to be well supported in 2022 and managed to keep our head above water. But not all businesses experienced the same fate.

We continued to see the size of our industry further shrink in 2022, a trend that has been in place for years now. The silver lining is that whilst we are a smaller industry, we remained as an important and critical industry in 2022.

Last year, Impact International maintained focus on our sustainability credentials and our quality standards. We also kept supporting local community organisations and tried to maintain regular contact with our customers and suppliers.

In September, we had more than 8,500 trees delivered to the Impact Forest and enjoyed a wonderful tree planting day with our forest partners and distinguished guests. We also trialed new materials and technologies, and offered a new range of tubes manufactured using Australian made recycled materials.

In 2022, the business continued to purchase as many raw materials locally as it could. We also paid our suppliers on time and engaged constructively with them regarding supply chain challenges. Impact International also continued our sponsorship of the Penrith Museum of Printing, an entity that does a great job showcasing the history of letterpress printing in Australia.

Focusing on the attractiveness of our industry

This year, our industry continues to face many challenges – from raw material shortages, a changing industrial relations environment, increasing energy costs and staffing/skills shortages. To get through these, we need to focus on the attractiveness of the industry.

We have had three years of uncertainty, headaches and stress. Sadly, I do not see the first six to nine months of 2023 being much better. Around the world, we have multiple flash points that are cause for concern. Many economies are on the edge of recession or have lowered their forecast growth rates.

The political situation in many countries is changing as well, which often effects business conditions. I expect 2023 to be a year where the market will be fluid, forecasts will be ever changing and supply chains remain unstable. We need to bolster our stock holdings of critical raw materials, as we anticipate further supply chain issues – at least for the first half of 2023.

Long-term planning in this current environment is extremely difficult. Increased communication with major suppliers and customers can help mitigate supply chain risk. On the energy and raw materials front, planning to use “green energy” and/or the most sustainable raw materials is a must.

Companies need to keep an eye on the changing regulatory framework, not just within Australia, but in other jurisdictions as well. Europe is leading the way in terms of imposing laws that will eventually be rolled out in other parts of the world,

including Australia. This is especially important for those of us who are export focused and/or import a large amount of raw materials from overseas.

In this inflationary market, getting pricing right is increasingly difficult too. Passing on rising prices to your customers is never an easy task. At Impact International, we will be focusing on strategies that maximise our plant utilisation rates and lower our scrap levels.

We also need to recruit and train skilled staff and then retain them within our industry. When you combine the skills shortage in our industry and the general low unemployment rate, keeping your workforce intact is extremely important.

Differentiating yourself from your competitors is increasingly important too, and often leads to growth. With international borders reopening, airlines increasing capacity and the Australian dollar relatively low, we see the supply of products that focus on international tourists visiting Australia as a growth area in 2023.

This year, Impact International will continue to focus on high-quality standards, sustainability initiatives and our position in the market. We will also be working with our suppliers to better understand the carbon footprint of their and our supply chain.

The company also recently reconditioned an additional six-colour offset printing press, so is currently focused on the installation and commission of it.

Aleks Lajovic Managing Director, Impact International

Bringing energy and excitement to the industry

Reflecting on the year that was, the digital print industry and, more particularly, the short-run, quick turnaround print sector gained momentum as the year progressed, with the last few months of the year far exceeding preCOVID results.

This provided the industry with a boost in confidence that helped it finish the financial year in a growth position. For Kwik Kopy, the activity and growth came from a new approach to the brand and business, as it returned to above-the-line brand media advertising and pushed forward with wide format and sustainable print options.

Coming into the business in March 2022, I was overwhelmed by the passion and drive our business owners had for the industry and their dedicated approach to customer service. It was essential to install a clear vision for the future and promote and highlight the exciting ideas our customers bring to us to help them grow their businesses. We saw a need for quick turn-around signage in many forms, and being one of the few providers of same-day pull-up banners and other large format products, this category has been a growth driver in many centres.

As a business, Kwik Kopy has always moved with the needs of our customers, but we found that many people simply didn’t know or understand the breadth and depth of our services. This year, we launched our new ‘We Make Possible’ campaign through TV and Broadcast Video on Demand (BVOD). This was the first time we’ve been able to showcase that we are a business that brings our

customers’ ideas to life, and that ‘We Make Possible’ on almost every request.

Driven by our owners, we have also been highly focused on providing sustainable options for our customers and have been at the forefront of the “Sustainable Green Print” (SGP) movement. We are pushing and working with our suppliers to ensure a sustainable option for every product or alternative format.

We will continue to pursue our goal of driving the industry forward in all things green in print. On top of our focus on sustainability, we have intentionally focused on bringing energy and excitement to the print industry.

We need to make the print industry exciting, modern, and tech-forward to attract and retain young people into the business. We take every opportunity to discuss just how vital print is in the brand experience, especially for the fast-growing online retail industry.

As an industry, we need to continue to evolve and embrace the integration of digital and technology solutions into our business. It is critical to digitally transform front-end and back-end systems and processes to enable the constant evolution of technology.

Technological solutions, process automation and AI, are becoming ever-present throughout production and customer interactive systems. This will change many of our current human practices. It is essential that, as an industry, we move forward with this in mind and lean into this new technology and these impactful changes.

Short-run packaging is a huge growth area, along with large format and apparel – this area will be very lucrative for those who can integrate their technology into the supply of this sector.

In 2023, Kwik Kopy will continue to see solid demand for our products and services with less of an economic effect than predicted. Our industry and the demands on us as suppliers will continue to increase and become more complex. Being committed to consistently exceed customer expectations has worked for Kwik Kopy, and this will only continue to be a remarkable strength.

Most importantly, everything starts and finishes with people. Attracting, retaining, developing and providing opportunities for our ‘Krew’ (Kwik Kopy team) is our number one priority for 2023.

It is crucial to provide an environment where people can do their best work, feel good about themselves and shine. If a business is to stay relevant or lead in its industry, it needs great people with amazing ideas. Allowing people the opportunity to come up with ideas, collaborate, work as a team and feel safe to make mistakes is essential if a business wants to become exceptional.

People don’t leave industries or businesses; they leave their direct supervisors and the company’s leadership, especially if they don’t agree or see the future. With the current difficulties in getting people into the industry, businesses must concentrate on their people initiatives, training their leaders and looking after their people’s health, well-being, and development.

Sonia Shwabsky CEO, Kwik Kopy Australia

2022 was an interesting year. The first half of the year was unpredictable, due to uncertainty as the economy had just started picking up post-COVID.

Lots of customers cautiously started to plan their long-postponed events and campaigns.

However, things turned around in the second half of 2022. Market confidence improved and Next Printing received a big uptake in new projects and events.

We saw a big surge in enquires and lots of businesses wanted to promote their brands again.

They also started seeing the importance of using sustainable materials. Several international brands came to us for sustainable printing options or products to show their clients their commitment to caring for our environment.

Next Printing embraced this as a welcome and unavoidable global trend and focused on the processes with reduced carbon footprint to stay relevant.

We will continue to focus on sustainability in 2023 as there’s a big uptake in it with clients. We’ll work more closely with our clients, who will then pass on the message to brands about the benefit of being sustainable and how this can convey a very strong message for the brand and the consumer.

We will also continue to educate our clients on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of our products which focus on

The importance of planning ‘SMARTly’

sustainability. We will continue to work with our external partners as well, that will help measure those values and give meaningful results to our clients.

We look forward to also adopting a more sustainable production process.

It has been harder than ever to make predictions especially given the turbulent years we’ve had.

Yet, one of the most valuable lessons that we learnt was that while we had little control over what we could do, we ought to be ready to adapt to any unforeseen challenges as well as to the constant changes in market trends.

As the world continues to change and adapt to new ways of doing things, it is important that as an industry, we are agile and able to react quickly when we see new trends and new ideas.

We learnt from the past two years that it can be challenging to plan ahead.

However, it is still important to plan ‘SMARTly’ – being Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

The focus of the print industry is still around innovation, technology and sustainability. The last few years have seen the push to Industry 4.0, but with trends changing I find that this year will bring a multiyear approach to technology where the adoption of Cloud Computing in most software platforms, Augmented Reality, Big Data in analysing consumer behaviour and AI for more speed in machines will be common.

What we do now might not bring immediate results. But as always, our philosophy is to invest with a long-term goal. We would like to continue to strive ahead as an early adopter of innovation and pioneer in the print industry so that we can always be ahead of the game.

We love to ride the wave of innovation and growth to ensure that we are always ahead of the pack.

At Next Printing, we also see that it is important to collaborate and work together. Gone are the days where we can work in isolation and become experts in everything we do. We need to focus on what we are good at and share this knowledge.

We are not afraid of other companies learning from us as this will only mean that the adoption of the process is more widely available to others, which will result in the advancement of our industry as a whole. And this will push us to innovate even more.

Finally, the focus within Next Printing is on people as it is hard to attract good talent. Especially in a very narrow and small printing industry, there seems to be a shortage of talent.

But instead of merely feeling regretful about it, we have started to look outside of the industry to recruit those with the right mindset and drive to learn.

At the same time, we’re also looking internally within the business on how we can upskill our team, and nurture them to their full potential.

Romeo Sanuri Managing Director, Next Printing

A year of restoration

Throughout 2022, we saw an increase in businesses wanting to showcase how they do things differently. Brands were wanting to stand out and we were able to help them do that with our custom packaging solutions. This was an area we delivered on well, as our mission at Pakko is to empower brands to create emotional connections with their customers through custom packaging.

In 2022, we also witnessed the recovery and enthusiasm for local production. There was an Australian Made revival, boosted by a post-COVID economy and businesses re-shoring to support the local industry. The past year has set a great foundation for confidence in business and manufacturing in Australia.

Over the past 12 months, our team at Pakko has been committed to making a meaningful contribution to our community, our team and our customers. Through programs like the CEO Sleepout, we have engaged with our community in Brisbane to raise awareness of homelessness. We’ve worked hard to keep our team curious by offering initiatives in the workplace and we have implemented programs that allow us to engage our customers at every step of the manufacturing process.

It’s important for all businesses to look internally as well as externally – to assess what we are doing and how we can do better while also understanding the many needs and concerns of our customers.

Specifically, we have looked to continually diversify our business plan and implement vertical integration. And, like many other businesses, we believe in adopting new technology to stay relevant.

For the manufacturing sector, 2023 will be a year of restoration and getting back to pre-COVID levels of doing business. I am hopeful that we will see even more businesses re-shoring to support the local industry and that our government will support industry initiatives that help SMBs maintain our focus on Australian Made.

The cardboard packaging manufacturing industry in Australia is a tight knit community – we do best when we work together and work to promote Australian Made. As an industry, we must be able to come together to discuss and manage supply chain management issues before they become untenable – together we can do more to solve problems before they even arise!

This year, our team at Pakko will continue to create a respectful, honest and multi-culturally inclusive workplace, while raising the profile of the Australian cardboard packaging manufacturing industry. We strive to redefine the standards of customer service through technology and delivery as the manufacturing industry is fast-paced, and deadline driven.

We’ve set ourselves several goals for the year and one of our most ambitious customer-focused goals is to increase our in-house productivity to deliver orders to customers within eight to 10 working days (currently, that goal is 10 to 12 working days. We are aiming a two-day reduction in delivery times for all quantities of orders from a package to one million packages! As we do this, we are constantly reminded of the reason we are in business: to serve the needs of our customers.

Customers are the heart and soul of every business operation, and we continually

work to engage, educate and guide each and every customer through our cardboard packaging manufacturing process.

We are committed to developing our business model and practices to meet the needs of our customers. Every customer is different, and no two boxes are ever the same, so we are always thinking outside the box and trying to stay flexible to the changes and trends within the market and the industry. Customer interaction and engagement is also a priority at Pakko. When we developed the Interactive Design Platform in 2022, we wanted to elevate the online user experience for creating custom packing online. We will continue to focus on the development of platforms like the IDP and our instant online quote system in the coming year.

This year and in coming years, we believe that consumers will be interested in knowing the businesses they work with –understanding their ethics, their values and how they function. So, storytelling across multi-media functions will be as important as ever.

This year, we are hoping to see new technology, cutting-edge innovation and sustainable alternatives at the tradeshows. In terms of packaging, the trend to customised packaging will continue with brands keen to stand out and define their brand values through their packaging.

We are all emerging from our postpandemic fatigue so now is the time to engage with and adopt technology that can help us streamline the way we do business here in Australia and around the globe.

Nina Nguyen Founder and CEO, Pakko

The year of 2022 was a time for businesses to adapt to the new normal. While we are largely moving forward in a post-COVID world, some of the changes that came into place through COVID are here to stay. Businesses will continue to face the challenge of higher absenteeism. This is particularly difficult in manufacturing when having a single employee away can result in a critical piece of equipment being inoperable for an entire shift. Furthermore, employers are having to be more creative in the way that they attract and retain skilled staff.

Throughout 2022, businesses with an eye for the future continued to invest in new plant and equipment. The extension of the government’s instant asset write off was certainly welcomed and made investment more desirable. What has become even more evident now is that businesses will need to invest in their people to ensure that they retain the skills to operate the equipment. With the rising costs of living and a strong ‘sea change’ movement on the back of COVID, retaining staff has become increasingly challenging.

Retaining staff through renumeration increases is no longer the silver bullet. The research shows that employees are increasingly seeking employment with businesses that provide flexibility and purpose.

In print manufacturing it is not usually possible to offer production staff the option to work from home or to work flexible hours. It is, however, possible to configure different shift patterns, implement job rotations or provide opportunities for employees to learn new skills in different

Having a clear purpose

areas of the business. While being rigid may have worked in the past, employers will find it increasingly difficult to retain staff if they are not flexible.

Secondly, employees are wanting a job with purpose. Providing them with a purpose is almost impossible to do if the business itself does not have a clear purpose. Not only does the business need to have a purpose, but it needs to have a purpose that is shared and understood by the team.

Implementing cultural changes where staff feel aligned to the company values does not need to be expensive and any outlay can and should provide a return to the business. Simple ideas include holding regular health and safety meetings or putting on a staff barbeque with the management team sharing the company’s plans for the year ahead and the ‘why’ of the organisation.

Strategic planning will help define the business’ purpose. Often the exercise of planning can best be done with some outside assistance particularly for small business. Implementing an advisory board with external advisors that bring an outside perspective will help remove any biases and identify where the true opportunities are. In the Platypus business, we have brought in accountants, business executives and owners of other businesses to help keep us on track with our goals and targets.

The business opportunities in 2023 will be different for each business and this is where strategic planning comes into play. Just because a segment in the industry appears to be doing well, doesn’t mean

that is the area that your business should go into.

Identify the areas that your business is particularly good at and what opportunities are specifically relevant to your business. Often the exercise will take you on a pathway that is not too far removed from your current product offering or a new product that utilises existing resources.

When the direction of the business is clearly defined, purpose becomes a much easier message to share with your team. When the team buys into the purpose, they will feel more aligned. A Mercer study recently found that thriving employees are three times more likely to work for a company with a strong sense of purpose. You can share with your team about how the business is making a difference to the community, economy, the environment, or any other core value.

Platypus is focused on sharing the importance of Australian manufacturing. It is aware that what it does as a fibre packaging company also helps hundreds of other manufacturing businesses to be successful in producing products here in Australia.

We talk about how we sustainably source raw materials and hold environmental certifications to produce packaging that is environmentally friendly. We help businesses to reduce waste and improve their own environmental credentials. Sharing big picture values with your team will help them to also have a sense of purpose. The result is a team that wants to stay and be a part of the business journey.

Aaron Lusch Director, Platypus Print Packaging

Creating effective printed communications

2022 was a challenging year in the retail and events industries due to lockdowns not ending until April, meaning there was little demand for print in those industries. When the lockdowns ended, things began to slowly return to normal.

Some printing shops bounced back immediately to high capacity, while others had to focus on reconnecting and reinfiltrating customers as some past customers may have gone out of business or been made redundant.

I was inspired to see the print industry investing in itself, with people helping each other. Of course, we all compete for business, but at the same time, we understood camaraderie and banded together against the greater forces of the world. There is real value in creating relationships between the industry groups and other printers.

In 2022, we also saw the merger of two of the larger industry bodies under the leadership of Kellie Northwood. This is a positive move for the whole industry as it will give us a more united voice at a governmental level and a single place to go when looking for policy changes.

To stay relevant this year, we should focus on moving away from an ‘order-taker’ mentality. Rather than just providing quotes, we should work to educate our customers about how we can all create effective printed communications.

When advertisers decide where to spend their budget, internet marketing has become the safe and easy choice. There is so much information readily available about it. We are never going to beat internet marketers at their game, promoting

print on the internet. But we have an opportunity to promote our medium when we deal with our individual customers.

Everyone wants to work with an expert, and the quoting stage is the opportunity to establish our expertise. When customers ask for quotes, you must of course, provide them, but it is also important to provide suggestions about how to improve its effectiveness.

The greater examples of print there are floating around the world, the more people will see them, and the more they will want one for their next campaign, which creates a positive feedback loop of more print.

An important area for growth is also in building relationships with our customers and educating them about our medium. Even in business-to-business relationships, transactions are still made between people. And people will always work with those they know, like and trust. That hasn’t changed. A great way to build trust is to openly share our expertise and educate our customers about our product.

That is true in any industry and no less true in print. There is a great temptation to automate the customer-facing elements of our business, but I think that is a mistake. There is an opportunity for growth through building relationships with our customers, being accessible and having a human face.

In addition, the increased cost of living has been hard to miss over the last few months. As people tighten their belts, the need for businesses to advertise will increase, and they will want bang for their buck. Print has several advantages in this environment – the relative permanence, capacity for short-run, and highly targeted advertising.

There has also been a cultural change in the meaning of the letterbox. Junk mail is now email, not direct mail as it used to be. The letterbox is no longer full of bills but a place where packages arrive. These two ideas combine to provide an opportunity for direct mail and letterbox drops. Looking to the future, promoting sustainability should be a focus. One of the biggest challenges that the print industry faces is that we’re seen to be on the wrong side of the environmental debate. The truth is quite the opposite.

The increasing capability of print production technology is creating more opportunities. One example is flatbed printing paired with cutting tables. Print shops with these systems have begun to produce impressive in-store displays using recycled and recyclable materials. These printed products not only look great, but they also help our customers reduce their carbon footprint.

The print industry has also embraced sustainability enthusiastically through initiatives such as the FSC, effective paper recycling, plant-based inks, and solar power systems on factory roofs. Then, there is increasing pressure to reduce the carbon footprints of businesses. To that end, paper has a finite carbon cost compared to digital. Paper also ticks the recyclable and compostable boxes.

This year I published my book, The Power of Print, identifying six principles of print design. I urge you to read it as it will help print sellers organise their thinking about print and how to present it to customers to made a significant, positive impact on business.

Daniel Edwards Account Manager, Posterboy Printing

2022 was a year of change and transformation for the Australia and New Zealand print-ondemand industry after two unusual years of pandemic-fuelled growth. This resulted in opportunities for consolidation, while also creating opportunities for businesses to invest in infrastructure, capabilities and people.

Last year, there was a boost in the acquisition of infrastructure and/or businesses as many companies started spending the revenues that they had generated or held off from spending during the pandemic. This resulted in businesses being able to offer an increased product range to clients, as well as improved efficiencies and better cost structures.

Another reason for investments and acquisitions was the ongoing lack of skilled workers in the industry. Retaining staff is critical to all businesses and having the most up-to-date tools for the trade would better serve our people. Many companies also created benefit and recognition programs to offer above industry incentives for talent.

Prima Printing, as one of the largest printon-demand fulfillers in the country, brought in new infrastructure unique to Australia to support the industry. This helped retain work within Australia and offered new jobs to new people entering the print industry.

Prima Printing also acquired 100 per cent of the share capital of PMI Imageworks in October last year, with the strategic acquisition enhancing the capabilities for both businesses to cross-sell to our combined clients and provide the basis for further investment in infrastructure to

Delivering on consistent performance

remain at the leading edge of automation and efficiency.

Both businesses are nimble and smart players in a highly competitive global market, and combining the capabilities of both operations has delivered more value, scale, redundancy, and capacity to clients.

Prima Printing and PMI have several projects underway in 2023 to improve and accelerate the performance of our businesses. The year will be used to learn what makes each business special and how best to leverage those strengths moving forward.

In 2023, as inflation rises, demand will weaken and this will put a lot of pressure on business cashflows. The industry needs to invest in improved productivity now to stay relevant and competitive. This can be achieved through infrastructure, software and employment goals that link performance with productivity.

As the market expects to weaken in 2023, the focus must be on improving efficiency, to try to insulate customers from inflation. And as markets get saturated and products commoditised, looking outside of our usual offerings has historically yielded some of the highest areas of opportunity and growth. As consumer wealth rises, we see the potential in the personalisation of every commodity a consumer buys.

Detailed understanding of the cost structure, yields, overheads and returns of each product you make is data and I suggest that this be incorporated into your business plans and models for 2023. If you don’t have this level of understanding, make the investment builds for a strong foundation for future consistent performance.

If things didn’t go to plan in 2022, understand those reasons and learn from them to avoid repeating them in 2023. If you can align your people to your plan – even better if they own parts of it – it will make your chances of business execution far more successful.

I also expect to see more consolidation in the industry this year as larger players acquire smaller ones to expand their offerings and reach new customers. The global economy is facing several challenges in 2023 that could potentially lead to a recession. One of the major concerns is the rising interest rates in Australia, which are expected to put pressure on consumers and businesses, leading to a decrease in discretionary spending.

It is important for businesses in the printon-demand industry to be aware of these economic challenges and to plan for it accordingly. They may need to adjust their strategies and focus on cost-cutting measures, such as improving their supply chain efficiencies. They should also be prepared for a potential slowdown in demand and be proactive in their approach to managing their finances and operations. By doing so, businesses can minimise the impact of a potential recession and position themselves for success in the long-term.

On a positive note, I expect to see improvements in print speeds and yield from toner printers this year. Improvements in software automation and data capture from finishing can also be expected. In terms of print capabilities, new innovative technologies such as DTF are challenging mature technologies like DTG. Prima Printing will also be looking for innovation in cutting automation.

Amnon Judah Managing Director, Prima Printing and PMI

Looking outside of the box

Nathan Sable Chief Executive Officer, SIXP

After enduring a few years of the global crisis, 2022 was the year that the ‘fog of COVID’ cleared away somewhat, allowing clients and suppliers to start planning for their futures with a little more certainty.

The print industry had a well-balanced and consistent year of work, with less fear of lockdowns affecting the economy.

We learnt resilience and how to cope with adversity and it is with new strength that we have learned to navigate our way through to the other side.

However, businesses were also forced to tighten up during that period, and as a result, are now running more conservatively and cautiously.

Some of the biggest challenges facing the industry over the past couple of years have been disruptions to the supply chain and instability within the labour force. This persisted through in 2022. Many printers had to readjust their expectations of delivery times and the availability of supplies.

There were also changes within the labour force with a significant reduction in the amount of people available to work in the industry. These difficulties have altered the landscape of our business and have forced us to look ‘outside the box’ to find solutions for our clients.

After more than two decades at the helm, I recently decided to leave QMS Print and have launched a new business, SIXP, together with my business partner George De Crespigny.

SIXP is a company that integrates and aggregates the supply needs that bring marketing, events, sports and brands to life.

It provides service offerings through various sectors including print and signage, production and events, postproduction, promotional premiums, procurement and placement.

In these early stages, we are getting our hands dirty, doing a lot of running around ourselves, measuring sites, installing, delivering, and doing whatever is required. We have already established a reputation in the corporate and sports arenas, in particular.

At SIXP, we have been very fortunate to have clients with whom we have long standing relationships and who have been understanding and willing to accommodate to different alternatives and with more flexibility.

With this in mind, SIXP has identified an opportunity in the market to make life easier for clients by consolidating their needs into one point of contact, combining traditional print with other forms of branding and marketing.

By doing this, we are allowing clients to focus on getting their brands out to the market without having to spend time dealing with multiple suppliers. We have identified markets that require design, print, install, storage, fabrication, digital options, 3D elements and pick and pack.

We are excited to be able to offer all these services and more for clients who are time poor and appreciate a one-stopshop solution.

In addition, we have found that there has been a large demand from our clients to find sustainable products in the print arena and beyond.

SIXP is excited about the year ahead and looks forward to providing the market with a unique service and a particular focus on sustainability and innovation.

We have managed to source some exciting, environmentally friendly options from our global partners that we will be introducing to local markets in 2023. These will include products that are recyclable, use of products that have already been recycled and printing methods that have negligible impact on the environment.

The demand for these types of products have become increasingly high and we have searched far and wide to find solutions to offer the market. Having such a diverse product offering also helps to spread the risk and focus on catering to our clients’ needs. At the end of the day, our success will be reflected by our ability to fulfill these requirements.

Despite heightened geopolitical risks continuing supply disruptions, we are very confident that the mood in economic and advertising markets will be optimistic, and this will help buoy the print industry in 2023.

There is also much excitement around new innovations and technology that will encourage market spend and heightened activity. This is always an area of interest to our customers as they like to be at the forefront of new developments and a step ahead of their competitors.

Financially, 2022 was a good year for many companies including Spot Productions because business was picking up from the commencement of events and momentum happening again after the COVID lockdowns. Queensland has the right amount of printers of a certain size, so there was plenty of print going around and plenty of growth in the industry. But, 2022 was also the hardest year for Queensland as following the effects of COVID in the two years prior, we were faced with a new set of challenges, especially around the lack of a skilled workforce. There was a disparity in the increased workloads and lack of staff to keep up with it.

At Spot Productions, we saw many staff go on longer periods of sick leave due to COVID, which they’re entitled to, but what that meant was that we had less staff on the production floor and staff availability was at an all-time low. To assist in navigating the situation, we’ve been supporting the industry associations with their efforts around apprenticeships. We’ve also been sending out our teams for training and upskilling, so that they’re equipped with the most up-to-date skills required in the industry.

We’re certainly encouraging interaction across the industry as well, through our social efforts. We’ve been involved in several fundraisers, including the most recent one – Small Steps 4 Hannah in Brisbane where we also announced the 2022 and 2023 LIA Heidelberg Qld Graduate of the Year Award winners.

The best strategic moves for 2023

Spot Productions has been supporting and will continue to support the industry in any way that we can.

Moving forward, it’s fair to say that the industry needs to be working together to address this skilled labour shortage issue. International borders have also opened, so we should also be considering hiring people from overseas instead of poaching staff off one another. Spot Productions is in talks with some people from New Zealand to see if we can bring them over. We’re also advertising internationally and if the right staff come by, we will sponsor them to bring them into the country. We need to get more labour into Australia.

This year, Spot Productions will continue to provide the same quality services that it has before. We’ve now got some auxilary sheds that we’ve rented out at the moment and hope to expand into when the tenants move out. I’m also in negotiations with Ryobi to have a replacement press delivered to us as soon as possible to keep up with the increased workloads.

The rest of 2023 is predicted to be bumpy until the end of the financial year. Following that, things will stabilise naturally into the rest of the calendar year. I expect the cost of goods to decrease, which will be better for everyone. We will be faced with challenges, as always, but there is plenty that the industry can do to not fall victim to them. Businesses will need to ensure that they have secure supply lines and stock at hand. Supply chain issues are getting better from before, so there’s more

stability in the paper market and shipping and freight around the world is improving.

Staying up with technology is also vital and now that tradeshows are back on, it provides people with more certainty around the research they’re doing for the success of their own businesses and what’s available from those technologies.

This year, with several tradeshows on, we can expect to see more innovations in software and automated hardwares. This will make machines faster and less labour intensive, while at the same time making processes easier for staff. This is something that the industry is expecting to see, especially since labour touchpoints on the production floor need to be minimal.

There are also areas of growth that businesses can tap into – packaging has been one that has been on a growth spurt and it’s a very lucrative area to play in. People are flocking to shops more than ever to buy products, so this packaging and labelling space is one that will continue to see growth. Sign and display is another area that has seen steady growth through the years, and I expect it to continue well and truly into 2023 and beyond.

Finally, businesses need to handle their operations as much as they can to cut costs where possible, for example, in embellishing. There are some costs in your business that you can negotiate down and secure the rate for the next 12 months. So, be smart about where you put your money and be on top of your spending.

Simon Carmody Managing Director, Spot Productions

Delivering on a better calibre of success

From the information that I gathered while reading magazine articles, EDMs and listening to other printers in the industry, I’d say that 2022 was quite a diverse year. There were some extremely sad moments for some companies who faced losses, while others saw incredible gains in their businesses, especially coming off the back of two COVID-hit years.

In 2022, we also lost some wonderful people who had dedicated their lives to the industry, including PVCA’s Peter Clark, Rod Spencer and Kenneth McLachlan – to name a few. On the other end of the spectrum, we saw a very grand movement of collaboration when the PVCA and TRMC merged to become a joint body to represent and support all aspects of our industry.

Collaboration was a key for some last year and more businesses showed confidence to invest in new machinery. PacPrint was one of the key events locally which gave our industry a feeling of inspiration for new growth and provided businesses with the possibilities of new investment.

Companies are eager to look towards the many ways that print is involved in everyday life and how it can be applied to so many different things. Innovations only proliferate the possibilities of print and provide the industry with new opportunities that it may not have been able to cater to before.

On a personal level, working on the PacPrint board was an honour for me,

especially in the delivery of the show after such a long wait. It involved a lot of stressful decisions, and we certainly felt the need for some strong leadership in this area under the circumstances.

In addition, with a position on the board for Visual Industry Events, we saw the National Print Awards held during PacPrint. This was a wonderful night that brought people together to celebrate the wonderful talent of our industry.

Moving into 2023, the base line for success remains the same – watch your bottom line, look after your staff and make your investments work for your business. Understand your customers, their needs, requirements and expectations. Establish your values and make sure you and those that work with you align with those values. Also, ensure that leadership is always coming from a place that promotes a thriving environment.

To deliver on a better calibre of success, I believe leaders of today need to have their mindsets ready for a fantastic year ahead – in whatever form that may bring. Leadership involving encouraging and engaging traits are crucial for the success of any business. I believe that’s where it all starts.

Given the lack of skilled workers in our industry, Taylor’d Press’ main focus for this year is to train our new apprentice and invest in our staff and their wellbeing. We have taken on the opportunity to invest in an apprentice – Eleanor Porter has

started her career with us, undertaking her Certificate III in Offset Printing and we are extremely happy to dedicate our time and support her in her endeavours.

Eleanor was studying a Certificate II at Holmesglen TAFE and visited Taylor’d Press on a tour. Our business offers the opportunity for TAFE and Universities to visit us and discuss print and the industry, engage in print jobs and explore careers in print. We were very fortunate that Eleanor approached us to see if we would consider taking her on, and now we have a new apprentice.

The other big factor for us is to use social media to engage more with clients. We have found that this is a major business attractor for us and the reach to market is of high value.

We also look forward to continuing the privilege of producing some beautifully designed products. We have noticed some clients expand into new areas of play with a renewed confidence this year and we are excited to support them.

We look forward to engaging with the broader industry and our clients with a renewed outlook in 2023, taking on challenges in a headstrong manner and coming up with new and innovative ways of collaborating in print production.

We have been grateful for whatever has come our way, and we want to build on our successes this year.

Kirsten Taylor Creative Print Director, Taylor’d Press

The start of 2022 saw Australians released from pandemic lockdowns and during the first half of the year, as restrictions on travel and mask wearing rules were downgraded, local small businesses returned to a more normal way of working.

Demand for categories that were previously impacted – particularly signage and merchandise for events like trade shows – increased through 2022, especially in the second half. We ended 2022 on a strong note with growth in consumer demand in the lead up to the festive season.

It was a tough year for the industry, with inflation driving margin pressures, supply chain for some products remaining strained, and consumer demand shifting and at times difficult to predict.

In the face of these challenges, small businesses shouldn’t necessarily hunker down and stop investing in things like marketing and branding. Marketing and branding offer businesses the best opportunity for customer retention, loyalty and customer base expansion, and it doesn’t have to cost the world.

2023 has the potential to be a year of opportunity for growth and expansion for small businesses. As we have seen over the last couple of years, the way we work and where we work has changed, and yet the importance of strong branding and marketing for business hasn’t.

Australia’s online shopping industry was estimated to be worth $47 billion in 2022 (Savvy, December 2022), seeing the market size growing by 8.9 per cent and further solidifying the preference for many Australian customers to buy online.

The low hanging fruit for all businesses

Because of this, we are estimating growth in excess of 10 per cent in digitally printed packaging and an increase in labels, as retailers continue to increase the amount of orders that they are dispatching weekly.

From what we’re seeing here at Vista, there will be more interest in short-run customised packaging, available for purchase in smaller quantities. There will also be a continued focus on sustainability, so investment into environmentally friendly and eco options is imperative to ensure we are providing customers with the products they want and need.

I expect the print industry to see an increase in demand for personalised and specialised printing, such as packaging and promotional products. The adoption of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, will likely continue to drive efficiency and growth.

The industry is also expected to face growing competition from online and digital media, so a focus on providing unique value-added services and differentiators will be important.

We’re also predicting to see more bespoke and custom shapes and sizes when it comes to signage and printing, with a focus on the use of laser cutting. Finally, businesses are predicted to be all about the aesthetic of their branding. There has been an increase in the number of businesses looking at ways to stand out to their customers, and special effects and finishes such as shimmering are some of the ways businesses can do this.

This year, Vista will be focusing mainly on its rebranding having turned one,

and will be celebrating collaboration, fresh perspectives and helping other small businesses thrive. Since Vista’s transformation, we’ve had great success with 99designs by Vista, VistaCreate and our partnership with Wix.

We’ve been able to showcase great new offerings from our business and encouraged other small businesses to take a step towards being bold and to embrace change in the new year. Another key focus will be on building relationships with our Vista Collective which will encourage stronger collaboration amongst our ambassadors to create meaningful brand partnerships that will prosper in the coming years.

Vista Collective helps us as a brand to create well-connected relationships with talented individuals, in addition to help create awareness with other businesses about what Vista can offer them with our services. Forming and establishing a partnership under Vista Collective enables us as a business to highlight the importance of supporting one another, through socials, events and more.

Finally, I’m a big believer that businesses should look after existing customers, understand how you are (or aren’t) looking after their needs and what you can do to make them love what you do.

Ask yourselves: Are you emailing or calling your customers regularly and checking in? Is your quality and timeliness on spec for their needs?

This is the low hanging fruit for all businesses. From there, I’d also be looking at the customer trends and thinking about how products need to evolve to grow your customer base and your share of the market.

Marcus Marchant Chief Executive Officer, Vista Australia and New Zealand

Preparing for upcoming opportunities and challenges

2022 was a year of transition – the major disruptions that occurred from the pandemic’s closed borders, periodic lockdowns and stringent isolation requirements were progressively removed. From the Ai Group Australian CEO Survey 2023, we found that the economy registered a 5.9 per cent annual growth in the year to the September quarter of 2022. This suggests, on balance, that Australian business conditions improved during 2022.

Last year, businesses continued their 2021 vision of exploring new markets, particularly those that are offshore. Local businesses explored ways of promoting their products or services to relevant target markets.

Ai Group was instrumental in assisting members in determining suitability of export and how to make this happen. The Australian Government has negotiated agreements with most of our major trading partners and is currently negotiating agreements with the reminder.

Additionally, there has been anecdotal evidence of local businesses actively seeking international investments. Streamlining manufacturing procedures and processes were also witnessed –along with upskilling existing staff and exploring skilled migration.

Ai Group actively lobbied both state and federal governments to ensure that the Australian industry was viable and thriving. This took the form of advocating for members around industrial relations changes, for example.

Energy prices have also been a major concern for the Ai Group – and again strident lobbying on behalf of our members has resulted in many positive outcomes

for industry. The same can be said for our work around skills and jobs. Ai Group is at the forefront of policy debate legislative change. Our respected position of policy leadership and political non-partisanship means we are often actively sought to provide Government with industry specific challenges and information.

This year, the general findings from our Ai Group Australian CEO Survey 2023 is that Australian businesses are optimistic about the year ahead. Following strong improvement in businesses conditions in 2022 (compared to 2020), most Ai Group members expect to be as good or stronger during 2023.

Many businesses also predict that prices will increase across the year for inputs and energy, and as a result, many of them will be lifting sales prices – however this remains to be seen. Supply chains will continue to be an ongoing concern for many businesses, as will the ongoing energy crisis.

We expect energy costs to continue to be a problem for many – though we are seeing some inroads to this challenge within the household sector. But all of 2023 should be seen as a year of recovery – geopolitical and pandemic upheavals notwithstanding.

Businesses are planning to increase employment (along with upskilling and retaining existing staff) and it’s hoped the skilled migration situation will improve as the industry will again be faced with labour shortages. New and innovative ways of attracting overseas labour are expected to be a focus by industry as a whole and individual businesses.

Upskilling existing staff should be a focus to fill the labour gaps along with staff retention. Industry 4.0 will be a focus for

many businesses – again, to counter the labour shortages but also to streamline processes. Industry 4.0 will continue to be a feature at this year’s trade shows, with robotics at the forefront of new technology.

Capital investment in Industry 4.0 initiatives will see positive results in the future. There is also a possibility of a recession occurring during 2023 and businesses would need to be well advised to tighten their belts where they can.

The Ai Group found, through its Ai Group Australian CEO Survey 2023, that increasing existing efficiencies should yield a moderate level of existing business growth. Exploring alternate product output from existing infrastructure should continue to be a focus for the manufacturing sector – as we saw during 2020 and 2021. Along with the take up of the latest technologies, as mentioned previously, businesses should also be very aware of market conditions locally and internationally, as this will prepare them for upcoming opportunities and challenges.

This year, Ai Group will continue to advocate for the Australian industry. Our expertise in the areas of industrial relations, policy setting and influence, along with our business improvement and workforce consulting expertise, means our members (and indeed all the industry) will benefit.

Our purpose is to create a better Australia by empowering industry success. Through strong advocacy and providing an effective voice at all levels of government, we aim to provide policy leadership and political non-partisanship. We will continue to listen to the Australian industry and provide solution-driven advice to address business opportunities and risks.

Jenny Berry Regional Manager – Victoria, Ai Group

2022 was a challenging year – still characterised by the effects of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, disrupted supply chains, the energy crisis and inflation. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity in every crisis and against this backdrop, there were also many positive developments. After many difficult COVID years, 2022 sent out the signal of departure of the pandemic, of the restarts of trade fairs and events and a new normality, which gave a fresh boost to many industries.

However, the war in Ukraine and its consequences had and still has the greatest impact. Geopolitical impacts therefore also prove by far the greatest challenges for most print service providers and upstream suppliers. The print industry is affected, especially by paper supply bottlenecks and high energy costs. But the industry is resilient, and we can feel that sense of new departures fuelled by innovative technologies and opportunities in new target markets. The industry looks to the future with optimism.

I expect that in 2023, we will continue to struggle with the effects of the crisis and skilled labour shortages will also remain a major challenge. But confidence and trust will increasingly return allowing the industry to unfold its full potential. The print industry is highly relevant in terms of its diversity and areas of application. With the help of smart, strategic investment, market players will succeed here.

Transformation brings new opportunities. And this is what makes the print industry special. We see the courage to venture into innovative and new business models and the big growth potential offered by digital technologies.

Looking to the future with optimism

In 2022, many companies acquired new core competencies and optimised their internal processes in terms of IT structure, the further digitalisation of workflows and processes, efficiency and automation. All of this goes hand in hand with understanding and fulfilling the needs of brand owners.

On the quest for growth opportunities, you must always be up to date, analyse trends and markets and be aware of innovations. It is advisable to put one’s own actions to the acid test constantly. Ask yourself: Am I well placed? Am I leveraging technological progress? Am I investing in the right things? And am I investing enough? The process associated with structural change is not always easy to introduce and often hampered by obstacles and resistance.

The areas of growth potential within the print industry are wide and varied. Looking at the results of the 8th drupa Global Trends Report, we see a positive outlook especially for the packaging market due to a growing global population, rising demand and saturated markets caused by the ongoing e-commerce boom. Furthermore, more environmentallyfriendly technologies are expected to generate new growth potential for the industry by using sustainable paper, inks and coatings, which are in turn are expected to drive the demand for innovative machinery and applications. We should therefore not lose sight of the new and very exciting vertical market of functional and industrial print.

Solutions revolving around sustainability and digitalisation as well as new applications will be centre stage this year and over the coming years. drupa 2024

will show how these will impact processes, products, business models and the future of our constantly evolving industry. We will be prioritising topics such as the circular economy, resource efficiency, recycling, automation, print and finishing 4.0, artificial intelligence, platform economy and connectivity.

drupa views itself as a relevant platform for knowledge transfer and as an innovation driver for the industry. This USP also holds true for the non-drupa years. At present, our focus is entirely on drupa 2024.

“We create the future” – the drupa 2024 claim – highlights how the industry will rise to tomorrow’s challenges to tap into opportunities, potential and new business models. To stay successful in the future, companies will identify their development potential, adapt future technologies and mega trends for their needs to take corporate decisions with strategic confidence. This goes hand in hand with the goal of developing a clear vision of the future, a vision for relevant changes and necessary adjustments for today’s and tomorrow’s business.

We are planning the details with our exhibitors and designing our Special Forums, which are touchpoint packaging, dna –drupa next age, drupa cube, touchpoint textile and touchpoint sustainability.

Prior to drupa 2024, drupa Global Events will tour the world and attend the Print & Digital Convention from 16 to 17 May in Düsseldorf, Pack Print International and CorruTec Asia from 20 to 23 September in Bangkok, Pack Print Plas Philippines from 5 to 7 October in Manila and All in Print China from 11 to 14 October in Shanghai.

Sabine Geldermann Director drupa, Print Technologies Messe Düsseldorf

More business consistency and certainty

‘Challenging’ is the adjective that has been used the most to describe the past year. Workforce, supply chain disruptions and general global economic pressures have taken its toll across all of industry.

2022 started off quite lacklustre, considering that 2020 and 2021 were dominated by COVID. It felt like there was a genuine desire and belief at the end of 2021 that the following year would be significantly different, but it wasn’t. This really set the scene for the whole year, and generally businesses were adapting and adjusting all year.

A lot of businesses simply kept their head above water. Businesses that managed their depleted workforces well and maintained a good line of communication with their staff and clients were effective in managing the challenges of meeting deadlines.

There have also been pockets of exceptional collaboration between businesses and I think this will only become more common.

In 2022, the LIA continued to support and promote apprentices and the businesses that employ them. It has continued to encourage businesses to take on more apprentices and we have been a conduit between various training organisations and other stakeholders to ensure the next generation are familiar with the sector as a genuinely rewarding career path. The LIA has also provided opportunities for networking with peers.

This year, the LIA will continue to support, encourage and celebrate the new entrants

that are making their marks in this industry by hosting the State and National Awards again.

Due to COVID preventing us to maintain the biennial event at regular intervals, we have changed things up a little – we will be hosting the LIA Biennial Graduate and Future Leader Awards this year. As always, the state committees will also continue to connect with industry and offer opportunities to learn and network with peers. Please reach out to info@lia.com.au to become a member.

In terms of industry outlook, in 2023, I forsee there to be more business consistency and certainty across the broader industry, as compared to the past couple of years.

However, inflation will continue to have an impact on business operations and businesses will be juggling their focus between continued supply chain disruptions and skilled shortages.

To get around supply chain issues, businesses need to be focused on product and service offering improvements and should consider diversifying into other areas of offerings in preparation for the supply chain disruptions.

Investments in staff through training is critical this year. Genuinely investing in upskilling their existing workforce will result in them becoming more efficient in managing their workforces. As a start, business leaders need to encourage and nurture a culture of continuous learning and to focus on staff wellbeing. They should also be looking at cost savings by identifying areas of waste reduction.

Improved operational processes and focusing on sustainability will reward businesses with increased profits.

In addition, businesses should look at increasing their technology investments. With many local and international tradeshows scheduled for this year, I anticipate that we will see a focus on increased software offerings to assist in the automation of business processes.

I also expect to see an increased focus on inkjet technology, as well as improvements in ink finishes and specialty processes that add value to the final product. Continued investments in the packaging and labelling sectors will also dominate again this year.

Lastly, businesses also must increase their cybersecurity and invest in training in this area to reduce the risk of disruption when their businesses are impacted by an attack. Companies also must start to be aware of the impact generative AI will have on their businesses and more importantly on their clients. Given that getting skilled workers into the industry remains a challenge, the use of AI would be a welcomed platform to hone in on the benefits that technology offers.

Above all, the industry needs to genuinely work collaboratively. The industries that are forging ahead, seeing expansion in services and becoming preferred employment options are those that are working effectively with each other and learning from other industry sectors. Some businesses in our industry have been kind in showing support to each other, but more of them need to be doing the same.

Mel Ireland National President, Lithographic Institute of Australia (LIA)

As I wrote in my 2022 recap post for Print Media Centr, it was a year of tepid transformation for the printing industry. “Better safe, than sorry” as the saying goes. We proceeded with caution that the pandemic was truly behind us, and we didn’t take too many risks with our businesses, purchases and customers.

Despite all the factors working against us, and there were many and most were out of our control, many print businesses made it to other side. Some are stronger, some are leaner, some are merged, and some are acquired. No matter how you got here, you are here now and finally, it’s time to look ahead and plan with purpose.

To keep relevant, businesses understood the value of relationships and invested in their customers in all ways: retention, communication, collaboration, convenience, and education.

They also provided options for paper and substrates when supplies were low. Understanding their customers’ crisis level and delivering on promises was vital. All of this contributes to creating long-time partnerships and customer loyalty.

Personally, I am in the printspiration business. In 2022 I launched ProjectPeacock.TV to share stories that highlighted collaboration between designer, marketer, printer, paper and printing technology as the key to successful projects. Nine episodes are currently streaming, with more to come in 2023.

To prepare itself in the new year, the industry needs to look at this year as a beginning, not as a continuation or as

We cannot survive without people

an end. Businesses need to regroup, restart and remain focused on customer needs.

Listen, don’t sell. Help, don’t sell. Provide options and let customers choose – with your guidance regarding how to best achieve their creative, sales and marketing goals. Do better with your customer relationships. How ‘better’ is defined depends upon where you are now. I offer these examples for you to build upon.

Customer journey: Can a customer get everything they need to educate themselves, make a purchasing decision, place an order, pay, and get notifications for project progress and delivery without ever speaking to you? If not, do better.

Customer connection: Do your customers (who care about such things) understand the things you care about? Are you giving back to the world? Doing something positive for your community or underserved communities? This used to fall under ‘social selling’ and it was marketable. It still is, and even more so, if it’s authentic. There are 12 months in a year. If Women’s History Month and Gay Pride Month are the only time you speak about and support diversity, equity and inclusion, for example, do better.

Communications: Consumer privacy is topical around the world and the growing outcry has forced lawmakers to address it in more meaningful ways. Tolerance is at an all-time low for intrusive communications and has the potential for opt-outs and spam reporting. Keep this in mind as you talk with print customers about data-driven marketing, buying and using mailing lists. If you aren’t being

appropriate with your communications, providing relevant information and opt-out options, then do better.

Doing more work with current customers is the simplest, fastest and most costeffective way to generate more revenue in 2023. Invest in customer education so that they are aware of all you can do to help them. Trust me, most of your customers don’t know everything you can do; they only know what they do with you.

There is just one main thing that businesses should be looking to in 2023, and that is people. We cannot survive without people. To attract workers, you may need to refresh your office, offer new shifts, or provide training programs and career opportunities that have a path from entry level to management and beyond.

In addition, you should invest in changing the perception of our industry whenever and wherever you can. Start with students and support graphic communications programs and technical schools. Or you could offer apprenticeships and sponsor career fairs. Make it your mission to make print COOL in the hearts and minds of everyone you meet.

I think 2023 is going to be a good year for print, and those invested in customer success. Print Media Centr will continue to provide printspiration to print and marketing professionals through education, events, Podcasts from the Printerverse, ProjectPeacock.TV and a host of community lifting initiatives. I have a few industry-first launches coming to further support the industry –stay tuned for that info!

Deborah Corn Intergalactic Ambassador, Print Media Centr

Focusing on your core profitable work

2022 was a year of recovery in many ways. However, at times, the recovery felt more difficult than the pandemic period. During the pandemic, our industry remained operational and this assisted with the challenges of flexible workforces, precautionary work environments and customer engagement. However, 2022 resumed a ‘new normal’ which shifted the implemented flexibilities and at times created increased challenges across staff retention, engagement and recruitment, as productivity and demand increased.

As an industry association, our support for members in 2022 was to understand the pain points, which ultimately landed in three core areas: labour, energy and supply chain.

Across labour, we fought to have the apprentices re-instated, developed research with the Industry Skills Survey and established a labour import arrangement for members to access legal advice to proceed with skilled labour importation. Across energy, we have begun the initial review of an energy broker arrangement for members, provided advisory notices to members on how they can best secure an energy agreement for their businesses and supported government lobbying across energy support for small businesses.

With regards to supply chain, we have developed three Paper Planes white papers for our members and their customers to understand that the paper price increases are not a margin creep, but rather a supply chain increase that is applied across the industry. We have also lobbied to the government seeking a freight equalisation

subsidy for the Australian mainland, similar to the provision for our Tasmanian peers. Further, we have monitored import figures and pricing fluctuations across ink and consumables which we have then reported into customers for greater insight into the costing pressures the industry is experiencing.

Throughout 2023, the groundwork that begun in 2022 will be continued at PVCA; however, it will be rolled out with more streamlined technology systems, increased member communication and training, and face-to-face support.

We will look to jobs, skills and training, sustainable green print and HR solutions to complement the existing IR/workplace relations portal, carbon mapping, and Power of Print series, in addition to building an industry metrics survey and tool to assist our members with industry forecasting and trends. It is critical that the industry association has a clear strategic purpose and focus on delivering solutions and tools that increase our member’s success.

The 2023 year for the industry association space should include a strong commitment to working better together – whether this be through greater collaboration, partnerships or mergers. There are simply too many industry bodies across the industry with duplication of output, which is a great waste of member funding.

I’m a big believer of finding your core strengths and then delivering that well by working with others who have complementary core strengths. Every member dollar needs to be invested in programs that deliver trifold and all

associations should carry this mindset and work smarter together.

As for all Australian businesses, they will continue to face economic pressures this year across inflation, energy prices, skilled labour supply and costs. We must ensure that we constantly review every cost and invest in our staff to ensure that they are up-skilled and supported in a positive work environment. Businesses should also be looking to co-operative industry purchasing arrangements to reduce energy costs. Manufacturing across Australia carries a high cost base and determining how we can work together to reduce cost out of our businesses will be key throughout 2023.

There are no crystal balls in determining the future of our industry. Yes, there are growth trends across several sectors, but I do not believe this means we should all pivot into every area that is seeing growth.

I know of member companies that are true to their core-businesses which might carry a declining trend, yet their businesses are growing. My advice to any business reviewing its future year ahead is to reduce all costs where possible, invest in its teams and remain disciplined to the core business. Do what you do to the best of your abilities and work to how you can improve the key parts of your business regularly. Ensure you dedicate time to working ‘on’ your business as well as ‘in’ your business.

Our industry has many successful businesses and each one that achieves success is focused on its core profi table work and work hard to reduce every operational expense that it can.

Kellie Northwood CEO, Print and Visual Communication Association (PVCA)

The highlight of 2022 was the return of in-person Labelexpo exhibitions in North America and India after the years of pandemic shutdown. Labelexpo Americas in September attracted over 13,500 visitors from 77 countries, while Labelexpo India in November attracted 12,000 visitors.

The success of both shows reflected the general health of the global label industry, which had demonstrated huge resilience coming through the challenges of COVID lockdowns and post-COVID supply chain turmoil.

In 2022, the label industry focused on keeping the supply chain open in the face of paper shortages, especially those resulting from the Finnish forestry strikes. They worked closely with brands to find substitute materials and helped redesign their label ranges to use less material and whatever liners or adhesives were available at any one time.

Label converters also invested heavily in automating their machinery and production processes in the face of a post-lockdown shortage of skilled labour.

Through the pandemic period and into 2022, before the industry was able to meet in person at exhibitions and conferences, Labels & Labeling and the Label Academy kept the global industry in touch with new developments, trends and best practice both through the printed and on-line versions of Labels & Labeling and through a regular series of Label Academy, which consisted of online webinars.

From our interactions with the industry, we have learnt that there are several priorities for the industry on a global scale.

Planning for 2023 and beyond

The priorities for label printers will be continued investment in digitisation and the automation of their operations. All of this helps to reduce the need for manual intervention, cuts waste and improves productivity.

Automation, data collection and networking are the key areas to focus on. Real time data capture has the potential to dramatically reduce waste, increase business efficiency, measure true production costs and reduce the need for repetitive manual labour.

Networking brings customers into the converting business, whether that be through managing their stock, colourmanaged remote proofing or sending key data on anything from CO 2 emissions to colour accuracy on a press.

At the same time, new added value technologies such as digital embellishment will be a key focus and will open up new decoration options for brands. One of the most important market trends is the growth of the ‘challenger’ brands which are more open to working with label converters to develop innovative value-added packaging.

Other value-added areas to look at include brand protection, interactive labels, variable information labels (still a very under-used tool) and variable embellishment. The tools offered by suppliers have become easier to use and are/will be all on demonstration at Labelexpo shows.

Moving further into 2023, I expect challenges in the extended label supply chain to continue, which will need to be managed by converters on behalf

of their customers. Label converters will also continue to diversify into flexible packaging to offer ‘one-stop’ packaging services for their customers.

In addition, sustainability will become even more important as labels have to fit into a circular economy with targets to eliminate landfill waste and encourage the recycling of labelled containers.

For Tarsus Group, this is a busy year for our Labelexpo Global Series. We have started with Labelexpo Southeast Asia 2023 at BITEK Bangkok in February, which will soon be followed by our inaugural Labelexpo Mexico 2023 event in Mexico City in April.

We then have our flagship show, Labelexpo Europe 2023, in Brussels in September. This event is a must-attend as it includes a flexible packaging feature, features the Automation Arena showcasing Cloud-based data capture, and runs Wine Label and Sustainability masterclasses. The year closes with Labelexpo Asia 2023 in Shanghai in December.

Planning ahead for the future of a business is no easy task, so converters should think about how they will automate their operations going forward, how they are going to add value through targeted smart conventional and digital machinery investments, as well as how they are going to capture data and create networks with customers and suppliers.

Then, they should organise Labelexpo visits to maximise time spent talking to suppliers about the options available and the support they will offer in the journey through 2023 and beyond.

Jade Grace Portfolio Director, Tarsus Group

Hilton Laminating are now the proud distributors of Rilecart Australia. We look forward to assisting you with all things

hilton@hiltonlaminating.com.au 1800

Business was tough in 2022 with constant price rises across the board – for materials, machinery, energy and wages, as well as continuing supply chain issues and a really tight labour market.

In 2023, the world of print and the world of digital need to come together and find ways to augment one another.

Partnerships or collaborations that see clients being able to use both print and digital will ensure print remains relevant while leveraging the strengths of digital in omni-channel campaigns.

There’s a real need to get clear on the core reason you exist, revisit the principles that sit behind everything you do and get laser focused on how to make your customers love buying from you and your employees love working for you.

Listen to your customers and find innovative ways to solve their problems – this is key and vital for success.

The truth is that once people are getting enough intangible value from the relationship, which involves things that cannot be compared on a list of features and benefits, it is very difficult for them to leave that behind.

As such, given the border economic conditions that we’re currently facing, our industry should do what every other industry is doing – review overheads and trim excesses, and look at new ways to add value to existing clients proactively by identifying opportunities and pitching these ideas.

Get clear on the core reason you exist

Also, focus on treating each member of your team with respect, appreciation, flexibility, and if possible a pay rise –this would go far because the talent market is fiercely competitive and losing people is very expensive.

A recent Employment Hero survey of 1,000 SMB employees revealed that almost 30 per cent of people are looking for a new job due to lack of appreciation and recognition.

So, in my opinion, a focus on retaining great people and attracting new people into the industry is critical as my work focuses on the talent acquisition aspect of business.

From that perspective things are getting more and more difficult across the board.

I foresee more economic pain this year and a continued struggle to find and keep good people if businesses are still using pre-pandemic recruitment and employment strategies.

But if you’ve fundamentally shifted the way you hire and manage people – what I call getting Talent Ready – you will reap the rewards by being able to attract and retain the talent you need to thrive.

One thing is for sure – the talent market has flipped over the last two and a half years; so now, candidates are customers, jobs are products and recruitment is sales and marketing.

That requires a whole different mindset and approach, which is why I created the Talent Ready model.

To help businesses achieve more success in 2023, The Unforgettable Agency will be focusing on delivering more workshops and online masterclasses to teach businesses about the five pillars they need to have in place to be Talent Ready so that they can stand out in the market and attract and retain engaged people.

HR teams and hiring managers need to also be talent ready as there is just so much information out there and it can feel totally overwhelming to figure out where to focus and what to do when you’ve got limited resources.

Talent acquisition capability is so critical that recent McKinsey research showed that 74 per cent of institutional investors value a company’s ability to attract top talent more highly than the company’s ability to attract clients or even achieve an earnings multiple.

Most SMBs are doing their best, but things are just overly competitive at the moment and thought leaders need to be assisting and teaching other companies about these things.

This is because when often in despair, clients simply hire a recruiter and feel like their problems are solved.

But there is still a lot that they don’t have in place that will stop them from getting great results from the recruiter, and these are often the reasons that people don’t work out in the end.

This costs companies tens of thousands of dollars and wasting months of effort in the recruitment and employment process.

Meqa Smith Strategist, The Unforgettable Agency

Moving towards using sustainable resources

The impact of the pandemic has been constant since 2019. Travel restrictions, supply chain problems, trade fair cancellations and China’s ongoing zero-COVID strategy, which is severely affecting companies operating there, are having a massive impact on global economic activity.

The same applies to the increasing global political tensions and national egoisms, which culminated in Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Sanctions and the extreme rise in energy and commodity prices are further clouding the economy. However, the member companies of the VDMA Printing and Paper Technology Association have been able to hold their own in this extremely difficult environment so far.

As pioneers of digitalisation, they were able to compensate for many limitations. The change to remote operation was comparatively easy for many companies because they had already advanced condition monitoring.

This enabled them to maintain their global activities despite COVID and to quickly remedy technical faults for their customers remotely. This was also important because printing and paper technology was classified as systemically relevant in the pandemic. In other words, their contributions to the basic supply of the population remained indispensable.

In some ways, the pandemic, the faltering supply chains, and the energy crisis in Europe acted as drivers of progress. Many businesses are pushing to build and expand their own renewable power supply. Customers are showing more openness

to digital formats in business exchanges, and they understand better, after the experience of the lockdowns, how the digital networking of their processes works.

Now, the next step is to make the digital basis that has already been created usable for sustainable products and the circular economy. One of the basic regulatory requirements is to make all material flows and processes measurable and documentable. Only the measurable can be optimised, and only through documentation is it possible to prove the progress made to legislators.

Businesses are therefore, currently trimming their own production to enable energy and resource efficiency as well as the machines and plants they supply to their customers.

In many cases, the aim is to enable the industrial processing of new, recyclable substrates. Increasingly, these are based on paper and cardboard. Glass, metal and plastic-based mono-materials also need to be processed, printed and finished with a minimal ecological footprint.

Our industry provides the key to this in the form of highly automated production technology, which it can integrate very efficiently into the increasingly networked process chains of its clientele thanks to standardised OPC-UA interfaces. For the latter, automation and digitalisation are the keys to survive in global competition.

In print and packaging production, the trend is towards networking and digital platforms. The boundaries between the analogue and digital worlds are visibly dissolving.

This exists in printing, where computer-toplate processes, digital artwork, desktop publishing, digital process monitoring or even digital printing and finishing processes ensure the production of topquality print products.

Additionally, it exists in pulp and paper production where digital control rooms, in conjunction with machine learning and artificial intelligence, are bringing the vision of autonomous plant operation closer.

The process with the most difficult raw material mixtures and with a high recycling content require efficient databased readjustment of parameters. Such digitisation is not at odds with the analogue, haptically tangible product world that printing presses and paper systems create. Books, newspapers, fabrics, wallpapers, tiles, and packaging are just as much a part of this as printed electronics on chips or printed antennae on windscreens. Both digital and printed media have their justification, often serve complementary purposes – and appeal to different senses.

Today, printing and paper technology is closely interwoven with the packaging category. Packaging has been a booming industry for years, but can only achieve its positive effect if it is sustainable. As such, closed material cycles must be established and value-added networks forged in which all actors along the process chain pool their know-how.

The message is clear: we need to move towards using sustainable resources. To know more about best practices in the field of sustainability, visit drupa 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Dr. Markus Heering Managing Director, VDMA Printing and Paper Technology Association

Ricoh profit jumps with sales growth

Kingman Visual upgrades lab at Curtin Uni

March 2023 I powered by Wide Format Online

swissQprint gains energy efficiency cert

Kyocera reports record sales revenue for 2022

swissQprint gains

ISO energy efficiency certification

swissQprint has had its current range re-certified for energy efficiency and says that it is the only manufacturer of large format UV printers to do so.

All models again scored excellently, so users can continue expecting proven low power consumption, says the company.

It is the second time that swissQprint had its products tested for energy efficiency in accordance with the ISO 20690:2018 standard – once again with success.

Representatives of Fogra, the Research Institute for Media Technologies, measured and certified the power consumption of the swissQprint flatbed printers Kudu, Nyala 4, Nyala 4S and the roll-toroll printers Karibu 2 and Karibu S in various print modes.

The tests showed ‘top in class’ energy efficiency for every machine, meaning that their power needs are very low in relation to performance, which saves costs and resources.

The Swiss UV LED large format printers consume an average of 2.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity, exactly the same as an average kettle.

Kyocera reports record sales revenue

For the nine months ending 31 December 2022, Kyocera posted record sales revenue of ¥1,526 billion ($17 billion) up 12.6 per cent year-on-year. Profit was down 3.9 per cent year-on-year, partly because of increases in costs for raw materials and logistics.

“This nine-month period was characterised by slowing economic growth rates amid an uncertain global situation, continuing inflation, rising global interest rates and a sharp depreciation in the Japanese yen. Concerning the company’s major revenue sources, the period brought continued robust demand in semiconductor-related markets; however, smartphone-related markets exhibited a slowing trend,” Kyocera reported.

“Due to the impact of the company’s investments in expanding component production for semiconductor-related markets, as well as the impact of the weaker yen, the period sales revenue increased by 12.6 per cent over the prior-year period, to ¥1,526.497 billion, marking a record high. On the other hand, despite the impacts of this sales revenue increase and the weaker yen, profit decreased as

swissQprint’s Kudu printer claims to be one of the most energy efficient on the market

In comparison, a two-hour video streaming session on a 65-inch 4K TV requires about the same amount of power, calculated from the data centre to the end device.

For users, it is more important than ever to have power consumption under control and to use that power efficiently. This has been guaranteed with these Swiss large format printers, swissQprint said.

According to Fogra, swissQprint is so far the only manufacturer able to provide independent and standardised proof for its products in this respect.

Previously, in 2018 and 2019, Fogra awarded the Nyala and Karibu models for their ‘outstanding energy efficiency’ in accordance with the ISO 20690:2018 standard, which specifies methods for determining the energy consumption of digital printers.

swissQprint printers are distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Pozitive.

Liquidator appointed at Bespoke

Signs

Bespoke Signs and Wraps, a ‘full-service installation company specialising in the sign and visual industry,’ was established in 2018 and is based at Marion St, Condell Park in Sydney’s south-west.

Recently, a brief ASIC notice announced that the Supreme Court would hear an ‘Application for a Winding Up Order’ against Bespoke Signs & Wraps on February 2, stating, “An application for the winding up of Bespoke Signs and Wraps was commenced by the plaintiff workers compensation nominal insurer on 02/12/2022”.

Following the hearing, ASIC confirmed that a liquidator had been appointed, posting a “Notice of winding up order and appointment as liquidator/provisional liquidator” on its website:

Company: Bespoke Signs & Wraps Pty Ltd (In Liquidation)

Status: In Liquidation

Appointed: 02 February 2023

compared with the previous nine months, due to factors such as increases in costs for raw materials and logistics, as well as a sharp decrease in sales revenue in the communications unit and a slowdown in demand for smartphone components during the three months ending December 31, 2022.

“In addition, two one-time costs totalling approximately ¥10 billion were recorded during the nine months, namely, the litigation cost in the amount of approximately ¥7 billion recorded during the three months ended September 30, 2022 and the additional cost in connection with pension obligations in the amount of approximately ¥3 billion recorded during the third quarter. As a result, operating profit decreased by ¥4.574 billion yen to ¥113.884 billion, profit before income taxes decreased by ¥347 million to ¥162.756 billion, and profit attributable to owners of the parent decreased by ¥1.05 billion to ¥118.783 billion, as compared with the previous nine months.”

Appointment details: Notice is hereby given that Stephen John Michell was appointed liquidator(s) by an order of the Court on 02/02/2023

DETAILS OF THE COURT ARE:

Court: Supreme

District/State: New South Wales

Date of Notice: 03 February 2023

Contact details: C/- PCI Partners Pty Ltd Melbourne VIC 3000

Kyocera’s TASKalfa 1500C inkjet production printer

Ricoh profit jumps 16 per cent on sales growth

Ricoh’s sales in the first nine months of the fiscal year rose by 19.8 per cent to ¥1,528.6 billion ($16.75 billion) and gross profit increased by 16.7 per cent pcp to ¥538.8 billion ($5.9 billion).

The company’s graphic communications business, which includes commercial and industrial printing, recorded a sales increase of 25 per cent (9.8 per cent excluding foreign currency exchange fluctuations).

“The world economy resumed its economic activities compared to the previous corresponding period, when it had been greatly affected by the expansion of COVID-19 infection,” Ricoh said.

“During this period, the number of people infected with COVID-19 reached a record high in Japan. Although the number of people infected with COVID-19 has been decreasing and increasing repeatedly since then, economic activities are resuming due to the relaxation of restrictions.

“On the other hand, prices have been rising due to higher raw material prices and the depreciation of the yen. In the U.S., prices and wages have risen, and the monetary authorities have tightened policies to calm inflation, and GDP was negative temporarily, but the economy has since returned to a recovery trend.

“In Europe, due to the prolonged Russia/ Ukraine situation and the deterioration of relations with Russia, price increases have spread to a wide range of items due to the soaring energy and food prices, and the impact on the economy is becoming apparent.

“In other regions, China’s lockdown caused by the zero-COVID policy has brought a halt to economic activity, and the subsequent rapid expansion of COVID-19 due to the lifting of the zero-

COVID policy has affected the economy and society.”

In the commercial printing business, its sales increased as economic activities recovered in Europe and the Americas.

Despite the impact of material shortages, sales of production printers increased as it worked to secure production volumes, including procuring alternative components from the market. The company added that sales of non-hardware continued to recover, and it almost returned to the level before the spread of COVID-19 infection.

In the industrial printing business (including wide format printers, inkjet printheads and DTG printers), sales increased despite the impact of lockdown in the mainstay Chinese market.

In the commercial printing business, although profits were squeezed due to increased costs by procuring alternative components from the market, improvements in development, production, and service activities and the depreciation of the yen contributed to generate profit.

As a result, graphic communications operating profit was ¥10.0 billion and increased by ¥8.1 billion from the pcp.

Avery Dennison Corporation has joined 200 of the world’s leading sustainable businesses as the newest member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), setting ambitious sustainability goals for 2030 and 2050.

“We are looking forward to bringing our expertise and scale to bear in tackling the most pressing sustainability issues our industry faces,” Avery Dennison R&D and sustainability, label and graphic materials vice-president Pascale Wautelet said.

“This partnership with WBCSD reflects our commitment to being both a leader and a trusted partner in the global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.”

Avery Dennison’s 2030 sustainability goals are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and encompass innovations that advance the circular economy, actions to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and supply chains as well as making a positive social impact.

“WBCSD’s Climate Action Imperative is focused on accelerating climate action and tackling Scope 3 transparency and its Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT) particularly seeks to address the challenge of Scope 3 GHG emissions accounting by developing the methodological and technical infrastructure required for the exchange of primary product emissions data based on a common approach,” the company said.

“Setting ambitious 2030 sustainability goals, Avery Dennison has committed to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 70 per cent from a 2015 baseline year and reducing absolute scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services and end-of-life

treatment of sold products by 30 per cent from a 2018 base year.

“These targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The company’s overall ambition is to have net-zero emissions by 2050.”

WBCSD executive vice-president Dominic Waughray added, “Materials science and process engineering are important innovations to achieve circularity and reduce environmental impact. Together, we will work toward a regenerative future and strive for a world where more than nine billion people live well, within planetary boundaries”.

‘Net-zero by 2050’: Avery Dennison joins WBCSD

Last year, Avery Dennison introduced Easy Apply digital print films

The Ricoh Pro TF6251 flatbed LED UV printer

Kingman Visual upgrades cybersecurity lab at Curtin Uni

Multi-award winning WA sign business Kingman Visual has delivered a stunning upgrade featuring digitally printed graphics on walls and windows in a cybersecurity lab at Curtin University in Perth.

Curtin University worked in collaboration with fitout and construction services specialist Shape to upgrade its B314 Computer Lab, creating a new teaching space for students of cybersecurity.

The project consisted of refurbishment of four main areas; level 1 lobby area and large capacity lab, and level 2 cyber security lab and general purpose lab.

“Shape hired Kingman to complete the signage element of the project,” Kingman Visual said.

“The scope for this consisted of exterior wayfinding, lobby signage, computer lab door plates, digitally printed graphics on the walls and windows, tactile braille signs and room number aluminium plates.

“The final look is absolutely brilliant. The metal wayfinding and software graphic running along the wall complements the coloured doors and

Fantastic Framing staff get 20 per cent cost-of-living pay rise

Avi Efrat, owner of Fantastic Framing – who uses Epson printers for Art and Photo reproductions and has 10 stores across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia – has given all 45 staff members a 20 per cent pay rise to help with rising costs of living.

“Everybody was complaining about the cost of living. One of my workers told me that his rent has gone up by more than $100 a week,” Efrat told 9news.com.au

Efrat has given all of his 45 workers a 20 per cent pay rise and also introduced a new incentive scheme, offering staff the chance to earn regular cash bonuses. One employee was recently paid a bonus of $2,800.

Fantastic Framing also prints art and photo reproductions on Epson printers.

“You need to make sure they’re happy and motivated to get the best from them. My belief is, the more you give, the more you get. It’s a win-win situation. The employees are happy and the client is happy because they’re getting better service,” Efrat said.

panelled lighting expertly – alltogether creating a space that is incredibly fitting for what it is!”

Kingman Visual, established in 1984 and based at 450 Victoria Road, Malaga, Perth, is a WAowned and operated business that has grown to be one of the largest signage companies in Australia.

“Our 3500m2 factory in Malaga has produced a number of prominent sign projects across Australia, many of which have been recognised by the Australian Sign & Graphics Association, earning our team 55 awards for excellence,” the company said.

“Our 65-plus team members are more signage artists than tradespeople and there is very little they can’t do. We like to inspire each other with exciting new challenges – we guess you can call us signage geeks the way we get so excited about the work we do.”

Xerox reports strong Q4 after challenging year

“Resilient demand and improvements in supply chain conditions drove solid Q4 growth in revenue and profits,” Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak said in the print giant’s latest financial update. Fourth quarter revenue was $1.94 billion, up 9.2 per cent year-over-year.

“2022 was a challenging year as revenue and profitability was impacted by an uncertain macroeconomic environment, which included increasing inflation and higher interest rates, supply chain challenges, currency disruption and a war in Ukraine,” Xerox said.

“Despite these challenges, fourth quarter 2022 revenue grew in actual and constant currency for the first time since the second quarter of 2021, due to strong demand for our products and services and improved product supply and mix.Equipment sales revenue of $554 million in Q4 2022 increased 44.3 per cent in actual currency and 49.0 per cent in constant currency as compared to the prior year.”

Alfred Bukris, who works at Fantastic Framing’s Maroubra store in Sydney, said the wage increase had made a big difference for him and his colleagues.

“It has helped us a lot, especially the bonuses. I’ve noticed customer service is much stronger since the bonuses were introduced. It was very good before, but now it’s fantastic. Workers are motivated to be that little bit better,” Bukris said.

Efrat said his attitude to business has been influenced by his upbringing in Israel, where he completed mandatory military service and learned how to perform under pressure.

Fantastic Framing also operates mobile framing services.

“For me, rising costs are more a positive than a negative. They’re making me think harder now my expenses are higher. Everybody has been comfortable, we need to adapt,” he said.

The company said the sequential growth in equipment sales revenue mirrored the decline in equipment backlog. Installation growth was strongest for mid-range products and colour A4 multifunction machines. Growth in this quarter was driven by IT services, which includes the acquisition of Powerland, and growth in supplies and paper. Contractual print services revenue growth accelerated modestly this quarter, aided by recent pricing actions and the acquisition of Go Inspire.

Digitally printed graphics on walls and windows in a cybersecurity lab at Curtin University

Fantastic Framing owner Avi Efrat (centre) with staff members

Minuteman Press named top print franchise for 20th straight year

US-based Entrepreneur Magazine has named Minuteman Press as its #1 Rated Printing & Marketing Franchise for 2023, marking an impressive 20 years in a row in the top spot.

“Minuteman Press International, the world’s leading design, marketing, and printing franchise celebrating 50 years in business, has been awarded the 2023 #1 printing and marketing franchise ranking by Entrepreneur Magazine,” the company said.

“The Minuteman Press franchise team has now achieved this #1 rating for an impressive 32 years and 20 years in a row.”

Minuteman Press International president Nick Titus said, “Being awarded this #1 rating in our category is a testament to the dedication of our owners and the longstanding commitment and investment we have in helping them succeed.”

In 2022, Minuteman Press franchises continued to serve its communities with innovative design, printing, marketing, mailing, and promotional products and services.

“Minuteman Press owners provide essential, high-demand products and services to support local businesses and organisations in their everyday operations and marketing efforts. We are proud to support our owners with continued innovations to our consumer website minuteman.com, upgrades to our proprietary FLEX business management software, offering marketing and internet marketing programs including our new Deal of the Month campaign, and of

course, providing ongoing local support,” he said.

“I am very excited for 2023 as we continue to build on the tremendous momentum we achieved last year as more businesses and live events bounced back throughout all of our communities.”

In 2023, Minuteman Press International is also celebrating 50 years in business. What started out as one print shop on Long Island in Plainview, NY in 1973 has grown to nearly 1,000 locations across five countries – the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and South Africa.

Today, Minuteman Press International remains family-owned and operated.

Titus said, “It is an honour to be the thirdgeneration president of the company that my grandfather Roy Titus and my father Bob Titus (who remains our CEO today) started together 50 years ago. While our industry has certainly evolved, the core principles of providing high quality products with outstanding customer service remain the same today. We simply love what we do, which is do everything we can to help our franchisees grow as they help their clients grow.”

Colormaker Industries, manufacturer of Permaset inks, has passed a milestone of 500 tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) saved through electricity produced from its impressive 100 kW solar operation.

The company’s solar array was first powered up on 18th September, 2019, in the midst of Australia’s Black Summer bushfires.

“Since then, despite first the smoke of the bushfires and then three successive years of La Niña rainfall, the solar array has pushed out clean electricity every single day, culminating in this achievement,” Colormaker said.

“The installation of the solar array proved to be a jumping off point for the Colormaker business, which has now followed up with three EVs for deliveries and staff transport, an electric forklift (no more LPG on site), a more energy efficient air compressor, a small battery to soak up some of the surplus electricity, and even more in the wings.

“The solar array was originally designed to produce around twice as much electricity as the business needed. However, being a producer made Colormaker a lot more conscious of its own use. The new compressor was the biggest factor in getting overall electricity usage down 20 per cent.”

“Having such a huge energy surplus has been a great enabler for Colormaker,” Colormaker managing director David Stuart said.

“Notwithstanding the very real effects of La Niña, we now produce 2.2 times as much electricity as we use. If the sun comes out and stays out, we might get that up to 2.4. Even so, for every single kWh that we’ve purchased over the past 12 months, we put 4.44 kWh into the grid. Since the

battery went in, we’ve also been able to bring our demand down to 1/7th of what it was when we first installed solar, taking further strain off the grid.

“Our current projects on-site are working towards eliminating buying any electricity during the evening peak and to improving self-sufficiency; the first battery is moving us rapidly in that direction. Against an historical self-sufficiency average of 65 per cent (we could still only supply 65 per cent of our electricity needs), for Nov/ Dec we achieved a record 83.5 per cent and expect that to be bettered in January. Once we install our big battery, we’re confident that we’ll get above 90 per cent, possibly even 95 per cent.

“Looking beyond our own site, the use of one electric vehicle looks set to have saved 4 to 5 tonnes of GHGs p.a. from vehicle emissions vs a traditional ICE vehicle. To close out 2022, we acquired two more EVs but are really looking forward to the delivery of our Australian made big battery and Aussie made prototype delivery van – with a much bigger range and payload capacity, we see this vehicle as being a game changer.”

While its objective over the next two years is to be carbon neutral by the end of 2024, until the big battery and van arrive, Colormaker is getting on with business.

We produce 2.2 times as much electricity as we use: Colormaker

Sandy Cream celebrates her 5th anniversary as owner of a Minuteman Press franchise in Canning Vale, WA

(l-r) Federal MP Zali Steggall and Colormaker’s David Stuart celebrate the company’s solar energy achievements

Record-breaking attendance for recent Fespa BBQ in Melbourne

Over 100 members of Australia’s wide format printing industry recently attended the legendary Fespa Australia BBQ at The Richmond Rowing Club Boathouse in Melbourne. The stunning venue formed the hub for members to gather against the backdrop of the Yarra River’s south bank and the city skyline, and enjoy the balmy Melbourne weather.

The BBQ event has been running for at least 30 years and was organised by Fespa Australia president Nigel Davies and sponsored by Avery Dennison, Ball & Doggett, Currie Group, Cactus Imaging, Durst, Coritex, Kissel + Wolf and Spicers.

The event drew a diverse crowd with members enjoying drinks and a sit-down catered BBQ meal while they caught up with industry colleagues.

Fespa’s president Nigel Davies welcomed members and thanked the event sponsors before David Asker, vice-president of the association took to the floor, acknowledging how the record-breaking figures at the event that evening was testament to the industry’s involvement, thanking all those in attendance.

Asker went on to highlight some of the initiatives in place for the year, namely the Sydney BBQ event set for 15 March – and invited Sydneysiders to compete for higher

attendance figures there – as well as the associations “big programs” which are scheduled to run again, namely the Future Leaders event (date to be confirmed) and the Fespa Conference, which co-locates with the ProPrint Awards, scheduled for 3 November.

He mentioned that last year’s conference had received “great feedback from everyone” and that the Fespa team was in the process of developing the 2023 program.

Asker also pointed out that several cohorts and Future Leaders from last year’s event were in attendance, and that the Fespa board is delighted with how well they have continued to work together with the program.

Pictures by Colleen Bate and Jane Docherty.

Troy Neighbour (Fujifilm Australia) and Kai Hennig (Carr Group)

Jeff Barr (IVE Group), Ashley PlayfordBrowne (Currie Group), Stuart Gittus (IVE Group) and Christian Aird (IVE Group)

Christian Aird (IVE Group) and Troy Cavanagh (ImageBox)

Matt Ashman (Durst Oceania), Keith Ferrel (Cactus Imaging) and Josie-De Sousa-Reay (Kine Graffiti)

Phil Rennell (Kornit Digital) and David Asker (ImageBox and Fespa)

Daniel Watts (Pattern Room), Thomas Anderson (Starleaton) and Julian Lowe (Coritex) Sheree Toce and Peter Smith (HVG)

Alex McClelland and Daniela Mastroieni (Orafol), with Matt Ashman (Durst Oceania)

Vinnie Vitetta and Ewen Donaldson (Vivad) and Mick Harold (Visual Exposure) Fespa’s Nigel Davies welcoming members

PRINT DIARY

Got an event? Send an email to hosman@intermedia.com.au with all the details and we will put your event on the page

* event dates correct at time of publishing

Visual Impact Sydney May 3-5, 2023

Sydney, Australia visualimpact.org.au

Durst Beyond, Label Open House

May 3-5, 2023

Brixen, Italy durst-group.com/en/digital-printingtechnologies

Interpack 2023

May 4-10, 2023

Düs seldorf, Germany interpack.com

Dscoop Edge St. Louis World Expo

May 7-10, 2023

St. Louis, USA dscoop.com/event/stlouis

Women in Print Breakfast Series

May 16-24 , 2023

Various cities in Australia womeninprint.com.au

FESPA Global Print Expo 2023

May 23-26, 2023

Munich, Germany fespa.com/en/events/2023/fespaglobal-print-expo-2023

Printing United 2023

October 18-20, 2023

Georgia, USA printingunited.com

2023 ProPrint Awards

November 3, 2023

Sydney, Australia proprintawards.com.au

FESPA Australia Conference

November 3, 2023

Sydney, Australia fespa.com/en

CREATION OF NEW DIMENSION IN DIGITAL PRINTING

Mark McEwan, Director of Label Concepts, is the proud owner of the Dimense printer.

Said Mark: “From the outset, I’ve enjoyed the candour and engagement with Abe Weiszberger, and the passion both he and Phillip Bouchard have shown towards achieving a successful outcome for our business. This product is an absolute game changer, and I look forward to our respective businesses growing in the surfaces market”.

MARKETPLACE

For enquiries, please contact: Carmen Ciappara, National Sales Manager

Direct: 02 9833 4314 or 0410 582 450 | Email: carmen@proprint.com.au

JTS Engineering servicing the industry has partnered with Longer Machine Industrial Co Ltd to supply the specialised range of paper guillotines systems featuring high speed, precision and safety.

Contact

JTS Engineering Services Pty Ltd

Jim Strounis, Owner

Mobile: 0433 100 243 Email: jim@jtsengineering.com.au

Scott Mohammed, Service & Account Manager

Mobile: 0431 887 501 Email: scottm@jtsengineering.com.au

Unit 5, 80-82 Seville Street, Fairfield, NSW, 2165 Web: jtsengineering.com.au

SEEKS URGENT HELP FOR NEW HOME

We are the only live printing Museum in Australia and could potentially be out of a home in as soon as six months following the NSW Government’s proposed acquisition of The Penrith Paceway.

Do you know of someone who has space for us, preferably in Western Sydney?

We seek around 600 square metres that can accommodate us rent free for the long-term.

See our full story on Sprinter News.

Visit: http:www.printingmuseum.org.au

SERIES DIE CUTTER

PRESENTS

SERIES DIE CUTTER

SERIES DIE CUTTER

Maxi Box machines for the corrugated market

A TRUE GUIDE & GRIP REGI SYSTEM ENSURE SHEET-TO-SHEET ACCURACY. SIDE PULL GUIDE CAPABLE OF PULLING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT TO MATCH REGISTER EDGES.

A TRUE GUIDE & GRIP REGISTER SYSTEM ENSURE-SHEET TO-SHEET ACCURACY. SIDE PULL GUIDE CAPABLE OF PULLING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT TO MATCH PRESS REGISTER EDGES.

A TRUE GUIDE & GRIP REGI SYSTEM ENSURE SHEET-TO-SHEET ACCURACY. SIDE PULL GUIDE CAPABLE OF PULLING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT TO MATCH REGISTER EDGES.

A TRUE GUIDE & GRIP REGI SYSTEM ENSURE SHEET-TO-SHEET ACCURACY. SIDE PULL GUIDE CAPABLE OF PULLING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT TO MATCH REGISTER EDGES.

Maxi Box can be offered as a semi automatic or fully automatic machine for applying glue and double-sided adhesive on corrugated also optioned with folding ploughs and various gluing arrangements for a wide range of applications.

Born for eCommerce these machines are built in Europe but aimed at a competitive price tag.

INSIGNIAS W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT

W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT

INSIGNIAS W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT

TRIPPING UNIT

Features

• Feeder is extendable

• Possibility of double production

• Versatile solution for a wide range

• Media – Cardboard, Corrugated and Forex

• Models 1600 and 2000 wide and by request to 3500 wide

Options

Folding gluing machine with hand feeder and delivery table

• Mobile Pocket

• Double Sided Tape Applicators (RAP 25)

INSIGNIA TACKER

• Silicone Applicators (SIL RAP)

• Tear Strip Applicators (STRIP RAP)

• Magnet Applicators (MAG RAP)

Same machine as Box 1 but is upgradable to add the automatic continuous feeder PLUS an automatic delivery table

A TOP SUCTION AIR FEEDER IS POWERED VIA A BUIL T IN BLOWER PUMP IN THE MACHINE. AN OPERATOR CAN INDEPENDENTLY ADJUST VOLUMES OF BOTH BLOW SUCTION TO ADJUST FOR WIDEST RANGE OF MATERIALS POSSIBLE. INDEPENDENT SUCKER HEADS CAN BE ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE.

A TOP SUCTION AIR FEEDER IS POWERED VIA A BUILT IN BLOWER PUMP IN THE MACHINE. AN OPERATOR CAN INDEPENDENTLY ADJUST VOLUMES OF BOTH BLOW & SUCTION TO ADJUST FOR THE WIDEST RANGE OF MATERIALS POSSIBLE. INDEPENDENT SUCKER HEADS CAN BE ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE.

A TOP SUCTION AIR FEEDER IS POWERED VIA A BUILT IN BLOWER PUMP IN THE MACHINE. AN OPERATOR CAN INDEPENDENTLY ADJUST VOLUMES OF BOTH BLOW SUCTION TO ADJUST FOR WIDEST RANGE OF MATERIALS POSSIBLE. INDEPENDENT SUCKER HEADS CAN BE ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE.

A TOP SUCTION AIR FEEDER IS POWERED VIA A BUIL T IN BLOWER PUMP IN THE MACHINE. AN OPERATOR CAN INDEPENDENTLY ADJUST VOLUMES OF BOTH BLOW SUCTION TO ADJUST FOR WIDEST RANGE OF MATERIALS POSSIBLE. INDEPENDENT SUCKER HEADS CAN BE ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE.

A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES ALLOW FOR FAST, CONSISTENT DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL CENTERED.

A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES ALLOW FOR FAST, CONSISTENT DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES DIE OOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL CENTERED.

A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES ALLOW FOR FAST, CONSISTENT DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL CENTERED.

PIN MOUNT SYSTEM ON GNETIC MACHINES ENSURE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE P OOLS. CYLINDERS VE BUILT-IN MICR ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES ENSURE MATING.

YSTEM ON DU ACHINES ENSURE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE PAIRED OOLS. CYLINDERS ALSO HAVE BUILT-IN MICROADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES T ENSURE MATING.

MOUNT S TEM ON DUAL GNETIC MACHINES ENSURE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE P SET OF DIE T OOLS. CYLINDERS ALSO HAVE BUILT-IN MICR ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES ENSURE MATING.

A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES ALLOW FOR FAST, CONSISTENT DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL PIN MOUNT SYSTEM ON GNETIC MACHINES ENSURE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE P SET OF DIE T OOLS. CYLINDERS ALSO HAVE BUILT-IN MICR ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES ENSURE MATING.

Same machine as Box 1 but is also upgradable by added second folding unit to fold and glue crash lock bottom and machine

These machines have been designed with a manual feeder for various formats of punched and creased materials.

All the materials are positioned by the operator, and at the same time, the machine is set up to add a continuous PLUS FEEDER.

HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ASSEMBLIES ARE ADJUSTED VIA THE BL ACK WHEEL. INFINITE ADJUSTABLE UP TO 3,000 PSI CUTTING PRESSURE IS AVAI GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES TO EXTEND DIE LIFE.

HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ASSEMBLIES ARE ADJUSTED EASI VIA THE BL ACK WHEEL. INFINITE ADJUSTABLE UP TO 3,000 PSI CUTTING PRESSURE IS AVAIL ABLE. GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES TO EXTEND DIE LIFE.

HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ASSEMBLIES ARE ADJUSTED VIA THE BL ACK WHEEL. INFINITE ADJUSTABLE UP TO 3,000 PSI CUTTING PRESSURE IS AVAI GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES TO EXTEND DIE LIFE.

HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ASSEMBLIES ARE ADJUSTED VIA THE BL ACK WHEEL. INFINITE ADJUSTABLE UP TO 3,000 PSI CUTTING PRESSURE IS AVAI GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES TO EXTEND DIE LIFE.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR HEAD OFFICE Unit 1G, 1-3 Endeavour Road, Caringbah NSW 2229, email: info@graph-pak.com.au Toll Free: 1300 885 550 www.gra ph-pak.com.au

Enquiries: info@graph-pak.com.au

The Insignia is a sheet-fed rotar y flexo magnetic die cutte for production-driven operatio an a ordable price point.

The Insignia is a sheet-fed flexo magnetic die cutte for production-driven operatio an a ordable price point.

The Insignia is a sheet-fed flexo magnetic die cutte for production-driven operation at an a ordable price point.

The Insignia is a sheet-fed, rotar y, flexo magnetic die cutter designed for production-driven operation at an a ordable price point.

Watch the Maxi Box Gluer and Tape machine in operation

FRIDGE MAGNETS FRIDGE MAGNETS

HB GTP FOILING PLATEN

PERFECTA 92 GUILLOTINE HORIZON SPF200A WITH 2 X TOWERS HORIZON AFC544 AUTO FOLDER

FAST, FLEXIBLE, FRIENDLY COMPETITIVE SERVICE