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Visual Connections’ Virtual online trade show continues to expand its exhibitor list as the show’s opening on June 1^st draws near. The latest participants are Eurotech, Euro Poles and, on the largest ‘stand’ – Currie Group.

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Two thirds of Australian commercial printers expect an average drop in sales of 50% over the next six months compared to pre-COVID 19 sales, according to a new survey by industry adviser Ascent Partners. About 64% of companies intend to trade on and adjust staff levels to match sales, 9% say they will look for acquisitions, 10% will downsize, 12% will look to amalgamate, merge or collaborate, and none expect to close their doors.

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Konica Minolta saw a dive in sales of products and services as COVID-19 spread across the world in March but says overall profitability remained stronger than expected. The company revised its revenue forecast down 4.8% for the fiscal year, from ¥1,045 billion to ¥995 billion.  Its Professional Print business reported a significant decline in sales of digital printing equipment.

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“oOh!media’s Kindness campaign captured the COVID-19 zeitgeist,” said Charmaine Moldrich, CEO of the Outdoor Media Association (OMA), announcing the Q1 2020 Creative Collection competition awards. “oOh!media was quick to react in a time when people needed to be reminded to be kind and act with everyone’s best interest at heart.” oOh!media's wide format print business Cactus Imaging took home an Honourable Mention.

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Roland DG’s new website introduces many creative activities undertaken by Roland employees around the world, including Australia, to assist customers in continuing or restarting their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The power of a single ‘Creative’ idea may be small but...is capable of unlocking immense power with infinite possibilities."

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As Xaar exits thin film printhead development, Meteor Inkjet, a supplier of electronics and software for industrial inkjet, has expanded its product portfolio by offering solutions for Epson’s new S1600 and S800 PrecisionCore printheads.

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Less than a year after acquiring Spicers, Japanese paper giant Kokusai Pulp and Paper (KPP) is on the acquisition trail again, having signed a binding option to purchase the majority control of Antalis, the France-headquartered global  paper, packaging and visual communications distributor with annual sales of around AUD$3.8 billion.

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Canon’s new UVgel Wallpaper Factory is a fully modular workflow solution consisting of a motorised Fotoba Jumbo Roll media loader (JRL) which is connected to the front of a Colorado large format roll-to-roll printer.

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“As far as the pandemic is concerned, we are convinced that people will still want to meet in person to exchange their products – and perhaps more so than ever after this crisis year,” says Heimtextil 2021 organiser Messe Frankfurt.  “Personal contacts are the best prerequisite for good, long-term business. Personal meetings and the experience of touch, especially in the field of textiles, will remain essential.” 

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Canon USA has introduced the company's new imagePROGRAF TA-20 MFP L24ei wide-format colour inkjet printer.  “The 24″ wide system with scan-to-copy and file, is designed for small businesses, teachers, architects, engineers, as well as for consulting firms, and for low-volume, entry-level customers in general.”

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Outdoor advertiser QMS Media says its latest data shows a 26% jump in audience numbers since their lowest ebb early in April. “The positivity in data since then has pointed to OOH audiences being on the way back." Meanwhile, the Outdoor Media Association released its annual report showing revenue for 2019 hit an all-time high of $935.5 million.

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The International Sign Association’s board of directors has voted to cancel major US signage industry trade show the ISA International Sign Expo 2020 - that had already been re-scheduled from April to August 22-25 - due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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HP Australia’s latest Zoom webinar ‘Grow your Web-to-Print Business with HP Application Center’ - which debuted on Tuesday this week and returns on Thursday - presents 16 applications for decoration, signage, banners and retail projects. (Thursday 21 May, 11am AEST, 1pm NZ).

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The Federal Coronavirus Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Guarantee Scheme was introduced to support up to $40 billion of lending to SMEs, including sole traders and not-for-profits, but reports are coming in that banks are making it very hard to access and knocking back many.

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Some Australian printers hit by the collapse of business during COVID-19 have begun exploring possible partnerships with former competitors as a way of staying afloat.

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Innovative Marrickville, Sydney printer Carbon8 has teamed with Sentry Medical to design and manufacture face visors during the Covid-19 crisis. The project made Channel 7 news and caught the attention of the NSW Premier Gladys Berejelikian.

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“We now expect the negative impact of Covid-19 on our business to significantly increase in the short term but it is not possible to quantify its depth or duration of the impact,” says Jean-François Decaux, chairman of the world’s leading outdoor advertising company, announcing first quarter 2020 results.

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Agfa-Gevaert reported ‘solid results’ in the first quarter of 2020, despite a 4.4% fall in revenue to €501 million, with net profit of €1 million. “Many companies are postponing investments in high-end large-format printing equipment," said the Belgian manufacturer of analogue and digital imaging products, software and systems. "In the coming quarters, a significant COVID-19 impact on the printing industry is to be expected."

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Using a Markforged X7 3D printer, Konica Minolta Australia was on hand to assist EGR Group in the prototyping phase of the company’s rapid shift to personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to COVID-19. Capacity is now at 50,000 face shields per day.

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Employers’ organisation Australian Industry Group says easing COVID-19 restrictions and delivering further policy actions to unlock consumer and business spending are critical to stemming the rapid pace of decline in the Australian economy. Releasing its latest business performance index, Ai Group said: “The steepest declines in performance were in retail trade & hospitality, apartment building, commercial construction and among businesses manufacturing textiles, clothing, footwear, paper & printing products.”

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Agfa has released a ‘First Look’ video of its new high-end large-format roll-to-roll inkjet printer in operation. The 3.3 metre Oberon RTR3300 was to have made a debut at the postponed global print expo FESPA 2020 in Madrid in March (now rescheduled to 6-8 October 2020). Agfa last month signed an Australian distribution deal with supplier Graphic Art Mart.