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In a major consolidation move, leading US industry groups The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and Printing Industries of America (PIA) have announced an official merger effective May 1, “to bring resources and services together under one roof to best support future industry growth and longevity.” The new association’s name will be announced in coming weeks.

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Drupa's 3^rd  Global Trends Report is about to be released in May. It will show that printers are adapting to challenging market conditions by successfully launching new products and services. It also spells a much more serious problem for commercial offset than even post-Covid scenarios suggest, with only 20% of respondents predicting investment over next 4 years.

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With commercial printers hit by steep revenue falls of up to 90% because of COVID-19, print businesses may need to work with other printers if they want to stay in the game, according to industry analyst Richard Rasmussen of Ascent Partners. “We must accept that the world has changed." Ascent has launched a new collaboration program. 

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“It won't be long before we'll see more businesses opened up again and we'll try and get back to some type of normal,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told ABC Radio.

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Most printing and signage companies reopened for business on Tuesday as 400,000 New Zealand workers returned to work under more relaxed Alert Level 3 lockdown restrictions.

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ASGA and FESPA Australia are collaborating on a series of free webinar sessions, beginning this Thursday, to examine the JobKeeper scheme and other issues related to coronavirus guidelines.

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Small businesses across Australia have been given an extension to pay their employees under the JobKeeper program, after concerns raised last week by Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell.

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The federal government has released national COVID-19 safe workplace principles for businesses and workers that are designed to prepare workplaces to resume normal operations during the coronavirus pandemic.

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An infectious diseases expert says Australian factories and businesses hoping to reopen under any government easing of Covid-19 restrictions will have to rethink how they operate. The comments came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the federal government was building towards a ‘COVID-safe economy.'

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Software company Enfocus, a global leader in PDF productivity and workflow automation for the graphic arts industry, has released PitStop Pro and PitStop Server 2020: “A must have, not only for printing companies, but especially also for Large Format Printing.” 

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Wide format technology manufacturer Durst has responded to a lack of suitable protective masks for industrial work by converting the demo centre at its Brixen headquarters in South Tyrol, Italy to industrial mask production.

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The Japanese government will invest up to two billion dollars to encourage Japanese firms that manufacture products in China to move back to Japan, according to industry researcher Keypoint Intelligence. Ricoh recently moved its production print manufacturing from China to Thailand to offset US tariffs.

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Outdoor advertiser oOh!media has partnered with Greater Bank to recognise local heroes including nurses, teachers and café owners across NSW for their kindness and generosity during the COVID-19 crisis. Meanwhile, ASX-listed oOh!media this week completed the retail component of a $167 million capital raising.

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Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell is concerned by reports that many small businesses impacted by Covid-19 may not be applying for the JobKeeper payment because they can’t pay staff by April 30. "It’s especially critical that small businesses that are struggling to pay their rent apply for the JobKeeper payment for their staff."

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The FTSE (or ‘Footsie – London’s Financial Times Stock Exchange index) has again included Epson in its 2020 FTSE4Good index, which measures corporations’ performance in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices.

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JDA Printrecruit’s Chris Gander (Vic/SA) and James Cryer (NSW/Qld) are taking pro-active steps for the inevitable recovery in the print industry, job market and economy in general.

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As NZ nears downgrading from Level 4 to level 3 restrictions, D&D Signs of Whangarei leads the way by example with a bulletin that is so near-perfect, we will reproduce it here in whole. We can all learn from the way D&D is operating.

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The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) is supporting this year's RSL nationwide at-home Anzac Day initiative ‘Light up the dawn’  by providing digital signs throughout Australia.

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The inventiveness of Australian and NZ sign industry operators is legendary and is nowhere more apparent than during this Covid-19 crisis. Channel 7 saw fit to feature Sydney’s Clarke Murphy Print (CMP) on its Weekend Sunrise show on Saturday 18^th April…and there’s more.

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About 30 companies from across all states and territories have so far taken up the Australian Sign and Graphics Association’s free membership offer to all sign, graphics and print businesses. ASGA has also announced a Q&A webinar for members next week - presenters will include its business adviser and accountant.

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Organisers Messe Düsseldorf issued a ‘365 days to drupa’ alert this week: “The new date of April 20 - 30, 2021 is now firmly established in the international calendar. The decision to postpone was difficult, but the only right choice for everyone involved.”