“The outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the responses from governments, both federal and state, has put restrictions on some businesses and forced many to close, which has consequences for employees,” says the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in its latest COVID-19 update. “Please read this Information note – Government responses to COVID-19 pandemic.”

“While we remain open-minded about M&A as a tool to add value for HP shareholders at the right time and on the right terms – it’s abundantly clear that now is not that time,” HP has told its shareholders in a letter. It warned that any large-scale transaction in the current economic environment could be disastrous.

Sydney-based printer Cactus Imaging and large format systems manufacturer Durst, based in Italy, have updated customers about the measures they’ve introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new Mimaki 3DGD-1800 3D printer boasts ground-breaking production speeds to transform production of large-sized objects, opening up a wide range of new possible applications across industries from sign and display to manufacturing. It is clearly made by Massivit of Israel but, when combined with Mimaki's range of 2D wide format printers, offers major advantages.

Graphic Art Mart's Executive General Manager Mous Elsarky  explains what services will remain available and what will not in this letter.

The short-lived DOCA (Deed of Company Arrangement) for Clear Skies Corp Pty Ltd, executed last September 17th, whereby the supporting creditor Skope Group Pty Ltd agreed to pay $22,000 per month and 30 cents in the dollar by 2022, will be terminated and the company liquidated if a meeting of creditors votes for it on April 2nd.

The terrible effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are beginning to be felt in New Zealand as lockdown and isolation laws reduce sign businesses to emergency-only signage and work-from-home designs.

3M has doubled its output of urgently-needed N95 respirator masks to more than 1.1 billion per year, or almost 100 million a month, at its global manufacturing operations across US, Asia and Europe. The company is also maximizing production of hand sanitizers, disinfectants and filtration solutions.

FESPA’s flagship Global Print Expo has been rescheduled to take place in Madrid from October 6-8 2020, along with co-located events European Sign Expo and Sportswear Pro. "We’ve been overwhelmed by the strong demand from our global community for a FESPA platform in 2020."

“We have moved quickly to execute a comprehensive range of initiatives in response to the circumstances to mitigate the impacts of revenue declines and the effects of COVID-19,” says Geoff Selig, executive chairman of leading ASX-listed print and marketing business IVE Group, which went into a trading halt last week.

HP's 3D printing technology is being used to build essential medical equipment including ventilator valves and breathing filters - as well as new plastic door handle adaptors that enable opening by elbow - to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Australian Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell welcomed the federal government’s latest support measures designed to help small businesses through the COVID-19 crisis. “This package gives small and family businesses some breathing space until circumstances return to normal." The package includes assistance for small to medium sized businesses to help them retain staff members.

New research says the global inkjet printing market will grow at an annual rate of more than 11 percent by volume in the next five years to reach more than $US118 billion by 2025.

“Without wanting to sound dramatic, it is fair to say that this is going to get far more serious before it gets better,” says Andrew Macaulay. CEO of the Print & Visual Communication Association (PVCA). “The biggest business issue, after safety of our workforce and families, is going to be cashflow.”

Konica Minolta has closed manufacturing facilities in Malaysia and France because of the coronavirus but the company’s Wuxi and Dongguan factories in China are back in operation and ready to complement production. 

Once the Prime Minister announced a bar on any public gathering in excess of 500 people, it was inevitable that all trade events at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre would have to be postponed. Visual Impact is no exception. Future dates yet to be determined, once the Covid-19 situation is under control and events of all kinds can be staged again.

New Zealand’s premier printing industry awards event scheduled to take place in Auckland on May 8^th has been postponed to a date yet to be determined, because of the coronavirus.

One of Queensland's leading digital print and signage companies has begun prioritising all coronavirus-related signage jobs. “During this stressing time; we understand the urgency in delivery turnaround,” says Brisbane-based Bailey Print Group.

Following the recent postponement of global print expo drupa, the organisers of PacPrint Melbourne 2021 have made “the difficult decision to postpone our own leading industry expo.”

At this time where our senses are being assaulted with myriads of Covid-19 rules and messages and (quite rightly) warnings of do’s and don’ts, we thought we’d present something good for the body & soul as both a preventative and therapy if you get ill.