MetroWrapz of Hollywood in Florida has won the Avery Dennison ‘King of the Wrap World’ title, for the second consecutive year, with its Creature from the Wrap Lagoon wrap, which transformed a 2017 Acura NSX. 

 Canon has completed more than 1000 global customer installations of its Colorado roll-to-roll wide format printer series, powered by UVgel technology. The new Colorado 1650 debuted in Australia at PrintEx19 in August and is now rolling out across the country.

Spotting trends early on can make fortunes and cause disuption to entrenched markets. Established only in 2016 by Jack Knott, ePac spotted the trend towards shorter run, fast-delivery flexible packs, particularly pouches. The business is growing at break-neck speed, primarily based on theHP Indigo 20000 760mm flexible packaging web press with attendant converting.

News fresh out of the USA is that Xerox's offer to acquire HP is valued at USD$33 billion in cash and stock and is backed by Citigroup, with investor Carl Icahn masterminding the deal in the background - but what is the real reason behind this mega-strategy? Could it be largely to supply the global food & beverage packaging and textile markets?

HP has released a statement from its headquarters in California over increasing speculation that Xerox is considering a cash-and-stock bid for HP, and that the Xerox board discussed the idea on Tuesday. HP said: “We’ve had conversations with Xerox from time to time… most recently, we received a proposal transmitted yesterday.” 

In a bizarre twist to the Xerox/Fuji Xerox/Fujifilm 'menage', Several financial media in the USA are reporting that Xerox may make a 'minnow-vs-whale' tilt at HP, and not the other way around as we reported recently.

Yesterday saw digital print house Carbon8, recently moved into the former Blake & Hargreaves Marrickville, NSW premises, open its doors to delegates from no less than three industry associations: the ‘Society of Old Friends’ now in its 110^th year; the Press Gang and members of the LIA.

US-based Xerox will sell its 25% stake in Fuji Xerox - its joint venture with Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings - for $2.3 billion, after billionaire Xerox investors Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason last year blocked a proposed $6 billion merger deal between the two companies. As part of the new agreement, Fujifilm has agreed to drop its $1 billion lawsuit against Xerox over the failed merger.

If you acted upon our Tuesday newsletter's 2 Melbourne cup tips, you'd be well up financially! We tipped two horses for each-way wagers, one didn't come in the places but the other 'Vow & Declare" took out the line honours and paid handsomely!

The National Roads and Motorists' Association (NRMA) has slammed a proposal by the NSW government to remove speed camera warning signs from 110 locations across the state.  Online critics have described the proposal as “blatant revenue raising.” 

Massivit 3D has teamed up with Streetfighter LA, producers of wide body kits and auto parts, to demonstrate rapid prototyping capabilities for large car body parts at this week's SEMA trade show in Las Vegas – venue of Avery Dennison’s Wrap Like A King global final. 

The LD-300 Laser Decorator goes beyond foil decoration on soft plastics to include larger three-dimensional items, says DGSHAPE Corporation, a subsidiary of Roland DG and a leading provider of digital fabrication tools.

Mactac has introduced the second generation of its popular B-Free Window Films. Innovations include a stiffer facestock that offers improved panel-to-panel alignment and a new adhesive pattern designed for easy installation.

The new Colorado 1650 roll-to-roll production printer is rolling out across the country, with new stock on the water and technical training underway to meet demand generated at PrintEx19 in Sydney.

Wrap trainer Justin Pate of US-based The Wrap Institute will be back in Australia this month to present his popular workshops in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

The inaugural Printing United (formerly SGIA Expo) in Dallas, Texas featured more than 680 exhibitors on the sold-out show floor, as well as over 100 educational sessions and industry events.

Entries for the Printing Industry Creativity Awards (PICAs) will open in January with revised categories - "as a result of member feedback, PVCA board oversight and international judging panel insight,” says the Print & Visual Communication Association (PVCA). Five state PICA events will be held in April-May 2020 before the National Print Awards on 31 July.

The new Roland DG Academy training course Profit Through Personalisation features demonstrations and practical group activities, including the creation of personalised samples using Roland DG technology. 

Few companies do open houses and product launches as well as Epson, combining hands-on equipment experiences with fun and entertainment. This week the Japanese piezo inkjet pioneer held its ‘Productivity and Efficiency’ event at Sydney’s chic The Studio in Rosebery, followed by a tour and tastings at Archie Rose’s boutique gin distillery next door.

Fuji Xerox NZ has added accountancy firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young) as a defendant in its case against three former executives over an accounting scandal that saw FXNZ and Fuji Xerox Australia (FXA) overstate revenues by about $A450 million.

Online entries will be open soon for the biennial ASGA/FESPA Australia (formerly SGIAA) Awards of Excellence, to be presented during Visual Impact Gold Coast 2020 in Broadbeach.