Steve Venn has been appointed as Managing Director for Kodak Australia and New Zealand, Graphic Communications Group (GCG) effective April 1, 2008. Venn succeeds Nick Notaras.

EFI has announced the availability of two new models in the award-winning QS superwide format printer family.

So you thought your inkjet printer was fast??? It has been reported that MAN Roland, a leading manufacturer of offset sheet and web fed presses (nothing to do with Roland DG) and Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group have signed a letter-of-intent to work towards the high speed production of newspapers at up to 90,000 copies per hour.

Roland DG have issued a press release regarding their sponsorship of the "Solar Challenge", Roland DG were a founding sponsor of this organisation. The press release states that they have decided to cease further sponsorship of this event being managed by Social Environmental and Economic Sustainability Limited (“SEES”).

Wide Format Online magazine to launch database of wide format printers in the ANZ region.

Gandi have added the Cyclone UV laminator to their product line and recommends them in partnership with their printers.

FESPA has announced the programme for its popular Showcase Theatre (1st April to 3rd April 2008 at 10:30h to 16:30h) at this year’s FESPA Digital Printing Europe event in Geneva.

Hexis will be present at FESPA Digital Printing 2008, and will be showing an all new cast plotter film combined with Hex’Press adhesive technology for vehicle wraps and fleet graphics.

After a 25 year association, Marcus Adler steps down as CEO of Roland DG Australia and New Zealand.

The research project initiated by FESPA in partnership with Infotrends is the first ever Europe wide research into the future of wide format.

National Sign Systems have introduced a novel new product, The Portable Wall Fabric.

MacDermid Autotype has announced the release of Autotype Delta II, a new, cost effective, double-sided, positive or negative film that can be imaged on either side in a laser printer.

Graphtec has announced that it's CS500 and CS600 Scanners have been awarded the Bertl Four Star Highly Recommended Rating.

With HP running a recent promotion with a trip to Fiji as the prize and Halifax Vogel Group (HVG) customers also having an opportunity, Fiji will be doing quite well from our local competition winners.

EskoArtwork has announced the introduction of ArtiosCAD 7.3 and claim that this latest version provides easier design features, more realistic views of packaging against backgrounds and extensive support for new operating systems and applications.

HP has announced that it has completed the portfolio integration of recently acquired MacDermid ColorSpan, Inc., a leading supplier of UV-curable inkjet printers for display graphics, into the Graphic Arts organisation within HP’s Imaging and Printing Group.  The acquisition enables HP to provide lower-cost, wide-format platforms and UV technologies to print service providers (PSPs) that are expanding into outdoor applications and more industrial workloads.

Xerox Corporation has announced it's re-entry into the wide format market with two new offerings.

Alucobond Architectural today announced the launch of Forex Print, the latest addition to its range of quality Forex creative sheet materials.

GAMAA (Graphic Arts Merchants Association of Australia) is pleased to announce the successful recipients of the 2008 GAMAA Leadership Programme Scholarship -  Adam Newman, Ferag Australia; Helen Woods, Fairfax (Gippsland News); Joanne Kesby, QM Technologies.

The Digital Impressions Group has appointed Rob Bykowski as a technical sales & service specialist.

With two major shows coming up in 2008, FESPA and Drupa, Kodak has not  made any announcements about further product development for the traditional wide format sector as yet, but in a preview to the enormous Drupa show in May it intends to demonstrate it's Stream Inkjet Technology, when it unveils the Kodak Stream Concept Press which will target the commercial print sector.