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As Xerox bemoaned its 35% revenue drop, in the US, Kodak shares soared as much as 1,900% in two days after the inkjet printer and plate company secured over AUD$1 billion of a government loan to produce generic-drug ingredients in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It's a remarkable turn-around that has made millions for long-suffering stockholders.

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Since its founding over 25 years ago, John Hatzigiannis’ wide and super-wide VFX Print Group has grown to be one of the largest digital printers on the East Coast of Australia. VFX now has branches in Brisbane, Melbourne and the ACT, as well as its main hub in Leichhardt.

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“I am proud of our employees who did what was necessary during this unprecedented disruption to support our business and clients, especially those delivering essential services,” said Xerox CEO John Visentin announcing the company’s Q2 2020 results. Revenue was down 35 percent year over year to $US1.47 billion. “We have evaluated our business under numerous recovery scenarios to ensure we can respond quickly."

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“The reliability of the machine is nothing short of incredible,” says John Howard, managing director of Eye Spy Signs in Cambridge, Tasmania, about the company’s 'pride of the fleet' Durst Rho 163 traffic sign printer. "It was not cheap but what do you expect to pay if you are buying the best in the world?"

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Drytac, a global manufacturer of self-adhesive materials for large format print and signage markets, has appointed Stark Digital as its new dealer in New Zealand. In February, Drytac named Melbourne's Shann Digital Print Media as its exclusive Australian distributor.

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Cactus Imaging and oOh!media’s ‘Know My Name’ campaign for The National Gallery - aimed at increasing the representation of women artists - was awarded Best Use of Multi-Format by the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) in its Q2 2020 Creative Collection competition. The Grand Prix and Best Use of Digital award went to JCDecaux Content and Broadsheet Media.

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Changes at ASGA continue afoot, with the appointment of Liz Bouzoudis in the newly-created role of Marketing Manager. Liz is based in South Australia, the same state as incoming ASGA President Julie Rochester.

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Heidelberg has exited narrow web by agreeing to sell its Gallus division to Swiss asset management group benpac Holdings. It was only in 2014 that Heidelberg acquired control of Gallus in a deal that made Ferd Ruesch AG Heidelberg's largest shareholder at 9%. Heidelberg will continue to support the inkjet engine which is part of the Gallus Labelfire 340 press.

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“We question why the interest rates proposed by the lenders are at usual commercial interest rates and feedback from members has revealed some rates are quite high – 11.26% given the ‘unsecured’ nature of the loan,” says Kellie Northwood, CEO of The Real Media Collective (TRMC).  “The scheme does raise some concerns in relation to lender behaviour and lending conditions.”

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Australians are being urged to watch out for government impersonation scams with $1.26 million lost so far this year in more than 7,100 incidents reported to Scamwatch. In reality, losses are likely to be far greater, says the ACCC.

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The World Out of Home Organization [WOO] is launching a $US25 million worldwide digital out of home campaign called #OurSecondChance – which “reflects the new post-Covid world” and includes questions regarding climate change.

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HP Inc.’s latest study on SMBs in Asia-Pacific, ‘Survival to Revival’, has found over 50% of small-medium business owners expect not just to survive but thrive following the pandemic, with digital transformation seen as a key part of the revival.  43% of those surveyed recorded lower productivity in June compared to pre-COVID figures.

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Global Inkjet Systems (GIS) and Sakata Inx Group have announced plans to collaborate on industrial inkjet projects worldwide, working together on specific projects, “leveraging Sakata’s ink expertise and access to large end users and major OEMs, and GIS's expertise in providing complete workflow solutions for industrial inkjet applications.”

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Canadian wide format graphics software company Tilia Labs has developed its Griffin technology to integrate with Summa cutting technology. Available immediately, support for Summa cutters is a feature of the latest tilia Griffin 2.2 that delivers nesting and ganging for a range of laser, flatbed and roll-to-roll cutters.

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“The Coronavirus pandemic has provided arguably the most challenging and demanding period that Australian business has faced within the last decade,” says Craig Nethercott, managing director of Canon Production Printing Oceania. “Kick Start is designed to help those looking to evolve their businesses by taking on a new and wider range of wide-format applications that suit the current demands of consumers and industry.”

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Industry think-tank Ascent Partners presents a free Webinar - Regroup, Sell or Close? Many printers were sailing close to the wind pre COVID-19 and with significant falls in sales in most sectors, a large number are being kept afloat with Government subsidies, such as JobKeeper, COVID-19 insolvency laws and creditor assistance; some are doing okay. Help is at hand from Ascent Partners and seasoned industry professionals, on July 30th 2020 - be there (virtually!)

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Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell has called for immediate changes to Australia’s “broken” insolvency system ahead of “a predicted tsunami of insolvencies to come."  Small business owners that have been through the liquidation process "have told us their experience was so traumatic they will never fully recover," Carnell says.

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French RIP software company Caldera has launched the Caldera WebShop – designed to enable wide-format printing businesses to create a bespoke storefront which can be integrated into a web-to-print operation.

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Kwik Kopy has been recognised at last week's 37th National Print Awards for the third year running. Wide format is becoming an important part of Kwik Kopy's offerings as its St Leonard's branch has also conducted a great direct campaign to attract Covid sign business.

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Following its AGM, Sign industry association ASGA has announced new appointments to its National Executive, with SA's Sign Concepts' Julie Rochester taking on the Presidency

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Supplier Ball & Doggett has released the first episode of its new YouTube video series called RESET that is designed as ‘a conversation connecting our industry, featuring open discussions with clients, suppliers and industry peers, sharing their experiences and thoughts.’