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The timing could be better but then, as a great sage once wrote "Man plans - God laughs." The Publisher of this twice-weekly newsletter and website, Andy McCourt, is pleased to announce he is now also Editor of the industry's leading Label & Packaging title, Labels Plus, and all former Labels-Online subscribers will receive the e-version for free.

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National print association PrintNZ says it was “caught by surprise” on Friday when the New Zealand government announced that under new COVID-19 measures only major daily newspapers were considered essential services and that “all other printed newspaper and magazine production was to cease immediately.”  The move comes as the fight to declare printing and signmaking an essential service heats up on both sides of the Tasman. 
PVCA CEO Andrew Macaulay said all Australian print and packaging businesses that maintain the latest CoVid19 safe health work guidelines can continue to operate, "if that is their commercial decision.”
News Corp Australia has stopped printing 60 local newspapers because of a collapse in advertising revenue. News Corp announced on Wednesday it would turn its 60 community mastheads into digital-only products.

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ASX-listed outdoor advertiser oOh!media is out of a trading halt after raising $156 million to complete the institutional part of an emergency $167 million capital raising. US investment firm HMI Capital is providing $17.7 million, which could leave it with 25 percent of the company. oOh!media also announced a cost-cutting drive of $45m-65m.

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"Because print is such a powerful communication tool, we are providing print-ready Color-Logic metallic files that anyone can use in these stressful times,” says sales and marketing director Mark Geeves.

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Director drupa and Global Head Print Technologies of Messe Düsseldorf, Sabine Geldermann, has promised a ‘unique and successful’ drupa 2021, following the postponement of the world's leading trade fair for printing technologies.

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Digital textile printing manufacturer Kornit Digital has withdrawn its first quarter earnings guidance because of the impact of COVID-19. "The first quarter was off to an excellent start before the global effects of COVID-19 began to severely impact the fashion, apparel and home décor sectors."

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PrintNZ GM Ruth Cobb says the decision to include signmakers/speciality graphics in the Top 12 Apprentices of the Year finalists for 2020 illustrates that the national association “strives to keep at the forefront of evolutions within the sector.”

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“For businesses to bounce back when this health crisis is over, they need a holiday from all costs that they incur during this extremely difficult period,” says Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell, who welcomed Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s COVID-19 business hibernation plan that was flagged on Friday.

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“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.”

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“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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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“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.

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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.

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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.