Konica Minolta has launched its next generation monochrome high speed digital press series to Australia, the bizhub Press 1250 and the bizhub Press 1052.

The world’s largest English language print trade show Ipex is still losing exhibitors, with Canon / Oce the latest to announce it is withdrawing from the event next March.

Economic growth data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for the December 2012 quarter shows that the printing industry surged ahead during the quarter to record the highest rate of growth amongst the manufacturing sectors.

In a dramatic move late last night Geoff Selig’s Blue Star Group bought Geon’s NSW and Victorian businesses for an undisclosed sum, creating Australia’s biggest sheetfed printer.

Apprentices around Australia have the chance to win a free trip to PacPrint 2013 thanks to Printing Industries Association of Australia which is running the Print is Alive promotion.

The first casualty of the Geon crisis is the company’s Queensland businesses, which have been closed down by the receiver yesterday with the loss of all 80 jobs.

The Geon sell off has got underway with the labels business the first cab off the rank, the receivers have sold it to Blue Star NZ chairman Tom Sturgess.

Geon’s receiver McGrathNichol has vented at the company’s paper merchants for not maintaining supply during the receivership, and accusing them of holding the company ‘hostage’.

Geon’s break-up is looking increasing like the receiver’s best way to raise money, as a sale of what’s left of the company before it runs out of paper now looks unlikely.

If Geon is liquidated the effect on the printing industry may take tsunami like proportions, with dozens of suppliers, including many printing companies, likely to go down with it.