The Print Files

Wayne Robinson, Editor of Print21, and Lindy Hughson, Publisher of Print21 and PKN Packaging News, bring us a review and analysis of the major developments, issues and trends emerging in the ANZ print industry during June.

The discussion starts with the big raises in staff and paper costs that will be difficult to absorb without increasing prices, and then moves on to Ovato's attempts to rapidly recalibrate itself as the downsizing continues following the impact of Covid on its market and operations. This leads to a review of Kevin Slaven's three and a half years as CEO at Ovato, including the observation that Ovato is not alone, with the biggest heatset printers in the UK and USA facing similar struggles.

This opens the discussion to the future for offset litho printing, and why it is set to remain a major part of the industry, and the acknowledgement that as technology is changing the print industry at a rapid pace wit is bringing challenges and opportunities. An example of a company taking advantage of the opportunities is Prima printing in Melbourne, part of the new generation of print businesses, as is Vistaprint, which is aggressively promoting itself and running a competition to win a full brand refresh and $15k cash.

The episode wraps with a discussion on wide format printing and the forced migration away from PVC as the Basel Convention restrictions come into force, plus observations on the recent cyber attack that hit FujiFilm, and what it means to print businesses of all shapes and sizes.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, editor of Print21, discusses print leadership with Wayne Finkelde, CEO of AAB Holdings which includes Pegasus Print, SOS Print & Media, F&M Supplies and AB Warehousing & Logistics.

In the fifth episode in our Leading in Print series for The Print Files, Wayne Finkelde reviews his family's history in print and how he started working in the family business. Having attended formal management courses in his early 20s, Wayne was able to build on that foundation through continuously learning from those around him and being open to input from others to further progress his career.

The discussion also covers the growth of AAB and Wayne's views on managing debt, expanding beyond a single industry, identifying opportunities for acquisition, and the challenge of integrating staff from multiple entities into a cohesive whole. He also covers the importance of making hard decisions up front before they become worse decisions later, and being willing to take calculated risks when necessary.

Wayne then discusses the values that underpin his leadership and how he manages to balance the responsibility of being a CEO with staying healthy and finding a work/life balance.

The episode wraps up with Wayne's advice for the younger generation and emerging leaders in the print industry, particularly regarding decision making and dealing with change.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, Editor of Print21, and Lindy Hughson, Publisher of Print21 and PKN Packaging News, bring us a review of the major developments in the ANZ print industry during May.

The episode opens with a discussion of Amazon's new printing plant being established in Western Sydney, and its potential implications for the ANZ book printing industry. Thie focus then switches to newspapers, with analysis of the two big stories this month highlighting the rapidly evolving sector, with ACM's closure of its North Richmond plant and the impact on small and rural newspaper publishers, while the Today Group have re-opened a former News Corp printing site.

The discussion moves on to the commercial world, with Ovato's ongoing travails due to the drop in catalogue production, and then considers the implications and controversies of print businesses coming out of administration and back into the market thanks to the DOCA.

Packaging has been a bright spot throughout Covid, we look at the latest Amcor figures., which then leads into a review of the world's biggest graphic arts user event Dscoop, including a review of the encouraging outlook by five leading Sydney printers, who all cited packaging as a growth area.

Dscoop was online this year, but in-person events are returning in Australia with Lindy and the Print21 team attending the Women in Print breakfast in Sydney. Lindy relates the key learnings from the event, particularly regarding the importance of print business owners and managers maintaining good mental health.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

Host: Wayne Robinson

Coordinator: Grant McHerron

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, editor of Print21, and Susan Heaney, managing director of Heaney's Performance in Print, discuss inspiration, management and surviving change, during the fourth episode in our Leading in Print series for The Print Files.

The episode starts with Susan explaining her early roles in the family business and how she came to be running it. She highlights the importance of education to progress beyond real-world experience and identifies her sources of inspiration, support and advice.

The discussion also includes the importance of establishing and maintaining a good team while avoiding micro-managing them. Susan covers the many challenges the company has endured including global and regional financial crises and, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic. She then shares her views on the future of the print industry and the importance of being able to adapt to the constant change occurring within it.

The episode wraps up with Susan discussing the benefits of her involvement in community and industry groups, before ending with her observation that vacation time is key to maintaining her work/life balance.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, editor of Print21, and Tom Eckersley, managing director of Eckersley Print Group, discuss leadership, the importance of mentorship and running a family-owned business, during the third episode in our Leading in Print series for The Print Files.

The episode starts with Tom discussing how he started working in the family business and quickly moves on to the importance of mentorship, particularly his involvement in The Executive Connection. This transitions to people management and its application to staff, customers and suppliers.

Tom goes further into running a family business, and his approach to growing the business, including being open to new ideas, and careful implementation of acquisitions. The discussion then moves on to the values underpinning Tom's leadership, the measuring and monitoring performed within the group and Tom's sources of inspiration.

The episode wraps up with Tom's views on the application and impacts of technology in the print industry, his advice for the leaders of tomorrow, and how he manages to achieve work/life balance with some level of relaxation.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, Editor of Print21, and Lindy Hughson, Publisher of Print21 and PKN Packaging News, bring us a review of the major developments in the ANZ print industry during April.

The episode starts with an analysis of the potential impacts on mail and the print industry from the new CEO at Australia Post. This transitions into a review of Andrew Macaulay's achievements as CEO of the Print and Visual Communication Association (PVCA) given he will be leaving the role later this year.

The drastic reduction in the level of paper imports in Australia and New Zealand confirm that 2020 was a tough year for print, and the discussion looks at print's future in a post-Covid world. This naturally leads to identifying some of the companies and print markets that are doing well, assessing their commonalities, including growth in flexibles, and the impetus to implement fibre-based packaging.

April continued to demonstrate the rise of customers looking for print suppliers that are actively working to reduce their carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of their operations. The discussion then highlights the good news that the large format and outdoor media markets experienced a turnaround in March after a challenging 2020 and start of 2021.

The episode wraps with a discussion on the return of print industry events, and the stand-out results from the Shop 2020 awards, and what that shows to print businesses.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, Editor of Print21, and Sandra Duarte, CEO of Centrum Group, discuss careers and leadership in the print industry during the second episode in our Leading in Print series for The Print Files.

The discussion starts with a review of Sandra's career, focusing on her motivation and drive along with her transition from a tourism business to Centrum Print in 2008. We discuss the factors that drove Centrum's transition from general commercial print to its reinvention as a large format trade and packaging printer.

Sandra talks to us about the risks associated with the transition and their associated stresses. Having become CEO of Centrum Printing, Sandra also talks about dealing with those stresses, the values she applies to her leadership, and the need to be willing to take a risk based on good information and planning.

We learn about the organic development of Sandra's leadership skills, the importance of managing your mindset, and her sources of inspiration, along with her commitment to guiding the next generation of staff and potential leaders for the print industry.

The episode wraps up with Sandra telling us how she manages to balance her career and work demands with her family, staying balanced and, of course, being amazing every day.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, editor of Print21, talks to Debbie Burgess, joint managing director of Bright Print Group, on leadership in the evolving print industry. This is the first episode in The Print Files' series Leading in Print.

We start with Debbie telling us about growing up with the family's print company, how she started working in the business, and the importance of education for her career, and for the whole team at the renowned Bright Print Group, one of the most progressive print businesses in the country.

The discussion then moves on to the challenges in today's print industry, and the importance of in-house knowledge as compared to external, independent people. Debbie then talks about the values of honesty, respect and doing the right thing that underpin her leadership approach, and the way the Group operates, We also learn about Debbie's development as a leader, and her words of advice for others, especially the next generation of workers and potential leaders.

The episode wraps up with a discussion on the improvements in sustainability of the print industry, the importance of helping others in the community, and how Debbie takes the time to relax and unwind from the pressures of running the Group.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021

Wayne Robinson, Editor of Print21, and Lindy Hughson, Publisher of Print21 and PKN Packaging News, bring us a review of developments in the print industry during March. We start by discussing how two of the printing industry’s biggest players have been impacted by changes by the shift to online catalogues and magazines, yet they reported different results for the half year.

The discussion then moves on to the opportunities that have grown from the packaging industry responding to COVID, the emergence of companies focusing on small-run production requirements, and recent developments in the shift to paper-based packaging for products including confectionery and alcohol. The impacts of COVID are also reviewed for the wide format sector, which has seen some companies disappear, while others are booming, depending on their exposure to different markets.

Wayne identifies a major change in building signage that has followed from the Grenville Tower fire in London during 2017 as new regulations on combustibles within building cladding and signage are introduced around the world. We then review issues with global supply lines, as importers are having to increase prices to accommodate increased shipping expenses and delays.

We wrap up the episode with reviews of improvements in sustainability within the print industry, the corporates being called out for greenwashing, and look at printers are increasing the use of solar power at their facilities. Finally, we note the excitement in the industry following the announcement that Australia's PacPrint trade show will be going ahead in September.

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The Print Files Podcast is produced by Southern Skies Media on behalf of Print21, owned and published by Yaffa Media.

The views of the people featured on this podcast do not necessarily represent the views of Print21, Yaffa Media, or the guest’s employer. The contents are copyright by Yaffa Media.

If you wish to use any of this podcast’s audio, please contact Print21 via their website www.print21.com.au or send an email to [email protected]

MC: Grant McHerron

Host: Wayne Robinson

Editor: Chris Visscher

Producer: Steve Visscher

Print21 - © 2021