TORONTO—Grenville Management and Printing has announced the acquisition of NCO Technologies, the largest dealer of Canon imaging systems in Ontario. Both companies will now operate as NCOGrenville.

NCO has served the private and public sector for over 40 years. The company’s management, sales and support teams will remain in their current positions.
 

WASHINGTON, DC—HP and KBA are developing the HP T1000 Simplex Colour inkjet web press, a high-speed, high-volume, 110"-wide web press for pre-printing corrugated top liners. The press allows corrugators to combine jobs together on a roll or across rolls for short, mid or long runs. It differs from traditional analog preprint since every box can be different.

GEORGETOWN, ON—Following the acquisition of 67 trade media publications and related digital assets in partnership with Newcom Business Media earlier this year, Annex Business Media is looking to expand again—this time with the purchase of a Komori LS 8-colour 40" perfecting press from KOMCAN, the Komori dealer for Ontario and Western Canada.

RICHMOND HILL—ICON Digital Productions Inc., a provider of large-format digital graphic sservices has installed Canada’s first 98" Durst Rho 1312 UV inkjet digital printer.
 

From left, ICON Digital Productions’ Juan Lau,president and CEO; Alex Christopoulos CFO; and Joe Lloyd from Durst U.S., with Canadas first installation of the Durst 1312 UV hybrid digital printer

TORONTO—After 14 years at the helm of Heidelberg Canada, Richard Armstrong is leaving his post at the end of March.

"It's time. I've had a really good run," he told PrintCAN, "I'm going to take some time to relax. I have no plans right now."

Armstrong, who joined Heidelberg 18 years ago as vice president of customer service, has spent about 30 years in the printing industry.  Asked about his accomplishments during his tenure as president, he points to his efforts at Ryerson University, were he was instrumental in helping to build a permanent home for the School of Graphic Communications Management.

HALIFAX—This past Saturday, the management at the Chronicle Herald, a newspaper based out of Halifax, locked out 13 press workers as a result of labour disputes. Herald owners want four years of wage freezes, the elimination of job security language, early retirement provisions and existing scheduling arrangements. The workers voted down the offer and the paper is currently being printed by replacement workers. On Monday, the Herald union asked readers to cancel subscriptions to the paper for the duration of the lockout. Read more on the standoff here.

TORONTO—Drytac, an international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products, has appointed ND Graphics as its exclusive national-branded distributor for Canada. ND Graphics, will be responsible for business growth in the sign and large-format graphic markets.

Following the acquisition of its second manufacturing and coating operation in Toronto in 2013, Drytac has experienced a greater demand for product distribution and the need for stronger brand awareness. Because of that growth the company is focused on expanding  the markets to which it sells self–adhesive products.

LOS ANGELES—EFI and Konica Minolta Business Solutions (KMBS) are strengthening their partnership. Under the new agreement KMBS and its authorized dealer network will sell and service EFI wide-format LED and UV inkjet printers.

OTTAWA—Canada Post has created the county’s first fabric stamp to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag, which took place this past Sunday. 

Two stamps were issued. The first fabric stamp is printed on satin rayon fabric, is self-adhesive, and measures 100 mm by 50 mm. It’s available as a souvenir sheet or affixed to an Official First Day Cover. One thousand limited- edition uncut press sheets autographed by the flag's original seamstress, Joan O’Malley, are also available to honour the occasion.
The second stamp is a celebratory permanent rare stamp, measuring 40 mm by 32 mm, which displays the number 50 in the background and an undulating flag in the foreground.

OTTAWA—Kelly Signs has added a Kongsberg i-XP24 digital finishing table to its full-service sign shop. In operation since 1947, Kelly Signs creates real estate, construction and pylon signs, trade show displays, banners, vehicle graphics and more.  The new addition will enable the shop to cut materials in-house, instead of outsourcing the service.