Australia’s Single Width Users Group – an oxymoron these days as members increasingly embrace double-width printing – is the place to hear the goss (literally) around the industry.

And about 180 print centre managers and suppliers were in Yeppoon last weekend to do just that.

Breaking news included the goss from Goss – the not-yet-announced news that the company will launch a highly automated compact single-width press at ChinaPrint in May.

And a detailed technical run-down on how Fairfax Media plans to print its flagship Australian metro newspapers at regional plants next year. Upgrades provide for hybrid heatset/coldset sections to be produced. Both stories are on this website.

That apart, SWUG appeared to be in a more relaxed and even contemplative mood this year, while maintaining a traditional emphasis on safety, personal development, and clean and waste-free production.

Sanat Hazra, technical director of the Times of India – the world’s largest English-language newspaper – set the theme.

The publisher, which uses 12 print sites of its own plus 24 contract sites, shares knowledge through a ‘community of practices’ and the employment of quality assurance systems such as Six Sigma. “Cost leadership gives us an advantage,” says Hazra. “Anyone can do something at high cost.”

Nearer home, News Limited production director Marcus Hooke explained how Rupert Murdoch’s Australian subsidiary had consolidated disparate business units following the appointment of new top management last year. But he says, “you can’t save your way to growth” and News is committed to building its news publishing businesses.

“We’re 12 months into something some say we should have done 20 years ago,” he says.

SWUG speakers – many of whom are novices – know a little humour helps when you have a serious topic to tackle.

Norske Skog’s Stephen Cox managed a very messy demonstration of how his company made newsprint; Greg Haley, who manages Rural Press Printing’s Mandurah (WA) print site made light of fire and flood.

And Jon Clarke of Fairfax Media’s Capital Fine Print business in Canberra got a string of laughs out of UV printing, a topic which has vexed and exercised staff there and in North Richmond for more than a year, but yielded what may be one of the most productive UV print sites in the world.

And real industry challenges were confronted: declining literacy by industry-veteran-turned-academic Phil Lawrence; stress and recovery by motivational speaker Mark McKeon; and safety. Anthony Payne’s Fairfax role now covers everything from the sales rep off work for a couple of weeks after slipping when delivering a celebratory case of wine to an advertising agency, to the safety of the couple of journalists who wanted to be strapped to the wings of a light plane. His message was poignantly preceded by a Bechtel Mining video, ‘I could have saved a life that day’. Watch for it on our website.

Steve Dunwell, managing director of manroland Australia, even had ideas about how publishers could get back a third of their upgrade investment costs from the government, providing they’re quick: “When this government goes, the programme goes, so you’ve effectively got six months,” he offered.

Delegates also heard from last year’s SWUG scholarship and top apprentice award winners, and were urged to “get in and apply” for a range of valuable personal development prizes including SWUG’s $20,000 scholarship and another from suppliers’ group GAMAA.

The programme also included a welcome party hosted by Kodak, a visit to APN Print’s Manugraph/Müller Martini-equipped print site in Rockhampton, and the gala annual awards dinner, at which technical prizes valued at $50,000, plus the 2013 apprentice of the year award, were announced.

Top apprentice is Nicole Clarke, in her fourth year at News Limited’s (double-width) print site at Chullora, NSW. She is pictured with committee member Anthony Payne.

• Full report in GXpress Magazine.