Chairman’s Report:
Where has the year gone?

Welcome to the June/July edition of AUSTRALASIAN FLEXO. It is hard to believe we are at the half-way mark of the calendar year already. Drupa has come and gone and most of us are now into Budget mode.

This year's Forum at the Crown Entertainment Complex has now been finalised and it promises to be a very informative two days. Guest speakers, both locally and internationally, have excellent papers to present and will address issues in our industry that are extremely relevant. Topics such as EPA, Industrial relations, OHS&E, Lamination and a Print Buyer's perspective, to name a few, will give all of us plenty of food for thought and instigate many discussions.

I am sure our guest Speaker, Mr Kevin Sheedy, will enlighten and entertain all who attend this year, as will our "special entertainment" and band "Velvet Corporation" after the prestigious print awards ceremonies.

Nominations for the Apprentice of the Year, Hall of Fame and Chairman's Award have been submitted and are now being discussed with the AFTA Council; competition is certainly hot, going by the calibre of the received candidates.

Print Award entries are now due and these will be judged during July. The workshop held on how the print awards are judged, proved to be an excellent and feedback from those who attended was very positive, with a number of participants indicating they would like to be considered for a position on the judging panel.

Upcoming workshops are being worked on at the moment for all states. The focus for the next workshop will be inks, general use, troubleshooting and technology advancements, so keep your eyes open for our flyer for further details.

I urge all Flexographers to become members of the AFTA and receive the many benefits of being a member. One of the benefits of becoming a member is having the opportunity to sit on the AFTA Council and be a part of building the future of flexography in Australia; another is to be eligible to attend the AGM and voice your opinions and have input on the direction of the AFTA. I am pleased to say that our membership is steadily growing. The one disappointing issue regarding the member list, is that the number of converters is well below that of suppliers.

The number of attendees at Drupa this year was slightly down on the 2000 numbers; however, the number of Australian attendees proved the Australian market is one that is growing worldwide. 16 halls, 1,862 exhibitors and approx 400,000 visitors, ensured Drupa a worthwhile experience. I hope you enjoy the article in this edition.

As always, the AFTA Council likes feedback from our members and readers on the services we have provided to date, and what you would like your Council to be working on in the future, so please don't hesitate to drop us a line at our web site www.flexoaustralia.org.au.

Please enjoy this edition of our magazine and I will see you all at this year's Forum.

Previous Comments from the Chairman:

1. Meet Shaun Pearce: Chairman of AFTA
2. The Rewards of being an AFTA Member (November 2002)
3. The countdown to the forum has begun!
4. Chairman's report: Where has the year gone?
5. Chairman's report
6. IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR FOR AFTA!