31 January 2005

BIPIC joins Intergraf and shifts the focus to Europe

The British and Irish Printing Industries Council (BIPIC), consisting of BPIF (British Printing Industries Federation), IPF (Irish Printing Federation) and SPEF (Scottish Print Employers Federation), has joined Intergraf from 1 January 2005. Intergraf is the international confederation for printing and allied industries, providing print specific European lobbying and information to its members who are the national associations of printing industries in Western, Central and Eastern Europe. “It is time to make Europe the centre of our discussions within BIPIC,” says BPIF chief executive Michael Johnson, “The dramatic increase in legislation impacting on the printing industry has to be tackled and this is now the right forum in which to address these issues.” Membership of a trade body with a European voice will be especially important in the coming year. Bob Hodgson, chairman and chief executive of Ormolu Group, explains, “The BIPIC joining Intergraf will ensure that the printing industry has a strong, European-wide voice. It will be able to articulate the specific needs of print in the development of important EU legislation, such as the REACH chemicals directive, employment directives and measures to liberalise European energy markets.” Bob Hodgson, will be the first employer representative to serve on the new Intergraf board.