Oc is a major sponsor of this year's Chatsworth International Horse Trials, which takes place on May 13-14. Oc will provide copying and faxing facilities, which will enable organisers to produce up-to-the-minute result sheets for each category. Oc is also sponsoring two cross-country fences and will provide a prize for the winner of the Chatsworth World Cup.

The fourth annual Independent Publisher Awards has added 19 independent publishing companies to its shortlist. Included in the awards, which are staged by the Independent Publishers' Advisory Council (IPAC), are nine categories, ranging from editor of the year to most innovative route to market of the year. The awards will be presented at the PPA's Magazine Conference 2006 on 2 May.

ColorGate and local sales partner Digitaldruckpartner have given live demonstrations of Filmgate Software at the recent FMI conference in Wrzburg, Germany. The screen printing tool enables the generation of films on digital printers. 

Middlesex-based P&P Litho, one of the first firms to buy a Speedmaster SM 52, has placed an order for a five-colour with anilox coater. "This is our eighth Heidelberg press in 15 years, but our first with coater," said managing director Bill Pandhor.

Hydrair has been appointed as the UK agent for Betz Technologies in a reciprocal deal that will allow both firms to compete in new areas of business. Betz is a German-based manufacturer of ink handling systems. It will now be able to offer selected Hydrair products.

Heritage Envelopes, the Blackburn-based envelope manufacturer, has been presented with a technical excellence award by Royal Dutch Printing Inks Van Son.