Australian graphic arts vendor groups GAMAA and VISA are on course for a merger, slated to be effective from July 1.

Graphic Arts Merchants Association of Australia executive director Karen Goldsmith told GXpress due diligence and completing legal formalities were "progressing well".

The merger will bring together the two organisations which have worked together on domestic trade shows including last week's PrintEx15 in Sydney. Both groups' names - the frequently misspelled GAMAA and confusing VISA - are being abandoned in favour of a new name, Visual Connections.

Legal requirements dictate that the two continue under their individual names for a further year, with Goldsmith and VISA general manager Peter Harper jointly managing the new entity during this time.

A statement by presidents Mitchell Mulligan (GAMAA) and Mark Tailby (VISA) yesterday confirmed the two associations are in the final legal stages of signing off the merger.

A new board will have equal representation from both groups, with members Mitchell Mulligan (Bottcher), Russell Cavenagh (DES), Ian Martin (WRH Global Australia), Luke Wooldridge (Kodak), Mark Tailby (Graphic Art Mart), John Wall (Roland DG), Marcus Adler (Adler Digital) and Troy Macintosh (Sign Sheet Distributors).

Pictured: Karen Goldsmith (right) with Peter Harper