Wellington’s Convention Centre played host to this year’s Pride In Print Awards as a chocolate box described by judges as a ‘beautiful piece of work’ carried off the supreme award for a South Island printer
Produced by Amcor Cartons of Christchurch, the 250g Cadbury Old Gold Carton also won the packaging category. This capped a night of highlights at the country’s premier print evening, attended by a crowd of over 600. Temperatures plummeted in the capital city as a chilly southwesterly dragged rain through its streets, but nothing could dampen the spirits of the winners.
Representatives of Pride In Print’s 2009 patrons Murray Miskelly of Fuji Xerox, Hemi Brown of Heidelberg, Blair Welch of Huber Group/Hostmann Steinberg NZ and Andrew Preece of Spicers Paper assisted in presenting the major awards.
The country’s major centres shared most of the top prizes. Apart from supplying the supreme winner, Christchurch enjoyed category wins for labels and web heatset. The industry development and innovation category, business forms category and the digital printing - applied graphics category all came from Auckland. Wellington supplied the winner in the specialty processes - binding and finishing category, and Hamilton took out the flexography category. Scoring one for the smaller centres, Gravure Packaging of Petone won the gravure category.
Before and around the award presentations, dancers performed numbers themed on music and choreography from the musical Chicago, and two actors played out several humorous print buying and supplying scenarios, most of which ended in a homicide in keeping with the Chicago musical motif.
John North, chairman Pride In Print, announced the introduction of the Pride In Print Roll of Honour. The first three inductees Warren Johnson and Grant Letfus, and Leo Caunter received a massive round of applause as the accepted certificates and special medals honouring their contribution to Pride In Print.
After the formal ceremony, the celebrations continued with dinner and dancing at the old Wellington Town Hall.
Old Gold, sweet winner for Amcor
Before representatives of the elite of New Zealand’s printers and packaging companies at the Wellington Convention Centre, Amcor Cartons of Christchurch took the night’s major prize with its 250g Cadbury Old Gold Carton.
Nigel Harrison, manager of Amcor Cartons South Island, said that in a lifetime of working in the print industry this was the most difficult job he had encountered. He said, “It was so difficult to achieve with the colours and the embossing, but we promised to Cadburys we could do it. The printers who first handled it hated it. But they were determined to make it happen and now Cadburys has seen the finished effect, they want to replicate it in other packaging lines.” He believed it was a first for this combination of print techniques in Australasia.
Laurie Lark, senior packaging judge Pride In Print, felt the box deserved to win the country’s most prestigious print and packaging award. He said, “This was an outstanding example of prepress, printing and finishing. The carton used polyester silver film laminate then printed with white to allow inks to over-print the laminate, it was then embossed following the shapes and contours of the chocolates.
“This made it an extremely difficult job and it is unusual to see a job embossed when it is going to be wrapped in cellophane. I would give it 10 out of 10 for difficulty but they have done very very well and I am most impressed with its quality.” He said the die makers would had to have worked from photographs of the chocolates with the contours picked out to enable them to etch the embossing die, giving a 3D effect. Then the printing and the embossing would have had to be brought together, using candesce board with a polyester silver film laminated on to it.
Blue Marlin designed the Cadbury’s Old Gold Carton and Amcor Cartons Christchurch printed it and did the print finishing. The reproduction house was Colorite and Ryco Dies supplied the cutting form. Spicers Paper supplied SBS Candesce 457 stock, and the job was printed on a Heidelberg 102CD Speedmaster using Kodak Sword Ultra T98 plates and inks supplied by Flint Ink and Ink Solutions. The blankets were Sun Graphic SF Pro Plus.
Flexography: world class
Judges say that this year’s Pride In Print Flexography Category winner, printed by Convex Plastics of Hamilton, proves that New Zealand’s flexographic technique and craftsmanship compares with the best in the world.
Frank Brokken, expert judge Pride In Print, lauded the Waikato firm’s pet food wrapper, Supercoat Kitten with Real Chicken & Rice 8kg, as world class. He said, “Overseas, a job like this would not normally have been printed flexo. This job is comparable to high-quality gravure print and it would have gone to that process because gravure is traditionally seen as a more stable print method. This is certainly not the case in New Zealand today because run lengths are traditionally much shorter and market conditions fiercely competitive, which pushes the flexo process to greater heights than those seen in many other parts of the world.
“Flexographic printers in New Zealand are more innovative craftsmen and the results are not only word class, they are world leading. The flexographic world continues to look at New Zealand and wonders how we consistently do it. You could have sent this entry in to any flexography competition in the world and it would have done well. It is an example of skill from start to finish.
“I would add that compared to many entries in previous years, this is in a league of its own. There was a great degree of difficulty in printing this wrapper because of the width of the web and trying to hold the image still. The risk of distortion means that holding it in register is hugely difficult.”
Accepting the award, Gary Dillistone, printing manager Convex Plastic, agreed with the judge’s assessment of the standards of flexography in New Zealand. He said, “We have to be good here because of our small population and small print runs. We have invested in new equipment to lift our standards and this is a great reward for that. Our client here, Nestlé, has very stringent standards so we have to meet exacting standards. This was an export job too, so to have done so well is especially pleasing.”
Convex Plastics printed the Supercoat Kitten with Real Chicken & Rice 8kg for Nestlé Purina. Convex also did the print finishing. Pakseal Flexibles Pty was the buyer, reproduction house was Digital Graphic Communications, Chemiplas supplied PT 12 Polyester stock, and the job was printed on a Windmoller & Holscher central impression using inks supplied by DIC New Zealand. Plates were by Flint ACE Water label hits heights
A label that went on to water bottles for rail travellers crossing the Southern Alps has taken out the Labels Category prize. Geon in Christchurch printed the label for Tranz Scenic, the long-distance passenger division of KiwiRail, which used the label for bottles on board scenic trains such as the Tranz Alpine express. The self-adhesive label depicts the Tranz Alpine and its sister rail journeys, the Overlander and Tranz Coastal, against a background of snow-capped peaks.
Accepting the award, Andrew Durrans, general manager Geon Group, said that the job was a technical challenge because the image on the front of the label could not block out the writing on the back, which had to be readable through the water in the bottle.
He said, “It is great to get recognition from the judges but it is very important to remember that this is a commercial job, and you need to earn recognition from the customer, which we did with this label.”
Durrans added that for Geon, it was great to gain an award in the labels field. He said, “We have had success in areas such as sheet-fed printing and special processes, but to get an award for a label shows our range of expertise. You have to say we are batting above our average.”
Chris Mills, expert judge Pride In Print, said it was an excellent print job. He said, “Printing self adhesive is difficult because it tends to move. The printers have mastered that well here. “Also, the back of the label has to be printed just as well because it is visible through the water in the bottle. They have printed four colours then laminated, then done the other colours, and done so without automatic registration on their machine. They have done very very well.”
The water label was printed by Geon for Tranz Scenic, designed by Martini Design, with Waimak Water the print buyer. The reproduction house was Geon, which also did the print finishing. Rotometrics supplied the cutting form. The label was printed on Geon Max supplied by Avery Dennison and the press was a Gidue I-Combat 8 colour. Agfa supplied the film, Flint Group was the ink supplier and Toyobo the plate supplier.
Peanut wrapper a winner
A wrapper for a traditional Whittaker’s Peanut Block that judges found to be flawless won the Gravure Category prize. Gravure Packaging of Petone printed the label for J.H Whittaker & Sons, and judges said the fact that a machine 30-years-old or more was used for the job emphasised the skill involved.
Frank Brokken, expert judge Pride In Print, could find nothing wrong with the wrapper at all. He said, “We have looked over this job and can’t find a fault with it. The work that has gone into it is outstanding. It is in perfect register, the machinists have been in absolute control throughout. Printed on an older machine this job earned nine out of ten for difficulty, which makes it even more remarkable they have produced a faultless result.”
Thomas Kaffes, sales manager for Gravure Packaging accepted the award and knew his staff would be thrilled. He said, “The fact we did this on our oldest machine, even though it has been highly modified over the years, is a testament to the work of the team. We have a team of just 25 and it is a credit to them that we always strive for excellence.”
The Whittaker’s Peanut Block wrapper was printed by Gravure Packaging, using a Chambon press, for J.H Whittaker & Sons, with design by Te One and Colorite the reproduction house and cylinder engraver. Gravure Packaging did the print finishing and BJ Ball Group supplied the Novatech stock. Novatech provided the film and DIC New Zealand the inks.
Web heatset magazine international print quality
An edition of Cuisine magazine took out the Web Heatset category honours. Printed by PMP Print Christchurch for Fairfax Magazines, the magazine impressed judges so much they said that the print quality was of international standard.
Bob Morgan, expert judge Pride In Print, said the magazine’s impact had amplified with the judges because the judges themselves were applying tougher standards. He said, “We decided we would be more stringent to ensure we only got through to the very best. When we came to this entry, we could find very little wrong over its 290 pages. When you consider that at one time the printer would have had pallet loads of copies on the floor at once waiting to go to cover, to keep this job at this standard of consistent quality was a great achievement. You can’t ask much more of a heatset web than this book”.
Morgan added that he had recently been involved in Asian and Australian print awards, and this entry was comparable with the top entries he had seen overseas.
Steve Thompson of PMP Print believed his company genuinely expected the job to win something at this year’s awards. He said, “I don’t want to sound arrogant about that, but we put a lot of effort into quality all the way through the organisation and that’s the way you look after and keep clients. Nothing was unique about it. We just applied the same processes as we would with any other job, but we had good material to start with in terms of the design and photography.
“Some jobs just set themselves up better than others. Fairfax invariably give us very good material but sometimes the material just excels and if we get it right as well, we can take it to that next level. When you think how many people touch your job from beginning to end, right from our client all the way through, to get to this level everyone has to do everything to a very high standard.”
A regular gold medal winner, this was the second year in a row PMP Print has been a supreme award finalist.
PMP Print Christchurch printed cuisine magazine for Fairfax Magazines. The stock used was 250gsm Gloss Art and 85gsm Hansol Gloss from Kirby. Toyo supplied the inks, Kodak the plates and Reeves the Vulcan blankets.
Good magazine green printing
Judges say that the creation of a magazine, which has a carbon neutral claim in its printing, has set a new environmental benchmark for the print industry. Printed by Image Centre, Good Magazine took out the Industry Development and Innovation Category. Its makers have monitored all the stages of its production in order to make the carbon-neutral claim.
Damian Fleming, senior judge Pride In Print, said the magazine set a new standard for others to look up to. He said, These guys have been audited in terms of the paper they use, their inks, their production processes and so forth to establish their emissions output, and have been prepared to buy credits to offset those emissions.
“What this sets is a benchmark for others. There will be other print buyers who come to printing companies and say, ‘I want quality but I also want something that is environmentally sound.’ This magazine has shown the way to answer that. These guys have pushed the industry forward as a whole.”
Fleming added that the print quality of the magazine, which was printed sheetfed offset, was also excellent.
Accepting the award, Craig Polley, director of Image Centre, believed the award would please the company’s staff immensely. He said, “We have been involved with Pride In Print in the past because of the culture of quality. We have taken that further forward with gaining ISO accreditation for colour management. So to get recognition for our quality is a great achievement.”
Good Magazine was printed by Image Centre of Auckland for HB Media, which was also the designer. Image Centre was also the reproduction house and Dominion Book Binders did the finishing. It was printed on a Heidelberg Speedmaster 102 Perfector 8-colour press using Novatech Silk Matt 250gsm, 100gsm and Sumo Offset 100gsm stocks. Hostmann-Steinberg supplied the inks, Fuji the plates and Day the blankets.
Old and new combined in finishing
A book that brings together the traditional feel of buckram covers and the modern technology of digital print has topped the Specialty Processes -- Binding and Finishing Category.
Kinetic 121 printed The Duplicities of Familial Bliss book for Vanessa McRae Photographer. The print buyer, Momento Photobooks of Wellington, also finished and entered book in the awards.
Chris Woodhead, expert judge Pride In Print, reckoned the book was a distinctive example of tradition and new technology combining in today’s print world. He said, “What we have here is traditional materials being used with new print methodologies, and incorporating PUR binding where the book is milled and glued using polyurethane glue.
“Library buckram was used for the covers and the slip case, but the book itself was printed on an Indigo press. The case binding is superb and it also used debossing on the back. Whoever did this job was extremely diligent. Buckram is a very difficult material to use and as a book binder, I think they have done a fantastic job.”
Jackie Harris of Momento said that, with the photo book company being only 18 months old and the binding company just a year old, she had no idea the work would be a supreme finalist in its first year of entry to Pride In Print. She said, “We are very excited. We have an amazing team of people; I am the front person for very skilled craftspeople.
“I can be honest and tell you this is the normal standard of quality that we produce. The reason for that is that photobooks are really one-off products and they have to be absolutely perfect when they leave the premises.
“The quality of the photography was very special we thought and the printing qualities as well. Everything was checked so closely and Kinetic worked closely to make sure we got our colours right in the printing.” She added that the end client, amateur photographer Vanessa McRae, was also very excited about the Pride In Print entry. Harris said, “I will be calling her on Monday.”
The Duplicities of Familial Bliss book was printed by Kinetic 121 for Vanessa McRae Photographer. Momento Photobooks was the entrant, print buyer and the finisher. Reproduction house was Wakefields Digital and Inline Graphics provided the cutting form. Spicers Paper and Aarque Graphics provided the stocks of Fedrigoni - Symbol Freelife Satin, Premium White 250gsm and Dustjacket - Jetpro Rapid Dry Satin. The job was printed on a HP Indigo 5000 press supplied by AM International, who also supplied the inks.
Architectural ceiling design
Ceiling panels, described by their makers as bringing print technology and graphic design into the world of architectural and building design, have become the centrepiece of a major tourist draw card. The ceiling panels, created as diamonds for the Aoraki-Mt Cook Visitor Centre took out the Digital Printing - Applied Graphics Category.
Produced by Big Colour Imaging of Auckland for the Department of Conversation, the panels were printed on clear adhesive and mounted on acrylic before being mounted on aluminium framing. When hung from the ceiling of the visitor centre they became translucent, catching the light coming through the windows and reflecting the snow-capped mountain.
Matt Hall, senior judge Pride In Print, believed this was the first time judges had seen this kind of application. He said, “The applied graphics category was created a year ago to recognise the growth of entries that are larger in stature than just the print alone. As such, the concept, design, and application expertise required for the production of applications such as vehicle, aircraft and architectural installations should be recognised.
“These ceiling panels demonstrate growth and development within the industry, and how the combination of digital print and some lateral thinking can result in some exciting innovations.”
Hall said the print team would have faced considerable challenges applying multi-layered self-adhesive prints to acrylic sheets without any defects. He added, “When something is stuck to acrylic it stays stuck, so they had to get it right first time. In addition, the layered graphics on each panel had to line up. It is an excellent job.”
Aaron King of Big Colour Imaging regarded the supreme finalist achievement as somewhat of a graduation for his 25-year-old company, which only recently moved from signage into printing and last year won a gold medal with its first awards entry. He said, “We are a very small company, we try to do good work for our clients and this is a bit of recognition for us. It was a complete finished job. Everything from the mounting to the prints and process being used was a bit different -- taking advantage of the environment, the lighting coming through, the windows of the space and the way we printed that seemed to enhance the natural environment and the finishing was just fantastic.”
King added that the end client, the Department of Conservation, had given very positive feedback. He said of the work, “As soon as we saw it we knew we had to enter -- it was just one of those jobs that just everything about it was right. It was part of a large project; it is something Exclusive to New Zealand and a little bit of our heritage. It was something that our team can be proud of.”
The ceiling panels for the Aoraki/Mt Cook Visitor Centre were produced and finished by Big Colour Imaging Limited for the Department of Conversation, and designed by Rick Pearson and Associates. Aarque Graphics supplied the 3M 8819 - Cast Clear Laminate and 3M IJ3630 - Translucent Film. The job was printed on an HP Colorspan FB910 supplied by Aarque Graphics, which also supplied inks.
Multi-tasking letterhead wins business forms prize
A combined letterhead and membership card created for the New Zealand Police Association topped the Business Forms Category.
The police association form was printed by Wickliffe in Auckland and was entered in the Business Print - Business Forms – Reelfed section of the awards
John Wills, expert judge Pride In Print. said the printer had been tasked with a number of jobs in producing the form, as it had to be more than a letterhead, inclusive of distinctive police blue and white hatching and a logo. It also had to have a membership card integrated so that recipients could receive the card by mail.
Wills said, “This job is very well produced. The hatching is evocative of a police design and the diecutting is everything it needs to be. When everything is brought together, it has answered all of the requirements asked of the printer by the customer.”
Charles Miller of Wickliffe explained that printing the job required the completion of a number of double-sided lamination and diecutting steps in absolute register. He said, “This job is as much about communication as it is about sheetfed printing labels. It’s about communicating an image and imparting credibility. Our customer base includes the police, many government departments and corporate. Security credibility protects their brands and we are proud to be a part of that. The end effect was notable especially to get the membership integrated to the letterhead which allows the customer to laser print it.
“This is one of our value-added options for customers, which is applicable across loyalty cards, direct marketing, promotions, complex credit cards and labels.”
Miller said that feedback from the end client had been fantastic, and added, “It was wonderful to be recognised by one’s peers, which is what Pride In Print is all about and it is a credit to the whole team that developed the piece through design, pre-press, printing and, especially for this job, finishing.”
The New Zealand Police Association form was printed by Wickliffe, which was also the reproduction house, cylinder engraver and print finisher. Gerhardt provided the cutting form, Glopaque Offset 110gsm stock was used from Spicers Paper and the job was printed on a Miyakoshi MSF 18 press. Unicure UV DIC New Zealand was the ink supplier, Mitsubishi the plates supplier and blankets were Kinyo Airtrack J.
