Tomorrow night, 52 printers from across Australia will compete for gold in the 2014 National Print Awards, with last year’s top winners hoping to bag more medals from impressive nomination hauls.
Sydney IPMG subsidiary Offset Alpine, which won three gold in 2013 and 10 NSW PICAs, is nominated in six of the 33 categories this year including heat set web offset printing which it won last year.
It will have stiff competition from Perth’s Scott Print, which dominated the WA PICAs, winning 38 medals including 16 gold, and leads the pack with seven nominations for the national awards.
Scott Print won only one gold last year, for presentation folders, and will be looking to increase its haul this year. Its recent buy of two large Komori offset presses will also boost its chances for next year.
[Related: All awards coverage]
Victorian outfit Adams Print is also looking to make a splash with six nominations, including the first award on the card – one, two or three colour printing, which it won last year along with a second gold for leaflets.
After them comes a surprising competitor, small Tasmanian quality print firm Focal Printing which is nominated for five honours including the small business award for printers with less than 15 staff.
Other firms expected to be competitive include Melbourne’s Eastern Press, with two nominations following six PICA golds, and Finsbury Green and STI Group, which was recently acquired by Blue Star; both have three nominations.
One of last year’s biggest winners with three gold and three silver, Brisbane’s Platypus Graphics, only has three nominations, despite winning nine QLD PICAs. Former Geon Perth company Advance Press, which also won three gold in 2013, failed to earn any nominations.
Printers will also compete for the inaugural Judges Award for the best overall printer, and the returning Heidelberg, Fuji Xerox, Currie and Media Super Future Leaders awards.
Radio and TV presenter Libbi Gorr will host the awards along with Melbourne businessman Will Fowles, with comedian and ventriloquist Dean Atkinson providing entertainment at The Westin in Sydney’s Martin Place.
ProPrint will have full coverage of the 2014 National Print Awards results next week and in the June magazine issue.
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