Click here for our photo gallery from the night.

A pair of wine experts, Brian Howard from Vintage Cellars and Penfolds’ product ambassador, Jonathon Molloy, gave guests a talk that covered ISO certification, laser marking and UV curing; it might sounds like any industry event, but in this case, they were discussing ISO-standard wine glasses, laser etching as security against bootleg Grange, and the damage sunlight can inflict on Penfold’s highly prized tipple, which can start at $600 a bottle.

The event, sponsored by Kayell, Böttcher and Vintage Cellars and held at Blake’s Restaurant in Castle Hill, gave the association one of its best turnouts, just a few shy of the 60-person maximum.

The guest list included regular faces such as past president Grant Churchill from GBC Australia, JPE president Steven Gamble from Böttcher, PIAA’s Brian Haines and Melbourne-based Garry Muratore from GMG Oceania.

They were joined by senior industry leaders such as Fairfax Print chief executive Bob Lockley and Pegasus Print Group chief executive Wayne Finkelde.

LIA president Dave Wells used his introduction to reveal a concerted push to get more young people involved with the LIA.

Guests to its next function will be invited to bring a cadet or apprentice free of charge. It will be a tour of the DIC Australia ink plant – “not a sexy site but one of the few ink manufacturing sites in the country,” said Wells.

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