Organisers have decided against rescheduling New Zealand’s premier printing industry awards event and will instead announce the winners in an online event on Thursday 25th June. The awards gala dinner that was due to take place in Auckland on May 8th – with 500 industry delegates expected - was postponed in March because of the COVID-19 restrictions.
“After much discussion with industry and results from the recent survey it has been decided to announce the Pride In Print results from entry into the 2020 campaign on 25th June,” said awards manager Sue Archibald.
“Whilst we cannot be getting together for an industry celebration, we will be celebrating the industry work, and all companies and sponsors have the opportunity to get together in their exclusive groups to celebrate and watch the major announcements on Thursday 25th June.”
All Gold winners will be released on the Pride In Print Award website at 3.30pm - one hour before the virtual presentation announcing all Process, Category and the Supreme Winner for 2020 at 4.30pm. A link to the presentation will be made available.
The NZ Top Apprentice, Trainer and Training Company of the Year will also be announced, as well as those companies reaching the 50 Gold Medal and 100 Gold Medal Club.
“We look forward to sharing some amazing results with you all and make sure you work with your team to celebrate the good stuff the industry produces!” Archibald said.
Pride in Print revamped its entry categories this year, with 11 awards now included in an expanded Sign and Display section and a boost in the Structural Design Packaging and Labels categories.
Six new judges were introduced to the awards programme, joining more than 40 others to pour over entries.
“I was amazed at how many entries there were and it was fun to bounce views off other judges,” said one of the new judges, Mike Whyte from The Print Guys. “Everyone has a different perspective.
Tony Reid, Ovato NZ, said that while he’d been to many Pride In Print events, he hadn’t realised what was involved in the judging until now. He also liked the ‘robust discussion’ around each job and that it had been “refreshing to be around a load of people who’ve got very high standards. Pride In Print keeps the printing standards up in New Zealand and we need also need to keep them up to international standard.
“I was really impressed with some of the stuff being done on older machinery," he said. "You can tell when people have a passion for the job when they demonstrate how they got around a difficulty.”
For more information, call Lauren or Sue at the Pride In Print Awards office on 04 237 0482.
