Carbon8 from NSW, with five Gold and two Silver Awards , was the night’s biggest winner at the 39th National Print Awards hosted by the PVCA last night in Melbourne. The Lighthouse Group from NSW, Sunprint Queensland and Ball & Doggett in Victoria all won two Gold medals. Other gold winners were John Fisher Printing NSW; Jamesprint, Styleprint and Ellikon Fine Printers from Victoria; The Greenridge Group and dms CREATiVE from Queensland; CCL Label, Signageworld and Multi-Color Corporation Australia from SA; Percival Print & Packaging from WA; and Foot & Playstead from Tasmania.
Printer of the Year – Large Format was Signageworld for 'Transforming the Iconic - The Ghan.’
Hundreds of industry professionals gathered at the Goldfields Theatre at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre for the much-anticipated event, keen to not only recognise and celebrate the achievement of excellence in print, but to gather as an industry and catch up with friends after a long, pandemic-induced delay.
During the evening, winners of the Printing Industry Creativity Awards (PICAs) were announced ahead of the National Print Awards in each category, providing overdue recognition for PICA winners whose in-person events were thwarted earlier in the year by a combination of COVID and natural disasters..
The night’s biggest winner by far was Carbon8 from NSW, with five Gold and two Silver Awards. The Lighthouse Group from NSW, Sunprint Queensland and Ball & Doggett in Victoria all won two Gold medals each, with the remaining top gongs won by John Fisher Printing NSW, Jamesprint, Styleprintand Ellikon Fine Printers from Victoria, The Greenridge Group and dms CREATiVE from Queensland, CCL Label, Signageworld and Multi-Color Corporation Australia from SA, Percival Print & Packaging from WA, and Foot & Playstead from Tasmania.
New South Wales won the NPA medal tally with ten Gold, nine Silver and three Bronze Awards, while Victorian printers took home five Golds, three silver and nine Bronze medals. Queensland was not far behind with four Gold, nine Silver and one Bronze, followed by South Australia with a trio of Gold and Silver medals and four Bronze Awards, Tasmania with a Gold and a Silver, and Western Australia with one Gold and one Bronze
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| "A testament to the resilience, strength and commitment of our industry": PVCA president Peter Clarke |
“The National Print Awards was established nearly 40 years ago to recognise and encourage the achievement of excellence in print,” said PVCA President, Peter Clarke.
“Over the past four decades, it has not only achieved that objective but has become the industry’s most sought-after accolade and a recognised mark of quality which is recognised around the world.
“The fact that we are sitting here tonight is cause for celebration in itself, and this year’s entrants all deserve credit for not only proving their mettle by taking the time to enter in the face of ongoing pandemic restrictions and floods, but for giving our Judging Panel one of their most challenging years ever, with entries of unprecedented quality.
“It truly is a testament to the resilience, strength and commitment of our industry. The PVCA commends all entrants and extend our warm congratulates to all this year’s winners. We are proud to once again be hosting these prestigious awards and delighted to be here to celebrate tonight.”
Queensland’s Eckersley Print Group was recognised for its environmental initiatives and sustainability, taking out this year’s NPA Award for Environmental Sustainability.
The award, sponsored by the PVCA’s Sustainable Green Print initiative, recognises and encourages companies which are not only managing their environmental impacts to a high standard, but area also actively seeking to build on their current practices and make further improvements.
The 50-year-old Eckersley Print Group (EPG) is a leading niche print manufacturer and supplier in Queensland which ‘pushes the boundaries’ of design and print to create innovative, effective and eco-friendly solutions that help its national clientele grow their businesses and achieve their goals.
Susan Davies (pictured right), Chief Operating Officer of MSP Photography in Wagga Wagga has been presented with the 2022 Exceptional Women in Print Award.
Sue has been working for MSP Photography's print facility for more than 10 years taking on numerous senior leadership roles for the company which prints school photography and yearbooks featuring some 1.4 million children nationally.
For the last two and a half years, she has been the head of Operations, managing all facets of the business including print quality, suppliers, HR, finance, maintenance, delivery, innovation in new products, wastage, improvements in efficiency…and managing the expectations of 25 franchise businesses across the country.
Emmanuel Buhagiar (pictured right) from Imagination Graphics in Marrickville, NSW, has been awarded the Media Super Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, sponsored by Media Super, recognises and celebrates the outstanding contribution of a person who has given long and distinguished service to the print and graphic communications sector.
For Emmanuel, that commitment dates back almost 50 years, when he commenced employment at Braycol Pty Ltd as an apprentice hand and machine compositor.
Emmanuel also recently hosted a Technical Visit from the LIA NSW where current and retired industry members enjoyed a detailed insight into the workings of Imagination Graphics.
Scott Aston (right) from Onpack in Victoria was named the Media Super Young Executive of the Year.
The award, sponsored by Media Super, was created to recognise and reward exceptional young employees who show outstanding promise as executives in the print, packaging and graphic communications sector.
The winner must be making a contribution far beyond their functional, technical or specialist area, and must demonstrate an outstanding commitment to their personal and professional development.
Scott, previously a digital press operator, was the founding employee at Onpack when it was established as a greenfield site in 2017.
Fotobase Group in South Australia was recognised for its commitment to its people with the 2022 Workplace Culture & Wellbeing Award.
The award recognises and rewards businesses in the print, packaging and visual communications sector which demonstrate outstanding efforts and results in supporting the creativity, initiative and wellbeing of their employees. Locally owned and operated since 1983, Fotobase Group was the result of SA’s real estate marketing powerhouses joining forces to provide high quality products and services, at competitive prices, to their clients.
Today, the group is Adelaide’s largest digital print, signage, design, photography and videography provider, servicing not only the real estate sector, but a range of commercial customers with the highest quality products.
NPA winners
In Category 8 – 123 Print! Rawson Print Co. from New South Wales took home the Gold for Dr Van Park Folder with Taylor’d Press from Victoria winning Silver for Supellex.
Gold for Printer of the Year – Offset - Category 9 was won by CCL Label from SA, for their job Silver Moki – Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with Silver going to Queensland’s Kuhn Corp Print for IGA Marketplace Magazine – Christmas 2021 and Bronze to Multi-Color Victoria for Woodwork’s Mark.
In Category 10, Printer of the Year – Digital, Carbon8 New South Wales took out the two top Awards, with Gold for Dive – The Magic of the Solomon Islands and Silver for Aura by Aqualand.The Bronze was won by Multi-Color Victoria for Usher Tinkler Wines Mr T’s Rare Batch.
There were a mammoth 18 finalists in the hotly-contested Category 11, Book Printing – Offset, with Tasmanian company Foot & Playsted taking out Gold for Government House Tasmania – A Remarkable Story. The Silver Award went to another company from the Apple Isle, Focal Printing, for their job Paradise Lost. The Bronze stayed in Victoria, awarded toTall Poppy printed by Ellikon Fine Printers.
Perennial NPA favourites Carbon8 took out the Gold Award in the next category, Book Printing – Digital for Dive – The Magic of the Solomon Islands making it two top gongs for that print job. Silver was won by Openbook Howden Print & Design from SA, for St Peter’s Girls School Prospectus, while CMYK Colour Online from Victoria took out Bronze for Back to the Sea Photography Book.
Category 13 Leaflets, Flyers & Brochures – Digital proved lucky for dms CREATiVE from Victoria and Lighthouse Print Group from NSW who both won Gold – for Shelton Homes Look Book and Pienza Book respectively. Two Silvers were also awarded in this category, the first to Eckersley Print Group from Queensland for Packing Leather Celebrating 130 Years and the second to Rawson Print Co. NSW for Ancient Greeks Exhibition Invitation. The Bronze was won by The Fotobase Group from SA with their job, 40 Hawker Avenue – Ouwens Casserley Property Brochure.
The corresponding offset category, Category 14 Leaflets, Flyers & Brochures – Offset, was won by WA’s Lighthouse Print Group for Portman House Books, with Eckersley Print Group adding to their tally with a Silver for Uvex Protecting People.
Carbon8 was again on the podium to accept Gold for Booklets, Catalogues & Magazines – Digital taking home the top gong for Coopers Brand Book while Colour Chiefs took the Silver home to Queensland for Mason Edition – Azure and Bronze headed to SA with Openbook Howden Print & Design for St Peter’s College Prospectus.
Specialty Printing, Category 17, always attracts some impressive entries and this year was no exception, with Carbon8 once again taking top honours for Gage Road Beer Taps. Silver went to The Fotobase Group, SA, for Accolade Wines Office Display while Multi-Color Victoria took home Bronze for Websters Estate Pearl.
Category 18 is for Commercial Printing, and the Gold went to Ball & Doggett for From our Family to Yours – A Collection of Recipes and Quotes on Optimism with Silver going to NSW with Rawson Print Co. for Orlebar Brown News Print and Bronze to The Fotobase Group from SA for Samantha Hirniak (Ouwens Casserley) Set and Forget DLs.
Another popular category is 19 – Stationery Printing and this year the category winner was Carbon8, NSW, who accepted their fifth Gold of the night for Hansen Yunken Tender Submissions. Taylor’d Press from Victoria won Silver for Miss Trixie while Bronze went to Sunprint Queensland for Moonstration Calendar.
Multi-Color Corporation SA took out Gold in Category 20 – Embellishment, from a field of 15 finalists. The top honour was won for Rested Rum Barrels Mr Black. NSW company See & Co took out Silver for Wilton Hill – A vineyard with Two Views while Bronze went to Argyle Diamonds printed by Intafoil from WA.
A similar number of PICA finalists vied for honours in the next Category 21 – Printer of the Year – Labelling with Jamesprint from Victoria coming out on top with their job, Airs & Graces Malbec. Silver was won by CCL Label, SA, for Head Wines – Wilton Hill Shiraz while Bronze went to Multi-Color Corporation – Griffith for Isabella’s Barrel Aged Gin.
A Gold and two Silver Awards were made in Category 22 – Self Promotion – with Styleprint from Victoria winning the coveted top award for Fun with Styleprint 2021. The Greenridge Group took one of the Silvers home to Queensland for Greenridge Group 2022 Calendar and the evening’s big winners, Carbon8, took out the other for Carbon8 Brewer’s Dozen.
Wide-format print was celebrated in Category 23 – Printer of the Year – Large Format, with Signageworld from SA heading the winners’ list with a Gold for Transforming the Iconic - The Ghan. Two Silvers were awarded – the first to Cactus Imaging from NSW for Woolworths Indigenous Art Building Wrap and the second to ColourChiefs from Queensland for QAGOMA APT10 Kids.
A perennially impressive performer is Category 24 – Printer of the Year – Packaging, and this year was no exception with judges evaluating 14 finalists from around the country. The Gold award went to the West, to Percival Print & Packaging, who won for their job Tarmi Brand 1kg Scampi Carton while Silver headed to Queensland for Pure – Colour Conditioners Presentation Box by Colour Chiefs. Bronze was won by MJ Printing in Victoria, for their job Evry.word Candle Packaging.
Victoria’s Elikon Fine Printers came out ahead of the pack in Category 25 – Limited Edition Pieces – with WONDER – 175 Years of Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria. The State Library of Queensland took out Silver for Kindred Spirits, with Se&Co from NW taking out Bronze for Wilton Hill – A Vineyard with Two Views.
The next two categories celebrated small and regional businesses. In Category 27 – Regional Printer of the Year – Up to 12 Employees the Gold was awarded to Sunprint from Queensland for Wild Visions – 40 Year Anniversary Book – Darren Leal and the Silver to Illawarra Print & Signage from NSW for Head to Health. Larger businesses were recognised in Category 28 – Regional Printer of the Year – Over 12 Employees with Gold going to The Greenridge Group from Queensland for Greenridge Group 2022 Calendar and Silver to WHO Printing from NSW for Capturing the Hunter.
Proving further that small is beautiful, Category 28 – Small Business Printer of the Year – Up to 12 Employees was a hotly contested category, with Gold again awarded to Sunprint Queensland for Shoreline Brochure, the Silver going to The Print Department in Victoria for Worth Holding Onto and a Bronze awarded to Morgan Printing from NSW for The Stars Nodded.
Carbon8 was back on stage to accept the Gold Award in Category 30 – Branding & Identity for their job, Maui Jim Expand the Brand Presenter, with Silver going to 121 Creative and Kwik Kopy Printing from Geebung in Queensland for Ginger Beard Branding and Bottles and Bronze taken home by Styleprint Victoria for Kmart Lift Lobby Branding Boards.
John Fisher Printing from NSW took out its first Gold Award in Category 31 – Multi-Piece Promotions & Campaigns, for Bridgerton Dymocks Window Display, with Silver in this category going to Carbon8 for the interestingly-named Tasmania – Hairy Tips for Slippery Locals. Bronze was awarded to From Our Family to Yours – A collection of Recipes and Shared Experience on Optimism entered by Ball & Doggett.
In the night’s final category, Ball & Doggett came out on top with the same job From Our Family to Yours taking out Gold in Category 32 – Designer of the Year. Silver was won by Cactus Imaging from NSW for Woolworths Indigenous Art Building Wrap with Bronze going to The Fotobase Group SA for Taarnby Branding and Identity Suite.
