appointments 
The inaugural Label and Tag Manufacturers Association of Australia (Latma) awards presentations saw K&G Labels acclaimed as the nation’s top label printer, by winning the "Best of Show" award. The Best of Show award was chosen by the judges from the seven gold winners at the first Latma Awards, which took place in a gala ’70s dinner dance on the final night of the biannual Latma conference.

K&G Labels won the award for a Fig & Pear label, printed letterpress rotary colour, beating off strong competition from wine labels. The other Gold winners included Graphix Labels in the Plateless Printing category, Phoenix Labels in Flexo Line and Screen, Labelmakers in Flexo Colour Process, Label Link in Letterpress Flatbed, Precision Labels in Multiprocess Line and Screen. Philippino company Kimbells Packaging, whose managing director flew in for the event, won gold in Multi Process.

K&G’s overall winner was described as "flawless" by the judging committee, which included Dale Bunnell from the US, Rod Urqharrt, consultant Martin Lloyd and Ian Kennedy from Aldus Graphics.

Latma also used the Awards Dinner to induct two new members into its all time "Hall of Fame", which is now six-strong. The new inductees were Wal Cryer and Alan Dabscheck, both industry pioneers.

The Latma conference, held in Melbourne over two days and three nights and entitled "Staying Alive", attracted record numbers of delegates, and proved to be a compelling mix of technical and business seminars, combined with a full-on social schedule.

Highlight speakers included leading industrial relations lawyer Henry Jolson QC, who expounded on the mediation route to conflict resolution, as far less costly and more effective than court action. Also well received was managing director of Avery Denison, who gave a highly insightful presentation on the trends in the industry.

Organised by the Victorian branch the biannual conference saw Harold Williamson take over as national president for the next two years, succeeding John Buckham. Mr Williamson said the key issues facing the industry were competition from overseas, globalisation, resulting in print going offshore, and shortage of printers to operate the machines.