A crowd that had again grown larger since the Awards were last held in Christchurch in 2003 soon found that the Awards were not about endless speeches and an occasional polite hand clap. No sitting idly was allowed at this show!
A racy entertainment package designed specifically for the 14th Pride In Print Awards started the print industry's most prestigious evening -- the one night each year the industry gathers to celebrate and honour print's finest achievements and share the company of colleagues and competitors alike, over a quiet beverage (or few).
The sexy theme for the night of the Print Friction Pride In Print Awards Picture Show, created a fast-pace and when it came to the most prestigious Award - the coveted Supreme Award -- adding to the "Canterbury" feel of the night was the superbly printed and bound photographic work "Andris Apse - Fiordland".
Commenced by the late Jim Clayton and completed by Cover to Cover of Christchurch, the book which took out the 2007 New Zealand Pride In Print Supreme Award reflects Andris' desire to publish a personal view of an area with which he has an affinity, and in a form that depicts the soul and wilderness of Fiordland.
Judges described it as proof that "true craftsmanship" is alive and well in the New Zealand print industry, according to comments from the 2007 judging panel.
The success was even more meritorious given the fact that this year's Awards produced the closest result in their 14-year history. As the 903 entries were narrowed down into Gold Awards, then into Supreme Award candidates and Finalists, the judging became tighter and tighter
Ultimately, judges had to be anonymously polled an extra two times in a bid to separate the top contenders for the Supreme Award.
"We have never seen anything like this since the Awards began," said judges' convenor Grant Letfus. "The standards were so high that deciding on the merits of entries in totally different categories became very difficult. Each had technical excellence, showed innovation and involved complex challenges.
"It made for the best competition ever and is a wonderful endorsement of the rationale of Pride In Print, which was established in 1993 to promote excellence in print and discourage buyers taking work away from New Zealand. At that time many buyers of print were purchasing offshore and the initial focus of the campaign was to raise the profile of the New Zealand print industry to buyers.
"This year we saw examples of New Zealand companies winning work from overseas in competition with Asian businesses. It is heartening to see that New Zealand print standards are rising to the extent that we can compete in the global marketplace.
"These standards also reflect the amount of investment in new plant and technology throughout the industry. People understand we have to be smarter and more adept, and are investing in the machinery to allow us to achieve that. There are heartening signs for the New Zealand print industry."
Other Category Winners and Supreme Finalists were:
Flexography -- Signature Range Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper wrapper entered and printed by Aperio Group Flexipac, Branston Street, Christchurch
Web Offset -- World Magazine, entered and printed by PMP Print, Christchurch
Packaging -- Heineken 15s World Cup carton entered and printed by Amcor Cartons, Wellington
Labels -- Ata Rangi Crimson label entered and printed by Rapid Labels, Auckland
Screenprinting -- Laundry Membrane Keypad for use in ticket buying machines entered and printed by Permark Industries, Auckland
Gravure -- Rush - Ultimate Chocolate wrapping entered and printed by Gravure Packaging Ltd, Petone
Digital -- "The Little Frog Who Could" entered and printed by Service Digital, Wellington
Sheetfed -- The AIPA case-bound book entered and printed by Brebner Print, Auckland
Overall, entries were up again this year, topping 900 compared to 889 last year, and judges reported improvements in standards across the board, with a marked rise in quality reported in the web offset category for daily and weekly newspapers.
New categories were introduced in case binding and wine labels, and each attracted a solid number of entries, indicating that the Awards' strategy of spreading the net wide through the print and packaging sectors is paying dividends.
The Awards are constantly developing and each year are reviewed to reflect the way the industry is heading, and categories redefined to ensure they reach out into every sector.
On behalf of the Pride In Print Award Patrons -- Fuji Xerox, Heidelberg, Nova and Spicers - Glenn Plummer of Heidelberg said that the patrons were delighted to see many new companies entering work for the first time and the innovation and quality improving year on year.
"The seminars held during the year have certainly created more awareness and motivation for the Awards. In an industry where productivity, efficiency, cost reduction and margin erosion, are all words we use each day it's great to see quality and excellence are still valued and presented for recognition at these Awards.
"I think it's notable that as we see the continued consolidation of the industry through merger and acquisition and the focus on print as a manufacturing rather than craft-based industry, that quality standards are still improving.
"Importantly new technology and automation are improving the overall quality of print. While not taking anything away from the passion and skills of the people involved, award winning quality exists in highly-automated, high-volume, mega-size plants just the same as in the smaller, niche players the industry is founded upon."
