Two Australian printers were among the 11 digital printers from around the Asia Pacific region to win category awards at the second HP Asia Pacific and Japan digital print awards, held in Beijing this month. PMG editor, Wayne Robinson, was there.

Perth outfit Supa Stik Labels & Labelling won the Labels and Labelling award, while RFID n Print from NSW took out the security printing award. Supa Stik’s managing director Don Holywell, in Beijing to collect the award, pronounced himself ‘delighted’ to take home the gong, which his company won in the face of entrants from countries around the region.

The Gala Awards dinner was a glittering event, complete with drummers reminiscent of those in the Olympic opening ceremony, Chinese acrobats, and a Chinese blues band. Some 700 digital printers from Pakistan in the west through to Japan in the east, and China in the north to Australia in the south were at the awards dinner. It was held in conjunction with an HP Infotrends digital printing seminar – the largest ever held in the region – and China Print, which opened the following day.

The regional grand winner was Chinese company Tianjin Yinyitong Composing Printing, which also won the limited edition and fine art category.

Indonesian company Subur Printing Network emerged as the company winning most awards, with three to its name in Books and Manuals, Coffee Table Books, and Events & Campaigns. Other category winners came from Singapore, India and Korea.

VS ‘Harry’ Hariharan, vice president of graphic arts imaging and printing group at HP says, “We developed the HP Digital Print Awards to recognise the outstanding work of professionals who have made the switch to digital printing.”

He continues, “This year HP received more than 350 entries, a 60 per cent increase on the first awards held last year. The dramatic increase in quality entries to our programme is in direct correlation to the dramatic growth in digital printing. As the leader in developing digital graphic solutions HP is excited to see so many outstanding examples from the region.”