Carbon8 top of National Print Awards leaderboard

NSW print operation Carbon8 took out top spot at the National Print Awards last night, with five Gold and two Silver Awards, while The Lighthouse Group from NSW, Sunprint Queensland, and jobs submitted by Ball & Doggett in Victoria, all won two Gold medals each.

The 39th National Print Awards was hosted by the Print & Visual Communications Association (PVCA) last night in Melbourne, with both National and State PICA winners announced at a glittering presentation dinner.

Hundreds of industry professionals gathered at the stunning 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.

There were no such delays last night, with event Master of Ceremonies, Walkley Award-winning journalist and media personality Patrick Condren, telling the gathering it was time for much needed celebration and reconnection.

And celebrate they did, with a sumptuous sit-down dinner, live entertainment from the hilarious Andrew ‘Barney’ Barnett and, of course, the presentation of awards in the 32 print, finishing, design, corporate and personal recognition categories.

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.

Multiple national award winners Carbon8, The Lighthouse Group, and Sunprint were joined by 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 on the Gold winners' podium.

With a 59-year career in print, PVCA president, Peter Clarke was awarded a Lifetime award, which was received by his son Richard Clark, a relative newcomer with a mere 30 years in the industry, as Peter CLark was unable to attend the event.

Emmanuel Buhagiar from Imagination Graphics in Marrickville, NSW, was awarded the Media Super Lifetime Achievement Award. Budgie had lost his voice, but still praised the industry and its people in his acceptance speech.

Susan Davies, chief operating officer of MSP Photography in Wagga Wagga won the 2022 Exceptional Women in Print Award.

Queensland’s Eckersley Print Group was recognised for its environmental initiatives and sustainability, taking out this year’s NPA Award for Environmental Sustainability.

The Fotobase Group in South Australia has been recognised for its commitment to its people with the 2022 Workplace Culture & Wellbeing Award.

Scott Aston from Onpack in Victoria was named the Media Super Young Executive of the Year. He praised the industry for the opportunities it was giving him, and thanked his supporters, including his parents who were in the crowd.