Lamson Group MD Arthur Frost, a 45-year print industry veteran who started his career selling pens and paper on trams, was declared this year’s Printing Industry Legend at the Media Super National Print Awards in Melbourne.
The industry veteran regaled the audience with tales of hard times starting out, a timely reminder that start-ups have been going on long before Silicon Valley.
He told how he moved from trams to selling print at Lamson Paragon before starting his own business. Among the firsts he rolled off was the first EFTPOS and mag-stripe ticketing to Australia.He also headed up Australia’s only trade-only manufacturer of paper rolls, Paper Rolls Australia. A long-term supporter of the East Coast Eagles Football Club, Bravehearts, Frost is active with the CEO Sleepout and a number of other leading charities.
More than 250 industry professionals gathered at Melbourne’s glittering Plaza Ballroom on Collins Street on Friday for the National Print Awards Presentation Dinner. The Chaser’s Julian Morrow and Charles Firth hosted an entertaining night of laughter, celebration and networking which not only demonstrated the standards achieved in the Australian print and graphic communications sector, but the strength of the industry.
In all, 100 medals were presented in this year’s competition, with 29 Gold, 31 Silver and 40 Bronze, across 32 categories and sub-categories.
Victorian printers were the clear leaders, with a total of 14 Gold medals from an overall tally of 40 medals, led by the outstanding performance from Adams Print, which took out five Gold, four Silver and one Bronze Award, and Press Print which took out four Gold and three Bronze.
Other multiple award winners included Advance Press from WA, Design Works College of Design, Queensland, IPMG and Multi Colour Griffith, both from NSW, and Nulab Group and Rooster IMC from Victoria, each of whom took home two Gold.
The Judges’ Award for Excellence, regarded as the industry’s ultimate award, this year went to Adams Print for the case-bound book, ‘Hermitage: The legacy of Catherine the Great’ for the National Gallery of Victoria. Judges also singled out the digitally printed ‘Ken Duncan Portfolio’ which they described as ‘flawless’.
“Every year, we think that the standard achieved can get no higher – and each year, we are surprised again by how printers here in Australia continue to push the boundaries of quality and innovation to achieve results which would most certainly rate amongst the best in the world,” said Chair of Judges, Luke Wooldridge.
“While the categories for the awards have changed this year – and indeed, will continue to change as our industry continues to evolve – the awards are judged on craftsmanship and print quality, as they have always been. We are fortunate to have a judging panel who not only have the expertise and experience required, but also unrivalled reputations for quality and integrity, and I thank them sincerely for their contribution,” he said.
Gold Awards were not made in the new Typography, Illustration or categories, but the inaugural Corporate Identity Award went to Design Works College of Design for ‘Larksbury Branding’ designed by Graphic Design student Esther Larkin, who also took out the new Student Award, which focused on the unpublished concepts or printed self-promotional piece from design students.
The full list of Gold medal winners, in alphabetical order, included: Adams Print (five); Advance Press (two); Bluestar Print, VIC (part of the IVE group); Carbon8; Colour Chiefs; Design Works College of Design (two); Ingrained; IPMG (two); Momento Pro; Multi Color Griffith (two); Nulab Group (two); Platypus Graphics; Press Print (four); Rooster IMC (two); Taylor’d Press; and WHO Presentation Services t/a WHO Printing.
Murray Scott of Picton Press, won the Media Super Young Executive of the Year award.
The Fuji Xerox Effectiveness Award which recognises the important contribution of print to the effectiveness of campaigns was presented to Rooster IMC for ‘Swinburne University Acceptance Pack’.
“As we celebrate the achievements of this past year and and reflect on 33 years of National Print Awards history, we are also looking forward to an exciting year ahead with drupa to be held in Dusseldorf later this month and PacPrint the year after, right here in Melbourne,” NPA Chair Susan Heaney told the gathering.
“The exciting possibilities and opportunities showcased at these exhibitions will continue to shape the future of the ever-changing print and graphic communications sector. If we can continue to guard our heritage and uphold the timeless values of excellence and commitment which are demonstrated by tonight’s award winners, while innovating and pursuing these new opportunities with the passion which has been so evident in the industry this year, print in Australia will be in a very good position indeed.”
[imagebrowser id=66]