Aussies miss out on Sappi Printer of the Year - again!

As elusive as its living African namesake, the Sappi Elephant trophy continues to elude local printers.

Mark Bloustien, Hyde Park Press with his entry, Icons and John Mangos, Sydney Allen, with the Bob Armstrong magazine, Body of Work, travelled to Cape Town last week to represent Australia in the premier world printing competition, the Sappi Printer of the Year. Despite being rated as having the best chances for many a year, neither the award winning book or the magazine entry was able to bag the famed Elephant Trophy.

At a prestigious awards ceremony at historic Rhodes House, home of adventurer businessman, Cecil Rhodes, the top rank of quality printers from around the world gathered for the 12th year of the competition. The two local entries prize winners from the Sappi Trading region, judged the best in their category against printers from Asia, and South and Central America, were pipped at the post by a book from South Africa and a US magazine respectively.

Tim Shafer, managing director of Sappi Australia, (pictured right with John Mangos and below with Mark Bloustien) was philosophic about the result; he has been there many times before. “I honestly thought we had a very good chance this year, but it wasn’t to be. It shows how the standard of printing has improved out of sight in recent years,” he said.

Bob Armstrong, who designed and published the Sydney Allen magazine was also at the awards and disagreed with the verdict. “I thought our entry was better than the winner,” he said.

In the eight years local printing companies have been entering the Sappi Printer of the Year Awards, none have succeeded in bringing one of the heavy metal Elephant trophies home. Now it is going to become a little tougher as the awards will be held bi-annually from now on, with the next competition in 2010.

Tim Shafer is encouraging local printers to enter work on a quarterly basis rather than holding it back until the deadline. “I know our printers are as good as any in the world. We have to keep trying,” he said.

The Sappi Printer of the Year is open to all printing companies, with the only condition of entry being that the work be produced on Sappi paper, which is available from CPI and KW Doggetts.

 

 

 

Here's the full lilst of winners of this year's Sappi Awards:

• Annual Reports – Hugo Boss 2006: Printed by Raff from Germany on Profisilk 150gsm and 350 gsm

• Books – Brian Joffe "My Book": Printed by ULtra Litho, South Africa on Magno Satin 200 gsm and 150 gsm

• Brochures –  POM Wonderful Press Kit: Printed by Continental Colorcraft, USA on McCoy Matte VCover 164 gsm and 270 gsm.Calendars - Calendario Fotografico Renato Fiho: Prnted by Grafica Facform Impressos, Brazil on Magno Satin 350 gsm and Omega 200gsm

• Catalogues – Letter: Printed by A$ Offset, Turkey on Magno Satin 170 gsm

• General Print – Key Resorts Golf Murcia: Printed by druckpartner Druck und Medienhaus, Germany on Hello Silk 170gsm

• Magazines – Harry Spring/Summer 2007: Printed by Transcontinental Yorkville – O'Keefe, USA on Opus Web Dull 104 gsm and Opus Web Dull Cover 270 gsm

• Packaging and Labels – Sacola Engenho de Gastronomia: Printed by Garfica Facform Impressos, Brazil, on Magno Star 300 gsm

• Printer's Own Promotion – Pragati Offset: Printed by Pragati Offset, India on Mango Satin and Star 300gsm.