Cactus Imaging is bolstering Australia’s printing profile internationally after claiming the gold award at the HP Sign & Display Print Excellence Awards in the Innovative Application/Unique Media category.
The OPUS Group wide format subsidiary was one of a handful of local print industry companies to take home awards from the HP awards, including Sydney’s Carbon8, which was ‘Overall Grand Winner’ for the awards’ HP Indigo category, and Momento Pro in NSW, which was the Grand Winner in the Photo Book Category, HP Indigo.
Keith Ferrel (pictured), general manager, strategic business development at Cactus Imaging, attributed much of the company’s success in the awards to its Scitex XP5100, which helped it wrap Sydney’s Town Hall.
“The HP Scitex XP5100 helped us bring the idea to wrap Sydney’s Town Hall – one of the city’s much loved heritage buildings - to life,” said Ferrel. “With just 48 hours to finish and install the massive wrap, we really put the Scitex to the test. The end result was a realistic look with high colour accuracy.
“Our customer, Scaffad was thrilled. HP technologies have allowed us to take on projects that were never possible before. Cactus Imaging and Scaffad are both incredibly pleased to have been recognised by HP for our work on this particular project,” he said.
Entries for the HP Sign & Display Awards were judged across the following categories: Transit Graphics, Exhibitions and Events, Outdoor Advertising, Retail Point of Purchase/Point of Sale, Green Digital Printing, and Innovative Application/Unique Media. The award assessment criteria included innovation and creativity, marketing appeal, use of ink and colour, and overall aesthetics.
Over 55 printing companies across Asia Pacific were recognised for outstanding innovation and creativity in labels and packaging, signage, and commercial printing categories.
This is the the sixth HP Print Excellence Awards, Asia Pacific and Japan, for HP Indigo, and the fourth for HP Sign and Display were held in conjunction with Dscoop Asia 2013. This year’s regional competition attracted close to 300 entries from PSPs across 14 countries. Applications produced on HP Scitex Industrial Printers and Presses and Indigo Digital Presses were considered for the awards in 25 categories.
“Printing companies are constantly challenged by customers to deliver creative print-work within short timelines,” said Gido van Praag, vice president and general manager, Graphics Solutions Business, HP Asia Pacific and Japan. “The HP Print Excellence Awards, Asia Pacific and Japan, provides a platform to share best practices that have helped our customers make a successful impact.”