New annual awards push for innovation in print

The Greeks were out in force at the industry’s first ever Printovation Awards, but it was printers from New South Wales that won the highest number of gongs.

Chairman, Theo Pettaras, said that it is vital for the industry to continue to push itself, its supporters and customers.

“The awards are an attempt to encourage the printing industry to think outside the square and reinvigorate the industry,” he said. “It is essential to find imaginative ways to look at print. We want these awards to become a highly innovative, annual event.”

Pictured: Greeks in arms, Effie, with Printovation chairman, Theo Pettaras.

Pettaras also added that next year, the awards hope to include another category aimed at vendors and finishers.

Just as one Greek left the stage, another took over. Entertainment for the evening came from big hair gal, Effie, who wasted no time in telling the audience: “The Greeks invented printing, it’s just that the Chinese made it cheaper.”

The notorious hairdresser, who still lives at home, likened offset printing to the perm, with digital being “the mullet that took over.”

Interestingly, there was no winner awarded for the Digital (Variable) category. Perhaps digital printers need to call into Effie’s salon for a bit of styling.

David Leach of Look Print, who won the first award of the night told Print21 that printers need to keep up with a changing world. "Innovation is an attitude," he said. "In the past, a lot of people waited for customers to place their orders, but now, more and more customers are asking for new ideas."

Full winners below:
Wide Format Category
Winner: Look Print, NSW
Entry: Building Art
Highly Commended: Armstrong Q, NSW
Entry: Body of Work 2:1
Offset/Web Category
Winner: Fluoro Publications
Entry: Fluoro 7 Ltd

Pictured below: Audrey Bugeja, receives the award for Offset/Web from Effie.

Digital (Non-variable) Category
Winner: Print Portal NSW
Entry: It’s Weird in Here
Digital (Variable) Category
No Winner
Highly Commended: Freerange Creative, NSW
Entry: YellowPostie Cards
General Category
Winner: Watermarx Graphics, NSW
Entry: PULP Business Cards
Winner: Royle Industries, Victoria
Entry: RoyleBind Digital Pritning onto Metalised Polyester

Pictured: Alan Fawcett from Watermarx Graphics receives his award from Kodak's Liana Ansell.