PICA 2: Printers race for gold in Victoria

8 November 2011

A dead heat kept print professionals on the edge of their seats at the annual PICA awards in Melbourne on Friday, with 17 companies taking gold and moving onto the nationals next year.

According to Ron Patterson, Printing Industries general manager for Victoria, three companies scored a gold hat trick with GEON, Adams Print and Picpress running equal. However, Eastern Press won by a nose with four gold.

Picpress’ Michael Warshall won the Currie Group award for the most innovative use of imaging in print, and Adams Print took the first of two Media Super awards.

“Around 300 people rocked up in racetrack fashions and fascinators for the first State PICA ever held during Melbourne Cup week,” said Patterson. “The racing theme was very well accepted, and because of its success we will definitely be doing this again.

“It’s been a pretty tough year so it was a great night to get involved in the awards, let your hair down and have some fun.”

Print Impressions won the second Media Super award, and Bambra Press was presented with the coveted Heidelberg award for excellence in craft. Once the formal proceedings finished an 11-piece band pulled print partners onto the dance floor, capping off the colourful night in style.

“Racing industry legend, Jack Styring, held a phantom race ‘The PICA Cup', where each table had a horse, all 28 Melbourne cup winners. Whoever drew the winning horse won a bottle of Chandon for everybody at the table.

“We also had a fashions on the field winner for men and womenfor a dinner to the value of $100 at the Sofitel Melbourne hotel. Emma Freedman, the MC of the night, judged that award,” said Patterson.

By the end of the race and night, Victorian printers left resolute to compete in equally strong fashion next year.

Gold Award Winners:

Eastern Pres

  • Leaflets
  • stationary
  • Limited editions or art reproductions
  • Digital printing, non inkjet

GEON

  • presentation folders
  • Booklets, catalogues and magazines saddle-stitched
  • Impact, sensory or direct mail

Adams Print

  • Booklets, catalogues and magazines bound by any method but saddle-stitching
  • calendars
  • Book printing, limp bound

Picpress

  • Book printing, digitally printed
  • Digital printing, inkjet
  • Design

Avon Graphics

  • Embellishment
  • Self promotion

Blue Star Print

  • Book printing, case bound

Bambra Press

  • Multi-piece productions and campaigns

Pandoras Boxes

  • Packaging, cardboard

Labelhouse

  • Labels, roll fed

R A Printing

  • Security or specialty printing

Detmold Consumer Goods Packaging

  • Flexographic printing

Hannanprint

  • Web offset printing, heat set

PMP Print

  • Web offset publications with a cover price

Print Impressions

  • Small printing business awards

Willprint Shepparton

  • Sustainable Green Print Environmental Award

Courtney Colour Graphics

  • One, two or three colour printing


In keeping with its tradition to only award gold to the highest quality entrants, many categories capped at silver or bronze.

There was no gold awards for the following categories; commercial posters, annual reports, postcards and greeting cards, screen printing, innovation, digital printing wide format, sheetfed labels, cold set web offset printing, and packaging on any substrate other than cardboard