The Sydney-based web offset firm’s Capabilities+ book took out the award for Printer’s Own Promotion at the annual awards, which were announced in Johannesburg on 30 October. This followed its win at the local Sappi Awards ceremony in June.
The self-promotion book has been on an awards spree for more than a year since it handed the printer a clutch of wins at the 2011 National Print Awards.
Capabilities+ went on to lead Offset Alpine to the most awards at the NSW PICAs in November, as well as taking out three categories at last year’s Galley Club Awards.
Offset Alpine also took three awards at the US Benny Awards thanks to the highly embellished piece.
Michael Kinninmont, managing director of Offset Alpine, said all the wins were welcome. “Any recognition of our employees’ fine craftsmanship is gratifying.
“The Elephant Trophy is pretty impressive though and it’s the first time any printer from Australia has achieved this recognition,” he added.
He told ProPrint that while the book had cost a fortune to produce, it had “opened many doors for our business”.
“The book was produced at probably the most difficult time in our industry. We believed, though, that it was critical to demonstrate that a printed piece was not only relevant and a powerful communication device, but it could also be an object of beauty,” said Kinninmont.
Some 2,000 of the books were produced in a single run in 2011. The promo piece contains features such as UV varnishing, embossing, foiling, die-cutting, and printing and varnishing on unusual substrates, including clear PVC and metallic foil.
John Walker, managing director of Sappi Trading Australia, said: “I am absolutely delighted for Offset Alpine and see it as just reward for a magnificent piece of work and for their ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation.
“I am also extremely proud that they are our customer, that Capabilities+ is printed on our HannoArt Satin, and that we were the only Sappi Trading Office fortunate enough in the 2012 competition to have a customer win the Elephant Trophy,” added Walker.
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