Carbon8 and Styleprint amongst some of the biggest winners at the 38th National Print Awards

The National Print Awards recently took place in Brisbane, Queensland, with NSW-based printer Carbon8 crowned as the night’s biggest winner with four gold awards and a bronze award, followed by Victoria’s Styleprint – taking home three gold awards and two bronze awards.

Established nearly 40 years ago, the National Print Awards recognise and encourage the achievement of excellence in print in Australia. Over the years, the Awards have evolved alongside the industry, to represent all aspects of our diverse and exciting sector.

The awards were presented following the remaining state PICAs, in an event that was broadcast simultaneously into five states across four time zones.

Some of the NPA winners in Brisbane. Photo credit: Rommel Carlos Photography

Carbon8 took home the gold award for Printer of the Year – Digital, for Dive West Papua just pipping CCL Labels with the silver award, and Peacock Bros Pty Ltd with the bronze award.

That same job also won Carbon8 its second gold award, this time in Book Printing – Digital. Colour Chiefs took out the silver award in this category and The Fotobase Group was awarded with the bronze award in that category.

A third gold award went to Carbon8 in the digital section for Midtown Centre with The Fotobase Group and S&T Graphic Design and Colour Print taking out an equal bronze award.

When it came to Self-Promotion, Styleprint took out the gold award for Styleprint Escape from 2020, with Fast Proof Press winning the silver award for its calendar and the bronze award going to Carbon8.

Carbon8 rounded out its tally of four gold awards by also taking out the top award for Multi-Piece Promotions & Campaigns with Kurraba Residences, ahead of The Fotobase Group which won the silver award and Styleprint which took home the bronze award.

In the Commercial Printing Award category, Styleprint took home a gold medal for Mecca Holiday 2020 with a bronze medal awarded to Pegasus Print Group, while Focal Printing Tasmania took out the gold award in another perennial favourite, Stationery Printing, with Inclusive Creatives Stationery. The silver award in that category went to Taylor’d Press and the bronze award went to Heaney’s Performers in Print.

Styleprint added a third gold award to its wins, this time for Branding & Identity for Baker’s Delight BCNA Insta Wall, with the silver and bronze awards in that category going to The Fotobase Group.

Printer of the Year – Large Format went to Cactus Imaging for Sandstones Building Wrap with Colour Chiefs taking home the silver award and Styleprint winning the bronze award.

The similar award for Packaging was won by Networkpak for Pure Body Luxe. The silver award was taken home to Tasmania by Mercury Walch and the bronze award went to Rawson Print Co.

Other big winners

Printer of the Year – Offset, was awarded to Rawson Print Co for The BOND Book, with Multi Color Corporation taking out the silver award and Rawson winning the bronze award. No Gold medals were awarded in the 1,2,3 – Print! Category, but AB Corp took out the silver gong and Mercury Walch won the bronze award.

The gold award for Book Printing – Offset, a staple since the awards were first introduced, went to Foot & Playstead for Joseph Chromy – One Man’s Legacy, with the silver gong going to to Ellikon Fine Printers and bronze award to Scotts.

In Leaflets, Flyers and Brochures – Offset the gold award was won by Eckersley Print Group for Padua Strategic Plan 2021 – 2023 with a silver gong in that category going to WHO Printing.

Another perennial NPA favourite is the Booklets, Catalogues and Magazines categories. Here, the Offset gold award was won by Intoprint for The Siding, with Fast Proof Press taking out the silver award. Colour Chiefs won the gold gong for Digital for Topia Edition – Azure, with Satellite Print and Openbook Howden Print & Design taking out the silver and bronze awards respectively.

In the Specialty Printing section Australia’s new $100 bank note won top honours for Note Printing Australia with Cutler Brands Pty Ltd awarded the silver gong and Posterboy Printing awarded bronze.

The Embellishment category always attracts some beautiful entries, and this year was no exception, with CCL Label winning the top gong for a stunningly embellished label for Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Matured Shiraz. The silver award was won by Matte Gold and bronze award won by Multi-Color Corporation (Griffith).

Multi-Color Corporation scooped the pool in the Printer of the Year – Labelling category, with a gold for Victoria for Ganglin Mandarin Chilli Gin, a silver win for SA and the bronze win for Queensland.

Kuhn Corp, which scooped the pool at the Queensland Awards, won the Small Business Printer for the Year – Up to 12 Employees, taking home the gold award for IGA Marketplace Magazine – Christmas 2020, with the silver award going to EPM and bronze award going to Taylor’d Press.

Designer of the Year went to Sunshine Coast Design for Noosa – The Guide produced for Saturate and Printed by Sunprint Pty Ltd.

Individual and business awards

Individual and business awards, which are separately nominated and judged, were also presented on the night.

Impact International won the gold gong in the Environmental Sustainability Award, with the silver win awarded to Eckersley Group and the bronze win going to Sunprint Pty Ltd. The Workplace Environment Award went to IVE Group.

In addition, Zaidee Jackson from Ball & Doggett was named winner of the Exceptional Women in Print Award. Chris Grant from Active Display Group won Media Super Young Executive of the Year and Cactus Imaging founder Keith Ferrel was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the industry with the Media Super Lifetime Achievement Award.

In the battle for state dominance, NSW took the 2021 honours with seven gold awards, followed by Victoria with six and Queensland with four. Two medals headed over to Tasmania following the presentations, with the final gold medal chalked up to South Australia.

Chair of judges Luke Wooldridge said the judging of the 2021 State Printing Industry Creativity Awards saw the panel of industry experts review well over 300 entries across 32 categories, first selecting the PICA winners for each state, then comparing the gold medal winning entries from across Australia for the Judges’ Awards and National Print Awards honours.

“While the awards continue to be judged on craftsmanship and print quality, other criteria such as aesthetics, creativity, innovation and the user experience are also major factors in deciding the winning entries, with judges examining every aspect of every job in detail to check for imperfections,” Wooldridge said.

“The print entries received this year were of the highest quality and reflective of the high standard of production for which Australian print industry is renowned; they were truly world class.”

Individual and business awards, which are separately nominated and judged, were also presented on the night.

Emceed by well-known Walkley award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Patrick Condren, the glittering presentation dinner also saw a sizeable crowd gathered in the Sky Room & Terrace at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Walter Kuhn, President of the Print and Visual Communications Association (PVCA), which hosts the awards, said the night reflected the industry’s resilience, flexibility and strength.

“It was wonderful to be able to recognise the achievement of excellence in print, and to pay tribute to the people and businesses who are leading the way in our industry,” he said, adding that it was particularly pleasing to see many across the country finally able to get together and celebrate.

“Despite the challenges of the past 12 months, Friday evening proved that, even in the toughest of times, our industry businesses are producing work which is as good, if not better, than ever. We sincerely congratulate all the winners and look forward to the 2022 Printing Awards, which will kick off early in the new year.”

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