Sappi N.A. Announces 2016 Printer of the Year Call for Entries

Sappi North America, Boston, Mass., USA, a producer and supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, this past Friday (Jan. 21, 2016) opened the 2016 North American Printer of the Year Awards call for entries. Winners will be recognized for print excellence and innovation across 10 categories for work produced primarily on Sappi paper. Since its inception in 1999, the Sappi Printer of the Year Awards program has been regarded as the printing industry's most respected accolade. 

 

"The art of print permeates our day-to-day lives more than the majority of us even realize. Since day one, Sappi has worked with some of the best printers in the world and remains in awe of their commitment to precision and creativity," said Patti Groh, director of marketing communications, Sappi North America. "We always look forward to recognizing the incredible work they do, and as we head into our 19th year of these awards, we are expecting to receive the most creative and innovative entries thus far."

To enter, printers can submit any work printed predominantly on Sappi paper in the U.S. or Canada between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2015, by Feb. 26, 2016. For each entry, six copies of the printed piece must be submitted by mail, along with one copy of the entry form. Each printer may submit an unlimited number of entries, but each entry must be accompanied by an individual form.

North American printers may submit entries in any of the 10 categories, which include Brochures, Catalogs, Cross-Channel Communications, Digital Print, Direct Mail, Magazines (sheetfed), Magazines (web), Printer's Own Promotions, or General Print (which can be any printed material not included in the given categories).

Awards and rewards include:

• The Silver Award—Five Silver Award winners are chosen in each of the 10 categories and will receive a framed certificate for themselves and their client(s).
• The Gold Award—Winners represent the top entry from each category and are entered as finalists for the Printer of the Year Award. The 10 Gold Award winners will receive up to 5,000 lb. of Sappi paper.
• The Printer of the Year Award—Selected from the top 10 Gold Award recipients, the Printer of the Year will receive esteemed recognition, 5,000 lb. of Sappi paper, and $20,000 in support of future marketing and branding initiatives.

All winners' entries and contact information will be featured on an updated web page in Sappi's Printer of the Year online resource for ultimate exposure to designers, print buyers, and corporations.

All entries will be judged on overall impact of the piece, degree of difficulty in the printing techniques, and technical excellence. A panel of judges was chosen from recognized print institutions and trade professions, including: Lauren Elliot, Principal of Wicked Good Print Production; Ken Lantz, studio producer at Ashfield Healthcare Communications; Dr. James K. Tenorio, professor emeritus in the Cross-Media Graphics Management Program at University of Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin's Polytechnic University; and John Tenwinkel, program manager at Shutterfly.

A downloadable version of the entry form is available online, or by contacting Sappi at 1.800.882.4332. More information about the Printer of the Year Awards is also available online.