This year's competition drew 234 entries – 209 from North American members of the Tag & Label Manufacturers Institute, and 25 from international members. First place awards were presented for
26 North American labels and tags, and for 11 international labels. Seventeen second place awards were presented, all but one to North American converters.
Ten companies won multiple awards. As with last year, most went to McDowell Label & Screen Printing; this year the company won five firsts and three six seconds; Multi-Color Corporation won two first place awards, but its Collotype division won two North American firsts and three international firsts.
The judging committee, chaired by Steve Lee of RotoMetrics, included Mike Buystedt, Flint Group Narrow Web; John Coleman, Nilpeter USA; J. Page Crouch, Clemson University; Jim Flynn, Gallus; Gary Gordon, Mark Andy; Ray Mackura, Avery Dennison Fasson Roll; Robert Smithson, Trinity Graphic USA; and Paul Teachout, Harper Corporation of America.
First Place – Promotional
Logmatix
Marietta, GA, USA
Product: Red Rain Decals
Description: Decals applied to inside of drink cooler doors. Flexographic printing. Water Ink Technologies, RotoMetrics, Harper Corporation of America.
Multi-Color Corporation
Cincinnati, OH, USA
Product: Tradewinds Lemon Flavored Tea
Description/Challenges: For flexo, this design would bring up many points of concern: droplets made of vignettes, metallic gold requests, realistic photographic images. Multi-Color utilized flexo digital platemaking allowing for superior vignettes, particularly in the small droplets. Flexo metallic gold creates a pop next to the background drops and around the logo. UV flexo.
First Place – Flexography, Color Process, Prime
Hub Labels Inc.
Hagerstown, MD, USA
Product: Marvel
Description/Challenges: Four different items on the same web with all four having brightness/color challenges. 150 LPI, four color process. Applied to bottles. DuPont Cyrel plates, Gallus press, Avery Dennison Fasson material, 3M, Max Daetwyler Corporation, Flint Group.
First Place – Digital Printing, Wine & Spirits (Beer)
Tapp Technologies Inc.
Langley, BC, Canada
Product: Newfoundlander's Rum
Description/Challenges: This label required a set of six images to be printed in sequence and was based on original artwork. The challenge was finding and maintaining the right balance between ink laydown on the label and the opacity of the foil to allow the image to be seen through it. Avery Dennison Fasson material, HP Indigo press and ink, Flint Group UV high rub varnish, Kurz foil, RotoMetrics flexible die.
First Place – Flexography, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Label Technology Inc.
Merced, CA, USA
Product: Primary jar label
Description/Challenges:
A simple but elegant design required very tight trapping, precise, impression settings and challenging color matching. Water-based flexo. Mark Andy, RotoMetrics, DuPont, 3M.
The Label Makers Ltd. Bradford, West Yorkshire, England Product: Davenports Fox's Nob beer label Description/Challenges: The design was produced in house, and tested on ability to print the solid black surround fading to fine spot detail in the middle of the label. Printed by flexography, four-color process and spot red, gold cold foil and varnish on a Nilpeter FA4 press.Sun Chemical UV inks, Kurz foil. |
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Spear Mason, OH, USA Product: Bud Light beer label Description: Eight colors plus varnish, surface printed. Avery DennisonFasson, FLEXcon, Sun Chemical, Siegwerk, Kocher + Beck, Electro Optic. |
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Whitlam Label Company Center Line, MI, USA Product: 111th Congress Visitor Pass/Access Badge Description/Challenges: The customer required special red numbering and hot stamp foil to increase security for their visitor badge. The challenges were maintaining the registration with multiple processes, while printing 168 line screens on uncoated paper, using photopolymer plates. Process utilized two print stations, UV ink jet, and hot stamp. Flexography and hot stamp foil. API Foils, Environmental Inks & Coatings, EFI Jetrion red ink, Kodak plates, Mark Andy press, RotoMetrics tooling. |
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First Place – Digital Printing, All Other Dow Industries Wilmington, MA, USA Product: Dart Case Label Description/Challenges: This is a great example of how combining dynamic graphics and exotic materials can produce a stunning label. Five colors: CMYK plus white. Applied to the front of a dart case. FLEXcon material, HP Indigo inks and press, RotoMetrics die. |
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Collotype Labels USA Inc. Napa, CA, USA Product: Zinopolis Description/Challenges: Printed 200 with four colors, clear silk screen, polymer emboss on uncoated stock at approximately 41 fpm. UV offset, silkscreen, polymer emboss, diecut. Flint Group Narrow Web; Kodak; Gallus; Avery Dennison Fasson; RotoMetrics. |
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Germark S.A. Barcelona, Spain Product: Oli Espal Description/Challenges: Since the customer wants to stress the importance of their organic product – olive paté – he has taken care over the label aspect. Notice the letter "O" has the olive appearance, the play with different black shade, the good choice in a green color.Four colors printed in one step with average speed 15 m/m. Label applied on top of can as a safety seal. HP Indigo press and inks. |
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Taylor Made Labels Inc. Lake Oswego, OR, USA Product: Daedalus Cellars Syrah 2006 Description/Challenges: Customer wanted a wood-cut design; added difficult diecut edge and embossing to achieve design challenge. Background was to display an organic look. Printed on difficult stock with hot stamping and embossing. Four color spot colors, spot UV and overcoated with a matte UV. Hot stamp gold foil and flexo plate embossing used. Avery Dennison Fasson stock; DuPont plates; Water Ink Technologies inks & varnish; Trinity Graphics USA embossing plates; Gallus press; Harper aniloxes; API Foils. |
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Consolidated Label Co. Longwood, FL, USA Product: Organica Description/Challenges: Re-registration of multiple webs on the AB Graphics diecutter. Job was two passes through press and three passes through the ABG diecutter. HP, Avery Dennison, acpo. |
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McDowell Label & Screen Printing Plano, TX, USA Product: Soquel Sangiovese Description/Challenges: Extreme tight register with embossing. HD UV flexo plate embossing. Avery Dennison Fasson substrate, Water Ink Technologies ink. |
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KimBells Pack Inc. Quezon City, Philippines Product: Royalé L-GlutaPOWER Whitening Soap POB Description/Challenges: Working with a material thicker than the usual self-adhesive substrates, we faced half-tone printing difficulties. The PVC material was highly static and accumulated much dust during production run. We expected vast amounts of scratch marks on the clear material for having to undergo so many machine passes. Three security features were built into the box as anti-counterfeit measures. Flap using a special in-house fabricated blade that die cut in a small zigzag pattern. Without the exact tools we use, it is almost impossible to identically duplicate the cut. Second lies in the creases along the long folds of the box that look innocently like perforations done to make the box fold up more easily. The third feature lies in the pull-open tab found on one end of the box. Rotary letterpress, roll-to-roll silkscreen. Siegwerk UV screen inks, Gallus letterpress, Siegwerk UV letterpress inks. |
Pilot Italia S.P.A.
Usmate Velate, Italy
Product: Grappa 5 Anni
Description/Challenges:
High difficulty in diecutting. We have invented a new method to edge the label. Letterpress, silkscreen, hot foil. UPM Raflatac film, Kurz hot foil, Kodak plates, Kocher + Beck die, Stork screen.
First Place – Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Line, Prime (International)
Pilot Italia S.P.A.
Usmate Velate, Italy
Product: Grappa 5 Anni
Description/Challenges:
High difficulty in diecutting. We have invented a new method to edge the label. Letterpress, silkscreen, hot foil. UPM Raflatac film, Kurz hot foil, Kodak plates, Kocher + Beck die, Stork screen.
FIRST PLACE, NORTH AMERICAN
Amherst Label – Proud To Be An American
EDP Label
ASL Group-All Stick Label Limited – Print Me magazine cover
Roll To Roll, Color Process, Prime
CL&D Digital – Blue Diamond Almonds:Lime 'n Chili Bags
Digital Printing Food & Beverage Products
Collotype Labels USA – Zinopolis
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Color Process, Prime
B Side
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Consolidated Label – Organica
Digital Printing, Household Goods
Dow Industries – Gillette
Multi-Process, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Dart Case Label
Digital Printing, All Other
Hub Labels – Marvel
Flexography, Color Process, Prime
Label Technology – Earth& Vine Blood Orange
Flexography, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Juicy Couture Body Bronzer
Roll To Roll, Line, Prime
Logmatix (Best of Show) – Red Rain Decals
Promotional
McDowell Label & Screen Printing – Fahrenheit
Flexography, Line, Prime
Hemp2
Multi-Process, Color Process, Prime
2007 Montepulciano
Rotary Screen Printing, Line, Prime
Barrel Proof
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress,
Line & Screen/Tone, Non-Prime
Soquel Sangiovese
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress,
Color Process, Prime
Multi-Color – Tradewinds Lemon Flavored Tea
Roll To Roll, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Gain Soothing Sensations
Cut & Stack, Color Process, Prime
Prestige Label – Multi BabyLove Gift Set
Digital Printing Health & Beauty Products
Spear – Bud Light beer label
Gravure, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Tapp Technologies – Newfoundlander's Rum
Digital Printing, Wine & Spirits (Beer)
Beringer Third Century Chardonnay
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress,
Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Taylor Made Labels – Daedalus Cellars Syrah 2006
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress,
Line, Prime
Valley Forge Tape & Label – One-A-Day Energy Advantage20
Tags, Merchandising
Whitlam Label Company – 111th Congress Visitor Pass/Access Badge
Multi-Process, Line & Screen/Tone, Non-
Prime
FIRST PLACE, INTERNATIONAL
Collotype Labels International – Dai Gum San
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Line, Prime
Sip It Forward
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Color Process, Prime
Robert Oatley
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Color Process, Non-Prime
Germark – Oli Espal
Digital Printing, Food & Beverage Products
KimBells Pack – Fern-Chidden Label
Multi-Process, Line, Non-Prime
Cefaclor Xelent 105mL with Magic Flash
Multi-Process, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Royalé L-GlutaPOWER Whitening Soap
Roll To Roll, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Labelgraphics (Glasgow) – Angostura Caribbean Rum 70cl
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Color Process, Prime
Greenall's Gin 70cl
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
The Label Makers – Davenports Fox's Nob
Multi-Process, Color Process, Prime
Pilot Italia – Grappa 5 Anni
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Line, Prime
SECOND PLACE, NORTH AMERICAN
A&M Label – Wears Valley Candle
Digital Printing, Household Goods
Diversified Label Images – Powerade Basewrap Sports
Promotional
Dow Industries – Lemon & Lime Body Tonic Wrap
Multi-Process, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
G3 Enterprises
Turning Leaf 07 Chardonnay
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Gold Coast Graphics – Wiens Reflection
Digital Printing, Wine & Spirits (Beer)
IndustraMark – City of Chicago Parking Permit/ Windshield Decal
EDP Label
McDowell Label & Screen Printing – Seasoned Choice Angus Beef
Flexography, Color Process, Prime
Thriller
Roll To Roll, Line, Prime
Trinity3 Bronzer
Roll To Roll, Color Process, Prime
Metro Label – Caravan V. 2007
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Line & Screen/Tone, Prime
Zina Hyde Cunningham
Wine & Spirits, Offset, Color Process, Prime
National Label – Bath & Body Works Moonlight Path
Multi-Process, Color Process, Prime
Staples Print Solutions – BG Products On The Road
Tags, Merchandising
Taylor Made Labels – Raley's Fresh Vegetable Tray Top
Digital Printing, Food & Beverage Products
Duck Pond Cellars Syrah 2007
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Color Process, Prime
WS Packaging Group – Gilchrist & Soames Forest Essentials
Digital Printing, Health & Beauty Products
SECOND PLACE, INTERNATIONAL
Labelgraphics (Glasgow) – The Fat Trout Whisky 50cl
Wine & Spirits, Flexography/Letterpress, Color Process, Prime