Sappi Opens Its 2012 N.A. Printers of the Year Awards for Entries

BOSTON—Jan. 11, 2012—Sappi Fine Paper North America has issued a call for entries for the 2012 North American Printers of the Year awards, a competition that recognizes print excellence and innovation in 10 categories for work produced on Sappi papers. Since 1999, the Sappi Printers of the Year Awards program has been regarded as the world's most respected accolade of excellence in the printing industry.

Entering this competition is easy. Printers can submit any work printed between Jan. 1, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2011, that uses Sappi paper as the dominant stock and is printed in the United Statesor Canada. For each entry, six copies of the printed piece must be submitted by mail along with one copy of the entry form. An online version of the entry form and downloadable PDF entry form are available online.

All entries for Sappi’s 2012 North American Printers of the Year must be received by the Feb. 3, 2012, deadline. For more details and the entry form, visit: www.sappi.com/na/poy or contact Sappi at (800) 882.4332.

As well as receiving industry-wide recognition, award-winning printers can win up to $20,000 to support their marketing and branding initiatives. In addition, selected printers will gain increased visibility with current and potential clients by being featured in Sappi's Printers of the Year Online Resource, a searchable database for designers, printer buyers and corporations.

“Over the past 12 years of the Printers of the Year competition, we have seen how technology in print can push the boundaries of what marketers can accomplish. This competition highlights the impact of print and confirms that high-quality printing has achieved a new position in today’s communications hierarchy,” said Patti Groh, director of marketing communications, Sappi Fine Paper North America.

Award Categories
Printers may submit entries for one of the following 10 categories: Annual Reports, Books, Brochures, Calendars, Catalogs, Digital Print, Magazines (sheetfed), Magazines (web), Printer's Own Promotions, or General Print (any printed material not included in the other categories). Each printer may submit an unlimited number of entries but each entry must be accompanied by its own entry form.

Rewards of Excellence

• Gold Award winners represent the top prize in each category and are designated Sappi Printers of the Year. The 10 Gold winners are rewarded with up to $20,000 in support of the printer’s marketing and brand initiatives, an additional 5,000 lbs. of paper provided by Sappi to support their sales and marketing projects, and entry into Sappi’s International Printers of the Year.

• Silver Award winners from each Sappi North America sales region are chosen in each of the ten categories. These finalists then move on to represent their regions in the challenge for the Gold Awards and vie for Sappi Printers of the Year status.

• Gold, Silver and Judges’ Award winners will be featured through their own updatable web page on Sappi’s Printers of the Year online resource to better connect them with designers, print buyers and corporations.

• Bronze Award winners will be included in the “Printers of the Year” online database, with their contact information available to all users.

Judging
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 were chosen from recognized print institutions and trade professions, including: Lauren Elliot, principal of Wicked Good Print Production; Bill Garno, director of Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) Printing Applications Laboratory (PAL); Malcolm Kief, professor in the Graphic Communication Department at Cal Poly; and, Ken Lantz, vice president, director of operations for euro RSCG Life LM&P in New York.

For more details about Sappi's 2012 North American Printers of the Year awards, visit www.sappi.com/na/poy.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers and market pulp headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. The company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. An integrated pulp and paper producer, with state-of-the-art pulp mills, Sappi is the third largest seller of hardwood pulp in North America.

Source: Sappi.