Flint Group Narrow Web announced the winning labels in the 5th annual Narrow Web Print Awards on Thursday, September 24 at Labelexpo Europe.

With their submissions for the Awards Flint Group’s global customers have demonstrated the most creative use of color, equipment, and materials possible in narrow web label and print designs. Nearly one hundred entries from label converters from all over the world were critically evaluated by a panel of industry judges. Criteria for judging followed the guidelines that are standards set by the industry associations FINAT and TLMI and included registration, smoothness of dot/vignette, overall print quality and degree of difficulty. In addition, the judges reviewed each label for creative use of inks and color – rewarding those prints that exhibit extra-ordinary use of inks.

Awards were presented in ten different categories – all prints using inks, coatings and specialty products supplied by Flint Group Narrow Web. “This year we were again astonished by the excellence in quality of print and design of all entries. This proves that the Narrow Web Print Awards is held in serious and respected regard by our customers around the world. We are extremely proud, as an ink supplier, to host these awards each year, and receive such a great response from our customers,” commented Niklas Olsson, Flint Group Narrow Web: He continued, “We truly consider the results achieved with label and narrow web print as fine art. As a supplier, we continue to push the boundaries of narrow web and we are pleased to see that our customers follow this way by also pushing boundaries to create fine art through label printing”.

One example of the fine piece of art is the winning label in the category of UV Flexo Paper. The label, “El Paso Merlot”, submitted by Alaska Poligrafoformceinie in Russia, exhibited true excellence in print, design and execution. In addition Alaska Poligrafoformceinie also won in the UV shrink category. It is remarkable that Alaska Poligrafoformceinie was not the only Russian winning converter this year. The response from Russia and the high quality printing was overwhelming in the Flint Group Print Awards 2009.

Other top winners included:

• Collotype in Australia in the category of UV Offset
• Skanem in Poland in the category of Combination Print (UV Flexo & UV Screen White)
• Aleithe – Spb in Russia in the category of UV Flexo Film and UV Cold Foil
• Labelcrafter in the U.S. in the category of Water-based Flexo
• Neoprint in Russia in the category of Coupon Label

Mike Buystedt, Flint Group Narrow Web commented: “The quality level of the entries was astonishing. The judging panel had to use all their experience and skill to separate out the winning submissions. Throughout the judging we felt we had to make a choice between several excellent print samples, and decided to honour some entries as highly commended.”

The winning entries will be presented with an exclusive award and recognition certificates from their Flint Group Narrow Web local representative in the coming days. The Narrow Web Print Awards will continue into 2010 at Labelexpo Americas in Chicago. Companies are encouraged to once again join the friendly and professional competition in the arena of colourful use of inks, design, and print. Ultimately, the creation of art through colour and label design.

17.11.2009

For additional information, please contact

Flint Group
Niklas Olsson in Europe at niklas.olsson@flintgrp.com
and in the U.S. Deanna Whelan at deanna.whelan@flintgrp.com