22 and counting...

And the entries have 'just begun to come in'.

The Awards team of Harsh Kothari and Dhanshri Kamath are expecting another 55 companies to send in their entries before the Early Bird Offer deadline; 18 July. And they are still counting...

With 26 categories, including six Performance Awards and 20 Quality Awards, there is an equal chance for a print firm small or big to secure the top spot.

On cue, the venue and dates for the Jury Day and Awards Night have been finalised. The Jury Day is scheduled for 25 August and the Awards Gala Night on 7 October, both at the Grand Hyatt, in Mumbai.

If you still haven't sent in your entries and are unsure of the eligibility, here is a breif descript and checklist for the Awards 2015.

May the best print win!

QUALITY AWARDS
Book Printer of the Year (Academic and Trade)
In this category, books submitted should be science, technical, medical; and textbook types (Books with mono colour or two-colour printed inner pages and multi-colour printed cover). Judges will be looking for the highest quality of printing married to precision in binding. Entrants must submit four different books either case bound or paperback or both.

 Book Printer of the Year (Specialty)

This category includes coffee-table books, non fiction works covering history, sports, nature, travel, entertainment, and lifestyles. Judges will be looking for the highest quality of printing married to precision in binding.

 Brochure & Catalogue Printer of the Year

Although high-quality printing is essential, this category will also take into account the high paginations, length of runs, and production constraints often imposed in brochure and catalogue works. Please supply four different samples.

 Creative Repro Company of the Year

Judges will be looking for excellence in the use of retouching, masking and colour correction. Any evidence to support the transformation (before and after comparison) of the job will greatly help the judges in their decision.

 Cross Media Company of the Year

This award is for the best combination of print and digital communications. The entries include use of digital platforms like email, a website, SMS, mobile app, etc. combined with printed material to deliver effective communication. The award will be judged on four projects or campaigns and entrants must have undertaken the printed part of the project as well as at least one element of the electronic campaign, which could be email, SMS, mobile app or web-based. Send a 500 word summary per project explaining the success of each project.

 Digital Photo Album Printer of the Year

Judges will be seeking out the company that best demonstrates a combination of good quality colour results, substrates used, and fabrication of the album including innovative cover.

 Digital Printer of the Year

Judges will be seeking out the company that best demonstrates a combination of good quality colour results, with innovative applications printed digitally. Note: Large-format digital print work should be entered into the Wide-Format category.

 Direct Mail Printer of the Year

The category is open to companies that supply end-to-end services for direct mailers, corporate compliance documents and other personalised correspondence. The judges will be looking for the use of print as a communication tool (and a combination of IT processes) that genuinely adds value to a printed product.

 Fine Art Printer of the Year

For this category, judges will be looking for prints, fine art books or art catalogues that demonstrate the very highest levels of origination and print. Limited editions are eligible.

 

Industrial Product Printer of the Year

This category recognises industrial applications including point-of-purchase installations, printed electronics, membrane switches, signs, labels for garments, vehicle graphics like decals, etc., produced using offset, digital imaging, or screen printing processes on a range of paper, paperboard or plastic or combination of the three.

Innovative Printer of the Year

Judges will look for the innovative combination of man and machinery to achieve a unique product. The innovation could be in any or all of the disciplines: pre-press, printing, post-press or electronic media. Please supply one sample only.

 

Label Printer of the Year

Judges will be looking for the best examples of labels printed using any process (letterpress, offset, flexo, digital). Of particular interest will be the use and application of special colours and finishes, and printing on difficult or unusual substrates. Please supply four unique label samples.

 

Magazine Printer of the Year

In this category, we are looking for the best examples of business and consumer magazines printed using the gravure, web offset or sheetfed process, with equal emphasis placed on printing and finishing.

Newspaper Printer of the Year

We are looking for the newspaper printer that demonstrates outstanding colour printing on newsprint-based products. Judges will take into account the pressures of daily production, print run, etc. Newspaper supplements and products printed on improved newsprint can be included as part of an entry, but are not eligible on their own.

 

Packaging Converter of the Year (General)

This packaging category is open for packaging of FMCG and pharmaceutical products. While the unit value of FMCG products will be substantially lower than that of luxury goods, the judges will be looking for all-round excellence in packaging printing and will take into account the use of difficult substrates and other production constraints.

 

Packaging Converter of the Year (Luxury)

This category encompasses all types of high-value luxury printed packaging including cartons, flexible packaging and other containers that would typically be expected to have a long life cycle. Entries will likely consist of (but are not restricted to) products such as presentation boxes for wines and spirits, media packaging for DVD or book box-sets etc, or beauty products.

 

CHECKLIST FOR QUALITY AWARDS:

  1. Four different print jobs per entry

  2. One copy of duly filled entry form Part 1

  3. Four duly filled entry form Part 2 (One Part 2 form per sample)

  4. A 500-word summary per sample mentioning highpoints of the job and production challenges that it posed. This is         to be submitted on a separate sheet. Please do not supply this information on your company letterhead paper.

  5. Enclose correct entry fee, Rs 2,500 per entry. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Haymarket Media (India) Pvt   Ltd’.

 

CHECKLIST FOR PERFORMANCE AWARDS:

Please ensure that your submission includes the following documents

1. Entry form Part 1

2. Audited financials of preceding two years (balance sheet, profit and loss account, notes to accounts, audit report) certified as true copies by the management/owners/partners

3. Memorandum and articles of association

4. Tax audit filings in case of entities that are not companies

5. Details of ratings secured from any credit rating agency

6. Print samples (Representing the broad spectrum of the work you produce)

7. Letters of commendation from customers

8. Enclose the correct entry fee. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Haymarket Media (India) Pvt Ltd’

The high-powered jury, an all-new independent panel will sift through entries. The ensemble of entries and print firms will be evaluated at PrintWeek India Awards judging process at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai on 25 August.

The early bird entry deadline for the PrintWeek India Awards has been extended to 18 July 2015. Thus, you still have 8 days to avail the discount and stake your claim as one of the top print companies in India.

Click here to download the entry form