Packaging & Label Gravure Association - 2006 PLGA Print Quality Awards

The Packaging & Label Gravure Association Print Quality Awards Program recognizes member printers and converters for outstanding achievement in gravure printing. Judges look primarily at the quality of the printing, paying particular attention to registration, color consistency, and overall print quality. Consideration is also given to gravure processes and technical excellence. The award-winners shown here are only the international winners for 2006. For a complete listing and images of the 2006 U.S. winners and all past winners, go to www.plga.com.

Winner: Paperboard—Top Coated (also won for Technical Achievement)

Benson & Hedges Special Lights
Company: Alcan Packaging, Montreal

Printing: Nine colors and varnish printed on 14-point MeadWestvaco SBS.

Judges' Comments: This is a well-produced carton with a nice range of halftone dots. The gold on the Benson & Hedges house color is augmented with a delicate background shading. This embossed round corner pack has a four-color process for the Canadian health warning and a separate four-color process for the tone work on top of a metallic gold.

Winner: Film Surface Printed

Crystal Springs
Company: Editorial Padilla

Printing: Six colors surface-printed on BOPP film.

Judges' Comments: This is another clean sample that has well produced flesh tones and the cooling water illustrations certainly give the impression of cool water. The small type is well-produced and very legible and the background vignettes are smooth.

Winner: Pouches

Look What We Found
Company: CLP Packaging Solutions Inc.

Printing: Five-color with matte lacquer coating printed on a four-ply lamination consisting of PET/HB PET/Bonyl/CPP films.

Judges' Comments: The use of a matte lacquer, gold infill lettering, and spot varnish adds depth to this sample. The busy background illustration gives the label interest. The small type is well-produced and very legible.

Winner: Paper—Top Coated

Presidente Cerveza Tipo Piilsener
Company: Editorial Padilla, Dominican Republic

Printing: Seven colors surface printed on CIS Label paper.

Judges' Comments: A nice simple label that was very well-produced to show that simplicity is good. The black type and precise registration, combined with the use of gold and contrasting red and white, makes this a very neat label.

Winner: Film/Film Lamination—Process

Chocolate Britt
Company: CLP Packaging Solutions Inc., Israel

Printing: Seven colors printed on a Polyester/Foil/ Polyethylene laminate.

Judges' Comments: The use of a matte lacquer, gold infill lettering, and spot varnish adds depth to this sample. The busy background illustration gives the label interest. The small type is well-produced and very legible.

Winner: Specialty Converting

Camel Vegas—Slide Open
Company: Alcan Packaging

Printing: Nine colors plus varnish printed on International Paper BATSTAR.

Judges' Comments: The color consistency once assembled was critical to a successful box. The illustrations are well-produced and with good registration. The silver infills are solid and even and the combination a sandy color overall gives the impression of the desert.

Winner: Innovations

Pan Dulce Firenze
Company: Sipak Digital S.A., Argentina

Printing: Five colors printed on a matte PP laminated to a metalized PP.

Judges' Comments: The Panettone is well-produced and the matte shininess of the purple background gives the package a luxurious look. The vignettes are smooth and the type is good.