Page 66 - Print 21 Magazine Sep-Oct 2021

Associations
Together again at last
PrintNZ CEO Ruth Cobb reflects on the Pride
in Print Awards, held as the industry’s first major in-person event
t was such a thrill to
be able to proceed with the 2021 Pride In Print Awards as a live event. After two years everyone
was all dressed up with somewhere to go and something to celebrate – our industry.
The night was marred only
by the disappointment that our whanau from Wellington were unable to join us, as two days before the Awards the long and unpredictable arm of Covid-19 reached out and touched them. The move to Alert Level 2 meant that while they were able to travel, they were not allowed to attend events of more than 100 people. For the same reason, some of our colleagues from Sydney that were scheduled to attend were also unable to be there (including the editor of this magazine). Fortunately, with 15 months of Zoom experience under our belts we were able to create a virtual watching platform for them to join us.
Walking into the event, it
was heart-warming to see and hear the noise of networking
as everyone gathered for a
few drinks beforehand, and it took quite some time to move everyone into their seats as they didn’t want to stop talking.
But we were there to celebrate the excellent work that is produced by our industry,
and thoroughly reviewed by a broad team of judges. Despite the challenges thrown at these businesses during 2020 there was no slippage in the quality
of work that was entered, and this resulted in 187 gold medals being awarded on the night. It was so good to see companies up
on stage collecting their medals and enjoying their moment.
In 2021 we introduced a
new category of Awards that recognise the work that is being done by the businesses in our industry in the fields
of innovation, sustainability and wellness. These Awards expand the traditional focus on the excellence of the products we produce, highlighting the businesses that are driving
the future of the sector, demonstrating their vision, actions, outcomes and ongoing commitment to success. Ten gold medals were awarded in this category.
Following a noisy dinner, the evening moved into
the special awards with Apprentice of the Year up
fi st. Unfortunately two of our Top Five were caught in the Wellington bubble, and unable to attend in person, but again with the help of technology they were able to participate. The Apprentice of the Year title went to Travis Jordan from Soar Print, a well-deserved win for
a young man who has a great future in our industry. Also going to Soar Print was Industry Trainer of the Year Alex Huynh, and Labelmakers in Hamilton took out Training Company of the Year.
Scott Porter, past chairman
of the Awards was inducted
into the Roll of Honour for the Awards, only the seventh person to receive this accolade. Scott has long been an enthusiastic supporter of the Awards program and encouraged the awards to grow and develop during his time in the Chair.
Thefi alsectionofthe evening saw the announcement of the major Awards – Process and Category winners from whom the overall Supreme Award winner is selected. These are the best of the best and it was thrilling to see such a broad array of print processes and
products represented in the
fi alline-up–theexcellenceof craftsmanship at yet another level.
The overall Supreme Award winner went to an amazing book documenting the restoration of the Christchurch Town Hall, with the judges describing the craftsmanship as exquisite. It was produced entirely inhouse by Wakefields Digital, who being Wellington based were not at the Awards, but once again through the miracle of technology a surprised owner, Dickon Lentil, was able to be live on the big screen, as the announcement was made, and he was also able to make his acceptance speech to the whole audience.
“These Awards highlight the businesses that are driving the future of the sector, demonstrating their vision, actions, outcomes and ongoing commitment to success.”
Technology defin tely had
its part to play in the event, but there was a real buzz being there on the night. It reminded everyone of both the pleasure and the importance of face- to-face interaction – there is nothing quite like it. But the hybrid event allowed us to have the best of both worlds, much like blending print and online to maximise outcomes for your clients.
A huge congratulations to all of this year’s Award recipients – go forth and celebrate your success with pride. 21
or two years.
fI
Evolving industry: Ruth Cobb, CEO, PrintNZ
66 Print21 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021