South Australian and Northern Territory printing companies proved they have made their mark on digital media at the 24th SA.NT PICA Awards on Friday November 4 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

More than 350 printers, suppliers and supporters celebrated their passion for the industry and recognised the excellence of their work at the premier event.

While posters, case and limp bound books, wine labels, greeting cards and even a coffee table & chair set demonstrated excellence in printing methods, the ability to adapt to digital media was a common theme amongst the winners.

In particular a promotional piece for the wine industry stood out and saw Graphic Print Group win the FujiFilm & Fuji Xerox Excellence in Digital Craft Award.

More like a piece of art, the work was printed digitally and bound together using brass Chicago screws and a grape vine cutting that was wired to the hinge.

Other major award winners on the night were Finsbury Green with 18 awards, Newstyle Printing with 11 awards, Fivestar Print with 8 awards and The Bowden Group with 7.

Riverland Printers won the Country Printing Business Award for its “Images of the Riverland” calendar.

Printing Industries General Manger for SA.NT Peter Mansfield said a record 451 entries were received for this year’s event.

"In all, 29 companies shared in the honour of winning the 111 awards presented for 2011, including 22 different printers who won a Gold Award. This reinforces the quality of work being produced by the industry at large in South Australia and the Northern Territory," he said.

The event’s major sponsor Media Super awarded a new recognition for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry in SA & NT. The inaugural recipients were Peter and Elisa Lane from Lane Print & Post.

Attendees commented that everything about the event from the venue to the program, the entertainment and the quality of print work presented was “outstanding”.

Comedian Julia Morris’s return for the second year was a great hit with her distinct brand of cheeky and vivacious humour.

The Excellence Awards were presented to:

DIC Excellence in Print
Hyde Park Press

Fujifilm & Fuji Xerox Excellence in Digital Craft
Graphic Print Group

Heidelberg Excellence in Craft
Hyde Park Press

SafeWork SA Improved Safety
Amcor Closure Systems

Zero Waste SA Improved Resource Efficiency
Griffin Press

LIA Heidelberg Graduate of the Year
Chad Edwards, Collotype Labels

LIA Ian Bowden Future Leader
Narelle Scott, Biz Boost

A full list of all award winners is available in the attached document