Keypoint Intelligence Gears Up for Its Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Awards

In a little less than a month, Keypoint Intelligence will be analyzing product submissions for its Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Awards to honor new products and technologies that advance the state of the art in Production Printing. Entries will be judged in six categories based on their new applications of technology in terms of quality, productivity, connectivity, workflow, media range, productivity, and environmental impact.

KPI’s Outstanding Achievement in Innovation is an award for a new production print hardware or software product/feature that stands out in its category based on basic criteria for significant industry impact. Vendors can self-nominate their own offerings.
The overriding goal for these awards is to to highlight the innovations and breakthroughs that drive the production print industry forward.
If you’d like more information on this program or access to our online entry submission form, please visit our awards landing page.

By Eve Padula

Introduction

In a little less than a month, Keypoint Intelligence (KPI) analysts will begin sifting through the nominations for its Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Awards for the Production Print industry. With trade shows postponed or going virtual due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19, KPI thought it was imperative nonetheless to recognize the innovative products and technologies that would have been showcased at various events. Nominations for the awards are due August 18, and recipients will be announced in early October.

What is It?

KPI’s Outstanding Achievement in Innovation is an award for a new production print hardware or software product/feature that stands out in its category segment based on basic criteria for significant industry impact. Vendors can self-nominate their own products based on what they have announced—or plan to announce—between October 1, 2019, and October 5, 2020. Products will be judged based on their new applications of technology in terms of quality, productivity, connectivity, workflow, media range, productivity, and environmental impact.

Awards are granted in the following categories:

Packaging: Encompassing industrial printing, corrugated, folding cartons, flexible packaging, and other related areas, innovations in this space include customized applications and printing on a broad range of substrates. This category focuses on how the solution will impact print service providers’ abilities to effectively deliver products that provide quality output, efficient production, and reduced waste.
Commercial Print/On Demand: This category features innovations in page printing technologies and applications that enable print service providers (PSPs) to deliver unique results that are effective, efficient, and profitable.
Signage/Graphics: This category focuses on wide-format applications using any ink type. It includes rollfed, flatbed, and hybrid equipment as well as embellishments that these devices can produce.
Industrial Printing: Apart from specific product features, this category focuses on how woodworking products, textiles, glass printing, and printed electronics can enhance manufacturers’ abilities to effectively service their clients. Innovative products that disrupt the status quo by enabling mass customization and just-in-time manufacturing are an area of focus.
Workflow: This category includes innovations that enable PSPs to offer mass customization, just-in-time manufacturing, color management/consistency, quality assurance, and print automation.
Sustainability:With a focus on de-inking, recyclability, and carbon neutrality, this category focuses on eco-friendly materials and equipment. Whether meeting environmental standards or offering recycling programs, this category focuses on solutions that are produced with a significant reduction of energy.

The overriding goal for these awards is to highlight the innovations and breakthroughs that drive the production print industry forward.

The Timetable

The timeline for this year’s Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Awards is as follows:

Entries must be submitted by Tuesday, August 18
Award winners will be notified by Wednesday, September 9
Product Awards will be revealed to the public on Monday, October 5

This awards program is open to any developments or innovations that were (or will be) announced between October 1, 2019, and the awards announcement on October 5, 2020.

Criteria and Benefits

Nominations will be evaluated by KPI’s team of experts based on the following criteria:

Industry impact: Truly revolutionary or groundbreaking introductions will be scored higher than offerings that include a natural progression of features.
Appeal of the product or feature: Game-changing introductions that are expected to have a major impact on their segment or class will be scored higher than offerings with narrower/niche appeal.
Availability: Offerings that are currently available or expected to be released very soon will score higher than technological demonstrations that are a long way (2+ years) from commercial availability.

Winning entries will also receive several benefits at no cost to publicize the award. These include:

An award plaque.
A mention in KPI’s press release on the topic, the LabLines Newsletter, and a website that honors all winners.
If they so choose, winners can schedule a webinar with a KPI subject matter expert to discuss why their product was selected as a winner.
Winners also have the option to license the Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Award seal for their product marketing efforts.
Access to other print-for-pay services like videos and custom test reports.

The Bottom Line

Although we’ll all likely have to wait until at least 2021 to find out what the next live industry event will bring, vendors and manufacturers can self-nominate their newest developments for KPI’s Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Awards right now. All of us at KPI are looking forward to selecting and unveiling the winners this fall. If you’d like more information on this program or access to our online entry submission form, please visit our awards landing page!

Eve Padula is a Senior Editor/Writer for Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends’ Production Services with a focus on Business Development Strategies, Customer Communications, and Wide Format. She is responsible for creating and distributing many types of InfoTrends content, including forecasts, industry analysis, and research/multi-client studies. She also manages the writing and editing cycles for many types of deliverables.