Orlando, Florida– September 15, 2005 -- The Printing Association of Florida (PAF) is pleased to announce that 29 Florida graphic arts companies have been named PIA/GATF’s Premier Print Awards winners. The awards were presented Sunday, September 11, 2005 at the awards ceremony hosted by PIA/GATF in Chicago. The Premier Print Awards, the graphic arts industry’s largest worldwide printing competition, recognizes outstanding achievement in print production. Three of PAF’s members: American National Ltd., IBF Industries and Mercury Printers and Promotions were awarded the Benny, the highest honor in the Premier Print Awards. Over 5,200 entries from 17 countries worldwide competed for honors in this year’s competition for 4 different awards granted by the Premier Print Award judges: The Benny, Best of Division, Award of Recognition and Certificates of Merit. Florida association members filled all four-award categories. Florida printing and graphic arts companies recognized included: The Best of Category (Benny, a bronze statuette of Benjamin Franklin) American National Ltd. IBF Industries Mercury Printers & Promotions Awards of Recognition American National Ltd. C & D Printing Company Creative Printing & Publishing Ellison Graphics Corp. Hall Printworks (2) Moran Printing Print-It Plus Quebecor World/Central Florida Press Rapid Press, Inc. Southeastern Printing (2) Superior Printers, Inc. The Color Express Best of Division Awards C&D Printing Evatone, Inc. Franklin/Trade Graphics, LLC Hall Printworks IBF Industries Certificates of Merit Action Graphic Preparation American National Ltd. C&D Printing (3) dynacolor graphics, inc. Ellison Graphics (2) Franklin/Trade Graphics, LLC. (4) Hall Printworks (2) IBF Industries Indian River Press Lauderdale Graphics Lawton Printers Mercury Printers & Promotions MGA A Sandy Alexander Company Pride of Florida, Graphics Division Procoel S.A. de C.V. Quebecor World/Central Florida Press Rex Corporation Southeastern Printing Superior Printers (3) The Color Express (2) Universal Printing Company (2) “This is the best representation PAF has had with the Benny Awards in many years, said Michael H. Streibig, president of The Printing Association of Florida. “ On behalf of all of our members, I want to wish the winners congratulations on a job well done!” Founded in 1950, The Premier Print Awards are the industry’s oldest and most prominent international awards competition. Each year, printing companies from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, Australia, Hong Kong and other nations around the world enter the Premier Print Awards in hopes that they will be recognized as one of the best companies in print. The competition is judged by a team of distinguished professionals from the graphic arts community around the world and are chosen for their extensive knowledge of the printing process. Printing is America's largest manufacturing industry in terms of establishments, with over 44,000 printing plants. These plants provide 1.1 million jobs and produce approximately $157 billion in printed products and services annually. In Florida alone, the printing industry is ranked as the number one manufacturing industry in the state, employs over 42,900 residents annually and generates $8.84 billion in annual revenue from 6,200 companies statewide.