The Hague, The Netherlands - FINAT, the world-wide association representing the interest of the self-adhesive labelling industry, announced the winners of its annual label awards competition.  In this 30th edition, containing a great number of highly commended contributions, both 'Best in Show' and 'Printing Processes Group Winner' award went to Pilot Italia, Italy for its Barceló Rum labels.

The judging panel liked the dramatic looking label, using a combination of UV flexo and offset litho with great embossing. "We consider this a truly regal label that makes good use of the metallised paper substrate, "said Tony White, chairman of the panel. "This label has an immediate shelf appeal evoking lazy days under the palm trees and the sugar fields of the Dominican Republic, home of Barceló Rum since 1929."

With its unusual design, the Illusion Box from Kimbells Pack in the Philippines brings interesting opportunities for differential branding." It won the special jury award because the application shows how the printer has been able to differentiate himself from the pack," Tony White continued.

Organizers have witnessed a recent trend towards more entries for the Marketing and End-users Group (180 entries). It is the cosmetics group within this category that holds this year's winner with the 'no label look' label from Skanem Liverpool in the United Kingdom for Colgate Palmolive Sublime. According to the jury the label has a "nice emotional visual effect which evokes purity."

The non-adhesive application group winner is Turkey-based Etimag Etiket with a nice example of the offset litho process on film; a colourful sleeve making good use of vibrant refreshing colours for Balea body lotion.

With 'Creativity and Innovation: the way for tomorrow' being the main theme of the congress this year, it is worthwhile mentioning that last year's winner in the category innovation, Schreiner Group GmbH, Germany has been selected again. This category awards new applications or products that are not covered in the other categories. The company has developed an integrated printed electronic device using wireless and electroluminescence technology combined with a self-adhesive application.

FINAT celebrated its 30th label award competition; a jubilee edition that has received the greatest number of entrees ever. In the past decade there has been an increase of 150%, while this year alone there has been a 10% entry increase, i.e. a total of 325 entries from 55 different companies, with the greatest number of contributions coming from India, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The judging panel included industry experts from Turkey, Spain and the United Kingdom completed with a Dutch member judging purely on the design of the labels.

This year the FINAT label awards competition chalked up 20 winners. Many of these are being entered into the World Label Awards competition that is taking place in conjunction with Labelexpo in Chicago (US) later this year. From last year's FINAT award winners, six became a World Label Award winner including Schreiner Group, schäfer-etiketten, Collotype, Amberley Labels, Skanem Hobro and Tapp Technologies.

The winners of the 2010 FINAT label competition are:

Best in Show:
Pilot Italia S.p.A., Italy for Barceló

Special Jury Award:
Kimbells Pack Inc., Philippines for Illusion Box

A. Marketing and End-users Group:
Alcoholic Drinks: Tapp Technologies, Canada for Sbragia 2007 Home Ranch Merlot
Food Products: Bahar Etiket, Turkey for Sumwadda
Household Products: GundlachLogo - LOGO Etiketten GmbH, Germany for Rial Liquid Soap Olive Milk
Industrial Product: Skanem Skurup AB, Sweden for Mobil 1 New Life
Cosmetics: Skanem Liverpool, United Kingdom for Colgate Palmolive Sublime
Pharmaceutical: Super Label Mfg, India for Rantac MPS Suspension
Security: Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG, Germany for AU Gas Siegel (Vehicle Emissions Inspection Gas Seal)
Booklets: Skanem Introl SA, Poland for Kampanj Arla Ko 670g
Promotional Coupons: Skanem Skurup AB, Sweden for Pokémon
Self Promotional: Kimbells Pack Inc., Philippines for Illusion Box
Sets of Labels: Helf Etiketten GmbH, Austria for Mutter Natur Essig
The Marketing and End-users Group Winner: Skanem Liverpool, United Kingdom for Colgate Palmolive Sublime

B. Printing Processes Group:
Flexography: Spear, UK for Innis & Gunn Original
Rotary Letterpress: Kuresa S.A., Peru for Antigua Bottega
Screen Printing (Silk): Flexiket A/S, Denmark for Meda Baby Shampoo
Reel fed Offset Litho: Tapp Technologies Inc., Canada for Rodney Strong 2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Digital Printing: Skanem Hobro A/S, Denmark for Vikingsild
Combination Printing: Pilot Italia S.p.A., Italy for Barceló
The Printing Processes Group Winner: Pilot Italia S.p.A., for Barceló

C. Non-Adhesive Applications
Labels/Tags: Skanem Newcastle, United Kingdom for Ocean Pure Hot + Spicy King Prawns
Sleeves: Etimag Etiket, Turkey for Lenhart - Balea Young Bodylotion
Cartons: no winner
The Non-Adhesive Applications Group Winner: Etimag Etiket, Turkey for Lenhart - Balea Young Bodylotion

D. Innovation
Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG, Germany for RF activated EL, Group winner