Judges at the 37^th annual International Gallery of Excellence printing competition didn’t know what to expect from online printing firm 48HourPrint.com. But after multiple rounds of rigorous technical evaluation, they honored the company with 13 awards for print excellence, quality, and graphic design.

“48HourPrint was a first-time entrant in the International Gallery, and the judges didn't really know what to expect from a large online printing firm,” said Kevin Keane, President and CEO of the International Association of Printing House Craftsmen, which oversees the competition. “What they found was excellent, highest quality printing, with great execution in many, many formats, as evidenced by the 13 awards the firm earned among stiff competition.”

The prestigious competition drew hundreds of entrants, including large companies in the offset and digital printing world in the United States and 15 other countries, according to Keane. Judges evaluated quality and difficulty of the graphic arts processes used, ranging from ink coverage, intensity of solids, registration, dot structure, paper usage, bindery, finishing, overall visual appearance and communication effectiveness, Keane said.

The company won 6 Golds, 4 Silvers, 2 Bronzes and an Honorable Mention for print projects ranging from 7-color posters, direct mail postcards, glossy pocket folders and brochures to a “Print Dreams Kit” that showcases 48HourPrint’s custom services, including die-cut shapes, scratch-off tab coins, PMS colors, rounded corners, and perforations.

“When people hear ‘fast turnaround’ like what we offer, they sometimes think it means they have to sacrifice quality,” said Glenn Kacsh, Vice President of Manufacturing for 48HourPrint.com’s facilities in Arizona and Ohio. “It’s not true. The print quality on our sheetfed offset and digital presses stands up to anything else you can find in the market today. Yes, we are fast … but we’re also very quality conscious. People come to us looking for speed, but they stay with us for our quality and customer service.”

Headquartered in Boston, 48HourPrint.com offers printing and mailing services to graphic designers, small to medium businesses, ad agencies, and non-profit organizations that value quality, speed, and affordable prices. They print hundreds of jobs daily, all managed via an easy to use online ordering system that’s available 24/7. They produce 40 products, including business cards, postcards, brochures, greeting cards, calendars, pocket folders, and booklets, all backed by the firm’s 48 Hour Turnaround Guarantee. Custom products in practically any size are also available with services like spot PMS colors, rounded corners, perforating, die-cutting, binding, and personalized printing.

“We salute and congratulate 48HourPrint.com for their award-winning accomplishments deserving of international renown, and recommend them as a great choice in the online world,” Keane said. “Seeing is believing . . . and what we saw is fantastic.”

For the complete listing of awards won, visit the online Awards Gallery on the company’s website:

http://www.48hourprint.com/awards.html