Rochester, NY --April 4, 2003-- On May 6, 2003, the Gravure Association of America will gather for the seventeenth time to recognize the Best of the Best in gravure printing. The presentation of the 2003 Golden Cylinder Awards will take place in a ceremony at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee, as part of the association’s Annual Convention. Judging for the Golden Cylinder Awards took place February 11-12, 2003, in Rochester, New York. The winners were selected from among 125+ entries in 25 categories. Eight judges reviewed this year’s entries. They were Jeannette Earl; Paul Sharkey, FLXON, Inc.; Zita Seahra, International Wallcoverings; Gary Witt, R.R. Donnelley; Clarence “Butch” Hoover, WRE/ ColorTech; Robert Zumbiel, C.W. Zumbiel Company; Mark Prescott, Canadian General-Tower Limited; and Ed Kozlowski, Wrico Packaging/Division of William Wrigley Jr. Company. The winners in each category are: Agency/Advertising/Design/Packaging RJR Packaging - Camel Turkish Royal Family The marketing objectives were to create an intriguing, sophisticated, unique, and aristocratic image. The resulting design used a midnight navy blue background with a new detailed village combined with the longstanding camel beast image. The execution involved four-color process printing combined with two special colors and metallic ink. The judges liked the print quality, the vibrant blue background, and the way the village and camel seem to jump off the package. The results are an exciting new image for a well-established brand. Agency/Advertising/Design/Product Plus Mark Inc./Div. of American Greeting Corporation– Golden Ornaments The challenge for this winner was to take a great design and find ways to achieve new levels of cost control. The printer was able to meet all of the objectives by printing with three-color process printing rather than four colors. The judges felt that the results hit the target. The resulting rich gold tones and excellent image contrasts validate the printer’s faith in their process. Agency/Advertising/Design/Publication Meredith Integrated Marketing – Dodge, The Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 1 This winner was designed to use the strengths of gravure printing – vibrant colors and color consistency. The resulting magazine achieved these goals and placed it in the gravure winner’s circle as the judges proclaimed, “This magazine will definitely catch the eye of its market!” Packaging /Paper VAW Flexible Packaging – Mulino Bianco - Tenerezze Caffé The judges felt this package was “a real winner” because of the crisp clean print and excellent register control on a very difficult image. The cookies on front and back panels were full of fine detail, making them appear good enough to eat. The special varnish process also provided knockout results. Packaging/Film Wrico Packaging/Div. of Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company– Wrigley Spearmint One of two winners in this category, this entry exhibited excellent print execution enhanced by laser engraving quality. The reverse-printed film is solventless laminated inline. For the judges, the most impressive factors were the “perfect type clarity and fantastic vignettes.” Packaging/Film Printpack Inc./Elgin, IL – Unilever Bestfoods Bertolli Dinner for Two The second winner in the film category also exhibited outstanding print execution. The shelf appeal is a result of accurately printing sharp images and beautiful vignettes. This family of packages with images of meals that seemed to leap off the surface definitely made the judges wonder when dinner would be served. Packaging/Foil Alcan Pharma Center Shelbyville – Effexox 37.5/75 mg. This packaging winner is an example of why gravure is the process of choice. The entry is six colors on one side of the foil substrate with two more in register on the reverse side. The judges were impressed with the crisp print quality and excellent front-to-back register Packaging/Paperboard Smurfit-Stone/Santa Clara Carton Plant– adidas – Forever Sports This entry’s overall black look reminds you of “stealth” technology and the deceivingly simple design hides the sophisticated technology that goes into its printing. The production criteria list was long and daunting; it included requirements on environmentally friendly production, extremely consistent color, and lacquer with scratch, burnish, and non-skid properties while retaining a matte finish. The black ink had to be mottle free 100 percent of the time, and the white copy had to be as white as if it were printed on white paper or coated boxboards (it was printed on an uncoated sheet). Low-cost production was also required. The winning package achieved all of this with water-base inks and lacquer. The printer truly stretched the envelope in producing this winning entry. By the way, they report that to date no other print process has been able to duplicate the gravure results. Packaging/26-inch & Less Narrow Web Alcan Pharma Center Shelbyville – Aviane 28 Day Demanding vignette control, extremely tight registration, and precise text and barcode reproduction were the requirements set down by the customer. The judges were impressed with how well this winning printer delivered on all of its customer’s requirements and showcased the abilities of the gravure process. Packaging/Technical Innovation SleeveCo, Inc. & Pennzoil-Quaker State – Partners in Excellence 10W30 The challenge for this entry was to generate new shelf impact for a mature motor oil product. The answer was a seven-color, shrink-wrapped, racecar-shaped oil container. One of the technical challenges was in developing the distortion factors for the irregularly shaped race car bottle. The resulting seven-color gravure-printed film provides a package with vibrant colors and real “curb” appeal. Product/Wallcoverings International Wallcoverings Co. – Spiderman and Friends Border This “Super Winner” received high marks from the judges because of its strong appeal to the target audience. The great detail and vibrant colors from the gravure printing created images of Spiderman and his Friends that literally “jump off the wall.” Product/Postage Stamps & Security Printing Scientific Games International – OH-261 $1,000,000 Classic The judges did not take a chance when they selected this lottery ticket as a winner. The complex process that produces high-security lottery tickets is enhanced by gravure’s ability to deliver heavy one-coat lay down of security coatings. The difficult-to-execute design displayed excellent shadowing and vignettes, making it the winning ticket. Product/Giftwrap Hallmark Cards, Inc. – American Girl Christmas The judges felt that this winner was a great gravure product. The beautiful, creative design with demanding print elements was executed to perfection by the printer. So many elements came together flawlessly—background tones and watermark, soft vignettes, flesh tones, metallic inks. The end result simply looks great! Product/Vinyl Substrates Canadian General-Tower Limited – Merlin Sunbead Wall This entry was judged a winner because of the outstanding print quality on a difficult-to-print substrate. The detailed design truly appears to be made up of luxurious three-dimensional ceramic tiles, not a flat surface, an effect achieved to perfection with gravure. Product/Other Product Gravure Canadian General-Tower Limited – Protein Leather Gravure-printed vinyl with the look and feel of leather! The judges were impressed by the innovation of the gravure coating that helps the vinyl “breathe” like the real thing. And a lot of cows are also breathing easier. Product/Technical Innovation Canadian General-Tower Limited – TPO Technical Innovation Most of us look at our automobile dashboard and never make a connection to gravure printing. This entry is a winner because of its environmental benefits and gravure’s contribution to cost reduction. The 2003 Honda Accord sports a new dashboard made from a structure that is environmentally friendly because it is, for the first time, recyclable. Gravure contributed to the process by printing new coatings that eliminated separate spray-coating steps. Publication/Newsprint Quebecor World/Dickson, TN – Parade Magazine “Beautiful, realistic reproduction of images,” was just one of the comments made about this award-winning issue of PARADE Magazine. It caught the judges’ eyes for the great press control throughout the publication—perfect register, smooth flesh tones, food and clothing that retained their fine details. As one judge said, “Can’t you just take a bite of that sandwich?” Publication/Supercalendered R.R. Donnelley Company/Lancaster, PA – The New York Times Magazine, November 24, 2002 This winner, in a highly contested category, raised the bar for gravure print. The range of images printed in this book stretched color gamut, registration, and print quality. The images required controlling key only tones, three-color grays, four-color grays, sharp black and whites, saturated solids, soft pastels, and bold neon colors. How else, but with gravure? Publication/Lightweight Coated (under 40#) Quad/Graphics, Inc./Martinsburg, WV – Victoria’s Secret Christmas Dreams & Fantasies 2002 As one of two winners in the category, the judges felt this catalog should become the “Poster Child” for a 100-percent digital workflow. Not only was the execution flawless with good, clean fine type, color uniformity across multiple presses, and great detail, but the customer also gained extra time from the digital workflow to set price points, review product mix, and tweak the book’s design. A real winner all around! Publication/Lightweight Coated (under 40#) R.R. Donnelley/Mattoon, IL – Better Homes & Gardens, February 2003 No remodeling or makeovers were needed for the second winner in this category. From the eye-catching color images to the fine type to well-executed vignettes, the judges loved the way the magazine looked! Showcasing fine quality print, this issue is an excellent example of the gravure process and its capabilities. Publication/Coated (over 40#) Quebecor World/Corinth, MS – National Geographic Magazine, July 2002 The words “National Geographic” stand for printing excellence in the print world. The July 2002 issue of the publication stood out for “excellent execution and fantastic quality.” The printer’s special production efforts paid off with this award-winning entry. Publication/Technical Innovation Quebecor World/Mt. Morris – Process Control L*A*B Tracking System The judges applauded Quebecor World’s efforts to build a cross-platform relational database that ties prepress, engraving, ink, and press results together to better manage color consistency. This was a daunting task; however, the benefits for enhanced process control will lead to even greater customer satisfaction. Supplier Innovation/Cylinder Manufacturing TECNOGRAV Ltd. United Kingdom – Tecnobase Plastic-Coated Steel Base The judges were impressed with the many problems this innovation addresses for gravure printers. The new base design retains the benefits of steel integral shafts for printing bases while allowing primary diameter variations to be done with plastic. The Tecnobase also retains the ability to copper plate to final diameter, engrave by all of the conventional techniques, and chrome plate for wear. This innovation brings a new level of flexibility to acquiring new cylinder base diameters. Supplier Innovation/Press Grafikontrol America/York, PA – Grafikontrol Densikontrol Closed-Loop Color The first of two awards for supplier innovation is for a closed-loop color control system. The judges liked the way the system aided quicker on-color startup of the press and expect it to also find applications in the packaging and product segments of the gravure industry. Supplier Innovation/Press Valmet Converting, Inc. (Rotomec) – Rotomec 4000-2 ES Rotogravure Printing Press The judges agreed that this winner was one “sexy” gravure press. It is press designs as innovative as this one that are generating a renewed interest in gravure printing for packaging applications. Published Research RJR Packaging – Disposable Diamonds Research Project The Golden Cylinder award for published research was initiated to stimulate interest in gravure research and the sharing of that research with the industry. The winning research provided an in-depth look at major cost-cutting options for gravure engraving and has generated many inquiries from throughout the gravure industry. Judge’s Pick for the “Best of the Best” Printpack Inc./Elgin, IL – Unilever Bestfoods Bertolli Dinner for Two This year, the judges were in total agreement for the “Best of the Best” award. The print quality and the realistic look of the food on the Bertolli Frozen Dinner for Two packages made this entry the obvious choice as best in show! The visual impact of these packages exemplifies why gravure is the process of choice.