Sappi Fine Paper North America Continues to Celebrate Print Excellence with 2014 Printer of the Year Call for Entries

BOSTON, March 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sappi Fine Paper North America announced its call for entries for the 2014 North American Printer of the Year awards, a competition that recognizes print excellence and innovation across 10 categories for work produced on Sappi papers. Since 1999, the Sappi Printer of the Year Awards program has been regarded as the world's most respected accolade of excellence in the printing industry.

In addition to esteemed recognition, judges will select one Printer of the Year among 10 of this year's Gold Award winning finalists to receive up to $20,000 in design support and 5,000lbs of paper towards marketing and brand initiatives. Gold Award winners chosen from each category will receive 5,000lbs of paper and be automatically entered as finalists in the Printer of the Year Contest. Five Silver Award winners are chosen in each of the 10 categories and will receive a framed certificate for themselves and their clients. All winners will also gain increased visibility with current and potential clients by being featured on their own page in Sappi's Printer of the Year Online Resource, a unique database tool for designers, print buyers and corporations.

"As the ways people communicate continue to evolve, the key elements that make the best printing—precision, craftsmanship and pride—are as strong now as they ever have been," said Patti Groh, Director of Marketing Communications, Sappi Fine Paper North America. "This is why we have revitalized this year's format to continue celebrating the power and versatility of print in today's marketplace."

All entries for Sappi's 2014 North American Printer of the Year Awards must be received by April 2, 2014. Entering the competition is easy — printers can submit any work printed in the U.S. or Canada between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013 that uses Sappi paper as the dominant stock. For each entry, six copies of the printed piece must be submitted by mail along with one copy of the entry form. For more details and the entry form (an online version or downloadable PDF version), visit: www.sappi.com/na/poy or contact Sappi at 1.800.882.4332. 

Award Categories
Printers may submit entries in the following 10 categories: Books, Brochures, Catalogs, Cross-Channel Communications, Digital Print, Direct Mail, Magazines (sheetfed), Magazines (web), Printer's Own Promotions, or General Print (any printed material not included in the other categories). Each printer may submit an unlimited number of entries but each entry must be accompanied by its own entry form.

Rewards of Excellence

• The Printer of the Year Award is the most highly respected prize as judges will select this printer from the top 10 Gold Award winner finalists. Along with the esteemed recognition, the Printer of the Year will be rewarded with up to $20,000 and 5,000 lbs of Sappi paper in support of the printer's marketing and brand initiatives.
• Gold Award winners represent the top prize for each category and are automatically entered as finalists for The Printer of the Year Award. The 10 Gold winners are each rewarded with up to 5,000lbs of Sappi paper in support of the printer's marketing and brand initiatives.
• Five Silver Award winners are chosen in each of the 10 categories. Silver Award winners will receive a framed certificate for themselves and their clients.
• All winners will be featured in an updatable web page in Sappi's Printer of the Year online resource with their contact information available to better connect them with designers, print buyers and corporations.

Judging
All entries will be judged on overall impact of the piece; degree of difficulty in the printing techniques; and technical excellence.  A panel of judges was chosen from recognized print institutions and trade professions, including: Lauren Elliot, Principal of Wicked Good Print Production; Dr. Malcolm Kief, professor in the Graphic Communication Department at California Polytechnic State University; Ken Lantz, independent print and process consultant based in New York; and Dr.James K. Tenorio, professor in the Graphic Communications Management Program at University of Wisconsin-Stout Wisconsin's Polytechnic University.

For more details about Sappi's 2014 North American Printer of the Year awards, visit: www.sappi.com/na/poy.

About Sappi Fine Paper North America

Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers, as well as dissolving wood pulp (DWP) and market kraft pulp headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. Its food packaging brand, Lusterprint is a greaseproof product with an excellent print surface. The company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi globally is the world's largest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp, a versatile raw material for a wide range of products including textile fibers and household products. Sappi Fine Paper North America, through the recent conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill, manufactures dissolving pulp under Sappi's Specialised Cellulose division primarily for the textile markets.  

Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na.

For further information:
Joanna Rieke
Manager, Corporate Communications
Sappi Fine Paper North America
Office: 617-423-5409
[email protected]

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