FINAT, the international association for the self-adhesive labelling industry, has announced the winners of the 35th FINAT Label Award Competition. Welcoming several new contestants to the ever growing portfolio of high quality entrants, the number of entrants increased slightly over last year to 260 award entries from 45 companies representing 25 countries. A new group – Digital – was introduced this year to recognise the significant part that digital printing is playing in the narrow web industry.
This group included three categories covering the main digital printing technologies: solvent toner, dry toner and inkjet. The judging panel was chaired by industry expert Tony White, who was supported by regulars Steve Wood (UK), Murat Sipahioglu (Turkey), Rik Olthof (design expert from Cartils Branding & Packaging design agency in the Netherlands) and Prof. Dr. Efe Gencoglu (Vice Manager of Marmara University, Turkey and new chairman of the Turkish Label Competition). “The diversity of applications never ceases to amaze us and this year was no exception with 81 entries winning awards including a Best in Show and a special Judges award.The quality level in general has improved with fewer entries being rejected for mis-register! This made the selection of the category and group winners all the more difficult. Many of the designs can be described as adventurous and eye-catching which indicates that brand owners are using more visual approaches to attractimpulse purchase customers,” comments Mr. White.
In addition to the Group and Category Winners, 61 Highly Commended Certificates were awarded. The Best in Show, Group, Category and Judges’ awards were presented at FINAT’s European Label Forum during the awards presentation ceremony on 11 June. The FINAT winners of the 2014 WLA judging which took place just before Labelexpo in Chicago last year were also recognised during the ceremony with the presentation of their awards. The Best in Show and Printing Processes Group Winner awards went to Collotype Labels (Italy) for the ‘Americano Gancia’ label. The Marketing/End-Uses Group Winner is Collotype Labels North America Wines & Spirits (USA) for ‘Dream No. 7’. The Non-Adhesive Group Winner is Forlabels S.A. (Greece) for ‘Gods and Goddesses Ouzo’.
The Innovation Group Winner is Tovenca AG (Swizerland) for ‘Cryo-Etiketten’. The Digital Group Winner is Collotype Labels (US) for ‘Diströya’. The Judges Special Award was given to Cabas S.A. (Greece) for ‘Anassa Organics Tea’. India’s Holostic won for Hero Motocorp Ltd. in the Automotive and Pragati Pack won for SoraféNat 120 Tablets in the Pharmaceutical. Both won in the Marketing/ End-Use category. Later this year, the FINAT entries for the 2015 L9 World Label Awards (WLA) competition will be selected for judging just before Labelexpo Europe in Brussels end September. A FINAT member has also won a coveted WLA Best of the Best award which will remain a secret until it is presented to the winning company during the Label Industry Global Awards ceremony to be held on the 29th September during Labelexpo Europe.
