Mike Fairley, long respected for his knowledge of and dedication to the label industry, has been selected to receive the R. Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award, the top prize presented at the annual Label Industry Global Awards. He was selected as the overall winner by an international label industry judging panel meeting at the FINAT Congress in Turkey following a review of the online votes against the criteria. The award is sponsored by Avery Dennison.

Fairley has been writing and talking about labels for more than 30 years. As both the founder of Labels & Labeling and the Cowise International Publishing Group (now part of Tarsus Group) and a successful industry consultant, he has consistently been at the forefront of introducing the latest innovations in label materials, technology, markets and applications, as well helping label industry supplier and converter companies to implement their education, training and marketing strategies.

He has written or contributed to many label technical and market reports, including those for Frost & Sullivan, Economist Intelligence Unit, Info Trends and PIRA, as well as for his own consultancy company. He has been a regular speaker at label industry and association conferences, summits and congresses throughout Europe, as well as in North America, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, India, Israel, Japan, China and Turkey.

Helmut Schreiner, chairman of the judging panel, commented:

“The entire judging panel felt honored to have the opportunity to recognize Michael’s lifetime achievement,” says Schreiner. “In our opinion he has been building bridges for several decades between suppliers and converters, between countries and their people, and between the present and the future to new market segments, niches, technical materials and, perhaps most importantly, a new way of thinking. There is no large and powerful company standing behind Michael. This particular award is given strictly to an individual and his personal achievement. We look forward to celebrating with him and the rest of the industry at the awards evening on the first night of Labelexpo Europe 2009.”

Most recently, Fairley has been the author of the Encyclopedia of Labels and Label Technology, and editor of RFID Smart Labels and co-author of a new Encyclopedia of Brand Protection and Security Printing Technology. In total he has written or contributed to some 10 technical and reference books on labels, printing and packaging.

He is currently the director of strategic development for the Labels Group at Tarsus Exhibitions and Publishing and is a fellow of both the Institute of Printing and the Institute of Packaging, a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers, and a Licentiate of the City & Guilds of London Institute.

The panel of judges also announced the finalists in the other awards categories. The winners will be revealed at the award ceremony and gala dinner at the Albert Hall in Brussels, on the evening of September 23.

The 2009 finalists are:

European Converter of the Year (sponsored by Flint Group Narrow Web): Marzek, Pago, Rako.

Label Industry Award for Continuous Innovation (sponsored by Label & Narrow Web, NarroWebTech and Labels & Labeling): Codimag, EskoArtwork, Flint Group.

Label Industry Award for New Innovation: EFI, Erhardt + Leimer, Kodak.