Flint Group is encouraging narrow web label and packaging converters from around the world to submit sample labels for evaluation by a panel of industry judges. For the 9th consecutive year, the winners of the Narrow Web Print Awards will be announced during a live event on the Flint Group stand at Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, September 2013.

The criteria for judging follows the standard guidelines set by the industry associations FINAT and TLMI and include: registration, smoothness of dot/vignette, overall print quality, and degree of difficulty. The judges also review each label for creative use of inks and colour – rewarding prints that exhibit extra-ordinary use of ink. Participate and join the industry in celebrating excellence and the art of printing in a narrow web platform.

Flint Group will highlight a special category introduced for “web packaging applications” and encourages printers to demonstrate the enriched pallet of applications possible using narrow/mid web presses.

“Flint Group has paid tribute to more than 45 companies around the world with this award. Year after year, we are amazed by the excellence, quality, and depth of design. Narrow web printing is truly an art and we’re proud to play a part in these masterpiece designs,” says Deanna Whelan, marketing manager, Flint Group Packaging and Narrow Web. “We also acknowledge all winners in selected media after the exhibition, honouring our clients’ hard efforts and creating a win-win for all involved.”

Niklas Olsson, global brand manager, Flint Group Narrow Web, says, “This is our 9th year hosting these awards, and we are tremendously pleased and honored to have such a keen response each year. Every year we see new entrants from all over the world, with stunning quality achievements. We urge all printers to use this opportunity to benchmark their own quality standards in this format of friendly competition.

“Our Narrow Web Print Awards proves that narrow web printers continue to excel in the noble art of label printing – finding a way to produce high quality, innovative labels that keep our industry strong and growing. We are extremely proud, as an ink supplier, to be a part of this effort!”

Entry Guidelines are as follows:

1. Each entry must be printed using inks from Flint Group
2. Entries can be a commercial label, or a promotional label
3. Entries can be sent in roll or sheet form with no less than 20 of each label – converters should specify if labels cannot be displayed on the Flint Group stand.
4. Entries should be received no later than August 15, 2013
5. Entries should be submitted directly to Flint Group Packaging and Narrow Web. For more information, please contact Niklas Olsson in Europe at [email protected], or Deanna Whelan in the United States at [email protected]