The L9 group of international label associations have announced the results of the 2017 L9 World Label Awards (WLA) competition judged by an international panel of judges representing each of the participating associations. The judging took place in Brussels the day before Labelexpo Europe at the exhibition venue. The L9 is an alliance of global label associations formed to jointly formulate policies and collecting strategic information of global interest to the worldwide label industry.

The current class structure includes 22 classes covering all the principal printing processes and market applications. The results are listed in class order with the Winners announced first followed by the Honourable Mention (HM) awards.

All of the L9 label associations are invited, each year, to submit entries for the World Label Awards. This ensures that the competition has a truly international flavour. We were pleased to welcome representatives from the Indian Label Association (LMAI) who were taking part for the first time in several years. Other associations involved in the 2017 competition included FINAT (Europe), TLMI (USA), JFLP (Japan), FPLMA (Australia), SALMA (New Zealand) and PEIAC (China).

In order to be considered for entry in this prestigious competition a label converter must first have won an award in their “local” association’s competition as this is the only route to entry. Each L9 association is permitted to submit one entry in each class, entries from individual converters are not accepted. Winning an award in the WLA competition is highly valued throughout the worldwide label fraternity signalling that the label converter has achieved real excellence in label production. The awards not only reflect the achievements of the production departments involved in producing the label, they are also used as a valuable marketing tool. No wonder they are often referred to as the technical Oscars of the global label industry. The jury spends a considerable time examining and debating the technical and aesthetic features of each label including converting and finishing technology. “Never will a label have been examined in such detail, even by the converter’s QC department. We expect a high standard of printing at this level and we also look for the quality of the design of the label” comments Tony White, chairman of the judging panel. “We continue to be surprised by the quality of the entries year on year” he continues.

The judges for the 2017 competition included Tony White (FINAT) Chair, Mike Buystedt (TLMI) Vice Chairman, Harveer Sahni (LMAI), Tony Wheeler (SALMA), Andrew Maxwell (FPLMA), Mr Masaaki Yoshitake (JFLP) and Ms Jean Li (PEIAC).

The Results

Class 1: Flexo Line

Winner SALMA: Rapid Labels, New Zealand for “NZ Sunscreen Pure Shade”

Class 2: Flexo Line/Screen

Winner TLMI: Label Impressions Inc., USA for “Deva Curl Buildup Buster”

Class 3: Flexo Colour Process

Winner FPLMA: Label Force, Australia for “John West Calamari”

HM SALMA: Admark Visual Imaging Ltd, New Zealand for “Moana”

Class 4: Flexo Wine/Spirit

Winner JFLP: Takara Pac Ltd., Japan for “Chablis Wine Label

HM SALMA: Rapid Labels, New Zealand for “Craggy Range Wild Rock Pinot Gris 2016”

HM FINAT: Royston Labels, United Kingdom for “King’s Cross”

Class 5: Letterpress Line

HM FINAT: Cabas SA., Greece for “Agro.VI.M. Olive Oil Kalamata PDO 1L

Class 6: Letterpress Line/Screen

Winner JFLP: MARU-SIN Co. Ltd., Japan for “Safety Drive”

Class 7: Letterpress Colour Process

Winner JFLP: SATO PRINTING Co. Ltd., Japan for “Daimyo Futomaki (Sushi Roll)”

HM SALMA: Leading Label, New Zealand for “Pumpkin Seed Oil”

Class 8: Letterpress Wine/Spirits

Winner JFLP: SATO PRINTING Co. Ltd., Japan for “Apple and Lime Liqueur “Ringo Hime””

Class 9: Offset Line

Winner SALMA: Panprint Ltd., New Zealand for “True Honey Co. 300+ MGO”

Class 11: Offset Colour Process

Joint Winner PEIAC: Beijing YaZhengYuan Colourful Printing Co. Ltd., China for “JOMO Label”

Joint Winner JFLP: SHINWA LABEL PRINTING Co. Ltd., Japan for “YAMAGATA SAKURANBO”

Class 12: Offset Wine/Spirits

Joint Winner JFLP: SEIEIDO PRINTING Co. Ltd., Japan for “Japanese Sake “Yamahousi””

Joint Winner SALMA: Panprint Ltd., New Zealand for “Pacific Potion Sauvignon Blanc”

HM FINAT: Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine and Spirits, USA for “Fortnight”

HM FPLMA: Multi-Color Australia for “D’SAS”

Class 13: Combination Line

Winner SALMA: Rapid Labels, New Zealand for “Floating Oil Snapper”

HM FPLMA: Label House, Australia for “Pale Ale Birra Zonzo”

Class 14: Combination Line/Screen

Winner TLMI: McDowell Label & Screen Printing, USA for “Performance Nutrition”

Class 15: Combination Colour Process

Winner JFLP: SUNMEC Co. Ltd., Japan for “Denen Fuka” Box Label”

Class 16: Combination Wine/Spirits

Winner TLMI: Multi-Color Corporation, USA, for “Octopoda Cabernet Wine”

HM JFLP: MARU-SIN Co. Ltd., Japan for “NEI (Japanese Shochu”

Class 17: Digital Printing

Winner TLMI: Digital Label Solutions Inc. USA for “KIA –The Extra Mile”

HM FINAT: Ҫiftsan Etiket Ambalaj San. Ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., Turkey for “Winx Body Lotion 75ml”

Class 18: Digital Wine/Spirits

Winner TLMI: Syracuse Label & Surround Printing, USA for “Ryze Vodka”

HM FINAT: Marzek Etiketten GmbH, Austria for “Heathland Whisky”

HM FPLMA: Multi-Color Australia for “Silken Beastie Shiraz”

Class 19: Screen Printing

Winner LMAI: Any Graphics Pvt. Ltd., India for “ComAD Designs”

HM JFLP: Sibel Industry Co. Ltd., Japan for “VRONIQUE & CLAUDETTE”

HM FINAT: Stratus Packaging, France for “Shampoo Color Lômé Paris”

Class 20: Gravure

Winner SALMA: Gravure Packaging Ltd., New Zealand for “Chobani 170g”

HM FINAT: Multi-Color Wales, United Kingdom for “Heineken Green Identity”

Class 21: Booklets

Winner FINAT: Stratus Packaging, France for “Multipages les recettes Végétales sans gluten”

Class 22: Innovation

Joint Winner FINAT: Source Labels Ltd., United Kingdom for “Fortnum and Mason Beluga 000 Fresh Caviar”

Joint Winner JFLP: Shibatasesco Co. Ltd., Japan for “Instant Pocket Label”

Joint Winner LMAI: Mudrika Labels Pvt. Ltd., India for “Colgate Deep Cleaning”



Best of the Best
This is the fifth year that the L9 World label Awards Association has included 5 additional awards representing the “Best of the Best” entries from the principal printing processes selected during the judging process. The awards will be presented at the Tarsus Global Awards event which will be held during Labelexpo 2018 in Chicago in September 2018. The winners were selected from the winning entries in the L9 World label Awards competition from the following classes: Flexography, Letterpress, Offset Litho, Combination Printing, Digital Printing. The plaques will be presented and the winners revealed at the awards ceremony and are perceived as the “Oscars of the Oscars” of the international label industry.