Screenline Wins Gold At FESPA Awards

Johannesburg-based Screenline won a gold award for its Budweiser fridge door display in the ‘Display and POP on Plastic’ category at the recent FESPA 2020 Virtual Awards.

This vacuum formed and selectively lit fridge door cover has been created by screen printing multiple layers of red, metallic silver and opaque black. It has subsequently been vacuum formed and fitted with clear laser cut raised LED backlit lettering. According to the FESPA Awards judges, it is a great example of how the combination of printing, forming and integral lighting can stimulate brand presence at the point of sale.

‘Our client required a solution to enhance the look and feel of the fridge door as a point of purchase display and to draw customers’ attention to the brand,’ said Nico de Greef, Screenline marketing director. ‘The final outcome was striking and eye-catching with this new cladding. It was imperative to use the right substrate that could handle the vacuum forming depth and strength for use on a daily basis. The layers of ink were key to a successful outcome as we had to ensure that the light should not seep through internally from the fridge and only where required. This was not as simple as initially thought, especially when vacuum forming, and your ink getting stretched. So this was only achievable with the use of a screen printing method and multiple ink layers.’

‘I’d like to thank everyone involved with this project. Without the experience and support, we could not have achieved such great success. Especially during Covid-19, this achievement was a morale booster and something for our company and staff to be proud of. The success has motivated us and given us all a push forward to fight these difficult economic times. My advice is to stay focused as tomorrow is another beautiful day,’ added de Greef.

The awards were open to print service providers (PSPs) and sign makers looking to highlight outstanding projects. This year’s programme received entries from 27 countries across the 18 categories. The winners were announced during an online ceremony hosted by FESPA’s Technical Support Manager, Graeme Richardson-Locke, in lieu of the live Gala Awards event, which which would have taken place during this year’s Global Print Expo in Madrid.

The categories ‘Packaging on Paper and Board’, ‘Packaging on Plastics’, ‘Wrapping’ and ‘Printeriors’ were new to this year’s Awards scheme, recognising four important growth applications for speciality print and signage businesses.

Among this year’s entries, the judges selected two to receive Best in Show Awards for truly outstanding examples of print. These are Christian M. Walter – Taller de Serigrafía-Edición from Spain, for the entry ‘New York de Sergio García Sánchez’ in the Serigraphy and Fine Art category, and The Look Company from Qatar for its Roll-to-Roll Printed Textiles entry ‘Anoc World Beach Games’.

Members of the FESPA community selected the People’s Choice Award from the shortlisted entries, with Sakawa Printing Company from Japan taking this honour for its Japanese Fishes Calendar in the Creative Special Effect – Paper, Board and Plastics category.

New to the 2020 Awards is the Judges’ Award for Innovation, which was handed to HAAS Die Werbemanufaktur from Switzerland for its 3D Printed Beer Bottle Breaks Through Glass entry in the Direct Printing on Three-Dimensional Products category. Graeme Richardson-Locke, FESPA Awards Judge, commented, ‘This entry was selected as winner of the Judges’ Award for Innovation for being a brilliantly executed and creative concept using a combination of 3D printing, vinyl wrapping and detail fabrication.’

Entries were also invited for the Young Star category, for junior print industry employees, trainees or students aged between 16 and 25. The 2020 Young Star winner is PVG’s Maharashtra Institute of Printing Technology in India for their entry, ‘Save Tigers Before They are Silenced Forever’. ‘This student’s work shows ambition in reproduction and design, using four colour processes and special effect varnishes,’ Richardson-Locke said, explaining why this entry was awarded Gold.

Christian Duyckaerts, FESPA President commented, ‘Championing print excellence and promoting the unique power of print is central to FESPA’s mission. With the FESPA Awards, we want to inspire our global community to keep developing fresh ideas and using advances in technology and materials to add new dimensions to the work they produce for customers, as a foundation for continued growth. Judging this work is a privilege because it reminds us that print – in all its many forms and applications – is creative, beautiful and, above all, effective. We extend our congratulations to all our 2020 winners.’

Click here to view all the 2020 winners.