INDEPENDENT NEWS

Judging Seminar Heralds Awards Scoop

Published: Thu 10 Jul 2008 02:02 PM
Pride In Print media release (July 2008)
Judging Seminar Heralds Awards Scoop
Lithoprint managing director Anne Read has credited her company’s best-ever Pride In Print medals return to lessons she and staff gleaned from the judging seminar held in Wellington last year.
A regular entrant to the Awards since 1995, Lithoprint this year earned three Gold Medals and two Highly Commended citations -- a return on all but one of the jobs entered in the event.
However, prior to bringing its overall Awards tally to 10 Gold Medals and 12 Highly Commended citations, Ms Read says the sheetfed printing company had gone a number of lean years without Pride In Print Awards success.
“I really liked the bluntness of the judges in the seminar video,” says Ms Read.
“The judges brutally put jobs aside with comments such as ‘look at this, it’s not even in register’, ‘did anyone look at this job?’ and ‘that’s out’. Which brings you down to the reality that you can’t just enter any old thing -- you have to examine it and check that the basics have been done perfectly.
“Those kinds of judges’ comments on the DVD and reading the feedback on the jobs you’ve printed and entered make you change your systems.”
Although Lithoprint’s trademark is quick turnaround and flexibility for a varied client base, Ms Read says greater focus has now been placed on quality in particular.
“When you’re under pressure to do things quick-quick-quick it is hard for staff to slow down and get things 100% right, but we are starting to see subtle changes in that mentality.”
Ms Read says Lithoprint has also attempted to heed the judges’ advice about targeting potential Award-winning jobs during production itself.
“We’ll ultimately get the job to the client first and then worry about Awards issues, but since watching the DVD we have put in a few processes in the factory with regards to jobs with potential to enter into Pride In Print.
“We have always said we only enter ‘jobbing’ work into Pride In Print -- if we win, we win on our everyday quality -- but over the years the standards have increased.
“I don’t think you will ever see a job go through this factory that is totally baby-sat from start to finish. We do produce a good quality job, but it is a priorities thing.”
Pride In Print Awards achievement has definite benefits, says Ms Read.
“It allows us to expand the expectation that our existing clients have and get them to challenge what they produce knowing that Lithoprint is able to print Pride In Print-winning work, and of course it’s a great marketing tool for the sales staff.
“Almost every employee was involved in this year’s winning jobs. They were very excited about this year’s success.
“A lot of it is to also be able to win against your competitors -- I think in the industry it does give you a little more credibility.”
Established in 1955 by Ms Read’s grandfather, Alan, Lithoprint currently employs 35 staff in its Wellington premises. It recently added a Komori 29-inch five-colour and aqueous coating press to its existing multi-colour and two-colour A3 presses.
An announcement on this year’s Pride In Print Awards judging seminars are expected soon.
ends

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