LFP - Large-Format-Printing
Belgian and Dutch Printers Widely Rewarded at 2009 FESPA Digital Print Awards
Tuesday 16. June 2009 - Belgian and Dutch printers were the most successful at this years FESPA Digital Print Awards, winning the Packaging & Manufactured Goods Category, taking second place in both the Fine Art and Interior Categories and receiving a total of five commendations with Exterior, Fine Art and Interior entries.
The competition, supported by HP, was open to printers from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and attracted more than 200 entries, which were evaluated by an independent jury. The winners were announced on the eve of the FESPA Digital 2009 exhibition (12 -14 May 2009) in Amsterdam. One winner and one runner-up were selected for each of the six categories, and an additional 11 entries were commended by the jury.
Wageningen-based Personal Media Solutions was named winner of the Packaging & Manufactured Goods Category for its innovative packaging solution developed for its product MyChewingGum.com. The main aim of the project was to produce customised premium brand category packaging at an affordable price, with a universal appeal for men, women and children of all ages, for sale year round. Printed using the Xerox iGen3, Personal Media Solutions produced the only solution for affordable low-volume packaging of personalised chewing gum on the market, and has already sold more than 240,000 packages.
Print & Display from Kontich was runner-up in the Fine Art Category with its Protect 7-7 project created for Belgian photographer Wim Tellier. Thousands of photographs of children from all over the world were taken and placed onto six portraits of elderly people. Telliers aim was to inspire debate about the status of the environment and to force people to think about the damage future generations would inherit. The six images (20 metres by 40 metres), weighing 365kg each, were digitally printed using the HP Scitex Vision XLjet Premium wide format digital printer. Required to withstand temperatures of minus 50C°, the installation will be part of one of the worlds largest photographic exhibitions, taking place near the newly opened Princess Elisabeth Base in Antarctica and will be shown in exhibitions in New York and Antwerp later this year.
Eindhoven-based Dereumaux XL was runner-up in the Interior Category for its Zuiderkerk naar RAI project for client Grande Route XL designed by bureau Concern. The company digitally printed the image of a church directly onto voile, measuring a total of 30 metres by 40 metres using EFIs VUTEk FabriVu 3360 digital textile printer. Printed on 15-metre length pieces without seams or folds, the Dutch companys entry was designed for display at the RAI Exhibition Centre and is the largest produced image on voile to date.
Nearly half of the 2009 Digital Print Awards commendations went to Belgian and Dutch printers who secured five overall.
X-Treme Creations from Zaventem, Belgium received a commendation for its Exterior Category entry entitled Tomorrowland made for client ID&T, a global company specialised in running high-level mass party events. The Belgian company digitally printed 800 metres square on mesh fabric, creating a multi-level stage backdrop for a major DJ event using EFIs VUTEk 5300 printer.
Belgian company Print & Display, runner-up in the Fine Art Category was also commended for its Exterior submission De Meuter Construction. Print & Display digitally printed two walls measuring 25 metres by 6 metres and 20 metres by 6 metres for a construction site using the HP Scitex TJ8300 printer for its client De Meuter.
Dutch designer Ine van der Horn was commended in the Fine Art Category for his Joint Composition creation made for theme park Zoo Emmen Nederland. The designer created a coat to show the partnership between Zoo Emmen and the Canon Business Center Groningen. Printed using the Canon iPF 8000 large format printer, the coat comprised detailed images of animals and plants from the zoo.
Dereumaux XL, runner-up in the Interior Category, also received a commendation for its Fine Art submission Breda Photo 2008, created for photography studio Breda Photo Reinout van den Bergh. The company produced 180 blow-up images of world famous photographers using the HP Scitex XP 5100 and EFIs VUTEk 3360 printers for the worlds biggest outdoor photo exhibition.
Finally, Colour XL from Rijswijk was commended in the Interior Category for its Floor Graphics submission made for RSW (Government). Printed on water-resistant MDF using the Inca Spyder 320 Q, the digitally printed floor graphic, featuring a satellite route map of the city of Middelburg, was designed to last for two years.
Commenting on the Belgian and Dutch printers success, Nigel Steffens, FESPA CEO, said: “We were overwhelmed with the response that weve had from printers in Belgium and the Netherlands at this years FESPA Digital Print Awards. Overall, the third and fifth highest number of entries came from these countries respectively and their printers were most widely rewarded across the various categories. Its great to see the enthusiasm of Belgian and Dutch printers and witness them producing high quality work and creative solutions for their customers. We look forward to seeing this trend continue at the next FESPA Digital Print Awards.”