Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) and Amcor have left the 2023 FPLMA Gala Dinner night scooping 19 awards, including Best in Show and Innovation Awards. 

The annual FPLMA print awards represent a centre of excellence for the packaging industry in Australia. It highlights what can be achieved by dedicated and passionate people who take pride in their work, striving to achieve the highest print quality using a wide range of technologies.

Each year, the Gala Dinner is a culmination of FPLMA’s Technical Conference and has become one of the most important events in the printing industry professionals’ calendars. This edition, organized in the luxurious Crown Melbourne complex, attracted over 300 guests from 85 businesses.  

Traditionally FPLMA announced the winner of the 2023 Apprentice of the Year Award. The competition is targeted at final-year college apprentices nominated by their tutors. Candidates must demonstrate they are competent to the standard they have been trained to, with high academic levels and a keen interest in printing processes. ​

Paul Plunkett from Dandenong South-based packaging specialist Pakaflex won this recognition out of seven nominees. The award was presented by Matilda Milligan, named The Apprentice of the Year in 2021, who works as a prepress supervisor at Fildes Group. 

Damien Williams, production manager from Pemara, received the Merit award, while Amcor’s Matt Ormond was awarded Hall of Fame. 

Two stars of the awards evening were MCC and Amcor, taking home the majority of labels and packaging awards in flexo and digital print categories. Out of 13 MCC recognitions, are Innovation Award for Urban Rum Distillers Brix Rum Label, Best in Show Label for Bundaberg Campfire Rum and Best in Show Heathcote Estate Primal Shiraz label in the digital print category. 

Amcor was called to the stage six times and, along with many golds and silvers, also received Best in Show for flexo-printed Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations packaging.

Andrew Kohn, James Print, RollsPack, Ultra Labes QLD, Visy Post Print, and Wedderburn NSW also collected labels and packaging awards.

Follow our LinkedIn profile to see all winning labels and packaging featured on our page in the coming weeks.

The detailed list is available below:

Amcor:

• Best in Show – Flexo – Repro: Kirk – Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations
• Gold – Flexo – narrow web – surface print film – Repro: Kirk – Libra Girl 
• Silver – Flexo – narrow web – reverse print film – Repro: Kirk – Mission Low Gi Wraps
• Gold – Flexo – wide web – surface print film – Repro: Kirk – Smarties Family Size
• Silver – Flexo – wide web – surface print film – Repro: Kirk – Twisties Cheese
• Gold – Flexo – wide web – reverse print film – Repro: Kirk – Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations

Andrew Kohn:

• Gold – Flexo – wide web – surface print film – Repro: Brandpack – Farmwood Chicken Breast T-Rex Bites
• Silver – Flexo – wide web – reverse print film – Repro: Brandpack – Stonebake Pizza Bases

James Print:

• Gold – Offset – Labels  (Wine and Spirits) – Repro: James Print – Mon Cinq Pinot Grigio
• Silver – Offset – Labels (Wine & Spirits)  – Repro: James Print – Adelaide Hills Pinot Grigio

MCC:

• Innovation Award for Label – Urban Rum Distillers Brix Rum
• Best in Show – Label – Repro: MCC – Bundaberg Campfire Rum
• Best in Show – Digital – Repro: MCC – Heathcote Estate Primal Shiraz
• Gold – Flexo – Labels (Line and Tone) – Repro: MCC – Rock Paper Scissors
• Gold – Flexo – Labels (Line and Process) – Repro: MCC – iON Advanced Stain Removal
• Gold – Offset – Labels (Linework) – Repro: MCC – Long Rays Tonic Pacific
• Silver – Offset – Labels (Linework) – Repro: MCC – Long Rays Tonic Citrus
• Silver – Offset – Labels (Color Process) – Repro – MCC – Wild Nectar Organic Honey
• Gold – Combination – Label – Repro: MCC – Bundaberg Campfire Rum
• Silver – Combination – Label – Repro: MCC – Brookvale Union Ginger Beer
• Silver – Combination – Folding Cartons – Repro: MCC – Allkinds Confetti Cake Batter Body Scrub
• Gold – Label – Digital (Wine and Spirits) – Repro: MCC – Heathcote Estate Primal Shiraz
• Silver – Label – Digital (Wine and Spirits)  – Repro: MCC – ALTD Spirits Green Grocer

RollsPack:

• Gold – Flexo – narrow web – reverse print film – Repro: Kirk – Rocky Road Chef’s Gourmet Premium Popcorn
• Gold – Gravure – flexible packaging – Repro: Rollspack – Kettle Lemon Myrtle & Roast Chicken Potato Chips
• Innovation Award – Flexo 

Ultra Labels QLD:

• Gold – Label – Digital (All labels except wine and spirits) – Repro: Ultra Labels – ARMD Drip Fat Burner
• Gold – Label – Digital (Flexible packaging) – Repro: Ultra Labels – Queensland Rainforest Substrate
• Silver – Labels – Digital (Flexible packaging) – Repro: Ultra Labels – Wilder Berries Powder

Visy Post Print:

• Gold – Flexo – corrugated – Repro: Kirk – Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic box
• Silver – Flexo – corrugated – Repro: Kirk – Bobmay Presse Citrus Collins box

Wedderburn NSW:

• Silver – Flexo – Labels (Line and Process) – Repro: IDG NSW – Lovebites