Wellington-based Gravure Packaging (GPL) has been named the printer of the world’s best gravure process label by the L9 group of international label associations.
A shrink sleeve produced for a2017 Chobani yoghurt 170g tub saw GPL win the Gravure Class in the L9’s prestigious World Label Awards competition, colloquially known as the technical Oscars of the global label industry.
“Winning in this competition is highly valued throughout the global label fraternity, signalling that the printer has achieved real excellence,” said Brisbane-based judging panel chair Tony White.
“Never will a label have been examined in such detail, even by a quality control department.”
During a recent visit to GPL’s Fitzherbert Street plant, Hutt South MP Chris Bishop said he was impressed by the operation and to learn the firm is both an exporter as well as supplier to another accomplished local enterprise – Whittaker’s Chocolates.
“Hearty congratulations to GPL – a real Hutt-Petone success story,” Bishop said.
GPL managing director Greg Chapman says the WLA award is great recognition of the development work invested in improving the firm’s print quality as well as its capabilities to solve what were quite technical challenges in this particular job.
“We’ve worked with Chobani for a few years now, they have very precise standards and we love delivering great-looking shrink sleeves for them,” he said.
“Never will a label have been examined in such detail, even by a quality control department.”
Chapman says the Melbourne-based yoghurt manufacturer is “very focused” on producing the highest quality product which nicely aligns with GPL’s own culture. “Chobani’s range of yoghurts taste great and the highly-detailed graphic work needs gravure quality print to really make the labels pop.”
In order to be considered for entry to the WLA competition, a printer’s label must first have won an award in its local association’s competition – entries from individual printers are not accepted.
The shrink sleeve also won two Gold medals at NZ Pride In Print Awards last year, including the Gravure Category. The New Zealand label association SALMA selected it as the sole submission it was permitted to make in the WLA Gravure Class for the year.
Labels are submitted from around the world including Europe, the United States, Japan, India, China, Australia and New Zealand. The second-placed entry was a Heineken label from the United Kingdom.
New Zealand ranked second-equal with the United States in recording five WLA Class Awards this year, only being superseded by Japan with eight. When adding in Honourable Mentions, New Zealand finished in third place overall with eight awards in total behind Japan (10) and Europe (nine).
About GPL
GPL is based in Petone, Wellington, New Zealand. It produces gravure printed flexible packaging including shrink sleeves, confectionary, snack, laminates, rewinds and light industrial products for international customers requiring high levels of service. GPL’s in-house capabilities enable it to take customers’ concepts and turn them into products very quickly. GPL exports locally-manufactured products to Australia and has exported to Thailand and Pacific nations as well.
GPL was established in 1984 and has a reputation for being a company focused on family values. GPL has a sister company in Sydney (Australian Packaging). Its focus is to provide high-quality gravure printed packaging and to support its customers with strong technical backup.
GPL has been a regular winner at Pride In Print, with multiple Supreme Awards and finalist nominations plus 35 Golds Medals and 22 Highly Commended citations.
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