17 September 2004

Full house at the Excellence Awards

Book printer TJ International walked off with the coveted BPIF Excellence Awards ‘UK Company of the Year’ for the second year running as guest speaker Lord Heseltine revealed that it was another book printer, Hazell Watson & Viney which was at the start of Haymarket, the UK’s largest independent publishing group which he owns. Leading printing trade magazine PrintWeek, which is part of the Haymarket Group, supported the event and secured Lord Heseltine’s attendance for the evening. Speaking to a record audience which had sold out four weeks prior to the event, Lord Heseltine spoke about his experience in the industry and his excitement about the challenges which lay ahead for printers and publishers to use technology and market demand to ensure that print retained its popularity as the leading information medium. As populations across the world become more and more informed, he is in no doubt that print will continue to take a large share of the exploding market for information dissemination. Following his speech, BBC presenters Etholle George and Tony Hawks presented the Awards to the eleven winners which are listed below. Headline sponsors of the evening were once again Antalis and LloydsTSB Commercial Finance which were this year joined by Howard Smith Paper Group (Best Use of Digital Print and UK Company of the Year) and Robert Horne Group which sponsored all three Training & Development Awards as well as wine with the dinner. The four course dinner was sponsored by HP – the digital imaging company, not the sauce. Four hundred and twenty-five guests attended the evening which continues to grow in popularity and stature. Congratulations to all the following winners: Environment Award Severnprint Limited Sponsored by Agfa + WasteCare HR Best Practice Award T.J. International Ltd Sponsored by Jobcentre Plus Best Use of Digital Print Award DSI Sponsored by Howard Smith Paper Marketing Excellence Award MetalFX® Technology Limited e-Business Award The Electronic Document Company Ltd Sponsored by MLP Private Healthcare National Training and Development Award - Employers' Alcan Packaging Cumbria Sponsored by Robert Horne Group National Training and Development Award - Individual Gerry McKendry, Robert Horne Group Sponsored by Alcan Packaging Cumbria National Training and Development Award - Apprentice Tony Jackson, Alcan Packaging Sponsored by Robert Horne Group Midsomer Norton Turnaround Award Award Harlands Labels Sponsored by Begbies Traynor UK Company of the Year T.J. International Ltd Sponsored by Howard Smith Paper Group Click here for details on each winner.