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PEAK Contestants Raise the Bar

I don’t envy the gentlemen who judge our annual Print Excellence And Knowledge Awards. I sat with them during the process to record their reactions and comments. By the look of it, choosing the best of the best is no easy task. The overall quality of the entries was so high, even the most minor details were taken into consideration. The judges flipped, folded, tore, scratched and tugged on more than 300 pieces. They discussed, debated, argued and compromised. At the end of the day, they handed out 39 Grand Awards, 69 Awards of Excellence and 4 Special Recognition awards. The winners are chronicled in this issue, beginning on page 10.

This year marked the third anniversary of the PEAK Award program. There still is no industry competition in its class. Other printing awards focus exclusively on the product, specifically how well it was manufactured. PEAK judges also are quick to note manufacturing defects, because top-notch printing is expected. The PEAK program goes beyond printing craftsmanship. It factors in the problem-solving features of the products as well. Entrants are required to submit a “Solution Summary,” which details the end user’s needs and how the product fulfilled them. The Solution Summary confirms a widely known truth about our segment of the industry: When it comes to solving customers’ problems, we’re second-to-none.

The reasons are clear. Distributors and their manufacturing partners offer a variety of products and services to end users that direct-selling manufacturers cannot. Our channel gives end users the opportunity to explore a range of solutions. They’re never handcuffed by a lone printer’s capabilities and equipment.

A PEAK award means that the winner improved its customer’s business with creative solutions. The entire Print Solutions staff joins me in congratulating this year’s PEAK winners. A special thanks goes to our judges, John Leininger, Ivars Sarkans and Joseph V. Schwan.

Andy Brown
Managing Editor
abrown@PSDA.org

Editor’s Note: The PEAK Awards are in no way associated with, endorsed by, or otherwise sponsored by PEAK Technologies Inc. PEAK Technologies and the company’s PEAK logo are registered trademarks of PEAK Technologies Inc.