Chemical labels, for the home, garden and car, took three FINAT prizes. The converters include Novelprint Sist. De Etiquetagem, Ltda., of Sao Paulo, Brazil, for PortoLab Cleanmax ceramic-tile cleaner labels (UV letterpress); Paragon Labels of Spalding, U.K., for its Rock Oil's Road brand oil labels (UV flexo); and Cetis d.d. of Celje, Slovenia, for Horty brand garden-chemical labels. The latter also took a special prize for digital printing. Converted on high-gloss Fasson paper labelstock, they were digitally-offset printed on a Gallus Indigo DO330 in four colors and overlaminated. Judges especially commended the "punchy" quality of the print.

Only one prize went to a food-product label this year. Again U.K.-based Label Makers won for printed "seals" on prepacked miniature cheeseboard gift packs for Wm. Morrison supermarkets. Incorporating a removal price label, the seals were printed 3-color litho on a Gallus T250 press using UV inks, foil blocked and varnished. MACtac semi-gloss removable paper was the labelstock.

Because narrow-web presses are increasingly finding applications in areas other than labels, FINAT now rewards printers' ingenuity in these fields. This year, Mark Andy U.K., Ltd., took the prize for alternative use with a self-promotional poster. Printed in 4-color UV flexo, Mark Andy UK used its 4150 press, running Iggesund paperboard as the substrate.

"It was most interesting to see the changing market emphasis of this year's submissions," says Tony White of AWA Consulting, the judges' spokesman. "Alcoholic drinks are definitely a growing niche market, and labels for HBA products continue to demonstrate imagination and innovation.

"In the process print categories, we were delighted to see that standards of technical excellence were maintained. There was a good spread of printing processes represented, though digital print was a comparatively small entry."

More info: FINAT at fax: 31/70-363-6348, www.finat.com