Late last month, PIA MidAmerica held its annual GraphEx Awards ceremony at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City to celebrate outstanding achievement in printing.
PIA MidAmerica’s Graphic Excellence (GraphEx) competition has been in existence since 1989. This year’s awards show on April 25 featured a circus theme of “Big Top – The Greatest Print Show on Earth.”
The competition has more than 300 categories in three different divisions. Divisions are determined by size of company; Division I – Small Firm (1-20 employees); Division II – Medium Firm (21-100 employees); and Division III – Large Firm (101+ employees).
The WoW Diary
The WoW Diary – Deluxe Edition, written by Walsworth customer John Staats, was a highlight among the Walsworth entries by bringing home an overall Bronze in Division III, meaning it was selected third best out of all entries in that division.
The WoW Diary is a hardcover, smyth-sewn book with cover lamination and hot foil. The book, a journal on computer game development and a look inside the gaming industry, includes a custom slip cover, spot UV treatment throughout and is accompanied by a die-cut bookmark and a perfect-bound, soft-cover supplement.
The judges were full of praise for The WoW Diary in their comments:
“The WoW Diary is an example of fabulous offset products that are quite alluring.”
“The number of special elements is sensational.”
Best of Category
The WoW Diary was one of several Walsworth-printed publications that earned Best of Category honors. The WoW Diary’s Best of Category prize came in the hardcover book category.
Also earning Best of Category in the Printer’s Self Promotion category was Walsworth’s Possibilities, Volume 8 – the company’s very own idea and showcase book for its yearbook customers.
A Best of Category in Catalogs – sheetfed (over 32 pages) went to the L.A. Meeting & Travel Guide Catalog; and a Best of Category in Magazines went to the State of Oklahoma’s Oklahoma Travel Guide.
All Best of Category winners are now automatically entered into the Premier Print Awards, also known as The Benny’s, which will take place on Oct. 2 in Chicago.
Award of Recognition
Several Walsworth customers were honored with Awards of Recognition in various categories.
Morris Communications won an Award of Recognition in the hardcover books category for a Tucson issue of its WhereTraveler.com series. Luxury Custom Publishing also won an Award of Recognition in hardcover books for its commemorative book on the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory in 2018.
In the sheetfed magazines category, Jet Linx Aviation won an Award of Recognition for its SOAR Magazine, as did Tail Fly Fishing for STRUNG Magazine.
Each year, it’s an honor for Walsworth to watch our customers get recognized by PIA MidAmerica at the GraphEx Awards and this year was no different. Congratulations to all for their creativity and amazing work! Our printing only gets a chance to shine by working with outstanding partners on top projects.
