Awards Patrons’ Team Boosted

Awards Patrons’ Team Boosted

New Zealand’s Pride In Print Awards campaign is striding into 2014 on an enhanced footing following the appointment of APM New Zealand and Norske Skog Australasia as new Patron companies.

Represented by sales and marketing manager Alex Peters and Tasman market director Willie Townend respectively, the new Patrons join:

• Aarque Group represented by commercial manager Allister Jeans
• Fuji Xerox represented by product marketing manager Alistair Egan
• Heidelberg New Zealand represented by general manager Noel Priestley
• Spicers Paper represented by general manager John Greenacre

Pride In Print Awards manager Sue Archibald said the respective fields of expertise and knowledge brought by the new appointees would provide great complement to the existing Patrons team.

“It is fantastic to have our Patrons number expanded to six,” said Ms Archibald.

“These are two well established and respected companies in our industry. They are considered an ideal fit to the offering of our existing Patrons and we welcome the sage input they will have in taking our campaign onto the next level.

“I am looking forward to working with the new team to make 2014 the biggest and brightest Awards programme to date.”

Mr Peters said he and his family-operated company were “very honoured” by the appointment.

“January 18, 2014 is our 25th year in business as used machinery dealers so it is quite momentous for us,” he said.

“The print industry has been very good to us and, having been a Sponsor for almost the entire existence of Pride In Print, I’ve always felt it was good and right as a supplier to give something back to the industry.

“The question of Patronage was asked of all family members and all were in favour of it. We see it as a form of acknowledgment of us from our industry peers, so I guess embarking on the role is acknowledgement from us back to the Industry.”

Describing the main strength of Pride In Print as being the “main driving force to bringing the industry together on an annual basis”, Mr Peters said he was looking forward to working with the team and making his own personal contribution.

“Very pleased” by the invitation to become a Patron, Norske Skog's Mr Townend said it was ideal timing, given his firm’s evolution into a supplier of an increasing range of papers.

“We now have an expanded product profile with our customer base and given that context it is appropriate to take a more senior role in the industry,” he said.

Mr Townend described the two key attributes of Pride In Print as “encouraging and promoting excellence, and providing a wonderful networking opportunity”.

“Competition to be the best is always going to bring out the best in people. But also, it encourages people to take pride in their work and I think from a society and industry point of view that can only be good. If people are committed, focused and producing good quality work, that is in everyone’s interests.”

Emphasising that in its current format, Pride In Print “does a good job”, Mr Townend said he was also looking forward to developing a better understanding of the inner workings of the campaign and in due course making a positive contribution.

ENDS

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