Getting steamed up helps win award

The need to get the water droplets looking “just right” on the SteamFresh Asparagus, Broccoli and Peas package was important to the Aperio team on behalf of its big customer Heinz Watties.
Aperio Technical Manager Greg Stevenson says careful consideration was given to the special challenges presented.
“We carried out extensive separation and print profiling with the Heinz Packaging Company based in Ireland and with the Colorite Group,” he says.
“The quality of the product shot was a key factor involving Dow Design.
“We also trialed a number of options to achieve a balance between colour strength and screen tone of the droplets in the word ‘SteamFresh’, which was crucial in defining the finished result expectation.
“Based on the criteria set for the judges it must have been considered a well-crafted job.”
As well as the Gold for Flexographic Printing on a Mid-web Press (601mm-1000mm machine width), Aperio picked up a Highly-Commended Award for its Mainland Products Ltd Galaxy Shaved Parmesan label.
Presented before an estimated 800 people who attended the elite gathering in Rotorua, the Awards were extra special for Aperio celebrating its new brand image. Previously known as AEP Flexipac, it has been a strong contender since the Awards inception 12 years ago.
“Last year we were honoured with a magnificent seven Golds and one Highly-Commended. In conjunction with the acquisition of Visy Feilding some years ago, our medal tally reads 28 Golds and 20 Highly-Commendeds — certainly a record to be proud of.”
Mr Stevenson says the Pride In Print Awards provide a means by which Aperio can demonstrate to customers its printing skills and ability to produce top-quality work.
“It is a means of comparing our technical ability against our competitors.
“It is not a case of the most modern equipment always scooping the pool, but best use of the tools available to deliver a quality outcome. In yester-year we were only as good as our last job. In today’s highly-competitive environment we are only as good as our next job.
“The Awards generate a great level of satisfaction for all involved. Particularly when, with our work in the food packaging field, we can share our success with family on journeys along supermarket aisles.”
The Christchurch operation prints both flexographic and gravure work, while the Group as a whole has plants in Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne — making it the largest flexible packaging manufacturer in New Zealand and the second-largest in Australasia.
The Group specialises in packaging for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market supplying to a wide variety of customers with a extremely diverse range of product produced.