May 25, 2022 – The Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA) revealed the top winners of their 2022 Graphics Excellence Awards (GEAs) during simultaneous Celebrations held on May 25, 2022.
The Celebrations are the culmination of the annual GEA competition, which recognizes companies throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin for superb craftsmanship in the design, creation and production of outstanding printed projects they produce for their customers. More than 225 people gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Addison, Illinois, on May 25 for two simultaneous awards ceremonies to celebrate another spectacular year of print in the three-state region.
Best of Show, the competition’s highest honor, was awarded to JR Dimensional of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for their entry in the Booklets (4 or more colors) category entitled Cramer-Krasselt Taycan Book and Sleeve FF. One judge said, “Not often a printed piece can be described as electrifying.”
First Runner-Up was awarded to Schumann Printers of Fall River, Wisconsin, for Blue Ocean Traders Spring and Summer 2022 in the Product Catalogs (4 or more colors) category. From the Calendars category, LCP, Waukegan, Illinois, won Second Runner-Up accolades for their Lake County Press 2022 Calendar.
Best of Illinois went to Case Makes, Chicago, Illinois, for their Case Makes Swatch Kit in the Other Special Finishing and/or Folding Techniques category. Best of Indiana featured the Obermeyer Outdoor Clothing Catalogs in the They Said It Couldn’t Be Done category by Branded by Woods, of Huntingburg, Indiana.
JR Dimensional also took Best of Wisconsin honors with their Ralph Lauren Romance Box in the Litho Cartons and Containers category. Color Ink of Sussex, Wisconsin, was awarded the Best of Packaging honors for their Color Ink Sales Kit with Capabilities Booklet and Highcon Cut Card Deck in the Print/Graphic Arts Self-Promotion category.
People’s Choice honors were awarded in each location. Each winner was selected by a vote of the attendees at their respective Celebrations. The Milwaukee attendees selected American Printing Company, Madison, Wisconsin, for House on the Rock in the Soft Cover Books category. In Addison, attendees selected International Label & Printing Co., Inc., Elk Grove Village, Illinois, for Wine By The Dozen / August Hill Winery in the Digital Printing-Campaigns category.
The GEA competition was judged over two days in March by a panel of outside graphics experts, who brought almost 100 years of collective print, finishing and converting experience to their evaluation of the contenders. There was a wide range of excellent entries from booklets, posters and calendars to labels and tags, wide format, and packaging.
Joseph Lyman, president of GLGA, is extremely proud of the quality of work submitted in the 2022 GEA competition and the results it produced. “As one of the largest regional graphic competitions in North America, the GEAs are one of most recognized programs GLGA manages throughout the year,” Lyman said.
This year, 93 percent of companies submitting projects won either a Gutenberg (Best of Category) or a Best of Division award. Plus, the judges selected more entries than ever before to receive Awards of Excellence. “This demonstrates just how outstanding the quality of work produced in our region is and the high level of parity there is among printers, finishers and converters located throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin,” Lyman said. “We are extremely proud to represent such outstanding print organizations.”
