Fairfax Media’s Rural Press Printing North Richmond print centre and Horton Media Auckland swept the board in the Australian SWUG technical awards last night (writes Peter Coleman)..

The North Richmond site won best overall print quality (Art Rollers shield) for the ‘Hawksbury Gazette’, with RPP Mandurah runners-up and APN’s ‘The Chronicle’ Toowoomba highly commended.

RPP North Richmond also took first and second places in the Coates award for best overall four-colour, with the ‘Shepparton News’ highly commended.

First and second places in the competition for the Flint Australia Shield for best coldset commercial work went to Horton Media, with RPP Mandurah highly commended.

North Richmond general manager Sean Tate – promoted when Michael Gee became regional general manager with additional responsibility for RPP’s Launceston and Burnie sites – was also named winner of SWUG’s valuable biennial leadership scholarship. SWUG apprentice of the year is Ricky Lillywhite, who works at APN Print’s Rockhampton site.

During the gala presentation dinner, SWUG president Bob Lockley – who works as Fairfax printing and distribution chief executive out of the North Richmond site – presented a $2000 donation to the Penrith (NSW) Museum of Printing’s Stephen Brique.

There was also a birthday presentation to SWUG life member Bill Kemp, who is 80.

The event continued the high quality of entertainment during the SWUG conference with more from motivational speaker Malcolm McLeod, and a cut-down version of Darren Coggen’s ‘Peace Train’ Cat Stevens tribute show.

Earlier in the second day of the conference, a focus on environmental issues continued with consultant Stephen Molino joining RPP’s Bruce Treharne to discuss environmental legislation and other ‘need to know’ issues. Fines can be as much as $5 million for companies, and $1 million or seven years’ jail for individuals.

Chuck Ramsay from Rycoline in Chicago talked US trends and press chemistry issues, Goss’s Matt Hancock updated on Goss developments and services, and Andy Stephens of Global Web Systems introduced a new inline folding system in the Sunday sessions. Profiles of APN’s New Zealand sites, and of the new News Limited print site for the ‘Hobart Mercury’ came from Dan Blackbourn and Wayne Bailey.

• Full report in GXpress Magazine.

Pictured are Horton Media Auckland press manager Mike Horler and general manager Laura Tither; top: The RPP North Richmond team are (rear, from left) Sean Tate and Michael Gee, and (front) Troy McGuinness and Chris Jackson.