After evaluating a record-setting 255 submissions, judges for the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association’s 2018 Product of the Year Competition selected 68 winning products. All of the 255 entries and the 68 winners be displayed in the Golden Image Gallery/Product of the Year Gallery at the 2018 SGIA Expo October 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. “This year’s competition was tight. A number of categories were decided by five points or less because of the high quality of the submissions,” said Ray Weiss, Director of Digital Print Programs at SGIA. “This was a very exciting year for the Product of the Year competition.” This year’s competition included 68 categories – over a third more than last year’s field of 49. Additions included Digital Inks, Industrial and Packaging, Large-Format Scanners (Flat or Roll), 3D Printers and Single-Pass Printers and more.
“The competition is bigger than ever, and with the additional 19 categories it encompasses even more of the industry. You’ll want to visit the Golden Image/Product of the Year Gallery at the Expo so you can see all of the entries for yourself,” Weiss added. The Golden Image/Product of the Year Gallery can be found in Hall C2 at the back of the show floor in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Winners will receive their Product of the Year ‘jewels’ at a special presentation the evening before the Expo opens.
Here are the 2018 winners:
- Digital Inks — Textile (Small Format <24″): Sawgrass (Booth 3739), Ultra HD Flex
- Digital Inks — UV: Roland DGA Corporation (Booth 1137), Roland ECO-UV inks
- Digital Inks — Industrial and Packaging: INX International (Booth 2149), PRODIGY™ EBGA Premium EB Curable Inks
- Finishing — Display/Exhibit Hardware: Spirit Displays Ltd (Booth 4428), Spirit-TEX Fabric Tension System
- Lasers/Routers/Cutters (4′ x 8′ or Larger): Trotec Laser Inc. (Booth 2669), SP 2000
- Multi-Function Finishing (Slit/Score/Perf): Safety Speed Manufacturing (Booth 635), DFC-H5 Panel Saw & Dust Free Cutter Combo
- Heat Press (Table-Top): STAHLS’ (Booth 1615), Hotronix Fusion IQ
- Heat Press (Large Format Roll or Clam): HIX Corporation (Booth 3330, 3331), HIX LF-4464
- Laminates, Adhesives, Films and Coatings: Drytac (Booth 2341), ReTac WipeErase
- Large-Format Scanners (Flat or Roll): SMA e Document GmbH (Booth 3382), SMA VERSASCAN
- Automation Equipment (Print/Post): OmniPrint International (Booth 1979), WURK Bridge
- Software — RIP, Web-Based Design, Personalization or Product Bldg: Graphical Systems USA (Booth 3337), Graphic Tracer Professional
- Software — Workflow/MIS/CRM: PrintFactory (Booth 3191), PrintFactory Cloud
- Spectrophotometer Devices: Barbieri North America Inc. (Booth 3297), Spectro LFP qb
- Media — Films: Gans Ink and Supply Co (Booth 2179), BF9
- Media — Non-PVC: Floor Signage LLC (Booth 2590), AlumiGraphics Glow Grip
- Media — Adhesive Back (Not Vinyl): Gans Ink and Supply Co. (Booth 2179), Holographic Window Film
- Media — Rigid/Corrugated: Johnson Plastics Plus (a division of Rowmark LLC) (Booth 2431), The Naturals from Rowmark
- Media — Banner (Non-Textile): Gans Ink and Supply Co (Booth 2179), Jet 550
- Media — Heat Transfer Material, Cuttable: Siser North America (Booth 2331), Blackboard
- Media — Heat Transfer Material, Printable: Chemica US Corp. (Booth 535), Chemica – Hotmark RevolutionPrint
- Textile — Apparel: Fisher Textiles (Booth 1773), ET3200 Hoodie
- Textile — Flag: Fisher Textiles (Booth 1773), DD 7801 Flag
- Textile — Banner: Fisher Textiles (Booth 1773), GF4019 Nirvana B.O.B
- Textile — Framing Systems: SENFA – DECOPRINT (Booth 3023), SUBLIMIS
- Textile — Canvas: HP Inc (Booth 1147, 1161), HP Recycled Satin Canvas
- Textile — Wall Covering: Gans Ink and Supply Co (Booth 2179), Jettex
- Textile — Home Furnishings: Top Value Fabrics (Booth 1848), Sequoia S/577
- Media — Adhesive Back Vinyl: Drytac (Booth 2341), SpotOn Floor 200
- Dye Sublimation Transfer Paper: Sawgrass (Booth 3739), True Pix™ CLASSIC Sublimation Transfer Paper
- Dye Sublimation Rigid Material for Transfer: Chromaluxe (Booth 1673), ChromaLuxe EXT
- Finished Garment Blanks — Natural Fiber: Image Armor/RTP Apparel (Booth 3523), RTP Apparel Image Armor Women’s DTG Ready to Print Racer Back Tank Top
- Finished Garment Blanks — Blends: Terry Town (Booth 3381), DP1731- Sherpa Lined Micro Mink Throw
- Finished Garment Blanks — Accessories: Terry Town (Booth 3381), MYOGA- Sublimated Yoga Mat
- DTG — Pre-Press (Sprayers/Dryers): Brown Manufacturing Group (Booth 2491, 2871), Synergy Pretreat Module and FireFly curing system
- Screen Printing — Inks: Marabu North America LP (Booth 2561), MaraTech MGO
- Screen Printing — Pre-Press (Exposure/Imaging): Lawson Screen & Digital Products (Booth 2976, 2977), Lawson Lock-N-Go
- Screen Printing — Manual Garment Press: A.W.T. World Trade Inc. (Booth 3015), American Redesigned Rototex
- Screen Printing — Automatic Garment Press: Ryonet + Roq (Booth 3401), ROQ Eco P16 Automatic Press
- Screen Printing — Curing Equipment: M&R Companies (Booth 2547, 2631), M&R HotHead Fabric Compression System
- Screen Printing — Drying Equipment: Brown Manufacturing Group (Booth 2491, 2871), FireFly Curing System
- Screen Printing — Post-Press (Clean/Reclaim): Easiway Systems Inc. (Booth 3849), EasiSolv™ 1028 Ink & Emulsion Remover
- Product Finishing — Sewing: MEEVO MKF (Booth 1285), MEEVO MKF MX Event with SEAS
- Banner Finishing (Grommet/Sew/Weld): Miller Weldmaster Corp. (Booth 101), 112 Extreme
- Direct-to-Garment Printers (White Shirt): OmniPrint International (Booth 1979)
- Direct-to-Garment Printers (Black Shirt): OmniPrint International (Booth 1979)
- Flatbed/Hybrid (Under $100,000): Mutoh America Inc. (Booth 900)
- UV Hybrid ($100,000-$500,000): Agfa Graphics (Booth 1460, 1561)
- UV Flatbed (Under $100,000): Vanguard Digital Printing Systems (Booth 1173)
- UV Flatbed ($100,000-$200,000): Vanguard Digital Printing Systems (Booth 1173)
- UV Flatbed ($200,000-$500,000): Agfa Graphics (Booth 1460, 1561)
- UV Flatbed + White ($100,000-$200,000): Vanguard Digital Printing Systems (Booth 1173)
- UV Flatbed + White ($200,000-$500,000): Agfa Graphics (Booth 1460, 1561)
- Tabletop Flatbed (Industrial/Small Item Decoration): Mutoh America Inc. (Booth 900)
- Roll-to-Roll Solvent/Latex (Under 80 Inches): Mutoh America Inc. (Booth 900)
- Roll-to-Roll Solvent/Latex (Over 80 Inches): Mutoh America Inc. (Booth 900)
- Roll-to-Roll UV (Under 80 Inches): Roland DGA Corporation (Booth 1173)
- Roll-to-Roll UV (Over 80 Inches): Agfa Graphics (Booth 1460, 1561)
- RTR/Hybrid/Flatbed New Technology or Inkset: Durst Image Technology U.S. LLC (Booth 1548)
- Digital/Screen Print Hybrid Printing Systems: M&R Companies (Booth 2547, 2631)
- 3D Printers: Mimaki USA Inc. (Booth 2161)
- Roll-to-Roll Direct Disperse Ink on Textile: Durst Image Technology U.S. LLC (Booth 1548)
- Roll-to-Roll Dye Sublimation on Textile: DGI (Booth 2515)
- Roll-to-Roll Dye Sublimation on Metal: EPSON America Inc. (Booth 1414)
- UV Hybrid/Flatbed High Volume Production Class: EFI (Booth 301)
- Digital Press: FUJIFILM Graphic Systems Division (Booth 1119)
- Single-Pass Printer: EFI (Booth 301)
- Direct-to-Shape Printers: Inkcups Now (Booth 127)
