Exceptional Embellishments!

 It holds the current “Best of Show, Narrow Web” designation in Flexographic Technical Association’s 2024 Excellence in Flexography Awards competition, as well as the “Best in Class Award, Wine and Spirits,” in Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute’s 2023 Printing Excellence Awards.

Stand out work, commissioned by celebrity clients and Brand Owners Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar, and designed by Todd Gallopo, creative director and CEO, meat and potatoes inc., has been singled out for recognition from the moment it came off press, bringing the vision for a brand refresh to reality.

 Shawn Plunkett, senior director of operations, AWT Labels & Packaging, Anaheim, recalls, “This job was one that immediately had the production floor pulling samples and sharing the work with other team members. It was a great piece to connect the whole company around, especially since so many departments and team members played a role in producing the final product.”

 “It’s always great for the team to see how pleased the customer was. And it’s even more significant when the final product is seen in its entirety and the label really brings it all together,” he continues.

 History as Partners

Santos Spirits and meat and potatoes inc. have long been partners with AWT, according to Plunkett. “We previously printed the Santo Tequila labels and have worked with the meat and potatoes design team for many years on various projects.”

“This label was a packaging refresh, moving from a clear label that adhered to a painted glass bottle, to an elaborate glass bottle with an elevated uncoated paper label. Multiple skus and colorways would be introduced all needing to tie back to the refreshed brand identity and elements. … The previous label design was printed flexo on a clear poly material with foil stamping.”

Intricate Details

Plunkett admits, the AWT Labels & Packaging team did identify potential obstacles and resolved to work through the difficulties as the job was brought in house. Speaking to specifics, he notes, “The bottle has a recessed area the label needs to fit in. The bottle is a square, and the label needs to wrap around three panels with a unique die cut. Multiple print embellishments, like foil stamping, emboss and silk screen on the label are present. Registration and knock out areas can be difficult.”

How did/do the press operators and design team set about executing the job? “We spent time up front with the meat and potatoes team, our prepress team and operations team to review the project and identify any challenges. The lead designer was on site for a press check. We worked together to get the right balance of ink coverage, registration, custom colors, and embellishments to meet the designer’s vision of the label,” Plunkett relays.

Crediting tools that were employed on the project with contributing to its success, he lists out AWT’s Nilpeter FA3 press, Kodak/Miraclon plates. UV inks—Estate #8, as well as the hot stamp, foil, overprint foil ink, embossing, silk screen varnish embellishments. Vision inspection systems provided necessary assists as did careful press checks and customer approvals.

When it came to running the actual job, Plunkett points to makeready and setup procedures being critical. Press speed ran from 100 to 150 fpm. “Tight registration on printing elements as well as embellishments and the special shape die cut required some extra set up and tensions.”

Resonating Responses

Some of those very same elements caught the eyes of Excellence in Flexography Awards judging teams as they evaluated the piece for both degree of difficulty and level of execution. Their comment, “Incredibly tight registration needs on this job were exceeded. It has very difficult reverse signatures, plus nice ink laydown and coverage, and a difficult die cut.”

Plunkett reports, “AWT’s customer was extremely pleased with the results.” In fact, Fiery and Hagar went straight to social media with this post upon hearing of the initial TLMI award.  “Congratulations to AWT Labels & Packaging on your award for our beautiful new Mezquila label designed by Todd Gallopo of meat and potatoes inc.! Well deserved.”

Galloppo similarly expressed gratitude. “Packaging matters! So do the details. Thanks Santo Spirits & AWT Labels & Packaging for making it all happen.”

AWT itself released this statement, “We’d like to extend our gratitude to Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri’s Santo Spirits, meat and potatoes inc., and all the other partners who contributed to the success of this project. Teamwork truly makes the dream work! Cheers to more remarkable achievements in the future and continued excellence in the printing and packaging industry.”

Confident & Capable

Examining the final print, Plunkett says, “ The team felt very confident in the job’s repeatability and predictability. Time was taken to establish color and targets. All embellishment tooling was engineered for best results up front and any modifications needed on press were documented for best results on future runs. We have since added additional skus for Mexico distribution all utilizing the same brand refresh elements.”

He also speaks to the impact of capturing prestigious awards and what it means to the AWT team members and the business as a whole. “Recognition in the FTA Excellence in Flexography Awards is a significant achievement for AWT Labels & Packaging. This prestigious award highlights our commitment to quality, innovation, and excellence in the field of flexographic printing.

“Winning such a respected award reinforces our reputation as a leader in the industry. It assures potential clients that they are partnering with a company that meets the highest standards of print excellence,” he continues. “The award brings us into the spotlight, attracting attention from industry peers, potential clients, and the media. This increased visibility can lead to new business opportunities and partnerships.”

“At the same time, existing and prospective clients gain confidence in our capabilities, knowing that our work has been independently judged and recognized for its superior quality. This can be a decisive factor when clients are choosing a printing partner,” Plunkett concludes.

“Overall, the FTA Excellence in Flexography Award not only celebrates our achievements but also positions AWT Labels & Packaging as a trusted and innovative partner in the label printing industry.”

One can even say AWT’s actions bring lyrics to life. As Sammy Hagar belts out in song:

“Listen when I say, there’s a dream that’s coming true today.

Never turn away when the challenge is alive.

The choice is yours to make, in every chance you take.

Cause, the winner takes it all!”