Print shops have had since October 2010 to submit entries to the international environmental award for sustainable printing in the sheetfed offset sector. Given the considerable interest generated by the competition so far, it has been decided that further entries will be accepted until the end of February. The company has set aside a total prize fund of EUR 50 000 for the award, which is divided into two categories: "Sustainable companies" and "Forward-looking solutions".

All entries must be submitted in written form. Entry forms are available online at www.heidelberg.com/eco_award. The Heidelberg ECO Printing Award will be presented in June 2011.

The environmental award focuses in particular on the sustainable use of resources and energy, climate protection, and environmentally aware management practices. These aspects of sustainability can relate to a company as a whole, or to exceptional one-off solutions in prepress, press, postpress, logistics, and corporate culture. Winners should set a benchmark for the entire industry and encourage others to adopt sustainable business practices and solutions.

Entries welcome from all sheetfed offset print shops

The Heidelberg ECO Printing Award is open to any print shop that operates at least one sheetfed offset press. The number of presses is unimportant, as is the volume of production, the vertical range of manufacture, and the size of the print shop. Print shops from anywhere in the world that use any kind of substrate (paper, card, or foil) can submit an entry.

An independent international panel of judges, including representatives of the printing industry, environmental scientists, and members of environmental associations, will examine the entries and select the winners in the two categories.