Sheetfed magazine printer Pensord secured the top prize of the evening, being crowned Company of the Year in the £5m plus turnover category just two years after an MBO at the Welsh firm led by Darren Coxon and operations director Karl Gater.

"It’s not really sunk in yet," said Coxon.

"I am so proud of our business and the work we do and to be recognised as the BPIF Company of the Year feels like the pinnacle. We have a great team of people at Pensord and along with our great customers and great suppliers every one of them has played their part in winning this award."

This was echoed by Rob Nicholls, managing director of Macclesfield-based Plastic Card Services, after his company was named Company of the Year (up to £5m turnover).

"I’m going back to the office to present the trophy to the staff, because really it’s down to them – it was a real team effort. We’ve got a great team of people and this is down to each of them," he said.

BPIF chief executive Kathy Woodward used the event to not only celebrate the federation’s success in securing a £1.1m management training grant, but to also call on the industry to focus on creating a culture of sustainable prices to drive growth.

"Everywhere you go everyone is under the same pressures... it’s too easy to get sucked in to bidding for the same work only cheaper... what we’ve got to do is find a route to focus on innovation and return and investment for marketers because that’s what’s going to stimulate [growth] not selling at rock bottom prices."

BPIF Excellence Awards winners 2012
Company of the Year (over £5m turnover): Pensord
Company of the Year (up to £5m turnover): Plastic Card Services
Apprentice of the Year – Print Production: Jordan Moore – Phase Print
Apprentice of the Year – Customer Service: Vanessa Forsyth – Aquatint BSC
Training & Development: Communisis Print & Direct Mail Services
Innovation (joint winners): Alexir Partnership and ProCo
Environment (over £5m turnover): Park Communications
Environment (up to £5m turnover): Park Lane Press
Human Resources (over £5m turnover): TJ International
Human Resources (up to £5m turnover): Kingfisher Print & Design
Marketing: ProCo
Lean Manufacturing: Benson Box
Customer Service: Sun Chemical
Health & Safety  (over £5m turnover): Bezier
Health & Safety (up to £5m turnover): Glossop Cartons

The industry’s night of nights is taking place on Monday 22 October, to reserve your place at our celebration of the UK print industry, visit; www.printweekawards.com