Freeport Press Celebrates Dual Printing Industry Honors, Showcases Technical Mastery
Award-Winning Leadership Team Guides Historic Printer
Jan Seevers (VP of Ops), Sherri Douglas (VP of Finance/HR), David Pilcher (President), Bob George (Pressroom Manager), Les Bond (Pressroom Supervisor)
The seasoned leadership team at Freeport Press brings over 175 combined years of printing expertise to every project. This institutional knowledge proved critical in securing their recent industry accolades.
Regional Recognition: Twelve 2023 Print Excellence Awards
Freeport Press, Inc. recently earned twelve 2023 Print Excellence Awards from Graphic Media Alliance, a leading Midwest printing association serving the industry since 1933. These regional honors recognize achievement across multiple print categories including commercial, specialty, and publication printing.
National Triumph: America’s Best Web Printing 2025
The Ohio-based printer achieved its most significant milestone to date, winning Best Web Printing (United States) at the prestigious America’s Print Awards 2025. Industry analysts consider these awards the benchmark for technical excellence, with 2025 submissions increasing 18% year-over-year according to Printing Impressions’ latest competition report.
Their winning entry, The Flow Trip, The Happy Issue, originally entered through the regional Graphic Media Alliance awards program, stood out among national competitors for its:
- Complex multi-stage finishing processes
- Precision color management across substrates
- Technical execution at commercial production scale
Engineering Print Excellence: The Anatomy of an Award Winner
This 26,000-copy print run exemplifies web-offset mastery. Production leveraged Freeport’s Komori Lithrone G40 and Manroland Geoman presses – equipment specially configured for specialty ink applications.
Cover Innovations
The cover’s tactile experience resulted from three advanced techniques: bold HUV ink application on premium stock, 1.2 matte velvet lamination, and spot glass UV coating. HUV (highly reactive ultraviolet) technology allows instant curing, enabling Freeport to achieve dimensional effects typically reserved for sheetfed printing.
Interior Execution
Text pages presented unique challenges according to Pressroom Manager Bob George: “Achieving consistent color saturation on 60-lb satin text requires perfect ink/water balance. Our central-ink web offset system maintained ±0.08 density tolerance throughout the run.” This technical precision created what judges described as “a warm, silky reading experience rarely seen in web publications.”
Legacy of Technical Excellence
Since 1936, Freeport Press has developed specialized expertise in:
- High-speed web offset printing (up to 70,000 impressions/hour)
- Specialty ink applications (HUV, UV-curable, metallic)
- Complex finishing techniques (including in-line lamination)
The company holds ISO 12647-2 certification for process color control, with third-party audits verifying their color management protocols meet international standards.
The Human Element Behind Print Innovation
President David Pilcher emphasized team contributions: “This award recognizes our entire workflow – prepress technicians maintaining 2.5 micron plate tolerances, press operators monitoring color via closed-loop systems, and bindery specialists handling delicate substrates.”
Pressroom Supervisor Les Bond noted: “Projects like this demand perfect synchronization. We had to coordinate HUV curing times with lamination schedules while maintaining 99.6% uptime across two press lines.”
Print Media’s Evolving Landscape
Industry analysts note Freeport’s recognition reflects broader print trends. “Award-winning printers increasingly combine digital precision with analog craftsmanship,” notes Dr. Emily Rosen of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. “This dual approach creates tactile experiences digital media can’t replicate, driving premium print’s resurgence.”
Market data supports this analysis – specialty print applications grew 7.2% in 2024 according to Smithers’ latest industry report.
Looking Forward
These accolades position Freeport Press for emerging opportunities in:
- Enhanced sensory print applications
- Sustainable specialty printing (using plant-based coatings)
- Web/digital hybrid print workflows
VP of Operations Jan Seevers confirmed: “We’re investing in new inline UV coating capabilities and expanded sheetfed services to meet evolving client needs.”
Gratitude and Growth
“We thank our clients who trust us with ambitious projects,” stated Sherri Douglas, VP of Finance/HR. “Our 97% client retention rate reflects partnerships built on technical excellence and reliability.”
As Freeport Press celebrates its 88th year, these awards confirm their position at printing’s cutting edge. The team continues developing innovations that push web-offset capabilities while maintaining the craftsmanship that defines their legacy.
For additional details about Freeport Press’s award-winning capabilities, see the official announcement Here.