2009 Holography Awards Open For Business

June 10, 2009 - PRLog -- Organised by the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), the annual Excellence in Holography Awards recognises outstanding industry achievement.

The awards are made to organisations that have introduced the most innovative or commercially viable hologram product or technique over the year.

Attended by delegates from hologram suppliers, manufacturers and users worldwide, this year’s awards will be presented at the annual industry Holopack•Holo-print® conference dinner in Budapest, Hungary on November 12.

A display of product from the winners and runners-up will be on show at the conference.

The closing date for applications is September 1 and must be for hologram projects involving commercial production after August 1, 2008. Any company or individual is eligible to enter - not just IHMA members.

This year there will be five categories:

•   Innovation in Holographic Technique
•   Innovation in Holographic Production and OEM Product
•   Best Origination
•   Best Applied Security Product
•   Best Applied Decorative Product
From these a winner will be chosen to receive the Best of the Year Award.

The annual Brian Monaghan Award for Business Innovation, given at the discretion of the Board, will also be presented in recognition of outstanding industry achievement and contribution.

Organisers are expecting to build on the success of last year’s event, which saw an increase in the quantity and quality of entries following several rule changes designed to simplify matters.

The entrance fee was waived and nominations could be made by third parties on behalf of producers, as well as by manufacturers themselves.

These will be retained for this year which will also see, for the first time, people able to post their nominations on-line in move to make it easier and quicker to vote.

Entries will be judged by a panel of experts – a representative of the IHMA Secretariat and two invited independent judges: an authentication specialist and a promotion or design expert.

IHMA General Secretary Ian Lancaster said: “The awards celebrate the very best in holographic achievement and the many remarkable innovations the industry introduces each year.

“The simplified nomination process worked well last year so we very much look forward to seeing the best of this year’s crop of holograms and holographic technologies being nominated.”

Further information, downloadable application forms and the online application form can all be found at www.ihma.org

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The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) - www.ihma.org - is made up of nearly 90 of the world's leading hologram companies. IHMA members are the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world. IHMA member companies actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards.