Additional prizes announced for the Stationers’ Innovation Excellence Awards

Picon, the trade body representing suppliers of printing equipment and paper, continues as a main sponsor of the Innovation Excellence Awards, which are organised and hosted by the Stationers' Company.

This year co-sponsor Mathys & Squire has announced that it will provide each of the seven category winners with an intellectual property workshop valued at £3,000. The seven award categories are: Business Process; Communications and Marketing; Customer Experience; Product Design; Product Performance; Service Design; and Start-ups.

Alan MacDougall, Partner, UK & European patent attorney, from Mathys & Squire, says: "Innovation is key to the evolution of our industries and businesses. We are delighted to be associated with the Innovation Awards and to be able to offer the winners a practical workshop that will be tailored to their specific needs."

Mathys & Squire is ranked Tier 1 in the Legal 500 and is one of the most respected intellectual property firms.

In addition, winners of the new Start-up category will receive over £1,000 of website hosting, bespoke media and communications consulting and online marketing tools from Enbecom and James Luckhurst Associates. Neil Barrett, Founder and Director of web consultancy Enbecom, says: "We hope that this online package will be of real value to a new company. The importance of a strong digital presence has never been as well recognised as it is now when the pandemic has accelerated the digitisation of our lives and our businesses."

Jill Jones, Chair of the Awards, says: "We have had very strong dialogue about innovation, both within the Stationers' Company and externally. It is the driving force that enhances not only what a company presents but the society and environment we live in. Each year we are impressed by the creativity of the industries we represent - printing, packaging, paper, publishing and digital marketing - and we look forward to judging some strong entries again this year."

It is not too late to enter. You can access an entry form at https://www.stationers.org/siea-entry. The closing date for entries is 14 April 2021 (6pm). The awards presentation will take place on 22 June 2021. The awards are free to enter and companies do not need to be affiliated to the Stationers' Company.