BOSTON—Hemlock Printers of Burnaby, B.C., won gold in the digital category and Blanchette Press of Richmond, B.C., was tops in the general print category in Sappi's 14th North American Printers of the Year awards for 2010-2011.

The awards program garnered about 2,100 entries, said the company. The ten gold winners (including the two Canadian winners) receive $20,000 to support marketing and brand initiatives, and will compete later this year against the winners from around the world for the Sappi International Printers of the Year awards.

“Sappi remains committed to promoting the vitality and relevance of the printed image in innovative ways, and this includes the long-standing Printers of the Year competition,” said Jennifer Miller, executive vice president of marketing and communications for Sappi Fine Paper North America. “The craftsmanship and innovation demonstrated by our gold winners is an outstanding example of why print remains a vital communication medium.”

Gold and silver winners also receive their own marketing pages in Sappi's searchable online database.

Canadian silver and bronze winners are listed here.