Inkworks > News

INKWORKS NEWS

Inkworks Named "Best Manufacturer"
For Fourth Straight Year

Inkworks Awarded 1st or 2nd Place in Every Category 

RALEIGH, NC, January 13, 2003 -- The February-March 2003 issue of Non-Sport Update, the leading publication for entertainment trading cards, named Inkworks "Best Manufacturer" for the fourth year in a row in their Collectors’ Choice Awards - The Gummies. The "Best Manufacturer" award was one of five first place awards, including "Favorite Non-Sport Update Cover," that were given to Inkworks following this year’s balloting. The Gummie awards, voted on by readers of Non-Sport Update magazine, are considered to be one of the most prestigious in the entertainment trading card industry. 

"It’s incredible to be named ‘Best Manufacturer’ for one year, let alone for the fourth straight year by a vote of non-sport trading card collectors," said Allan Caplan, president of Inkworks. "It is always great and feels terrific to hear that collectors recognize and appreciate our commitment and passion for the entertainment trading card industry. We strive to provide them with superior customer service and premium quality products in everything we produce."

"There are seven Gummie categories and Inkworks won first or second place awards in all seven," said Roxanne Toser, publisher of Non-Sport Update. "We call our awards ‘The Collectors Choice Awards’ and the collectors really seem to make good choices."

SimpsonsMania! received an award for ‘Most Creative Set.’ The Simpsons trading card set, which includes the Simpson family and several other rich and colorful characters from the town of Springfield, offers many unique features such as a black light puzzle, artistic interpretations of Simpsons characters from some of today’s leading pop artists, Fold ‘Em cards with interchangeable folding tops and bottoms, autographed cards and one-of-a-kind original sketch cards.

For the fourth straight year, Inkworks received the ‘Best Packaging’ award for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Evolution Display Box. "We put a lot of effort and creativity into all aspects of our products," said Martha Modlin, executive vice president of Inkworks. "The Buffy: Evolution display box is a unique, cigar-style box, printed with multiple images featuring a look at the evolution of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series. It is a perfect complement to the ultra-premium quality Buffy: Evolution cards and is a collectible part of the set."

In only the second year that a "Best Album" award was handed out, Inkworks won for the second time with the SimpsonsMania! collector binder featuring a die-cut Homer Simpson on the cover. 

Peter Byrne, Executive Vice President of Fox Licensing & Merchandising, a division of Twentieth Century Fox Television, offered his congratulations to Inkworks: "We are so excited that the team of Inkworks and Fox Licensing & Merchandising together received five first place Gummie awards out of a possible seven. After working closely with Inkworks on their award-winning products including SimpsonsMania! and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we’ve witnessed first hand their dedication to excellence."

Maggie Young, a leading entertainment licensing and merchandising consultant, points to dedication to trading card collectors, development of unique products, and enthusiasm for entertainment-based properties as the key to Inkworks' success: "Inkworks loves the trading card business! They are constantly refining and developing new products, and they work hard to stay in touch with collectors and keep up on entertainment trends. It's great to see their hard work recognized by trading card collectors. 

"It is a tremendous honor to receive all of these awards from collectors of our products," said Caplan. "We consider it our responsibility as the leader in this industry to produce creative, premium quality collectibles at a good value in every item that carries the names of Inkworks and our licensed properties. As proud as we are of the awards we won for our 2002 products, we’re already looking ahead to an incredible 2003 filled with even more innovative and creative products from the top entertainment properties in the world."

Inkworks is a Raleigh, North Carolina based trading card and collectibles company specializing in entertainment related properties. Current Inkworks licenses include Alias, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, Scooby-Doo, The X-Files, Smallville, The Osbournes, Charmed and JLA. For the 2003 product release schedule, more information on Inkworks products or to find out how to get free collector cards, please visit the Inkworks web site at www.inkworkscards.com.

# # #

 Back to News