The leading lights of global packaging received their awards at a glittering international event last night.
The awards ceremony and gala evening for the WorldStar Awards, organised by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) took place during the 1st WPO Board Meeting of 2018, in Gold Coast, Australia, at the same time as the AIP National Conference.
A record number of 200 winners were awarded a WorldStar, with Japan taking 26 awards, followed by India taking 24 and China, 14. The number of winners, by category: Beverages 40 (from 64 entries); Electronics 7 (9 entries); Food 42 (69 entries); Health & Personal Care 12 (17 entries); Household 9 (14 entries); Labelling & Decoration 3 ( 7 entries); Luxury 6 (out of 11), Medical & Pharmaceutical 20 (out of 26 entries); Other 13 (25 entries), Packaging Materials & Components 21 (35 entries); Point of Sale 6 (out of 12) and Transit 21 (out of 29).
The four winners of the the Lifetime Achievement in Packaging (pictured), were Miklos Galli from Hungary, Professor Harry Lovell, from Australia, Professor Lars G Wallentin, Switzerland and Helmut Meininger from Austria
WPO President Pierre Pienaar said: “The Lifetime Achievement in Packaging Award was established with the aim of acknowledging and rewarding excellence in all aspects of packaging science, technology, design and application across every country around the world. The discipline of packaging is one that is truly global. The World Packaging Organisation is in a unique position to identify leading practitioners from around the world who have consistently pushed the boundaries in advancing the art, science and application of packaging to serve the needs of an ever more demanding society. These prestigious awards will celebrate and preserve in perpetuity the collective achievements of these innovators.”
CLP Industries Ltd of Israel won the Gold President’s Award for its patent-pending iPaint by Nirlat, closed wall painting system that will replace the traditional roller and tray. Compared to the paint bucket, iPaint is more eco-friendly due to less remaining packaging volume after use. While the plastic bucket is volumetric, the bag at the end of use can be folded and discarded.
OPTIXON of Korea won the silver award for the Duosoft Cleanpack contact lens package which enables two lenses to be packed at the same time and saves almost 60% water, plastic, paper and CO2 compared to conventional packaging. The Bronze award went to VPZ Verpackungszentrum GmbH of Austria for the Compostable Packnatur cellulose nets made from Lenzing Modal, a by-product of forest thinning, which have replaced plastic nets for organic fruit and vegetables in all leading Austrian supermarkets.
The other special award winners were as follows:
Sustainability Award: Gold – Starlinger & Co Gesellschaft m.b.H. of Austria for its rPET PP*STAR® woven fabric pinch-bottom bag. Made from 100% used PET (bottle flakes); Silver – CLP Industries Ltd of Israel for the patent-pending iPaint by Nirlat; Bronze – BIO-LUTIONS International AG of Germany for its 100% biodegradable packaging and disposable tableware made of 100% agricultural residuals.
Marketing Award: Gold – MrSmith Studio of Italy for the Embossed Nutella jar designed to allow it to be reused for food preservation; Silver – Athenian Brewery of Greece for the Alafa Weiss Upside Down Can; Bronze – Störtebeker Braumanufaktur GmbH of Germany for the 4 Störtebeker Eisbock beers.
Packaging that Saves Food Award: Gold – Sealed Air of Australia for its Cryovac® Freshness Plus; Silver – OneWorld Packaging SL of Spain for its compostable tray that reduces food waste; Bronze: Woolpack Australia Pty Ltd and Shongai Technologies of Nigeria for the WoolCool pack and vegetable oil wrapper with high barrier polylaminate film respectively.
The judging session was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November last year and winners’ names have been kept under wraps until now.
For further information, and a full list of winners, please visit www.worldstar.org