Page 30 - Packaging News Sep-Oct 2020

W
30
FOOD & BEVERAGE PACKAGING | www.packagingnews.com.au | September-October 2020
ANZ wins big at WPO WorldStar
Australia and New Zealand took home a collective 18 WorldStar Packaging Awards this year, making ANZ the third-most awarded country/ region in this year’s awards.
INNERS of the WorldStar Special Awards and Student Awards were honoured with a Zoom ceremony, as the usual live event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s Awards ceremony
was the first one to be held virtually. The prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards, in its 52nd year, is one of the major events on the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) calendar. This year, there were 214 winners from more than 300 entries
that came from 36 countries.
WPO president Pierre Pienaar said in his opening remarks it is impor- tant to ensure the winners are recog-
nised internationally.
“Every company and country that
has won needs to be honoured on a global stage,” he said.
“In a time of global isolation, we are still able to get together and meet and celebrate folks from around the world.”
Pienaar said the WPO executive team works continuously on creative and innovative solutions to continue interacting with the global packag- ing community despite the current global circumstances.
“This was not different regarding the WorldStar 2020 ceremony that had to be adapted to the pandemic moment,” he said.
During the Zoom ceremony, win- ners (in the WorldStar Special Awards and Student Awards categories) were honoured from 14 countries, includ- ing Australia, Brazil, China, Finland,
Plantic Technologies’ award-winning Neat Meat Tray, which uses Plantic RV high barrier Skin Pack recyclable material.
Lebanon, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the US. The annual Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDAs) are the exclusive entry point for ANZ companies for the WorldStar
Packaging Awards.
Joe Foster, managing
director of OF Packaging, was awarded one of the two 2020 Lifetime Achievement
in Packaging Awards. Foster thanked the WPO and the AIP during the vir- tual ceremony for the “tre-
mendous” accolade.
“Receiving such an award is a
real, true highlight and a milestone for me,” he said.
“I love engaging with industry and people in the industry, and... being able to pass on my knowledge and pas- sion has been a real privilege for me.”
Also, a notable win from our region was the President’s Award, which rec- ognised 2019 PIDA winner Plantic Technologies for the Neat Meat Tray using Plantic RV high barrier Skin Pack recyclable material. This is the first time an ANZ entry has ever won an award in this category.
Soft Crush zippers for flexible packaging
Resealable zip solutions specialist ITW Zip-Pak offers leading-edge technologies and package innovations for flexible food packaging.
The company says the Soft-Crush range offers a wide range of environ- mental, operational, and pack-pre- sentation advantages to brand own- ers that manufacture and apply reclose zippers to a flexible package inline, or converters that manufac- ture pre-made pouches with a reclo- sure feature. ■
WITH the development of eco-friendly and heat-sensitive films, ITW Zip- Pak is now able to offer a range of Soft Crush zipper options suitable to be used with flexible packaging.
Zip-Pak Soft-Crush zippers are designed to achieve high-quality seals and appearance with lower time-and-temperature application. The company says Soft-Crush zip- pers can improve converting effi- ciency while minimising sealing gaps and distortion on heat-sensitive films and pouches.
With the drive toward a circular economy and consumer and industry interest growing for eco-friendly mono-material PE film and pouches, Soft-Crush reclosure zippers are designed for recyclability. Soft-Crush reclosure zippers are well placed to meet environmental requirements.
The Soft-Crush range of zippers are now available in several existing pop- ular zipper reclosure styles and sizes. Zip-Pak says it can incorporate these solutions into existing machinery with either minor or no modifications.