Page 20 - Packaging News magazine November-December 2022

WOMEN IN PACKAGING
chains, particularly those used to trans- port pharmaceuticals, food, and seafood, with the company’s Woolpack solution.
She also took the opportunity to note that during the week prior to the Women in Packaging event, the company had marked the milestone of preventing 10 million polystyrene shippers from land- fill, which she said, is unfortunately still the destination for polystyrene product shippers in this country.
However, the packaging journey has been frustrating, she said. “But we’re looking to expand into new verticals – things like geotech insulation, and the wine sector, which we have already estab- lished in South Australia. We’ve got a lot of projects happening, but you need to move fast because the markets move fast.”
Each speaker also talked about the challenges faced as a start-up, with Kay pointing out how a pilot program, social and mass media coverage led to the sale of around $30 000 worth of stock, investors reaching out and things snowballing from there, and Howarth discussing how the company had won a $5 million grant to establish a modern
wool processing facility in Geelong, to vertically integrate the production of its disruptive Woolpack products.
Both Kay and Howarth said that there had been higher levels of interest in their products overseas than locally, with Kay saying that the US “made things happen” and Howarth, saying she was over- whelmed by the opportunities in India.
Kay believes that consistency is impor- tant on the path to become a champion of change, while Howarth said leader- ship skills and collective alignment were vital, along with passion and the ability to tell a story that resonates.
“I was used to the brick-and-mortar challenges for supply chain contractors and knew how to deliver them to people, so that was not out of the realm of my understanding, but I think the biggest takeaway for me is that no matter how far your brand or businesses technol- ogy goes, at the end of the day, it comes down to the power of the team. You can have the most perfect theoretical pro- cess, but there’s nothing like having a strong team that’s excited by the prod- uct,” said Kay.
Above: PKN Publisher Lindy Hughson moderated a Q&A Session with Julia Kay, co-founder & co-CEO Great Wrap and Joanne Howarth, CEO and founder, Planet Protector Packaging
CATH CORNAGGIA
Next on the podium was Cath Cornaggia, commercial director, Labels & Packaging Materials ANZ, Avery Dennison, a passionate advocate for empowering girls and women through education, to building smarter, stron- ger, more resilient communities that can create lasting change.
In her presentation, Cornaggia dis- cussed the importance of educating
20 ❙ NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2022
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