Page 60 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec2020

60
THE industry professionals in our 60 of the
Best list are serving to advance packaging Keith Ches s ell education, sustainability, recycling, mate-
rials and machinery innovation, and more.
This list is not exhaustive, nor is it ranked.
Appearing in alphabetical order, individu-
als featured here are making a significant
contribution to shaping our industry and
driving us forward on our path to a sus-
tainable future.
60
60 OF THE BEST | PKN 60 YEARS SPECIAL
of the Bes t
Our 60 of the Best list celebrates and recognises people in packaging who are making positive change happen in our industry, demonstrating leadership, entrepreneurship, vision, and passion. These fine individuals have been nominated by their industry peers, and selected by PKN.
Alan Adams
Passionate about how packaging advances the lifestyle we enjoy, Alan Adams is a keen advocate of the value packaging brings. He believes it is key to an efficient and sus- tainable future and must be evaluated in the context of the eco-system of the prod- ucts protected and contained, never in iso- lation. Highly engaged in the industry, he is currently active with the Australian Institute of Packaging contributing to development of Sustainable Packaging Guidelines for reducing food waste.
A founding member and former presi- dent of the Australasian Bioplastics Asso- ciation, Adams also serves on the Austra- lian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) Design working group. In his role as Sealed Air sustainability director for the APAC region, Adams is leading the company’s regional efforts to deliver 2025 commitments to recyclable packaging solutions, high levels of recycled content, and helping its partners deliver on their sustainable packaging strategies. Across Australia and New Zealand Sealed Air has successfully launched several recycled content programs converting plastic waste into recycled content in flexible plastic films applications.
Well-known industry figure Keith Chessell has a 46-year career in the food, beverage and confectionery industries with extensive experience in the innovation and develop- ment of new products and the relaunch of existing products and packaging. In recent years his focus has been on sustainable packaging design and has been a significant and invaluable contributor to the develop- ment and judging of the Save Food Packaging and Sustainable Packaging Awards, the suc- cessful participation of the AIP within the National Food Waste Strategy and the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre. He is also the current AIP representative on the APCO Board, the TAC and the LCA Standards Australia committee.
Chessell’s significant contribution to the industry has been recognised with a Fellowship to the AIP, the Industry Packaging Professional of the Year Award and the WorldStar Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also only one of six people to have been awarded an Australian Institute of Packaging Life Membership in the last 57 years.
Alex Commins
Alex Commins’ career in packaging started in 1992 when packaging printing company
Colorpak was purchased by his father and brothers. Commins went on to become CEO, leading the business from the time of its ASX listing in 2004 until its sale to Graphic Packaging International in 2016.
Colorpak made five acquisitions over 12 years, but the Carter Holt Harvey folding cartons acquisition in 2011 transformed the company, tripling its revenue ($80m-$250m) and resetting the folding carton sector.
Following the sale of Colorpak, Commins took up the role of CEO for leading Australasian metal packaging company Jamestrong in September 2017. Over the past three years he has presided over the commissioning of two high care can plants in New Zealand and has rebranded, restruc- tured, and continues to seek to invest in the business for the next stage of growth.
Jamestrong made a submission to the Federal Government’s National Covid-19 Coordination Commission, highlighting the barriers and enablers to the growth of manufacturing in Australia.
Today, Jamestrong, under Commins’s lead- ership, is actively looking for opportunities to partner with government to invest in the growth of package manufacturing in Australia.
Mathew Cormack
Managing director of family-owned Australian closure manufacturing company with an 80-plus year heritage, Mathew Cormack has driven innovation within his company and in the industry for many years.
Cormack Packaging has risen from a trad- ing company with a small plastics manu- facturing operation, to become a leading cap manufacturer in the market segments it manufactures for. This has taken some tough strategic directional changes, a mark of his leadership.
www.packagingnews.com.au | November–December 2020