Dow’s 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation Honors FTA Members Among 29 Technologies & Processes

The Dow Chemical Co recently announced the winners of its 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation, honoring 29 innovations from a collection of companies that includes several FTA members.

Recognizing the packaging industry’s top achievements in designs, materials, technologies and processes, the awards are judged by an independent panel of international experts working across industry disciplines, including design, engineering, retail, converting and academia.

With a global perspective on the winning package innovations, the judges for this year’s awards were impressed by winners, which they noted were strong in the categories of technological advancement, sustainability and enhanced user experience.

“Eligibility requirements have stayed pretty consistent in recent years, but the bar is certainly high after three decades of award-winning innovations,” says Marco Amici, Ph.D., global marketing leader, The Dow Chemical Co. “Our independent, global panel of judges came away from the awards this year with a sense of great progress and inspiration for the future of the packaging industry.”

Coming Out on Top

FTA member Procter & Gamble’s Air Assist Liquid Packaging Technology received the Diamond Award—the highest honor. The liquid packaging technology uses compressed gas to provide tailored rigidity to create structure in flexible films.

“Procter & Gamble’s Air Assist packaging technology represents a true breakthrough in performance and sustainability packaging for e-commerce and brick-and-mortar applications,” Marco explains. “Its liquid packaging technology uses gas to provide tailored rigidity to create structure in flexible films.”

Through a proprietary one-way valve, the packaging format delivers cleaner dispensing, more controlled dosing and more convenient one-handed use, while still being tough enough for e-commerce shipping without extra protection and using 50 percent less materials.

“The judges were impressed by the innovation’s convenient, user-focused design and responsible resource use at a time when both are in high demand,” he adds.

This year, there were more than 200 entries from companies in 30 countries. In addition to the Diamond Award recipient, judges also selected nine Diamond Finalist Winners, eight Gold Award Winners and 11 Silver Award Winners.

Changing Times

The packaging landscape is evolving for a number of reasons, Marco points out. With an intense societal focus on global packaging waste, the industry is being pushed to create more responsible packaging solutions.

“Recyclability is something that many converters and brand owners are focused on, as well as using recycled feedstocks to produce new applications,” he says.

In addition, e-commerce has changed the landscape for the packaging industry with both increased overall demand, and increased performance and protection requirements. The packaging innovations showcased in the awards also demonstrate how the industry is meeting those needs in creative ways.

“Online grocery sales alone are expected to hold 20 percent of the market by 2025, according to a 2017 report by the Food Marketing Institute,” Marco reports. “New packaging technologies and formats are needed to satisfy consumer demands for more sustainable, protective e-commerce packaging options.”

He adds that global food insecurity is also driving change in the industry: “As the global population continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly crucial to have packaging in place to keep food fresh and safe, especially in emerging areas.”

Celebrating Innovation

Dow’s 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation is a continuation of the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation program and follows the 2017 completion of both companies’ merger.

“As an industry leader, Dow wanted to continue celebrating innovation across the entire packaging value chain,” Marco says. “Building on the tradition of the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation is a way to recognize companies that promote technological advancement, enhance customer product experiences and demonstrate responsible packaging.”

Marco notes that for this year’s awards, each of the 29 winning innovations brought something unique and creative that stood out to the independent judges.

“It’s impossible to learn about these innovations and not be surprised by the unique and new value each brings to the packaging industry. I am impressed by the ways packaging professionals are finding to blend creativity and science to push the limits of packaging.”

FTA Winners in the 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation

Diamond Winner

Air Assist Liquid Packaging Technology — Procter & Gamble