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Rising stars emerge at PIDA

Food and beverage is a major contributor to the GDP of Australia, both financially and employment wise. It is also the largest manufacturing industry in the country with various industry players that differ in terms of size and capabilities (agility and service to market).
Australia has a firm reputation for supplying clean and natural products with quality and safety standards that are regulated and enforced within the supply chain. With increasing customer and consumer demands, packaging specialists came together over a period of two days at the start of March for the largest packaging and processing conference of its kind in Australia and New Zealand.

The conference has been leading the way in professional and personal development for decades and is a part of the annual Packaging & Processing Week.

The AIP, which is the core organiser of the event, oversaw the prestigious international WorldStar Packaging Awards and the 2018 PIDA Awards for the conference, as well as the Women in Industry Breakfast Forum.

2018 PIDA Awards winners
The winners of the 2018 Packaging & Processing Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA) were announced at the gala awards night at the Gold Coast on the 2nd of May, that included approximately 500 attendees.
The PIDA Awards were held this year in conjunction with the international WorldStar Packaging Awards, which saw over 22 countries in attendance to also collect their awards this year.

The PIDA Awards recognise companies and individuals who are making a significant difference in their field across Australia and New Zealand. The winners and High Commendations for the 2018 PIDA Awards are now eligible to enter the 2019 WorldStar Awards.

PIDA Award winners takes out 2018 Worldstar Save Food Packaging Special Award
The 2018 WorldStar Save Food Packaging Special Award winner was announced on the 2nd of May alongside the 2018 AIP National Conference, with one of their members ANZ Packaging & Innovation & Design (PIDA) Award winners taking out the gold. Sealed Air New Zealand was awarded the gold award in this category for their Fresh Technologies and Sealed Air Cryovac Freshness Plus design which was developed for a New Zealand company. It has enabled Fresh Technologies to extend the freshness of avocado and reduce product spoilage by 7.2 tonnes.

A 90-day shelf life supports wider distribution and the 3 per cent growth in global consumption. With consumers seeking preservative-free freshness, fressure™ avocado spreads and guacamole in Cryovac Freshness Plus deliver just this. Extended shelf life ensures less of the world’s hard-earned harvests end up in landfill and this also includes the copious resources used during harvesting. With humanity consuming 1.6 times more resources than what’s available, extending the shelf life of food is pivotal for a sustainable and less wasteful planet.

Another PIDA Award winner, Woolcool Australia, was also shortlisted in the same category and they were awarded the bronze Special Award. Summer temperatures, long supply chains and deliveries that sit on a doorstep for over 12 hours present challenges for the fresh food and meal delivery sectors as contents must arrive fresh, with not only maximum nutrition, but also, safe to be consumed.

Woolcool keeps food packed at 1°C chilled below 5°C for at least 24hrs. Woolcool works by wool fibres absorbing moisture from the air and minimising humidity/condensation to create stable temperatures. When the wool is enclosed in a micro-perforated, recyclable, food grade liner the wool can “breathe” and a natural cooling system results. As there is no odour, wool will not taint contents.

As there were only four finalists globally for this special award category, this is a significant achievement for the Australia and New Zealand packaging industries and for the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) who have led the Save Food Packaging Award program for industry.

This year’s Save Food Award Packaging finalist were:
Fresh Technologies Ltd and Sealed Air Cryovac Freshness Plus (Sealed Air, New Zealand)
Woolcool (Woolpack Australia, Australia)
Compostable Tray That Reduces Food Waste (Oneworld Packaging, S.l., Spain)
Vegetable Oil Wrapper with High Barrier Polylaminate Film (Shongai Technologies Limited, Nigeria)

2018 Australian Institute of Packaging Special Awards: The AIP Fellowship
One of the core objectives of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is to ensure that individuals are recognised for their significant contributions to the packaging industry. Dr Carol Lawrence, national president of the AIP had the opportunity at the gala awards night on the 2nd of May to present five AIP Special Awards. The AIP Special Awards are not given often and are designed to recognise inspirational individuals who have contributed significantly to the packaging industry over many years.
The grade of Fellow is the highest recognition to Australian Institute of Packaging members. The key requirement is a significant and sustained contribution to the technology, science or application to packaging.

The winners were:

Jacky Nordsvan
Jacky Norsdvan is a packaging specialist from Nestle Australia who was recognised with a Fellowship for her work in the packaging industry over the last 25 years. Her work has resulted in change in the packaging industry, bringing packaging sustainability, recyclability, labelling, and accessibility, to the forefront of packaging design.
Phillip Rolls
Phillip Rolls is the managing director of Rolls Pack and has been a member of the AIP for 20 years. He has led his own packaging company to success through a pioneering spirit, positive thinking and strong business acumen. AIP has recognised his thirst for knowledge and commitment to knowing where the industry is heading, has seen his business grow from a small plastic bag manufacturer to respected industry leader.

AIP Special Award: AIP Life Membership for Keith Chessell FAIP
Keith Chessell has a 46-year career in the food, beverage and confectionery industries. In recent years, his focus has been on sustainable packaging design and has been a significant contributor to the development and judging of the Save Food Packaging and Sustainable Packaging Awards, the successful participation of the AIP within the National Food Waste Strategy and the newly formed Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre. She is the current AIP representative on the LCA Standards Australia committee.

Founders Award for Pierre Pienaar FAIP, CPP
The Founders Award has been named to honour the Foundation Members of the Institute and to recognise their contribution to the development of packaging technology in Australia. The Founders Award is given for outstanding performances which in a real way enhances the profession of Packaging Technology. Pierre Pienaar, AIP’s education director was the fourth recipient in the award’s history to receive it. He has 30 years extensive experience in the packaging industry Pierre Pienaar has been instrumental in the continued growth and success of packaging education and training around the world.

Distinguished Service Award for Nerida Kelton MAIP
Nerida Kelton MAIP has been involved with the AIP since 1998. Her professional strengths in marketing and commercial focus helped the AIP through a significant transformation twenty years ago that has shaped the current AIP. A key focus for her has always been to support the growth or people of all walks in life in many facets of the industry. Whether it was to help find a new packaging job, help seeking a new machinery system, or connecting teams in the pursuit of a successful project, nothing is ever too much trouble for her.

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