Packaging Oscar 2018: who won and why

Seven “Best Packaging” items featuring technical and technological innovation, without overlooking design quality and the environment: the results of the 61st edition of the contest promoted by the  Istituto Italiano Imballaggio, this year in collaboration with Ipack-Ima 2018. Focus on the winners and the jury’s motivations.

This year’s success was also guaranteed because, beyond the results achieved by the individual companies, the contest organized by the Istituto Italiano Imballaggi remains a valid moment of encounter for the packaging sector. As ever the awards ceremony (which took place on June 30th during Ipack-Ima, partner of the event) was well orchestrated, featuring a professional informality we have become accustomed to, among other things benefiting from an evocative location: indeed the large foyer of the Fiera Milano service center, illuminated by Fucksas’ sail, welcomed a host of operators. The encounter was packed and the winners full of enthusiasm, drawn on by the actress Debora Villa who, with measured irony and a by now proven experience, marked out the various moments of the ceremony.
The proceedings were opened by the President of Ipack-Ima, Riccardo Cavanna, who reaffirmed his approval of the long and fruitful collaboration between the exhibition organization and the Istituto Italiano Imballaggio.
The stage also saw the “debut” of the Istituto Italiano Imballaggio’s new president, Anna Paola Cavanna, who - smiling at the homonymy - summed up the highlights of her governance program for the 2016-2018 biennium: close-up on companies, with actions designed to bring entrepreneurs and management closer together, but with an eye to communication to all targets, in particular the consumers. President Cavanna also closed the event, re-launching the historic alliance of the Istituto with Italy’s National Packaging Consortium Conai, that will be co-organizer of the 2019 contest, the sixth to be dedicated to the environment.

The motivations behind the choice. The evaluation criteria adopted by the Jury, called to examine the 19 products in the running, were set out by Maurizio Boccacci Mariani, Full Professor of La Sapienza, who presided over the 2018 edition, with a focus on technical and technological innovation. As per regulation, the benefits that the new packaging solution were seen to have, while performing the same functions as the solutions currently existing on the market, were taken into account. The reference market was also considered, evaluating the maturity or level of growth and development, focusing on the real needs expressed by the sector in which the solution was used.
Of particular interest were the packaging solutions realized with new materials, the result of technical research, and the innovative solutions that allow energy saving, the optimisation of the production cycle, production costs and times. Similarly the focus was on solutions that prevent waste and increase product shelf life, in other words, smart packaging, and what is best suited to the needs of emerging markets, in particular vending and e-commerce.

While reiterating that the competing 19 products were described in the June issue of ItaliaImballaggio, below we restate the motivations expressed by the jury for the 4 Best Packaging items for 2018 in terms of technical and technological innovation, plus the awards for the 3 special categories (Quality Design, sponsored by Polytechnic of Milan and Brera Design District - Environment, sponsored by Conai - “Over All” by the Jury).

Technical and technological innovation

Chimar SpA 
Spylog, packaging becomes “Smart”

Motivation. System with a high technological content and at the same time user friendly, for a smart logistics. A simple component, suitable for any packaging item, enables an intelligent and timely monitoring of the product being shipped. With the advantage of being universal.

Goglio Luigi
Gro-Key, the new system for fresh products

Motivation. A forward-looking concept, which perfectly interprets current food  trends: gourmet recipes, but on the go. The solution offers a high level of technical innovation in its airtight, snap-to closure and in the opening system automatically generated by cooking.

International Paper
Safe transportation with Compack Wine

Motivation. The award was given for innovation in functionality, in a delicate sector such as wine and with specific customer needs in terms of transport. The material, although mature, offers a beautiful aesthetic appeal and is environmentally friendly.

PET Engineering Srl 

FonteVita: redefining Premiumness
A very impressive aesthetic result, made with PET to simulate the appearance glass. Particularly effective design of the shape, the nuance and the lateral grooves, the realization of which required investments in research and innovation.

Quality Design

Gruppo Ferrero
Nutella Unica, the packaging born out of an algorithm

Motivation. The award went to the project as a whole, which adds innovation in printing technology to a marketing and communication project focused on the packaging and its uniqueness.

Environment
 
BTicino SpA
Wrapeasy Universal Packaging

Motivation. The system combines raw materials saving, logistics optimisation and ecodesign. The accuracy and completeness of the documentation provided for the evaluation gained a special mention.

Over All of the Jury

Adercarta SpA
Pure Nature, transparent paper

Motivation. The award went to the re-interpretation and updating of a vintage material with a view to serving the consumer, offering an interesting alternative, in economic, environmental, functional and image terms, featuring a biodegradable bag for fresh produce for use in the largescale retail trade.

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