Glenfiddich Copper Still from Crown
Speciality Packaging

The Starpack Awards 2011 were presented at the London and South East Packaging Dinner at the Landmark Hotel in London on 22 September.

The event, hosted by Alan Dedicoat, took place in aid of CLIC Sargent, the children and young person’s cancer charity.

There were nine Gold, 12 Silver and 18 Bronze award winners, along with a Special Award for sustainability and one for this year’s Starpack Champion.

Starpack Champion 2011 -
Bulk Olive Shipper

The shipper gave a total saving of 60% on the packaging and transport costs, as well as environmental benefits when exporting table olives from Spain to the USA. Marks and Spencer received a Special Award for a major contribution to the environment, which recognised the extensive work the company has done to reduce its impact on the environment.

Other highlights were –

• SCA Cool Logistics ZeoCool won two Gold Awards for a revolutionary, intelligent temperature-controlled packaging solution that ensures constant product temperature regardless of outside temperature. It significantly reduces carbon footprint, volumetric requirements and distribution costs, with simple application and no assembly required.
• DS Smith companies collectively won three Gold Awards.
• Grupo Impresor Savasa who won a Gold Award on their first entry to Starpack.

All Starpack winners – Gold, Silver or Bronze – are eligible to enter the World Star awards programme. No other general UK packaging award scheme provides this opportunity for the ultimate recognition of packaging excellence.

‘Judging a competition is a difficult and dedicated process, no matter whether it is the local flower and produce show or the Starpack Awards, ’ commented Alec Alden, Chairman of the Starpack Advisory Group. ‘As in any competition, the results do not always meet with the universal agreement of the competitors. However, Starpack Awards judging is a peer review process, comprising experienced and qualified packaging professionals, to a defined criteria specifically appropriate to the category being judged.

‘The judges review issues such as fitness for purpose, design, material use, environmental impact and technical innovation. Additionally, in certain categories, graphic design and visual appearance are criteria. Entries are marked to exacting standards, and rightly so. A successful Starpack Award winner can move forward into the World Star Award programme – no other general UK packaging award provides this opportunity for the ultimate recognition of packaging excellence.’

Here's an overview of the principal winners by category with judges' comments.

Consumer products

ORBIT™ Easy Open Closure from Crown Closures Europe

‘Outstanding. Good innovation that meets the need of an ageing population.’

Luxury, promotional and giftware

See main image top

Glenfiddich Copper Still from Crown Speciality Packaging

‘Having three packs representing three products with the only differentiation being colour and a few words, this highlighted how effective good packaging can be. Congratulations. The entry stood out as an effective representation of a range of three products differentiated by the age and colour of the tins.’

Food and beverages

Roach Bros – Tiltmaster Tray from DS Smith Speciality Packaging Belper

‘This was a great example of effective packaging, simple and easy to use and worked well every time, providing on-shelf presence in exactly the way requested. Congratulations.’

Retail-ready packaging – point of sale, end of aisle, shelf-ready category

Aquafresh Ultimate from DS Smith Packaging Lockerbie & GSK

‘Very high-quality graphics and on-shelf appeal. Good product security. Clear and obvious instructions, immediate release of protective cover without any disruption to the product. No matter how many units are removed from the shelf ready unit, the remaining packs are securely positioned, retaining display characteristics through to the last pack.’

Retail-ready packaging – point of sale, end of aisle, shelf-ready category

Laverstoke Park Farm Display Pack from DS Smith Speciality Packaging

‘This clever one-piece design, with high efficiency in materials use, delivers unique functional features that aid effective product display from first to last inner pack, including product back rest to incline inner packs within the outer. The pack is easy to open, with full product visibility enhancing on shelf ppeal. The design also includes a visual reminder to the in-store team to replenish when empty.’

Transit – Business to business, industrial (heavy duty) and distribution

SCA Cool Logistics ZeoCool from SCA Cool Logistics

‘An innovative transit packaging solution that enables the safe shipment of temperature sensitive products by actively maintaining temperature conditions within the pack irrespective of ambient conditions.’

Transit – Business to business, industrial (heavy duty) and distribution

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Bulk Olive Shipper from SCA Packaging

‘A high integrity transit unit constructed from standard packaging materials, through the use of scientific analysis and calculation to deliver an excellent solution for secure transportation of more than 1,000kg of wet product.’

Alcoholic beverage

Drystick Clear Wet Glue Labels from Grupo Impresor Savasa

‘This new technology allows the application of clear plastic labels directly onto wet bottles using conventional wet glue labelling machinery. Premium ‘no label look’ branding – without the premium price tag associated with Protective Solutions Ltd.’

Health and beauty care

SCA Cool Logistics ZeoCool from SCA Cool Logistics

‘This was a great product that serves the humanitarian sector and should be trumpeted to all as a triumph of how a commercial company can aid mankind. This pack will help to save lives, and is worthy of its award. I look forward to hearing more about it.’

Further information

All Starpack Industry Award winners 2011

Please contact Rachel Brooks about the Starpack or the WorldStar Awards. Email: rachel.brooks@iom3.org Websites: www.worldstar.org  www.starpack.uk.com