DuPont presented 16 awards recognizing packaging excellence at last night’s 26th DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation, the industry’s longest-running, global, independently judged competition highlighting innovative packaging products and collaboration throughout the value chain. 

This year, the program received nearly 200 entries from 31 countries, marking the second-highest number of entries and broadest reach in the program’s 26-year history.

Unilever (United Kingdom) took the Diamond Award top honor for its line of compressed deodorants. The international panel of judges recognized Unilever for excellence in all three award criteria – Technological Advancement, Responsible Packaging and Enhanced User Experience.

Unilever’s new containers carry the same amount of product in a package half the size of the original. The smaller packages meet airline carry-on requirements, allow retailers to stock more products on the same shelf space and significantly cut transportation costs as more units fit on a pallet and into each truck.

In addition to the Diamond Award, the panel of independent judges selected five gold winners and 10 silver winners representing 11 countries.  Gold Award recipients demonstrate excellence in any two of the criteria, while Silver Award recipients show excellence in any one of the criteria.

“The Packaging Awards continue to celebrate innovation and champion collaboration,” said William J. Harvey, president, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers.  “We updated the award categories this year to reflect emerging trends and amplify the consumer’s role in driving innovation.”

Consumer convenience earned high marks in this year’s competition.  Seventy-five percent of the winning packaging solutions bring a higher degree of convenience to consumers.

For example, cardboard packaging from VerDeSoft, Germany, allows home cooks to prepare fresh pasta in three minutes by squeezing dough straight out of the package into a boiling pot. P&G in Belgium, Brussels, Singapore and Switzerland won an award for liquid cleaner bottles with smart dosing caps that automatically stop the product flow after dispensing a pre-measured dose. Ultra-high-temperature milk pouches from Parakh Agro Industries, India, keep milk fresh without refrigeration for up to 90 days and enable it to be consumed without first being boiled.

“DuPont Packaging Awards winners demonstrate the best of today’s innovative packaging solutions,” said Yasmin Siddiqi, DuPont Packaging Awards program leader. “Unique designs and advanced technology are used more and more creatively today to package products to enhance user experience and convenience.” 

Several winning entries used DuPont products, such as DuPontT Bynel® tie layer resin and DuPontT Mylar® films.

DIAMOND WINNER

• Compressed Deodorant Cans Contain Same Quantity with Less Packaging (Unilever – United Kingdom)

• Cardboard-Pouch Enables Fresh, Easy-Squeeze Pasta in Minutes (VerDeSoft – Packaging Design and Technology – Germany; Contributors: Frizle AG; ALB-GOLD Teigwaren GmbH; Martin Spiegel Kartonagenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG – Germany)
• Smart Dosing Cap Eliminates Product Waste with Single-Squeeze Dosing(P&G – Belgium, Brussels, Singapore and Switzerland; Contributors:  P&G Fabric & Home Care Center – Belgium, Singapore, Switzerland and USA)
• Innovative Printing Technology Prints Directly on Rigid Containers (Plastipak Packaging, Inc. – USA)
• Separable Pouch for Multiple Marinades Simplifies Home Cooking (Amcor Flexibles – Huizhou, China and Singapore; Contributors: Nestlé Australia Limited – MAGGI  Stir-fry Creations)
• Film Pouch Brings Shelf-Stable Milk to India (Parakh Agro Industries, Ltd. – India; Contributor:
• Elecster – Finland and ISF Industries – India)

• Green Water Cooler Bottle Made from 100 percent Recycled Material (Ice River Springs Water Company, Inc. – United States and Canada)
• Honey Pot Shows How to ‘Bee’ More Responsible (Betamiel – Morocco)
• Stand-Up Retort Pouch Transforms the Latin American Food-Service Industry (Bemis – Brazil: Contributor: Tradbor – Brazil)
• Infini Bottle Takes Lightweighting to a Whole New Level (Nampak Plastics, United Kingdom; Contributor: Velocity – USA)
• Microwaveable Sandwich Pouch Keeps Bread Moist During Heating(Curwood – USA; Contributor: Hillshire Brands – USA)
• Peanut Package Combines Rigid Functionalities with Flexible Savings(Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. – USA; Contributors: John B. Sanfilippo and Son, Inc. – USA; Spear Systems  – USA)
• Roast-In-The-Bag Chicken Package Minimizes Safety Risks, Maximizes Consumer Convenience (FFP Packaging Solutions Ltd. – United Kingdom; Contributors: Faccenda, ASDA and ULMA spa – United Kingdom)
• Snap-Top Package Ensures Freshness for Mexican Deli Meat (Sigma Alimentos – Mexico; Contributors: Sigma Alimentos (R&D, Marketing, and Processing Departments); Multivac and Winpak – Mexico)
• Soup Packet Optimized for Extended Shelf Life and Environmental Savings(Mondi – Austria; Contributors: Mondi Coatings GmbH ; Mondi Coating Zeltweg GmbH – Austria; Afripack Group – South Africa)
• Gatorade Bottle Gets Lighter But Stronger (Pepsico – USA; Contributors: Stress Engineering and Tether – USA)