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Dow Awards for Packaging Innovation Honor Several Flexible Packaging Breakthroughs

The Dow Chemical Company has announced the winners of its 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation, which recognizes the packaging industry’s top achievements in innovative packaging designs, materials, technologies and processes.

The highest honor, the Diamond Award, went to Procter & Gamble’s Air Assist, a breakthrough in performance and sustainability for e-commerce and brick-and-mortar packaging. The liquid packaging technology uses compressed gas to provide tailored rigidity to create structure in flexible films. By utilizing a proprietary one-way valve, the new packaging form delivers cleaner dispensing, more controlled dosing and more convenient one-handed use while still being tough enough for e-commerce shipping without extra protection. Air Assist also uses 50 percent less plastic than a traditional rigid bottle and has a 360-degree palette for design, making it a more resource-efficient solution.

“We received hundreds of very strong submissions this year, collectively demonstrating a deep global commitment to serving consumer needs and addressing worldwide challenges,” said Diego Donoso, business president for Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “This year’s winners display customer-first designs with improvements in material technology and responsible resource use, from new formats in food packaging and e-commerce protection to improved medical and hygiene packaging.”

Dow’s 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation successfully continues the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation program, which is the industry’s longest-running independently judged packaging awards program. As in years past, the judging panel featured experts with diverse backgrounds, providing global perspectives across design, engineering, retail, converting and academia.

“It’s amazing to see firsthand these innovations that are improving consumers’ lives throughout the world,” said lead judge David Luttenberger, global packaging director for Mintel Group, Ltd. “I’m humbled to be a part of this experienced, expert judging panel, and excited to see companies around the world innovate to create packaging that meets ever-changing consumer demands and sustainable practices.”

The judges evaluated more than 200 entries from companies in 30 countries. In addition to the Diamond Award, the top honor of the competition, the judges also selected nine Diamond Finalist Winners, eight Gold Award Winners and eleven Silver Award winners:

Diamond Winner

Air Assist —Procter & Gamble

Diamond Finalists

Febreze ONE — Procter & Gamble

Flat Wine Bottle — Delivering Happiness Limited T/A Garçon Wines

LDS 2cc ECOM Dispensing Pump — Rieke

LiquiForm — Amcor Rigid Plastics

Seed Phytonutrients Shower-Friendly Paper Bottle — Ecological Brands, Inc.

Simply Beverages Recycle Code No. 1 Extrudable PET Juice Container — The Coca-Cola Company

StealthWrap — Sealed Air

Tubairless— Pumpart System

Waterless Internet Flower Packaging — Uflex Limited