Our future in their hands

18 July 2008

The credit crunch, rising energy prices and increasing inflation are words that few want to hear or acknowledge, yet we must deal with them. Employers and employees alike need to make sensible, rational decisions to plan for a future of higher costs and less available cheap finance. Many packaging companies have already had to go to their customers with double-digit percentage price increases just to maintain a proportion of their already tight margins. Whilst many are now fire-fighting, medium-term innovation to vary material specifications, 'lightweighting' and removing costs from the business are imperative. For many, they will mark the difference between life and death for the business, as large customers flex their financial muscles, look overseas and leverage any over-capacity in the industry.

Whilst we are concerned with the present, we must not forget who will be responsible for the future of our industry, bringing the fundamental innovation that will drive packaging development over the coming decades. Nurturing talented young people is vital, and I was recently privileged to meet some of the School and Student Winners at the Starpack awards ceremony in London.

Student entrants were given a range of briefs covering all the main packaging materials, being awarded marks for creativity and presentation, environmental considerations and quality of package models. Some of the designs would happily grace a store shelf today, whereas others may well point the way forward for packaging development.

A selection of the best designs will be found illustrated around this article. The Best in Show and Best Student awards, sponsored by Marks & Spencer and Korsnäs Frövi, went to Anni Nykäneen, (Lahti Institute of Design, Finland) for a clear, simple, yet functional popcorn pack concept, targeted at children.

Holly Stevens (UCY) won a Gold & BPI-sponsored award with her Torpack design for an Instant Festival pack and the ProCarton-sponsored award winner from Tiina Ilmavirta (Lahti) showed a Fitness Action carton. This embodies a tremendous 'feelgood factor', appealing to the professional young woman.

Mark Smeeton (NEWI/NWSAD) won Gold and the DS Smith-sponsored award for his 'Fantastic Without Plastic' corrugated shopping bag.

The study of the role and detail of packaging within schools and colleges incorporates several key elements of the curriculum. The School and Student Starpack awards indicate that the education system can produce intelligent, interesting and practical packaging solutions. The industry needs to follow through on the promise of these young people and continue to innovate, educate and train them to become leaders of the future.

So congratulations to all the students who took part in the competition. I trust that the packaging industry, even in troubled times, remembers that our future lies in their hands.


The Gold and Best in Show Award was awarded for a popcorn pack targeted at children Championship popcorn pack The 'Fantastic Without Plastic' corrugated shopping bag won Gold and the DS Smith-sponsored award A different type of shopping bag The ProCarton-sponsored award winner comprised a Fitness Action carton with a tremendous feelgood factor, appealing to the professional young woman Fit new carton The Instant Festival Pack won a Gold & BPI-sponsored award Glastonbury survival kit



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