Food containers that can be reused and recharged, single-material packaging solutions for the 'take away' market as well as innovative smart packaging systems for sending medicines safely from hospitals to patients with drones are some of the proposals winners of the XIV edition of the National Packaging and Packaging Awards, which has held its awards ceremony in Valencia with the assistance of more than 200 students and professionals.
Some winners who have in common to be innovative solutions so that companies can adapt to the legislative tsunami that has led to the entry into force of the Royal Decree on packaging and packaging waste or the tax on non-reusable plastic packaging, among others.
A total of 636 students enrolled de 25 educational centers have competed in these awards initiative of the Packaging and Packaging Innovation Cluster that seek to establish a point of connection between students and companies in the sector.
In this edition, the challenging companies have been Cabka, Fits, Hinojosa, ITC Packaging, Logifruit and Maverick Laboratories. The Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), the School of Art and Higher Design of Alicante (EASDA) and la University of Zaragoza They have been the winners of the first prizes. They have also been finalists and have obtained second prizes Escola d'Art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló, Mondragon Unibertsitatea, the University of Valladolid, the Escola D'Art i Superior de Disseny de les Illes Balears, ELISAVA School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona and the University of Deusto.
The winning projects stand out for their innovative and disruptive nature, with creative proposals adapted to the philosophy of each challenging company, as explained by the director of the Cluster, Jesús Pérez, and its president, Amaya Fernández.
These awards are supported by Hinojosa and the technology center ITENE, as well as with the collaboration of Ayming, Heura, Caixa Popular, Grupo La Plana, Emsur, Sacmi, Upalet, Siegwerk, Grabalfa and Limitronic, and with ESIC Business & Marketing School. They are also financed by the Ministry of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Commerce and Labor of the Valencian generalitat.
Monomaterial packaging for Take-away
Firstly, Hinojosa He proposed to the students to redesign take-away containers with paper or cardboard containers and using the minimum possible elements. The winners of this challenge have been María Azañón, Alba López and Javier Maldonado from the Polytechnic University of Madrid with “Asian food take away redesign”.
This project is not only limited to reducing the packaging used in the food delivery service, but also, aware of the importance of building consumer loyalty, creates an ergonomic design adapted to the user. This consists of dividing the container into two containers, one for cold food and the other for hot food, guaranteeing its correct conservation until final delivery. It is made with a multilayer cardboard made from renewable wood fiber, and a finish with water-based dispersion technology that makes it resistant to liquids and grease.
In addition, the projects "Petite" by Enara Lopez, Uxue Olariaga and Maiana Alzuguren and "Don't we play with food?" by Haizea Azua Zarraga, Haizea Aranbarri and Maite Txakartegi, both from Mondragon Unibertsitatea.
Packaging for drones that guarantee health safety
The challenge proposed by cabka was to design a container system for last-mile deliveries with drones or autonomous systems, combining current logistics with new technological solutions. The first prize has gone to mireia bernabeu for the School of Art and Higher Design of Alicante (EASDA) with its project "Pharmabox".
This new alternative to the logistics used in the pharmaceutical sector consists of a modular set of smart containers, as well as a protective backpack, allowing the delivery method to be customized to the Spanish public health system and adapted to the most appropriate means of transport.
This solution is fully adapted to the current context, in which the pandemic accentuated online purchases, and also ensures the health safety of the patient who does not have to leave home to purchase medicines.
On the other hand, Markel Peñas, Usue Macías, Ane Martín and Gorka Santamaría from the University of Deusto with ”Cabcover” and Iñaki Zurbano from the University of Zaragoza with “Fold.me” have obtained a Second Prize in this category.
A container that "will be with you wherever you go"
Meanwhile, the company ITC-Packaging has proposed to the students to create a reusable container for food. In this challenge the winner has been Sandra Marcela Palacios for the School of Art and Superior Design of Alicante (EASDA) with its project "Snack GO!".
It is a new concept of packaging for snacks, storing two types of dressings to accompany the product and allowing its reuse once consumed. It is a new way of consuming, in this case, celery and carrot sticks. Thanks to its practical size, the consumer can take it with them and use it for various purposes, such as storing other snacks such as nuts, fruits or other types of vegetables.
In this challenge, Natale Armendariz, Maider Armentia, Oier Bengoetxea and Itziar Sanchez from Mondragon Unibertsitatea have obtained the Second Prize with their project "Magma" and Daniel Tena from the EASD of Castellón with "Hexabox".
Another way to pack fruit in bulk
logifruit He challenged the students to design a container for bulk fruits and vegetables that can carry out the current distribution circuit and at the same time be a display box. In this challenge, the winning project has been “Model 312” of the students Pablo Alfonso, Carlos Gutiérrez, Eva Lawn and Victorina del Carmen Parra from the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
This project is totally disruptive, since its packaging is made up of scoops that serve as both a display and a tool for the consumer to serve the fruit of their choice in bulk.
The runners-up in this challenge have been for Cecilia Diez, Soraya Pérez and Claudia Santos from the University of Valladolid with their idea "Fruta va" and Irene Ponteduro and Ludovica Gentili from the University of Zaragoza with "Modelo 240".
An hourglass as shampoo
Maverick Laboratories proposed to the students the design of a new line of cosmetic containers that is made with sustainable materials and that, when the product is finished, the consumer could reuse it for other uses. The winners of the challenge have been Ana Barrueco, Constanza Frías, Virginia Martin and Loreto Miguel from the Polytechnic University of Madrid thanks to your project “Silver Tinting”.
This innovative design consists of an hourglass-shaped shampoo, which thanks to its outer casing allows time to be counted in periods of 30 seconds, ensuring compliance with the times necessary for correct use. This container not only allows the reuse of the product, but it is a marketing strategy that surprises the consumer due to its unique and different design.
Anna Calatayud, Maria Gómez and Sílvia Serrat from ELISAVA School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona with "Hopi" and Olivia Vilora, María Sanchez and Alejandra Martínez from the University of Valladolid with "Hex", have won the Second Prizes for this challenge.
Storage and shipping in the same design
Finally, in the challenge proposed by fit, the award went to him "Eco Box" project by the students Irene Camañes, Ana Cuenca, Sara Fuentelsaz and Ana Covadonga from the University of Zaragoza. A solution whose design meets the requirements and objectives established by the company to create a reusable, mountable and removable packaging, with full folding capacity.
The winning proposal consists of a box whose staples can be stretched, serving both for storage and for shipping and without the need for the user to use tools or use excessive force to disassemble it. In addition, the elastic staple creates a different brand image that, together with the artisan-look planks, reflects the company's values.
Here, the Second Prizes have been awarded to "Eco Box optimization project" by Margarita Oliver and Iván Pons and to "Eco Box Fits" by Pau Parera and Ferran Alzamora, both from the Escola d'Art i Superior de Disseny de les Balearic Islands.
Cantera Cluster Plan Award
In addition, this gala has once again awarded the Cantera Cluster Plan Award for which one of the participating students has been awarded a scholarship by the Packaging Cluster to study the Master in Management [MBM] taught by ESIC Business & Marketing School. A scholarship valued at €21.200 whose winner has been Carmen Amorós Egea, from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
And finally, as a novelty of this edition, a special prize chosen by the audience Natale Armendariz, Maider Armentia, Oier Bengoetxea and Itziar Sanchez from Mondragon Unibertsitatea for their “Magma” project for ITC Packaging.
Finally, the winners and finalists of these awards go directly to the final of the category reserved for young people of the Awards leaderpack, convened by the Graphispack Association and the Hispack show at Fira de Barcelona.
In turn, among the projects presented, the Spanish representatives will be selected in the World Star Student Awards, the most important packaging awards in the world for students of universities and design schools.
