The University of Zaragoza, with two first prizes, the EASD of Valencia, the Jaume I University of Castellón, the University of Mondragón and the Elisava school of Barcelona have been the main winners of the tenth edition of the National Packaging Awards. The Awards, held in Valencia, are organized by the Cluster of Innovation in Container and Packaging and they have had more than 450 participants from 20 centers throughout Spain
Representatives of the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the Nebrija University, the ESD of Madrid, the EASD Antonio López de Tomelloso and the EASD of Segovia have also obtained different Accésit.
Participants have responded to real packaging challenges posed by six leading companies. Signature SPB, a leader in the manufacture of home care, clothing care and personal care products, has awarded the work of Ariane Atxa and Jone Sarasola, students of Mondragon University. It is an innovative ecological refillable container that would be sold empty and with eight water-soluble refills. It is a very comfortable system for the user, who would only have to fill the container with water and pour the pill. From an environmental point of view, it would be easy to produce, optimal to transport as it does not incorporate liquid and easy to store for the user.
The multinational GBfoods has selected as the winner the project of Ignacio Fontelles, of the EASD of Valencia. The challenge was to create a sustainable packaging that would allow the sale of its well-known bouillon tablets. In this case, it is destined for an international market such as the African one, where it is marketed under the Jumbo brand. The award-winning packaging is made from a single development in cardboard, which does not require adhesives or films, and in addition to offering a better presence at the point of sale both graphically and structurally, it becomes a dispenser of individual tablets with a minimum and easy handling.
Consum has awarded Marçal Alcober, Lluis Barnadas, Gerard Carmone and Laia Navarro, students of Elizabeth (University School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona), for an original packaging system so that the user can choose the ingredients or sauces for their salads made to measure, but with the same speed and comfort offered by the solutions for these products sold in trays , which are closed options. It consists of a bowl with salad and a lid that incorporates 'toppings' to be chosen by the user.
Hinojosa Packaging Xátiva has chosen the project of Carmen Vilar, Andrea Longás, Marta Siguín and Elena Roche, students of the University of Zaragoza. It is a re-lockable box for sending packages, which incorporates a new return system. It is a solution where the use of adhesive tape is not necessary and ensures the inviolability of the product. The package would initially arrive closed like a conventional box, it would be opened thanks to a die-cut strip and the return system would be ready to be used.
Company logifruit has awarded Javier García, Sergio Ramos, Miguel Medrano and Salma Elizondo, students at the University of Zaragoza, for a project that responds to the challenges of modern distribution. It is an attractive, sustainable and user-centered container for fruit and vegetable products. It incorporates a simple folding and unfolding thanks to its elastic joints, which give it a lesser possibility of breakage. It also has NFC technology that provides relevant information for the supplier, the distributor and the consumer, and is made with biodegradable materials.
Finally, in the field of cosmetic packaging, the company virospack has awarded the first prize to Rubén Morata and María Ortiz, from the Jaume I University of Castellón. It is a totally disruptive dropper container. A dropper that, while respecting the milestones of functionality and quality, brings innovation in its design, an extra mirror function, interaction with consumers, thanks to a light sensor that alerts them when the expiration date is approaching, and which is also reusable , thus generating less waste.
These awards are also possible thanks to the support of the companies Hinojosa Packaging Solutions and DS Smith Tecnicarton; the ESIC Business & Marketing School; and the ITENE technology center. The firms Eurobox, Flexográfico Packaging, Flome, Envaselia, Marcomer, Nonslip Iberia, Industrias Alegre, MESbook, Miarco, Guzmán Global, Efi and Arplast also collaborate. It also has funding from the Department of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labor of the Generalitat Valenciana.
The winners, one per project, have received a prize of € 1.000 and an accrediting diploma. In addition, as a novelty from this edition, the winners and finalists of these awards automatically participate in the category reserved for young people of the Líderpack Awards, which is 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.
Finally, at the end of the gala a new edition of the 'Packaging Meet' has been held, where students have been able to speak with human resources technicians and share their experiences with the attending businessmen in order to promote their career.
