european Carton exCellenCe awards

Hosted by Pro Carton and the European Carton Makers association (ECMa), the European Carton Excellence awards challenge companies from across the supply chain to showcase their most innovative cartonboard packaging designs.

Categories include:

• General Packaging – Virgin Fibre

• General Packaging – Recycled Fibre

• Food & Drink Packaging – Virgin Fibre

• Food & Drink Packaging – Recycled Fibre a prestigious panel of packaging experts representing different industry stakeholders choose each category winner by assessing each entry against rigorous criteria including graphic and structural design, production techniques, cost-efficiency, ecology, innovation and convenience.

Every entry is automatically put forward for the Carton of the Year award, and entrants can additionally enter for a Sustainability and/or Innovation award at no extra cost.

In 2022, the Carton of the Year award went to Stora Enso and Rutgers Printing & Packaging Solutions for their ‘General/Snack Tomatoes carton, which was a masterpiece of elementary and sustainable design, with a perfect balance between maximising the visibility of the product, while maintaining rigidity.

Pure cartonboard has been chosen for the packaging, a sustainable counterpart to the well-known plastic bucket. The folding box is made of food-safe, renewable virgin fibre, has a smooth white surface, and an unbleached inside that conveys absolute eco-friendliness. It is easily reclosable with a ”click”, even after multiple uses.

The Public award went to the Maison du Chocolat advent Calendar from BillerudKorsnäs and Ducaju, which really is a work of art, due to its unique shape and design. The hot foil creates beautiful highlights and makes the sphere sparkle, rendering it highly attractive. Each day of December has its own surprise, illustrated with the luminous world of paper artist Giselle Balosso-Bardin. The calendar has a ribbon that allows it to be hung as a Christmas decoration, while filling the calendar with chocolate and the consumer opening experience are both equally smooth processes, as the small compartments can be opened and closed without any damage to the packaging.

Sanpellegrino aranciata Rossa by nestlé took the Innovation award. Sanpellegrino recognised the need for their aranciata Rossa water to be packaged in an environment friendly and innovative way. WestRock’s Cluster-Pak carrier with barcode masking at the top and can-locker at the bottom allows for clean 360° product visibility and bill – boarding while still using as little material as possible. The multi-pack has a premium look and in using a mechanical lock, it is glue-free and easy to recycle.

Other winners included Herbal Essences Shampoo Conditioner bundle, which won in the Sustainability category, from carton converter Van Genechten Packaging (Plant Turnhout) and cartonboard manufacturer Metsä Board. Submissions for the 2023 awards will be accepted until May 26, 2023, and the organisers are keen to hear from Irish cartonboard creatives.

For more information, visit www.procarton.com/awards.