This year's OPPack awards, held in Luxembourg last week, reflected the growing use of OPP film in non-traditional market segments and applications within the food packaging industry.
The jury composed of five experts within the packaging industry: Nathalie Scieux, packaging buyer from Auchan based in France; Simon King, manager director of PCI Films Consulting based in the UK; Werner Gessner, head of international operations and business development for SIG, based in Switzerland; Julian Carroll, director of the European Organisation for Packaging in the Environment (EUROPEN), based in Belgium; and Fabrice Peltier, president of P'Référence packaging design agency based in France.
From the ten labelling applications nominated and presented to the jury, the pack selected for the Gold Labelling Award was: Duphalac - labelled in 60µ Label-Lyte LL536 self-adhesive label film - and a product for the Spanish pharmaceutical market.
The Gold Labelling Award was presented "for an innovative approach that combines a reduction in packaging materials with latest technology. It illustrates a new opportunity for films in a variety of market segments with the winning concept opening doors for creativity in many other applications".
From the twenty flexible packaging nominees, the pack selected by the jury for the Bronze OPPack Award was: Maggi stock cubes wrapped in 38µ OPPalyte MW 280, serving the German/Turkish condiments market.
The jury commented: "the bronze award goes to a traditional product which greatly benefits from the modern touch of metallised OPP film. The result is a simple but appealing wrap offering cost and environmental benefits".
The pack selected by the jury for the Silver OPPack Award was: Rankin's Bread wrapped in 26µ Bicor MB 777 laminated to paper, serving the UK bakery segment.
Chosen by the jury for "an interesting combination of materials which offer several features, making it merit a silver award. These include extended shelf life, good visual presentation combined with a favourable touch sensation and an innovative window".
The pack selected by the jury for the Gold OPPack Award was: Viba selection wrapped in 30µ Bicor MB 400 / 18µ Metallyte MM 388 & MM 348, made for the German confectionery market.
The jury commented that "the winning pack is an excellent illustration of the possibilities for flexible packaging because it combines excellent product presentation through the use of a window and good product protection making use of the barrier properties of metallised film. Excellent packaging line speeds made possible by a wide sealing range add value to the choice."
The Films Business of ExxonMobil Chemical is the world's leading supplier of a full range of oriented polypropylene (OPP) film for flexible packaging and labelling applications. ExxonMobil has seven affiliated production plants: three in Europe (Virton, Belgium; Kerkrade (the Netherlands) and Brindisi, Italy) and four in North America (LaGrange, Georgia; Stratford, Connecticut; Shawnee, Oklahoma and Belleville, Canada). Its European headquarters is located in Luxembourg and its United States headquarters is in Macedon, New York.