One of the key objectives of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is to recognise individuals who are making a significant contribution to the packaging industry, and this year a special award was presented to do just that.
The AIP Founders Award has been named to honour the Foundation Members of the Institute and to recognise their significant contribution to the development of packaging technology and the industry in Australia and New Zealand. The AIP says the Founders Award is given for outstanding performance, which in a real way enhances the profession of Packaging Technology.
The AIP Founders Award has only ever been attained by five other people - Professor Harry Lovell, George Ganzenmuller, Llewelyn Stephens, Pierre Pienaar and Ralph Moyle.
The sixth AIP Founders Award in AIP's 60th anniversary year goes to Keith Chessell.
About the Award winner:
Keith Chessell has 46 years’ experience within the Food, Beverage & Confectionery industry (Cottee’s, Schweppes, Pepsi, Cadbury, Kraft/Mondelez) with the innovation and development of new products and the relaunch of existing products and packaging.
In recent years his focus has been on sustainable packaging design, and assisting the AIP and WPO on Save Foods initiatives and training support for educational institutions. Judging packaging designs awards has been a great interest for Chessell over the past 10 years and he has combined this with his ‘Sustainable Packaging Design’ consultancy, and supporting AIP and industry in Sustainable Packaging Design and Save Food initiatives.
He is the AIP representative on the LCA Standards Australia committee and was previously the AIP Board representative for APCO and is on the APCO Technical Advisory Committee. Keith is a Fellow of the AIP, a Life Member of the AIP and a Lifetime Achievement Award winner for the World Packaging Organisation.
He continues to represent the AIP in multiple programs, including the AusIndustry SME program, supporting the ARL Marketplace, supporting the NRA with the Single Use Plastics Regulations, APCO in many working groups and committees including Pulpability, PFAS, compostable packaging and so many more.
"Nothing is too much trouble for Keith, and he always go above and beyond in everything that he does for the industry. He never asks for anything in return, so Keith is being honoured for truly being the epitome of the Founder Award," AIP executive director Nerida Kelton said.
