• Hall of Fame: Matt Ormond, Amcor
    Hall of Fame: Matt Ormond, Amcor
  • Flexo Best in Show: James Crichton and Zoe Farrell from Amcor
    Flexo Best in Show: James Crichton and Zoe Farrell from Amcor
  • Best of Show Analogue Labels, Digital Labels and Innovation: MCC team (l-r) Ben Testa, Dale Dennehy, Chris Rutledge and Steve Davies
    Best of Show Analogue Labels, Digital Labels and Innovation: MCC team (l-r) Ben Testa, Dale Dennehy, Chris Rutledge and Steve Davies
  • Apprentice of Year: Paul Plunkett, Pakaflex
    Apprentice of Year: Paul Plunkett, Pakaflex
  • The best flexible packaging and label printers: FLPMA Award winners at the event.
    The best flexible packaging and label printers: FLPMA Award winners at the event.
  • Abbatastic: FPLMA awards evening opens
    Abbatastic: FPLMA awards evening opens
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Amcor and MCC were the two big winners at the annual Flexo Packaging and Label Manufacturing Association awards, each walking away with a hatful of gongs after dominating their categories.

Between them they scooped all the Best in Show awards, with MCC also picking up the Innovation award, at the industry’s night of nights, held in the glamorous Crown Palladium on Melbourne’s Southbank.

Amcor won Flexo Best in Show for its Cadbury's Dairy Milk job, while MCC won Labels Analogue Best in Show for its Bundaberg Campfire Rum label, printed at its Queensland facility, and took home Labels Digital Best in Show for its Primal Shiraz wine label, printed in Melbourne.

Both companies won the majority of awards in flexo and labels, on a night which saw 300 industry professionals from 85 companies welcomed to the awards by FPLMA secretary and MC for the night Tony Dalleore.

Rollspack, James Print and Ultra Labels were among the other winners on the night.

Paul Plunkett from Pakaflex won apprentice of the year from a field of seven outstanding candidates, and was presented with his prize by last year’s winner Matilda Milligan from Fildes.

Damien Williams from Pemara took home the Merit award, while Matt Ormond from Amcor was awarded Hall of Fame, and gave an impassioned speech on the need for the industry to support apprentices.

The FPLMA awards event has long been recognised as the best in the industry, and Friday did not disappoint, with an Abba dance routine to open the night, a spectacular Latino Salsa dancing exhibition, followed by a hugely popular Salsa, Bachata and Reggaeton class on the dancefloor, and topped off with a terrific covers band that saw the industry dance the night away. The food served up by Crown could only be described as excellent.

Food & Drink Business

Australia's rendering industry has strengthened its sustainability credentials, with the ARA formally launching its first Sustainability Framework at the conclusion of its 18th International Symposium.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has agreed to sell Seppelt to Stonier CEO and co-owner Aaron Drummond and partners, the latest step in its plan to cut its brand portfolio from 76 to fewer than 30. The deal includes the Seppelt brand, the Great Western winery and cellars, and the Drumborg vineyard. No price was disclosed.

South Australian grape growers will have access to loans of up to $500,000 to turn unviable vineyards into more sustainable uses under the South Australia Wine Industry Transition and Growth Package, the state government says.