WorldStar Awards come to Sydney

In a coup for the local industry, the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has confirmed that it has been invited by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) to be the host of its 2013 WorldStar Packaging Awards.

The announcement follows speculation that the awards would come to Australia following local companies' strong showing on the 2013 winners' roster.

Australian companies including Outerspace Design, Webstercare, Poppet International, Coca-Cola Amatil and Lion Dairy Drinks scooped six of the award categories in the global competition (packagingnews.com.au, January 15) .


The WorldStar Packaging Awards, now in its 45th year, is one of the major events of the WPO and last year attracted 243 entries from 32 countries around the world. It was the second year Australian companies participated, with Outerspace picking up the country's inaugural award last year for its breakthrough design of Heinz's Golden Circle chilled juice 1.8-litre bottle

The WorldStar Packaging Awards illustrate the continual advancement of the state of packaging and create a living standard of international packaging excellence from which others may learn. They are chosen from among the winners of the previous year's numerous national packaging awards.

Presentation of this year's WorldStar awards will be held on 9 May at the Novotel Sydney Olympic Park alongside this year's AUSPACK PLUS 2013 packaging expo.

The national president of the AIP, Ralph Moyle, said the announcement of Australia's hosting was a significant and one-off opportunity for the Australasian packaging industry to be a part of an international event.

“The AIP have been working closely with the owners of AUSPACK PLUS, the APPMA, to develop an extensive event schedule to allow exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to be a part of an international packaging week,” he said.


Moyle said it could be many years before the WorldStar Packaging Awards return to Australia, and with the AIP celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013 it was apt that the event will be hosted in Australia.

To coincide with the awards, the AIP will also be running its biennial National Technical Forum on 9 May, under the theme “Global Packaging Trends”.

The AIP National Technical Forum, which is open to non-members as well, will this year feature a range of international speakers from the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) coming to present from Brazil, Austria, India, South Africa and the United States.

“There will be an international contingent of WPO Board members and award winners from across the globe coming to Australia for this event and we would like to extend an invitation to the entire packaging community to be a part of this significant night,” Moyle said.

“The AIP joined the WPO in 2010 in a process towards developing relationships within the world packaging community and broadening our knowledge of packaging developments in other countries.

“This relationship has been very positive in expanding our perspective of packaging knowledge in different parts of the world, while sharing our skills in countries in our region in need of assistance.”

Bookings for the awards can be made at www.aipack.com.au or by emailing info@aipack.com.au