More than 200 participants, including students and professionals, attended the award ceremony organized by the Containers and Emballages Innovation Center, in an edition that also underlines the importance given to sustainability and well-being. be provided by the winning packaging. .

The event brought together the Director General of Industry, Energy and Mines, María Empar Martínez, as well as the President of the Cluster, Amaya Fernández, and the Vice-President, Pedro Ballester. The director of the Cluster, Jesús Pérez, also participated, among others.

María Empar Martínez underlined in her speech that “the sector is pure innovation and each contribution it makes to its customers is an opportunity to innovate in processes, in logistics and in the way the product is delivered ”. Likewise, he announced the support of the Generalitat Valenciana for the launch of a new “Pole of innovation in packaging, a platform to facilitate innovation and collaboration between companies”.

For her part, Amaya Fernández underlined in her participation the “international character that these awards have acquired”, and underlined the work of the “Cluster as a facilitator for companies to access young and new talents, acting as a bridge between universities, design centers and companies, which can then even integrate them into their models, ”he added.

The awards also had the collaboration of Innotech (Emsur-Coexpan Center for Innovation and Development), Grupo Hinojosa, Esic, Grupo La Plana, Ecoembes and the ITENE technology center. Also with the support of Flexographic, Biconsulting, Tecnobox, MESbook, Úpalet and NonSlip, as well as with funding from the Department of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labor of the Generalitat Valenciana.

Response to real challenges

Danone, Carmencita, Verdecora, ITC Packaging, Grupo La Plana and Logifruit, on this occasion, were the stimulating companies that presented real cases to the students.

Students from over 28 universities and centers responded with their disruptive proposals, with over 1,000 enrolled and 300 projects delivered. In addition, for the first time, the Awards had the participation of a foreign reception center, the University of Monterrey in Mexico, which received a special award for its collaboration.

Hygienic container for “dipear” group

In the challenge proposed by Alicante ITC Packaging, the prize was awarded to the project ‘Lov 2 Salsa’ by Carlos Valero of the Universitat Jaume I. A solution whose design meets the requirements and objectives established by the company to guarantee the consumer health and safety when sharing spreads.

A container inspired by the ancient art of origami with folds on the sides making it open in the shape of a flower. Only one biodegradable plastic material was used for the packaging, which facilitates its recycling. In addition, it incorporates four shoulders of a color each that allows them to be identified.

Here, the Accésit prizes were awarded to the ‘Jester’ project by Vanesa Carrasco, Miriam Egea and Pablo Pérez; and the ‘Swap’ project by Laura Checa, Marta Meyó and Guillermo Sánchez, both from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

New lid which guarantees easy recycling of the container

Meanwhile, Carmencita, also from Alicante, presented the students with a demanding challenge in which they had to create a lid for their already existing traditional paprika tin that would allow it to be separated from the metal in order to facilitate its recycling. . The winners of this challenge were Irene Hinojosa, María Miedes and Javier Redondo from the University of Zaragoza and the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Your project is based on a sliding cover that meets all the needs of the business. It guarantees a high seal between the packaging components, it is easily separable for recycling, its unit price is within the established margins and it represents a unique and identifiable closure with the company thanks to its innovation.

On the other hand, Mario Moya, Araceli Rodríguez, Celia Sánchez and María Santiago from the Polytechnic University of Madrid; and Rubén Quevedo, Pablo Ortiz and Pablo Pérez from the University of Valladolid, obtained a second prize in this category.

Transport of living things in electronic commerce

For its part, Verdecora challenged the participants to find a solution that would facilitate the shipment of plants after the rise of the e-commerce channel. The winner was the project presented by the University of Zaragoza by Elisa Pilar Toyas, María Tello, Camino Pitalúa and Gerard Longán. A solution in which ease of handling and protection in transport predominate, which offers the company greater efficiency in the transport of living beings such as plants.

A design that allows it to adapt to all types of plants, whatever their shape and size, as well as to facilitate the entry of light. To ensure stability and ensure resistance, it has an internal packaging adaptable to different pots and easy to extract, which also incorporates a section for other products.

In this category, the Accésit awards went to Marina Sáez, Laura Pérez and Mónica Sanz from the University of Valladolid; and Clara Núñez, Alba Pastor and Jorge Molina from the University of Zaragoza.

Innovation on supermarket shelves

The challenge launched by Logifruit aimed to create a secondary and reusable container that allows dry products to be packaged, stored, transported and displayed in the supermarket aisle. In this category, the ‘Lean’ project by Diego Izquierdo, María Calvo, Pablo Torrijos and Eduardo Vea from the University of Zaragoza took first place.

A container designed to showcase the product and attract the consumer’s attention, present it and organize it on the shelf. All this without forgetting the transport of these and their application in various dry products, such as snacks and pastries.

In this challenge, the “Kotak” project of Ángel Lobo, Eduardo Alcoitia, Samuel Bustos and Miguel Manjón from the Polytechnic University of Madrid obtained the second prize; and ‘RE-standard box’ by Darío Pablo Coloma, Ainara López, Marcos Chanca and María Sanz from the University of Zaragoza.

Packaging that facilitates children’s independence

The multinational Danone has taken on the challenge of creating new packaging for the little ones at home, given the recent trend in which children are increasingly aware of their diet and more independent. The winning project was “Danonino Enrollado” by Andrea Porras, Julia Valero and Martín Rivera from the University of Valladolid.

A yoghurt container that provides maximum convenience for the little ones in the house in terms of intake, transport and consumption. Thanks to a plastic piece at its lower end, consumers will be able to roll up the container, making yogurt consumption different and fun, while making the most of its contents.

In this category, the second prize went to “Yogunino” by Marta Wucherpfennig from the Polytechnic University of Madrid; and for ‘DanAway’ by Ángela Abejez, Blanca Ascaso, Rosa Aurensanz and Marta Huguet from the University of Zaragoza.

Alternative to the plastic seal for closing boxes

And finally, the La Plana group challenged the students of this edition to create a solution that would avoid the use of plastic seals when securing the closure. In this case, the winning project went to ‘Bloco’ by Sergio Almena, from the School of Art and Design of Segovia.

Bloco is a container formed by a split flange, allowing that when closing the box this flange is folded through the interstices and allows a highly secure closure. Once the container is closed, the pulling of the carton itself causes the fold to unfold, preventing the flap from coming out of the slot again.

In this category, the second prize went to “CincBox” by Marta Chiva and Victoria Lupiáñez from the Universitat Jaume I; and ‘EKO-BOX’ by Irene Hinojosa, María Miedes and Javier Redondo University of Zaragoza and Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Cantera Cluster Plan Price

In addition, to research this link between the business world and the economic world, the Plan Cantera Cluster Prize was awarded once again, for which one of the participating students received a Container and Packaging Cluster scholarship for the completion of the Master in Management. [MBM] taught by ESIC Business & Marketing School. The winner was María Miedes Serna, a student at the University of Zaragoza.

The scholarship for the winning student corresponds to the total tuition fees of the course, worth € 21,200. In addition, for the duration of the Master, he will carry out internships within the Containers and Packaging Department.

Finally, during the gala, recognition was made of the work of the former president of the Pole, José Orbe, who received a tribute from the Pole of Innovation in Container and Packaging.

A gateway to Liderpack and WorldStar rewards

The prize winners and finalists will qualify for the final of the youth category of the Líderpack Awards, convened by the Graphispack Association and the Hispack fair at the Fira de Barcelona.

Finally, it is also the beginning of international recognition since, among the projects, the Spanish representatives will be selected for the WorldStar Student Awards, the most important packaging prizes in the world for students of universities and design schools.

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