Finalists Revealed for 21st Anniversary Plastics Industry Awards

The finalists for 15 categories in the Plastics Industry Awards 2022 have been announced. Award-winning comedian and writer Andy Parsons of Mock The Week, Live at the Apollo and They Think It’s All Over fame will announce the winners at a glamorous, black-tie gala evening with live entertainment at the spectacular new venue of the Intercontinental London Park Lane on Friday 18th November.

Celebrating its 21st anniversary in 2022, the Plastics Industry Awards recognises the many ways in which plastics product design, manufacture and recycling contribute to successful and sustainable innovation in everything from medical devices and electronics to packaging and lightweight automotive components.

Companies and individuals on the shortlist include product designers, OEM manufacturers, suppliers, plastics processors, consultants, apprentices and trainees from across the plastics sector in the UK and Ireland.

Finalists for the Best Consumer Product Award include a bath for twins, an inflatable cycle helmet and a handheld electric shoe shiner. The Best Industrial Product Award, sponsored by Distrupol, has four finalists this year: Berry Superfos, Emballator Packaging UK & Engel UK, Matoha and Polystar Plastics.

The sustainable use of plastics is a core consideration for judging of all awards. The four finalists that have won through in the environmental or energy efficiency category are FANUC UK, Intelicare, IPL Rotherham/MGB Plastics and PFF Group. The four finalists in the best recycled plastic product category are:

• Closed Loop Recycled Paint Containers by Berry Superfos
• Paint Pail from 100% recycled plastic material by Emballator Packaging (UK)
• PEEQUAL, The UK’s First Women’s Urinal by PEEQUAL
• Recycled Plastic Furniture by DCW Polymers

The Young Designer Award has served as a springboard for many careers and returns with four finalists from London, Cardiff and Edinburgh. Courtesy of sponsors Plastek UK, one of them will pick up a cheque for £500 along with the winner’s trophy.

Five people have qualified for the Apprentice or Trainee of the Year, sponsored by Meusburger, and supported with a cash prize of £500 donated by the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMMDA).

The Prime Machinery Supplier Partnership, sponsored by Interplas, is particularly hotly contested this year, with no less than seven submissions shortlisted.

Five companies have been shortlisted for the highly coveted Processor of the Year Award sponsored by Engel UK: Advanced Plastics Group, Boddingtons, Emballator Packaging (UK), MGS Technical Plastics and Plastek UK.

The prestigious Plastics Industry Ambassador Award winner will also be announced on the evening of 18th November.

Platinum Awards Sponsors are Engel UK (Processor of the Year) and Distrupol (Industrial Product Design of the Year). Gold Awards sponsors are PlastikCity (Supplier Partnership – Ancillary Machinery), Plastek UK (Young Designer Award), Hasco (Supplier Partnerships – Toolmaker), Meusburger (Apprentice or Trainee), and Interplas (Prime Machinery). Arburg is sponsoring the Charity Casino at the event, funds from which will be donated to the British Heart Foundation.

The awards enjoy the support of multiple industry associations including The BPF (British Plastics Federation), the GTMA, PMMDA (Polymer Machinery Manufacturers & Distributors Association), the SPRA (Scottish Plastics & Rubber Association), and Sustainable Plastics publication, all of whom are represented on the judging panel.

A limited number of tables for the gala dinner and awards ceremony are currently available. Tickets include a champagne reception, four-course dinner with wine, awards presentation and after-dinner entertainment. More information and table bookings: https://www.plasticsawards.com/PIA2022/en/page/book-now

Plastics Industry Awards 2022 Finalists:

Best Consumer Product Design – International

• Bumble Beez – The Twin Bath, HJC Design
• Equerry Pro, Raymont-Osman Product Design
• VENTETE Inflatable cycle helmet, VENTETE and Adreco Plastics

Best Industrial Product Design – International – Sponsored by Distrupol

• Closed Loop Recycled Paint Containers, Berry Superfos
• 100% Post-Consumer Waste Paint Pail, Emballator Packaging (UK) and Engel UK
• Matoha
• Tristar5 – High Performance Technical Film, Polystar Plastics

Best Recycled Plastic Product

• Closed Loop Recycled Paint Containers, Berry Superfos
• Paint Pail from 100% recycled plastic material, Emballator Packaging (UK)
• PEEQUAL, The UK’s First Women’s Urinal, PEEQUAL
• Recycled Plastic Furniture, DCW Polymers

Young Designer Award – sponsored by Plastek UK

• Daniele Di Paolo, London South Bank University
• Adam Higgins, Design Higgins
• Kenneth Thornton, Edinburgh Napier University
• Thomas White, London South Bank University

Materials Innovation Award

• Avient
• Bright Green Plastics
• Distrupol
• Matoha

Supplier Partnership – Prime Machinery – sponsored by Interplas

• Arburg and Panorama Antennas
• Bole Machinery UK and Proplas 2008
• ENGEL UK and Emballator Packaging (UK)
• ENGEL UK and MotorScrubber
• Intelicare and Marshall Tufflex
• KraussMaffei and BIO PURE
• UK Extrusion and Emtelle

Supplier Partnership – Ancillary Machinery – sponsored by PlastikCity

• Plastech Solutions and Aeroplas
• Summit Systems and Prysmian Cables and Systems
• TH Plastics and Strata Products (Berry Global)
• UPM Conveyors and Bericap UK

Supplier Partnership – Toolmaker sponsored by HASCO

• Adreco Plastics and VENTETE
• Agemaspark and Advanced Plastics
• ND Precision Products and Otter Controls
• Plastech Solutions and The Pall Ring Company
• Plastek UK and R&D Leverage

Apprentice or Trainee Award – Sponsored by Meusburger in association with PMMDA

• Joshua Clark, Reliance Worldwide Corporation
• Frank Hemingray, Plastek UK
• Holly Lanckham, Plastek UK
• Thomas Lyon, Advanced Plastics
• Stuart Meek, Berry Norwich

Best Technology Application

• Matics
• Plastek UK
• Tribosonics

Best Environmental or Energy Efficiency Initiative

• FANUC UK
• Intelicare
• IPL Rotherham / MGB Plastics
• PFF Group

Best Business Initiative

• Advanced Plastics Group
• Boddingtons
• Emballator Packaging (UK)
• IPL Rotherham / MGB Plastics
• Matrix Plastics
• Polystar Plastics
• Prisma Colour
• Sierra 57 Consult

Best Training & Development Programme

• Advanced Plastics
• Boddingtons
• MGS Technical Plastics
• TEX Plastics and Sierra 57 Consult

Unsung Hero

• Michael Christmas, IPL Rotherham / MGB Plastics
• Daniel Kelk, Plastek UK
• Connor Peck, Broadway

Processor Award – sponsored by Engel UK

• Advanced Plastics Group
• Boddingtons
• Emballator Packaging (UK)
• MGS Technical Plastics
• Plastek UK

*To view the full panel, see https://www.plasticsawards.com/PIA2022/en/page/judges.