Over 100 companies and individuals are on the shortlist, including product designers, OEM manufacturers, suppliers, plastics processors, consultants, apprentices and trainees from across the plastics sector in the UK and Ireland.
The winners will be announced at a gala evening at the new venue of The Waldorf Hilton, London on Thursday 2nd December. The winners will also be broadcast as part of a two-day livestream networking and learning event featuring “Ask The Expert” webinars and Q&A sessions, starting on 1st December.
Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2021, the Plastics Industry Awards recognise the many diverse 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.
This year’s shortlist sees a number of previous winners from the 20-year history of the awards, while many other finalists appear for the first time.
No less than 18 companies are recognised in a special new award to recognise the industry’s COVID-19 Business Heroes. This new award, sponsored by KraussMaffei, acknowledges the companies that pivoted their operations to be a force for good within the plastics industry, adapting their businesses to provide urgently needed medical and other resources, retaining jobs and winning new business through innovation. All 18 companies are true COVID-19 Business Heroes, while an overall award winner will be announced at the December ceremony.
The second biggest category is best business initiative with no less than 12 finalists from all parts of the plastics manufacturing industry.
Perhaps reflecting the many who have gone above and beyond in their work over the last eighteen months, a record of eight individuals have been shortlisted for the Unsung Hero Award. Five people have qualified for the 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 sustainable use of plastics is a core consideration for the judging of all awards this year. The four finalists in the best recycled plastic product category, supported by RECOUP, are Cameron-Price, Klockner Pentaplast, Plastix A/S and Working Environments Furniture. The five finalists that have won through in the environmental or energy efficiency category are: Capital Valley Plastics, Clean Tech UK and BioteCH4, IPL Rotherham, Mackie’s of Scotland and Plastek UK.
The Young Designer Award has served as a springboard for many careers and returns with four finalists from London, Nottingham and Dublin. Courtesy of sponsors Plastek UK, one of them will pick up a cheque for £500 along with the winner’s trophy at the Waldorf Hilton. The design awards for Best Consumer Product and Best Industrial Product have been widened to include an international element for UK product designs.
Four companies have been shortlisted for the Processor of the Year Award sponsored by Engel UK: ICL Tech, Pentagon Plastics Group, Plastek UK and Rutland Plastics.
The Plastics Industry Ambassador Award winner will also be announced on the evening of 2nd December.
Platinum Awards Sponsors are Engel UK (Processor of the Year) and KraussMaffei (Covid-19 Business Hero). Gold Awards sponsors are Plastek UK (Young Designer Award), Hasco (Supplier Partnerships – Toolmaker), Meusburger (Apprentice or Trainee and PlastikCity (Supplier Partnership – Ancillary). Arburg are sponsoring the Charity Casino at the Waldorf event, funds from which will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.
The awards enjoy the support of multiple industry associations including The BPF (British Plastics Federation), RECOUP (Recycling of Used Plastics – Best Recycled Product), the GTMA, PMMDA (Polymer Machinery Manufacturers & Distributors Association), the SPRA (Scottish Plastics & Rubber Association), Plastics Consultancy Network and Sustainable Plastics publication, all of whom are represented on the judging panel.
Plastics Industry Awards 2021, 20th Anniversary Finalists:
Best Consumer Product Design - International
FutureNova, iBioShield Slimline
Hymid Multi-Shot, Chilly's Series 2 Re-usable Bottle and Coffee Cup
Plastipak and Safe Life Technologies, Life Safe 5-in-1 Fire Extinguisher
Best Industrial Product Design - International
FutureNova, iBioShield Slimline
Avon Protection, CH15 - Compact CBRN Escape Hood
Working Environments Furniture, Morph
Best Recycled Plastic Product - Supported by RECOUP
Cameron-Price, The Packable Helmet
Klockner Pentaplast (kp), kp Zapora™
Plastix A/S, Circular Ropes
Working Environments Furniture, Morph
Young Designer Award – sponsored by Plastek UK
Aishah Aziz, London South Bank University
Chris Barnes, Nottingham Trent University
Carmen To, Technological University Dublin
Radha Ukani, London South Bank University
Materials Innovation Award
Coda Compostables
Colloids UK
INEOS Hygienics
Matrix Plastics
NEXTLOOPP
Peerless Plastics & Coatings
Plastek UK
Plasticom Group
Supplier Partnership - Prime Machinery
ARBURG, University of East of Anglia and PCE
Bole Machinery and Flowtech Precision Mouldings
ENGEL UK and Intersugical
ENGEL UK and RWC UK
Krauss Maffei Group UK and Biopure Technology
Krauss Maffei Group UK and Intersurgical
Negri Bossi UK and Husqvarna
UK Extrusion and AMB Packaging UK
UK Extrusion and Marelli Automotive Systems
Supplier Partnership - Ancillary Equipment – sponsored by PlastikCity
Plastech Solutions and Aeroplas
TH Plastics and Whatmore
Plastech Solutions and Berry Superfos Blackburn
Clean Tech UK and BioteCH4
Supplier Partnership – Toolmaker sponsored by HASCO
Adreco Plastics and Mologic
Associated Toolmakers and Gwalia Healthcare
Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Sales & Services, Universal Closures and Z-Moulds
ND Precision Products and North Devon Electronics
Plastech Solutions and Mackie's of Scotland
Plastech Solutions and PACCOR
Sprint Tool and Die and Ricoh UK
Apprentice or Trainee Award - Sponsored by Meusburger in association with PMMDA
Joseph Bourne, Plastek UK
Harry Gissing, Berry Norwich
Danielle Harkness, Plastek UK
Frank Hemingray, Plastek UK
Kane Savage, Reliance Worldwide Corporation
Best Technology Application
Tribosonics
Matrix Moulding Systems
Best Environmental or Energy Efficiency Initiative
Capital Valley Plastics
Clean Tech UK and BioteCH4
IPL Rotherham
Mackie’s of Scotland
Plastek UK
Best Business Initiative
Capital Valley Plastics
Clean Tech UK and BioteCH4
ENGEL UK
FutureNova
ICL Tech
INEOS Hygienics
IPL Rotherham
Matrix Plastics
Pentagon Plastics Group
Plasticom Group
Summit Systems
Working Environments Furniture
Best Training & Development Programme
IPL Rotherham
Pentagon Plastics Group
Plastek UK
The British Plastics Federation
Unsung Hero
Chris Andrews, IPL Rotherham
Jessica Clarke, PlastikCity
Philip Davison-Sebry, Thermal Compaction Group
Steppen Dennis, IPL Rotherham
Daisy Edwards, Capital Valley Plastics
Tim Annison, Plastipack
Bob Horscroft, ENGEL UK
Nick Pemble, Plasticom Group
COVID-19 Business Hero - NEW FOR 2021 – sponsored by KraussMaffei
Alpek Polyester UK
Engel UK
FutureNova
Hardie Polymers
ICL Tech
INEOS Hygienics
Matrix Plastics
Pentagon Plastics Group
Plastek UK
Plasticom Group
Polystar Plastics
RJG Technologies
Rutland Plastics
Sprint Tool and Die
Summit Systems
Talisman Plastics
Thermal Compaction Group
Westfall Technik
Processor Award – sponsored by Engel UK
ICL Tech
Pentagon Plastics Group
Plastek UK