Technology Excellence Awards finalists unveiled

Show producer Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, announced the finalists in the Technology Excellence Awards, a brand-new awards initiative that recognizes exhibitors’ innovative new technologies never previously shown at a PACK EXPO show.

Twenty-one Technology Excellence Awards finalists in seven categories will be highlighted during PACK EXPO International and Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2018 (with show attendees serving as the ultimate final judge.

The finalists for the inaugural Technology Excellence Awards include:

BAKING & SNACK

Automatic Changeover Wizard – Triangle Package Machinery Co. – Booth S-2014

Chamber Pouches – Sun Centre USA Inc. – Booth S-10650

Leather Print Packaging for Slim Jim Premium Smoked Sticks – Bemis Co., Inc. – Booth S-3705

BEVERAGE & DAIRY

LEWA Triplex Homogenizer – LEWA-Nikkiso America, Inc. – Booth E-9217

Sealed Rotary Drive Mechanism – R.A JONES –  Booth S-2501b

STANDCAP Pouch – Volpak – Booth S-2501

GENERAL PACKAGING

ACOPOStrak Adaptive Track Technology – B&R Industrial Automation Corp. – Booth N-5625

Evolabel QuickTamp – Fast and Friendly Logistics Labeling System – Evolabel – Booth E-10507

OUTDOOR ZONE no-bite Mosquito Repellent Pouches – PPi Technologies Group – Booth S-3819

PREPARED FOODS

FTNON CoreTakr – FTNON – Booth E-10540

Robotic Horizontal & Vertical Pack System – Pearson Packaging Systems – Booth S-3506

Specright Cloud-Based Software Platform – Specright – Booth E-10814

Finalists were selected by the following Technology Excellence Awards panelists:

• Stephanie Neil, editor-in-chief, OEM Magazine
• Ronald Puvak, managing director, Contract Packaging Association
• Matt Reynolds, editor, Packaging World
• Bruce Welt, professor (packaging engineering) – Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida
• Carlos Diaz, associate professor (packaging science) – College of Applied Science & Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Jane Chase, executive director, Institute of Packaging Professionals
• Pat Reynolds, vp editor emeritus, Packaging World

“With such a great response from exhibitors it was no small task for our panel of top industry professionals to narrow them down to just three finalists in each category,” said Laura Thompson, senior director of expositions, PMMI. “We encourage show attendees to stop by these exhibitors to see these innovations first-hand and cast their vote.”

Voting opens at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 14 through noon on Tuesday, Oct. 16 to all PACK EXPO International and Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2018 attendees. Voters will pick their favorites online, on-site at the My Show Planner kiosks and via the show app, with the winner announcement taking place immediately after polls close.