The Dow Chemical Company has announced the winners of the 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation, which recognizes the packaging industry’s top achievements in innovative packaging designs, materials, technologies and process.

Procter & Gamble’s Air Assist received top honor, the Diamond Award. Air Assist is a breakthrough in performance and sustainability for e-commerce and in-store packaging. The liquid packaging technology uses compressed gas to provide tailored rigidity to create structure in flexible films. By using a proprietary one-way valve, the new packaging form delivers cleaner dispensing, more controlled dosing and more convenient one-handed use while still being tough enough for e-commerce shipping without extra protection. Air Assist also uses 50 percent less plastic than a traditional rigid bottle and has a 360-degree palette for design, making it a more resource-efficient solution.

“We received hundreds of very strong submissions this year, collectively demonstrating a deep global commitment to serving consumer needs and addressing worldwide challenges,” said Diego Donoso, business president for Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “This year’s winners display customer-first designs with improvements in material technology and responsible resource use, from new formats in food packaging and e-commerce protection to improved medical and hygiene packaging.”

Dow’s 2018 30th Awards for Packaging Innovation successfully continues the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation program, which is the industry’s longest-running independently judged packaging awards program. The judging panel featured experts with diverse backgrounds, providing global perspectives across design, engineering, retail, converting and academia.

The judges evaluated more than 200 entries from companies in 30 countries. In addition to the Diamond Award, the top honor of the competition, the judges also selected nine Diamond Finalist Winners, eight Gold Award Winners and eleven Silver Award winners:

Diamond Winner

  •         Air Assist —Procter & Gamble

Diamond Finalists

  •         Febreze ONE — Procter & Gamble
  •         Flat Wine Bottle — Delivering Happiness Limited T/A Garçon Wines
  •         LDS 2cc ECOM Dispensing Pump — Rieke
  •         LiquiForm — Amcor Rigid Plastics
  •         Seed Phytonutrients Shower-Friendly Paper Bottle — Ecological Brands, Inc.
  •         Simply Beverages Recycle Code No. 1 Extrudable PET Juice Container — The Coca-Cola Company
  •         StealthWrap — Sealed Air
  •         Tubairless — Pumpart System
  •         Waterless Internet Flower Packaging — Uflex Limited

Gold Award Winners

  •         Doritos Crunch Prism Pack — PepsiCo Frito-Lay
  •         Doritos E-Z SnackPak — ProAmpac
  •         Dual Hoop Catheter DISK — CleanCut Technologies
  •         Extra Rich Rosy Foam Facial Wash Packaging — Kanebo Cosmetics Inc.
  •         Green Giant® Veggie Spirals PrimaPak — Sonoco Products Company
  •         Head & Shoulders Beach Bottle — Procter & Gamble
  •         VOLTAREN “No Mess” Applicator — GSK
  •         Wave Seal Technology — Wave International

Silver Award Winners

  •         ASAHI SUPER DRY ICE COOLER PACK — WestRock, K.K.
  •         CleanPouch Aseptic Spouted Pouch System – Scholle IPN
  •         Danoninho para Levar — Danone Brazil
  •         Downy (Lenor) Parfum des Secrets Package — Procter & Gamble
  •         KitKat Celebreak Box — CBA B+G
  •         Mix On Command (MOC) Shaker Bag — JPro Dairy International, Inc.
  •         PaperBoat Thandai Retortable Profile Pouch – Huhtamiaki PPL Ltd.
  •         Ariel PurClean Package — Procter & Gamble
  •         PushPop Technology — Amcor Flexibles
  •         Stain Remover Qualitá - New Again Plastic Container — GPA Group
  •         Two-Layer Laminate Sachet for Packaging Margarine — PrimePak Industries Nigeria Limited

For more information and images of each winning entry, please visit dowpackagingawards.com.