APO launches AfriStar Awards

APO itself was founded in 2012 to build packaging capability in Africa by promoting and maintaining the status and business of those engaged in packaging, and by the recognition of packaging as a profession.

Its work is to include international collaboration and establishing, publishing and disseminating educational standards and training information.

The biennial AfriStar Awards program will look at: effective product-package relationship, such as containment and protection for African conditions; effective product-consumer relations, such as convenience, communication, education and guarantee; and package-system relationships, i.e. is the package sustainable economically and culturally in the long term, and pragmatic for African conditions?

Entries must be converted in African countries and in addition to the normal product categories, awards will be given based on substrates and special circumstances or achievements. The winners will be entered for the World Packaging Organisation WorldStar Awards.

Entries for the AfriStar Awards must be received by June 30. The judging process is scheduled for the middle of July and the winners will be presented in September.

Joseph Nyongesa, APO president, said: ‘Africa is a rising continent. We are certainly one of the continents that attracts most the interest of companies nowadays.

‘We need to show these companies that the African packaging industry is rising and is being very well prepared to receive new products and retail chains.’