The shortlist for the 2019 Plastics Industry Awards, #PIA2019, is now live on available. Finalists in the 15 awards categories include product designers, OEM manufacturers, suppliers, plastics processors, consultants, apprentices and trainees from across the plastics sector in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The winners will be announced at a ‘Greatest-Show’-themed awards ceremony at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Friday 27th September 2019.

Now in their 19th year, 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 to lightweight automotive components. They provide an annual opportunity to acknowledge and reward the individuals and organisations that lead the plastics industry.

Environmental achievements are recognised in the best environmental or energy efficiency initiative award and the best recycled plastic product category, sponsored by RECOUP. Finalists in the best recycled plastic product category include DuPont’s BOPET film containing high levels of chemically-recycled polymer compliant with EU food legislation; the Billygoats and Raincoats collection of unisex rain wear made from recycled tent materials; and Quinn Packaging’s Detecta recycled-PET material: the first black plastic packaging on the market which can be identified by material sorting systems. Meanwhile the new Materials Innovation category opened up strong competition across that sector, with nine companies making the shortlist. 

Six individuals have been shortlisted for the Unsung Hero Award, which invites organisations to nominate a staff member who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their day-to-day work life. A further five companies have been shortlisted for the coveted Processor of the Year Award including Rosti Automtive Larkhill which took the title in 2018, and Plastek UK which won it in 2017.

The finalists are:

Robbie Boorer, Boddingtons

Jake Hollins, UCP Zeller Plastik

Tom Sharp, Plastek UK

Best Business Initiative of the Year:

Andel Plastics

Aquapurge

Billygoats & Raincoats

Clean Tech and Plastipak 

OnePlastics Group

Plastek UK

PlastikCity

Synthotec

Best Environmental or Energy Efficiency Initiative of the Year:

Capital Valley Plastics and Aqua Cooling Systems

Clean Tech and Plastipak 

Matrix Plastics

Plastek UK

Rosti Automotive Larkhall

Best Recycled Plastic Product of the Year:

Billygoats & Raincoats

DuPoint Teijin Films

Quinn Packaging

Best Technology Application of the Year:

Connect 2 Cleanrooms

Kongsberg Automotive

RJG Technologies

Rosti Automotive Larkhall

Best Training & Development Programme of the Year:

Polymermedics

Rosti Automotive Larkhall

Solutions 4 Polymers

Consumer Product Design of the Year:

DS Smith Foams UK

RPC bpi protec

William J Inventions

Industrial Product Design of the Year:

Boddingtons Plastics

RPC Design and RPC Promens

Materials Innovation Award

Applied Polymer Technologies

Aquapurge

Distrupol

Dugdale

DuPont Teijin Films

Matrix Plastics

Polymer Compounders

RPC bpi protec

UB Plastics

Processor of the Year:

Plastech Moulding

Plastek UK

Polymermedics

Rosti Automotive Larkhall

Synthotec

Supplier Partnership Award for Ancillary Machinery:

Kawasaki Robotics UK

PCE Automation

Piovan UK

Plastech Solutions

Summit Systems

TH Plastics

ARBURG

Engel UK 

KraussMaffei Group UK

Supplier Partnership Award for Toolmaker:

Faulkner Moulds

Midas Pattern

ND Precision Products

Plastech Solutions

Unsung Hero:

Jack Baker, Plastech Solutions

Richard Evans, MGB Plastics

Ian Lowe, Summit Systems

Dr John F Rainey MBE, Denroy Plastics

Graham Sykes, MGB Plastics

Lydia Wheeler, ND Precision Products

Young Designer of the Year

Ben Capern, University of the West of England

Christopher Kay, DeMontfort University

Harry Moorman, Loughborough Design School

Rute Pereira Crespo Fiadeiro, Brunel University

Will Vickery, Brunel University

Table bookings for the gala dinner and awards ceremony are now available. Tickets include a champagne reception, four-course dinner, celebrity awards presentation and after-show entertainment.

Sponsors of the Plastics Industry Awards 2019 include Engel UK (Processor of the Year); Distrupol (Industrial Product Design); Plastech Solutions (Consumer Product Design); Sino Manufacturing (Best Technology Application); Meusburger (Apprentice or Trainee); Hasco (Supplier Partnership – Toolmaker); Motan Colortonic (Young Designer of the Year); RJG Technologies (Best Training and Development Programme); Krauss Maffei (Best Environmental or Energy Efficiency Initiative); PlastikCity (Supplier Partnership – Ancillary Machinery) and Summit Systems (Supplier Partnership – Prime Machinery).

The awards also enjoy the support of industry associations including The BPF (British Plastics Federation), BIDA (British Industrial Design Association), RECOUP (Recycling of Used Plastics), the GTMA, SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers), PMMDA (Polymer Machinery Manufacturers & Distributors Association), the SPRA (Scottish Plastics & Rubber Association) and Plastics News Europe.

For more information about the Plastics Industry Awards and online entry, visit: www.plasticsawards.com