2024 APPMA Awards of Excellence announced

The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) has announced the winners of the 2024 APPMA Awards of Excellence — the national awards program for the Australian packaging and processing industry. This year’s awards were presented at a gala dinner on 13 March, held as part of the inaugural APPEX exhibition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Australian Machinery Manufacturer Award – SME was won by Trimatt Systems for the Trimatt ColourStar AQ, an innovative short-run packaging colour digital print system. Tailored for paper and cardboard, the product is transforming the packaging printing industry, opening doors to new markets and opportunities.

The Australian Machinery Manufacturer Award – Corporate was won by Foodmach for the Robomatrix Dual Infeed, an innovative Australian palletising solution. The system utilises two ABB robots for simultaneous dual infeed and has the flexibility to accommodate various formats seamlessly.

Foodmach also won the Customer Systems Integration Award for crafting Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ (PRW) turnkey filling line, claimed to be the fastest combination filling line in the Southern Hemisphere. This intricate system handles 100+ products, boasting high flexibility across three different can diameters and glass bottles at 24,000 cans per hour.

The Sustainability Excellence Award was won by INOX Australia for its textile recovery processing project. INOX pioneered an 8000 L reactor vessel, dubbed BlockTexx, which divert 5000 kg of clothing textiles per batch from landfills. Through a partnership with Help Enterprises, the project creates jobs for people with disabilities, intercepting textile waste for a sustainable circular economy.

The Import & Distribution Machinery Award – Corporate was won by Abbe for its e-commerce packaging system, CMC Genesys, which tackles the environmental impact of excess packaging. Designed for high-volume, multi-line orders, CMC Genesys creates structurally optimised 3D boxes, cutting cardboard usage by up to 41% (with associated reductions in transport costs and CO₂ emissions).

The Packaging Design Innovation Award was won by Detpak, for collaborating with Mitolo Family Farms on a kerbside-recyclable paper bag for fresh potatoes. Combining ventilation, strength and light resistance, the paper-based packaging reduces plastic usage by 64%, equivalent to 8.2 tonnes less plastic annually.

The Digital Innovation Award was won by Triton Commercial Systems for its FUSION manufacturing execution system, utilised by Gundagai Meat Processors (GMP). FUSION offers comprehensive animal traceability, intricate pricing grids and Industry 4.0 innovations, and has had a transformative impact for GMP — enhancing traceability, data-driven decision-making, payment optimisation, stakeholder relations, efficiency and returns.

Finally, the Emerging Leader Award was won by Supriya Suhale, Beckhoff Automation’s Category Manager for Connectivity. Specialising in promoting Beckhoff’s IO products, Supriya’s strategic planning and ethical standards contribute to the company’s market share growth and CO₂ reduction initiatives. Beyond her professional achievements, she leads efforts to reduce greenhouse gases in traditional manufacturing as a green ambassador and volunteers to engage in humanitarian relief globally.

Image credit: iStock.com/Oat_Phawat