WinneEuropean Metal Packaging (Empac), the association bringing together European producers of rigid metal packaging, is fronting the creation of Metal Packaging Forum, an interactive showcase that will be a focal point for the international metal packaging industry and suppliers during Interpack 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Interpack 2011 will also be the venue for announcing the winner of Empac's student competition, Empac Challenge - The Next 200 Years, which will award the winning entrant with a €10,000 prize for coming up with the best way of raising the sustainability profile of metal packaging while benefiting consumers and manufacturers.
For 200 years metal packaging has preserved and protected the nutritious value of fresh food while helping to prevent food wastage. The can continues to evolve and, during the next two centuries, the challenge will be to continue to create additional innovations that will further reduce the CO2 footprint of metal packaging while benefiting consumers and manufacturers. Empac offers with this challenge students and young designers an opportunity to be part of this future.
"This competition is a great way to look at what features we can build into canned packaging in the future," says Gordon Shade, CEO Empac. "We focus on cost effectiveness and efficiency throughout the supply chain. Students may for example invent a special closing mechanism or a fresh style for the can. It could even be a new use for the can with food, paint or aerosols. We're particularly interested in any innovations geared towards improving our industry's sustainability profile."
Interpack is a leading trade fair for the packaging sector organised by Messe Düsseldorf and will take place on 12-18 May, 2011. The Metal Packaging Plaza is located in Hall 11 and will be one of the main features of the exhibition. The central part of the Plaza, Metal Packaging Forum, will offer visitors a unique experience that combines creative and interactive design which consumers and fillers can relate to with a strong focus on communicating core themes. The initative is supported by the German Metal Packaging Association, Verband Metallverpackungen (VMV) and Empac, representing the interests of the European metal packaging industry.
Empac is tasked with defending and promoting the rigid metal packaging industry in Europe by communicating on the sustainability and the many unique advantages of metal packaging. The organisation provides information and support to its members and regulatory bodies in the European Union and disseminates best manufacturing practice and guidelines through technical committees comprising acknowledged experts in their field. The industry comprises more than 150 companies and 50,000 employees producing in excess of 70 billion units a year.
Verband Metallverpackungen (VMV) represents the interests of the manufacturers of metal packaging and closures for bottles and glass vessels in Germany. These number some 50 companies with over 10,000 employees. The association's main task is to support its members in professional, economic, environmental and technical issues at national level. Members benefit also from VMV's wide-ranging national and international network which guarantees representation of the interests of members in the business, technical and environmental fields.