Plastics Industry Awards 2014 finalists announced

The shortlist for the 2014 Plastics Industry Awards (PIAs) has been published today. Winners will be announced by comedian Al Murray, aka The Pub Landlord, at a glittering gala event on 24 October at the London Hilton on Park Lane. One of the few stand-up comedians to be asked by ITV to perform two Audience With…. shows, no-nonsense Al is known for his British Comedy Award-winning series Al Murray’s Happy Hour and his sitcom Time Gentlemen Please. Other work includes Al Murray’s Multiple Personality Disorder and his latest TV-series Compete for the Meat.

With 16 categories covering materials usage, product design, manufacturing, training and environmental performance, the PIAs highlight and recognise the best that the innovative UK plastics industry has to offer. This year’s black tie event is set to attract around 800 guests including supplier companies, OEM manufacturers, plastics processors, consultants, trainees and designers.

The 2014 ceremony will also feature a new category, Best Recycled Plastics Product of the Year, to recognise the strides that are being made in the design and development of products made from recycled plastic. Finalists in this new category include Camden Group, Holfeld Plastics, Linpac Packaging, Marmax Products, RPC Group, Warremarketing, Panel2Panel and Logoplaste UK. Logoplaste UK are also short listed for Best Energy & Environmental Initiative and the coveted Processor of the Year category along with Boddingtons Plastics, Nifco UK, Plastek UK and RPC Group.

Design companies on the consumer and industrial design shortlists include Cycloc, HJC Design, RPC Group, Smallfry, Boddingtons Plastics, Excelsior and Greaves Best Design, while four individuals have been shortlisted for Young Designer of the Year. A Personal Contribution to the Plastics Industry award will also be announced and given on the night to the person who has given exemplary service to the sector throughout his or her career.

Steve Crowhurst, managing director of Crain Communications UK which organises the PIAs, said: “We’ll be showing on the night the very best of what the country’s plastics industry can achieve across a range of manufacturing activities and disciplines. It’s going to be a great evening.”

This year’s judging panel included Dr Robin Kent, MD, Tangram Technology; Mercia Gick; Dr George Kellie, Chairman, KellieSolutions™; Julia Moore, Chief Executive, GTMA; Professor Gordon Smith, Head of the Polymer and Composites Materials Group, University of Warwick; Les Wynn, Manager of Experience Design and Covers Engineering, HCL Technologies Ltd.; John Whitehead, ex-Editor, PRW; Dr Peter Cox, Consultant, and Graeme Paterson, Director, Brightworks.

PIA platinum sponsors this year are Engel; Fanuc, and Krauss Maffei, while PIA gold sponsors are BMB Machinery; Distrupol; Hasco; Sabic; Sumitomo Demag, and Summit Systems. Event supporters are the British Plastics Federation; BIDA; the GTMA; PDM; PMMDA; The Polymer Training and Innovation Centre; PRE, and Recoup. The PMMDA also donates a money prize given to the winner of the Apprentice of Trainee of the Year.

Last year’s gala event was a sell-out so book your table early to avoid disappointment. Tickets include a champagne reception, four course dinner, celebrity awards presentation and after show entertainment.

For more information or to book visit www.plasticsawards.com or contact Jackie Hughes on jackiehughes@live.co.uk

Plastics Industry Awards 2014 Finalists:

Consumer Product Design of the Year
Cycloc
HJC Design
RPC Group
Smallfry

Industrial Product Design of the Year
Boddingtons Plastics
Excelsior
Greaves Best Design

Young Designer of the Year
Ainsley Cox
Thomas Hamilton
Jamie Mansfield
Lucinda Vieira-Martins

Best Recycled Plastic Product of the Year
Camden Group
Holfeld Plastics
Linpac Packaging
Logoplaste UK
Marmax Products
Panel2Panel
RPC Group
Warremarketing

Supplier Partnership – Polymer Distributor
Distrupol (two entries)
Hardie Polymers
Plastribution

Supplier Partnership – Polymer Producer
DuPont UK
Petlon Polymers

Supplier Partnership – Prime Machinery
BMB Plastics Machinery
Engel UK
Ferromatik Milacron
KraussMaffei Group UK
Negri Bossi
Premier Moulding Machinery
Sumitomo Demag

Supplier Partnership – Ancillary Machinery
KraussMaffei Group UK
Piovan
Sumitomo Demag
Summit Systems
TH Plastics
UPM Conveyors

Supplier Partnership – Masterbatch/Compound/Additive
Colourtone Masterbatch
Matrix Plastics

Supplier Partnership – Toolmaker
Interplex Select Moulds
Sprint Tool & Die

Apprentice or Trainee of the Year
Steve Amos of Logoplaste UK
Dan Box of Interplex Select Moulds
Anna Donaldson of Nifco UK
Giorgio Guarino of Interplex Select Moulds
Leon Hill of UCP Zeller
Mark Kerridge of Hypro UK
Nathan Scutt of Mason Pinder Toolmakers
Tom Sharp of Plastek UK
Thomas Sullivan of Fanuc

Best Technology Application of the Year
DRFP
DSM
Holfeld Plastics
Linpac Packaging

Best Energy or Environmental Initiative of the Year
Logoplaste UK
Motan Colortronic
Polythene UK

Best Business Initiative of the Year
G&A Moulding Technology
Plastek UK
Plastikcity
Polythene UK
Rosti UK

Best Training and Development Programme of the Year
DuPont Performance Polymers
G&A Moulding Technology
Hymid Multi Shot
Logoplaste UK
Rosti UK
RPC Group (RPC Containers, Oakham)

Processor the Year
Boddingtons Plastics
Logoplaste UK
Nifco UK
Plastek UK
RPC Group