Innovation and creativity: the importance of young talent for the packaging industry
The Pro Carton Young Designers Award is where tomorrow’s sustainable packaging first enters the spotlight. For years, MM Group has followed the innovative impulses each new generation brings to the industry, and MM Board & Paper has been a long-time sponsor of the event – donating the cartonboard from which the young creatives shape their designs.
Young talent and creative newcomers
From across Europe, young creatives travel to the Pro Carton Young Designers Award to unveil their packaging prototypes on the big stage. MM Group is sponsoring the event, and, in April, hosted the 2024 national winners for a two-day workshop at the company’s headquarters. During the workshop, they worked shoulder to shoulder with the Innovation Teams from MM Board & Paper and MM Packaging – and visited MM Premium’s production facility and innovation center to experience firsthand the creation of bespoke packaging for major brands.
Shelf presence at the forefront
In order to win over Uhlmann as a juror, the packaging designs need strong shelf appeal. As Innovation Director for Beauty & Personal Care, Uhlmann knows the industry trends inside and out and explains that the ‘premiumisation’ of branded products, (i.e. an increase in value through prestigious differentiation on the shelf*), is becoming a key factor for his customers. Uhlmann sees a customer-centred approach as an important evaluation criterion for his decision. He emphasises the importance of viewing packaging with a 360-degree approach, in which several factors must be considered: the user-friendliness and practicality of the packaging, as well as sustainable material use and recyclability. Uhlmann’s evaluation criteria reflect the innovation guidelines that are driving the fibre-based packaging industry forward.
A platform for cartonboard innovations
The Pro Carton Young Designers Award is organised by Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers. It is presented as part of the annual awards programme, which also includes the prestigious European Carton Excellence Award and the Pro Carton Student Video Award. This year’s award ceremony will take place on 18 September in Istanbul. ‘I am really looking forward to seeing the submissions,’ said Uhlmann, “and I’m sure consumers will be seeing some of this year’s prize-winning designs on shelves in the near future.’
