Futures in packaging look bright for student winners of GPI StarPack Awards

One of the market leaders in folding carton packaging, Graphic Packaging International (GPI), recently presented awards to students who responded to the company’s carton design briefs in the student and schools categories of the StarPack Awards 2016.

Nicholas Johnson of Loughborough University secured gold in the student category for his solution to GPI-sponsored brief ‘Barbecue fun in the sun!’. East Surrey College, Reigate School of Art, took gold in the schools category with its student’s response to GPI’s ‘Gift pack for your pet’ brief.

The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) organises the awards programme and the ceremony took place on June 29 at IOM3’s new offices in London. GPI representatives, Tom Garsed, marketing, design and innovation director, and Sinae Hudson, marketing analyst, presented the awards to the winners. Garsed said: “It was an enlightening day and good to meet some of the students looking for careers in packaging.”

A career in packaging is now looking promising for student winner, Nicholas, with judges describing his ‘Graze & Griddle Co’ barbecue carton pack as “a thoroughly researched and professionally executed design, which fulfilled the brief and considered the target audience.” Tom’s on-brand entry scooped him £500 in prize money and a week’s work experience at GPI’s state-of-the-art Global Innovation Centre in Bardon, Leicestershire.

Reigate School of Art was also awarded £500 for its student entries. The college’s entries impressed the judges with their thorough research, innovative ideas, well-executed graphics and superb model-making skills. All students answered the brief in a very creative way.

Sponsorship of the StarPack awards is an initiative that GPI considers extremely important for engaging and developing new talent. The high standard of the winning entries is something that GPI marketing manager, Nikki Clark, is particularly delighted with. She said: “The winning designs are outstanding. It’s encouraging to see high quality final products backed up with development work that demonstrates a considered thought process.

“We look forward to welcoming Nicholas on his placement in September and contributing to his first steps in what could be a very successful future in the packaging industry.”

Graphic Packaging International is one of the world’s largest producers of folding cartons, serving some of the most widely recognised companies worldwide.