Finalists for the Technology Excellence Awards have been announced by the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI). The award ceremony will take place at PACK EXPO at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 11-13, 2023. Produced by PMMI, PACK EXPO Las Vegas is the most comprehensive packaging and processing event in North America this year and will showcase over 2,000 suppliers offering solutions for 40 vertical markets and cover nearly one million square feet of exhibition space. The Technology Excellence Awards recognize the best new technology in packaging and processing being shown for the first time at a PACK EXPO event.

More than 80 solutions-suppliers submitted nominations for this year’s awards, which were reviewed by top professionals in the industry, including Aaron Hand, editor-in-chief, ProFood World; Anne Marie Mohan, senior editor, Packaging World; Keren Sookne, editor-in-chief, Healthcare Packaging; and Matt Reynolds, editor, Packaging World. 

The field was narrowed down to three finalists in four categories - Food/Beverage, General Packaging and Processing, Personal Care and Pharmaceutical, and Sustainability. 

Finalists in the Food/Beverage category are the Aneko Emsys from Aneko; precision servo technology that represents a breakthrough for high-pressure processing (HPP) machinery from JBT Corp.; and the QUANTM electric diaphragm pump from Graco Inc.

In the General Packaging & Processing category, the finalists are: AI enabled augmented reality for transforming packaging operations from Harpak-ULMA Packaging LLC; DairySeal featuring ClearCor Technology from Amcor Rigid Packaging; and the SOMIC 434 next-generation case packer featuring Rockwell ArmorKinetics from Somic Packaging Inc.

Finalists in the Personal Care/Pharmaceutical include: a child-resistant reclosable, high-barrier pouch – pill bottle replacement from Amcor Healthcare Packaging; CXV Global SmartFactory LineClearance Assistant™ (LCA) from Xyntek, a CXV Global company; and PEWO-pack 600 high-speed stretch-wrapper with high-end stretching technology from Pester USA Inc.

In the Sustainability category, the finalists include: Amcor HealthCare Recycle Ready Sachet from Amcor Healthcare Packaging; IMA Ilapak Delta OF-360 X from IMA North America Inc.; and SprayPET Revolution — the new 100% recyclable, all-polymer aerosol from Plastipak Packaging Inc.

PACK EXPO attendees are encouraged to visit the finalists’ booths to see the technologies live and vote for their favorite. Voting will take place live starting at show opening on Monday, September 11, through noon Tuesday, September 12, via the official show app or online. Winners will be announced after noon on Sept. 12. Registration for PACK EXPO Las Vegas is $30 until Aug.18, after which it increases to $130.For complete information on PACK EXPO Las Vegas and to register, visit packexpolasvegas.com.

To learn more, visit www.pmmi.org and www.packexpo.com.