Last night, the winners of the Label Industry Global Awards 2023 were announced during the first evening of Labelexpo Europe at Brussels Expo.

Now in its 18th edition, the Label Industry Global Awards recognize those organizations and individuals who have excelled in the label and package printing sector through innovation and personal example.

The Label Industry Global Awards 2023 judging panel consisted of Philippe Voet, president of FINAT; Tim McDonough, TLMI Chairman; Chelsea McDougall, editor of Labels & Labeling; Greg Hrinya, editor of Label & Narrow Web; and Jean Poncet, editor of Etiq & Pack. The judging panel was chaired by Andy Thomas-Emans, strategic director of the Labels & Packaging Group.

This year, there were a total of seven awards: the Global Achievement Award, the New Global Team Achievement Award, the Innovation Award (for companies with up to 300 employees), the Innovation Award (for companies with more than 300 employees) the Rising Star Award, the Sustainability Award and Converter of the Year.

The Team Achievement Award was introduced for the first time and was awarded to Mercian Labels and its partners Screen, CERM and ABG for their 6-year ‘lights-out’ converting project. The award recognizes the critical importance of teamwork and is open to industry suppliers, converters and end users.

Lintec Corporation won the Innovation Award for companies with more than 300 employees. This award is for the development of a specific innovation by a supplier or converter company in 2022.

The Label Awards judging panel said: “Lintec impressed the judges with its new polyester-based adhesive, which will greatly assist in the development of a circular materials economy by assisting in the clean separation of PET container waste.”

The award for the Innovation Award for companies with up to 300 employees went to CARTES who impressed the judges with its fully automated end-to-end digital embellishment line, which integrates inkjet embellishment, digital metalization and laser die cutting modules.

Tommy Schouten won the Rising Star Award. The judges were impressed with his drive and passion for process optimization and continuous improvement which marked him out as a future industry leader.

The Sustainability Award went to UPM Raflatac, for the company’s Ocean Action Label, made from ocean bound plastic, which is a major step towards creating a real commercial market for plastic waste.

The Converter of the Year Award was won by Baker Labels. The judges were impressed with the culture of the company which encourages among its 112 staff a passion for continuous learning, inclusivity and an active participation in a wide range of charitable and local community initiatives.

The final award, the prestigious Global Achievement Award, went to GEW founder Malcolm Rae. The Global Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has made a key contribution to the promotion and growth of the label industry and has been a high-profile industry influencer and motivator.

The Label Awards judging panel commented, “Malcolm Rae is a worthy winner of the Global Achievement Award. This recognizes his unique contribution, through GEW, the company he founded, to the narrow web industry’s transition to UV curing and to the subsequent technological development of the UV curing industry.”

Andy Thomas-Emans, chair of the judging panel said: “We have been very impressed by the high quality of entries received for this year’s Label Industry Global Awards. I would like to thank everybody who submitted nominations and on behalf of the judging panel, I would like to congratulate all the winners and finalists. The full range of innovation, team energy and powerful sustainability initiatives shone through during the judging process.”

Jade Grace, managing director, Labelexpo Global Series commented: “I would like to congratulate all of this year’s Label Industry Global Awards finalists and winners. I would also like to thank our sponsors – Gallus, Bobst, Durst, GEW, Flint Group and Labels & Labeling magazine – for their support in making these awards possible and supporting innovation in our industry.”