MCC AND AMCOR WIN BIG AT FPLMA AWARDS

MCC and Amcor were the two big winners at the annual Flexo Packaging and Label Manufacturing Association awards, each walking away with a hatful of gongs after dominating their categories.

Between them they also scooped all the Best in Show awards, with MCC also picking up the Innovation award, at the industry’s night of nights in the glamorous Crown Palladium on Melbourne’s Southbank.

Amcor won Flexo Best in Show for its Cadbury's Dairy Milk job, while MCC won Labels Analogue Best in Show for its Bundaberg Campfire Rum label, printed at its Queensland facility, and took home Labels Digital Best in Show for its Primal Shiraz wine label, printed in Melbourne.

Both companies won the majority of awards in flexo and labels, on a night which saw 300 industry professionals from 85 companies welcomed to the awards by FPLMA secretary and MC for the night Tony Dalleore.

Rollspack, James Print and Ultra Labels were among the other winners on the night.

Paul Plunkett from Pakaflex won apprentice of the year from a field of seven outstanding candidates, and was presented with his prize by last year’s winner Matilda Milligan from Fildes.

Damien Williams from Pemara took home the Merit award, while Matt Ormond from Amcor was awarded Hall of Fame, and gave an impassioned speech on the need for the industry to support apprentices.

The FPLMA awards event has long been recognised as the best in the industry, and Friday did not disappoint, with an Abba dance routine to open the night, a spectacular Latino Salsa dancing exhibition, followed by a hugely popular Salsa, Bachata and Reggaeton dance class on the floor, and topped off with a terrific covers band that saw the industry boogie the night away. The three course meal served up by Crown during the evening could only be described as excellent.