Alupro has been announced as the latest sponsor of the 2022 Student Starpack Awards. Organised by the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3), the competition challenges university students to create innovative packaging solutions to solve problems set by leading brands.

As part of the agreement, Alupro has published a comprehensive brief, tasking applicants with designing the primary packaging for a daily personal care product using infinitely recyclable aluminium. The judges will be looking for a solution that can be easily manufactured in volume, have shelf appeal, marketability and be either reusable or fully-recyclable at the end of its useful life.

Alongside a cash prize of £500, the winner will be welcomed to one of Crown Packaging’s beverage can plants in either Leicester or Carlisle, to see the aluminium can production process first-hand. ALFED, the Aluminium Federation, will provide free training sessions outlining how best to use aluminium in packaging design to all students who complete the brief.

Tom Giddings, general manager of Alupro, commented: “Inspiring the next generation and encouraging more students to consider roles in the packaging industry is key to the sector’s continued progress. Initiatives like the Student Starpack Awards provide an excellent platform for applicants to really challenge convention and embrace creativity.

“Our 2022 brief aims to tackle a common recycling challenge – materials used in packaging for non-luxury personal care products. By highlighting the superiority of aluminium and promoting its recyclability through kerbside collection systems, we aim to encourage the packaging designers of tomorrow to prioritise more sustainable material choices and reduce their reliance on secondary packaging.” 

The Student Starpack Awards, established in 1964, aims to inspire the next generation of packaging experts by identifying, rewarding and supporting talented young people and their tutors, encouraging them to bring innovative new ideas to the UK’s ever-growing packaging industry.