Australian packaging industry figure Keith Chessell has received a Lifetime Achievement award from the World Packaging Organisation.
Chessell was one of three winners in the Lifetime Achievement category within the WorldStar Packaging Awards 2019 program.
A panel of international judges elected Chessell, as well as Shahid Sheikh OBE from the United Kingdom, and Gillian Loubser, from South Africa.
“The Lifetime Achievement in Packaging Award was established with the aim of acknowledging and rewarding excellence in all aspects of packaging science, technology, design and application across every country around the world,” WPO president Pierre Pienaar said.
Over the last 17 years, Chessell's focus has been on training, education and assisting individuals and manufacturers in understanding the importance of sustainable packaging design. In recent years, he has been a significant contributor to the technical side of all of the AIP industry-based Save Food and Fighting Food Waste programs with the federal government National Food Waste Strategy and also the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre.
Chessell told PKN Packaging News he was humbled by the recognition of his life's work in the field of packaging. "Different from many in the workforce today, I was with one company for 46 years, designing packaging for brands like Cadbury, Schweppes, Pepsi, Kraft and Cottee’s," Chessell said.
"I commenced in a quality control role working with both product and packaging for some almost extinct brands of Maxwell House and Parsons. Not long after I moved into a product and packaging planning & purchasing role."
AIP executive director Nerida Kelton said, "Keith's packaging technical expertise have ensured that the AIP programs are realistic and suited to packaging technologists and designers.
“He is an integral part of this team and has invested hundreds of hours in volunteering his time and knowledge to ensure that both programs have been developed and are underway in Australia and New Zealand."
The WorldStar Award Ceremony & Gala Dinner will take in Prague, Czech Republic, on 15 May, 2019.
