Packaging technologist wins Lifetime Achievement Award

ANZ packaging technologist Keith Chessell has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) for his significant contribution to the packaging industry. He was one of three winners in the category, alongside Shahid Sheikh OBE from the UK 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,” said Pierre Pienaar, WPO President. “The discipline of packaging is one that is truly global. The World Packaging Organisation is in a unique position to identify leading practitioners from around the world who have consistently pushed the boundaries in advancing the art, science and application of packaging to serve the needs of an ever more demanding society. These prestigious awards will celebrate and preserve in perpetuity the collective achievements of these innovators.”

Employed by one company for 46 years, Chessell worked on Parsons, Cottee’s, Schweppes, Pepsi, Cadbury and Kraft/Mondelez in a range of management roles, including raw and packaging materials procurement; research and development, involving the innovation and launch of new products; and the relaunch of existing products and packaging.

Over the last 17 years his focus has been on training, education and assisting individuals and manufacturers in understanding the importance of sustainable packaging design. A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and recent recipient of AIP Life Membership, 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’s National Food Waste Strategy and also the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre.

According to AIP Executive Director Nerida Kelton, “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.”

Alongside his other contributions, Chessell also represents the Institute on the Standards Australia EV-021-03 Environmental Labelling Committee, has invested a significant amount of volunteer hours into the Sustainable Packaging TAC and Standards Committee, and has played an active role in the development of the Save Food Packaging Design Award.