European Carton Excellence Award: new entry date and digital entry

The carton and cartonboard industry continues to admirably meet the challenges thrown up by COVID-19 and thanks to everyone in these trying times. The industry has demonstrated its strength, resilience, innovation and determination to rise above adversity. This year, perhaps more than ever before, Pro Carton and ECMA are keen to recognise the skills of our industry’s employees, their engagement and great personal commitment, through our annual award scheme. The European Carton Excellence Awards in 2020 will recognise ingenuity, technical brilliance and creativity as well as pure aesthetic beauty. However, due to the restrictions in working practices we have made some minor changes to the rules and the closing date has been extended by two weeks to 5th June to allow you a little more time to submit your entries. Ideally, you should send in your physical samples as normal (except this year we would like to have 4 samples). In addition, however, please include 3-5 photos of your entry and, if possible, a short video with your on-line submission. Try to ensure that your company name is not shown, as the judging is always done without knowledge of the entrant’s name. If, however, you are unable to send in the physical samples at this time you can still enter the competition by sending in the photos and video. Judging Phase 1: Shortlisting A selection of up to 30 cartons will be selected by the jury to go on to the shortlist (this will be used for the public vote). Judging Phase 2: Physical judging If not already supplied, physical samples of all the shortlisted finalists will be required to be sent to The Hague. The judges will receive one set of the shortlisted cartons each. The jury meeting will take place as an on-line meeting. As the ECMA Congress has been cancelled for 2020, the winners will be announced at a date to be agreed later in the year either at a specially arranged event or, if this is unfeasible, a virtual ceremony on-line. Please let us know if you have any questions or special requests – we will do our best to answer them to ensure we have a truly successful awards competition this year. Looking forward to receiving your entries. Good luck, Tony Hitchin General Manager