A.Packaging Excellence Awards

The Packaging Excellence Awards category honors exceptional achievements in packaging design, print, converting, and fulfillment across the Middle East and Africa. This esteemed award recognizes companies that excel in technology, innovation, print quality, and overall performance, setting a high standard for the industry.

The award highlights those driving industry progress through cutting-edge printing, creative design, and advanced production techniques, setting a benchmark for quality and sustainability. It honors companies that push the boundaries of packaging design, printing, finishing, and fulfillment, inspiring others in the region to elevate their standards.

We invite packaging designers, printers, and converters from the MEA region to showcase their innovative work, with entries evaluated on print quality, finishing techniques, and overall production excellence.

1. PACKAGING DESIGN AGENCY OF THE YEAR

The Packaging Design Agency of the Year award recognizes agencies that excel in creativity, innovation, and design excellence.

2. PACKAGING STUDENT OF THE YEAR

The “Outstanding Packaging Student of the Year” award honors students from the MEA region specializing in packaging, print design, and related fields.

3. CARTON PACKAGING CONVERTER OF THE YEAR

The “Carton Packaging Converter of the Year” award recognizes excellence in the Mono and Folding Carton packaging sector across the MEA region. It honors packaging printers and converters who demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship, technical innovation, and forward-thinking solutions.

4. Flexible Packaging Converter of the Year

The “Flexible Packaging Converter of the Year” award honors industry leaders in innovation, quality, and impactful packaging printing and converting solutions across the MEA region.

5. Label Printer-Converter of the Year

The “Label Printer-Converter of the Year” award recognizes excellence in label printing and converting within the MEA region, celebrating innovative, high-quality, and sustainable labels that make a market impact.

6. Digital Label Printer-Converter of the Year

The Digital Label Printer-Converter of the Year award celebrates outstanding achievement in digital label printing, converting, and finishing. This prestigious accolade honors industry leaders who set new benchmarks through exceptional technical expertise, innovative design, and sustainable practices.

7. Rigid BoxConverter of the Year

The “Rigid Box Converter of the Year” category at the PRIME Awards celebrates innovation, craftsmanship, and sustainability in the rapidly growing rigid box packaging sector.

8. FFS Packaging Company of the Year

This special award honors brand owners, bottlers, and converters in both food & beverage and non-food sectors who excel in Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) packaging.

9. Rigid Plastic Converter of the Year

The Rigid Plastic Converter of the Year category at the Prime Awards 2025 honors companies excelling in sustainable rigid packaging solutions.  Rigid plastics are crucial in industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care, and household products, offering durability, versatility, and effective product protection.

b.Excellence in Sustainable Packaging Innovation

The PRIME Awards Category B, focused on Packaging Sustainability, celebrates innovations that reduce packaging’s environmental impact through eco-friendly materials, efficient designs, and sustainable practices.

Companies can participate by showcasing their efforts in material use (renewable, recyclable, or biodegradable), waste reduction, energy efficiency, and promoting a circular economy.

Entries are judged on their ability to reduce environmental footprints while fostering innovation, setting industry benchmarks, and encouraging best practices.

Winning or being nominated for this prestigious award enhances a company’s reputation as a leader in sustainability, attracting both consumers and investors aligned with eco-conscious values.

10. Sustainable Brand Owner of the Year

The Sustainable Brand Owner of the Year award honors brands that are leading the way in transforming the packaging industry through measurable and impactful actions.

11. Sustainable Carton PackagingConverter of the Year

The “Sustainable Carton Packaging Converter of the Year” award recognizes excellence in the Mono and Folding Carton packaging sector across the MEA region, highlighting sustainable design, innovation, and production.

12. Flexible Packaging Converter of the Year - Sustainability

The “Sustainable Flexible Packaginghonors awards companies leading innovation and environmental responsibility in flexible packaging.

13. Packaging Recycler of the Year

The “Packaging Recycler of the Year” award at the PRIME Awards 2025 celebrates exceptional recycling initiatives within the Middle East & Africa region. It recognizes companies in the plastics, paper, and packaging industries that have developed effective and innovative recycling ecosystems.

14. Packaging Education School of the Year

The Packaging Education School of the Year award recognizes schools and educational institutions that excel in integrating sustainability into education, with a focus on packaging waste and recycling.

c. Organisational Honours Award

The Organizational Honours Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates excellence, innovation, and sustainability in the packaging industry.

Open to a broad range of organizations—including brand owners, packaging converters, printers, recyclers, and educational institutions—the award honors those who lead the way in promoting and implementing sustainable practices.

To win, organizations must demonstrate concrete achievements in areas such as sustainable packaging design, waste reduction, recycling, and innovation in materials or processes that contribute to a circular economy.

The award highlights the organization’s leadership and commitment to advancing sustainability, setting a benchmark for others in the industry.

Winning the Organizational Honours positions a company as a recognized leader in packaging innovation, inspiring further advancements in sustainability and fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the sector.

15. Best Company to Work For

The Best Company to Work For award recognizes organizations within the packaging and manufacturing sectors that foster positive, empowering, and supportive work environments. This prestigious accolade celebrates companies where employees are valued, motivated, and encouraged to perform at their highest potential.

16. CSR Project of the Year

The CSR Project of the Year at the PRIME Awards recognizes companies across the packaging value chain that use packaging to create a positive social and environmental impact.

d. Leadership Excellence Awards

The PRIME Awards 2025 introduces two prestigious Leadership Awards to honor visionary leaders in the packaging industry across the MEA region.

The Outstanding Packaging Woman Personality of the Year will recognize a female leader who has made significant contributions through innovation, leadership, and promoting gender inclusivity.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will celebrate an individual with over 30 years of impact, honoring their legacy of leadership, sustainability, and industry advancement.

Both awards acknowledge those who have shaped the future of packaging and inspired lasting change within their organizations and the industry at large.

17. Packaging Woman Personality of the Year

The Packaging Woman Personality of the Year award at the PRIME Awards 2025 celebrates the extraordinary contributions of women shaping the future of the packaging industry. Recognizing female leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals across the MEA region, this award honors those driving innovation, advancing sustainability, and making a significant impact within the sector.

18. Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award at the PRIME Awards 2025 honors an individual who has made extraordinary and lasting contributions to the packaging industry in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

Packaging Design Agency of the Year

Applicants must demonstrate cutting-edge design techniques, originality, and alignment with brand identity. Sustainability is a key focus, emphasizing eco-friendly materials and carbon footprint reduction.

Judges will evaluate technical expertise in artwork quality, advanced printing methods, and the agency’s ability to adapt to regional market needs and collaborate effectively with clients.

Industry recognition will also play a role in the evaluation process.

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Packaging Student of the Year

This award seeks to celebrate excellence in packaging design by recognizing creativity, technical expertise, and innovation. To qualify, participants must develop a physical prototype that not only stands out on the shelf but also enhances the consumer experience.

Submissions will be judged based on originality, the design process, technical execution, ergonomics, and practical relevance.

Above all, the award encourages students to explore new and bold ideas that push the limits of packaging design in terms of both aesthetics and functionality.

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Carton Packaging Converter of the Year

Open to professionals in the Food & Beverage, Cosmetics, Beauty, Tobacco, and Pharma sectors, the award celebrates achievements in printing, converting, finishing, and embellishment. Submissions will be evaluated on innovative solutions to industry challenges, with a focus on high-quality print converting, luxury embellishments, sustainability, and food-safe packaging.

Evaluations will also consider substrate structure, inks, coatings, foiling, and other applications in both primary and secondary packaging production.

Winners will showcase versatility, creativity, and technical precision, using cutting-edge technology to create packaging with strong market impact.

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Flexible Packaging Converter of the Year

Open to printers and converters specializing in Flexography, Gravure, and Offset printing, the award celebrates excellence in printing, coating, converting, finishing, and embellishment.

Focused on technical innovation and creative design, the award honors those who push boundaries in flexible packaging. Submissions must demonstrate versatility across food and non-food sectors, offering high-quality, sustainable solutions that meet market needs. The award highlights those who combine creativity with technical precision and environmental responsibility, ensuring strong shelf impact and contributing to a circular economy.

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Label Printer-Converter of the Year

It recognizes outstanding achievements in producing self-adhesive labels, wraparound labels, shrink sleeves, and in-mold labels using Flexography, Gravure, Offset, Rotary Letterpress, Intermittent Offset, Hybrid Printing, and Silkscreenand hybrid technologies.

The award honors achievements in label printing, coating, converting, finishing, and embellishment, with a focus on technical expertise and creative innovation. Submissions are judged on their ability to create labels with strong shelf impact using advanced printing techniques and innovative design. Special attention is given to label stock selection, unique features, and sustainable practices, including the use of eco-friendly materials and carbon footprint reduction.

Open to printers and converters in the food & beverage, FMCG, and non-food sectors, this award highlights those who deliver impactful, high-quality, and sustainable label solutions.

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Digital Label Printer-Converter of the Year

Recognizing excellence in the production of self-adhesive labels, wraparound labels, shrink sleeves, and in-mold labels, the award focuses on the use of advanced inkjet, toner-based, and hybrid digital technologies.

It also highlights superior craftsmanship in printing, coating, converting, finishing, and embellishment, while acknowledging efforts to drive environmental sustainability in digital label production.

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Rigid BoxConverter of the Year

Known for its premium quality and durability, rigid box packaging plays a crucial role across industries like luxury goods, electronics, cosmetics, gifting, and high-end retail.

This award honors companies that push the boundaries of design and functionality, creating custom solutions that offer superior protection while enhancing brand appeal.

Rigid boxes are highly valued for their robust construction and elegant presentation, ensuring the safe transport of high-value products while delivering an exceptional consumer unboxing experience.

As demand for luxury bespoke packaging grows, the Rigid Box Converter of the Year category honors companies that set new industry standards in innovation, quality, and design, blending luxury with premium craftsmanship.

Entries should reflect a commitment to both cutting-edge packaging solutions and sustainability, elevating the consumer experience in the luxury market.

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FFS Packaging Company of the Year

This prestigious award celebrates innovations that combine performance, automation, and sustainability, focusing on advancements in energy-efficient machinery, waste reduction, and packaging processes.

With a strong emphasis on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), the award recognizes companies that leverage automation to enhance speed, precision, and efficiency, setting new standards insustainability and technological innovation.

The winners of this award will demonstrate how cutting-edge FFS technology drives operational efficiency, environmental responsibility, and high-quality packaging, positioning them as leaders in the future of rigid as well as flexible packaging formats like bottles, pouches, bags, and sachets. This accolade highlights the industry’s progress toward greater OEE, performance, and sustainability.

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Rigid Plastic Converter of the Year

This prestigious award celebrates innovations that blend eco-friendly practices, recyclability, and mono-material solutions, promoting a transition to a circular economy.

The award recognizes companies leading in sustainability, design excellence, and manufacturing innovation, with a focus on those driving eco-conscious packaging solutions. Entries should highlight measurable achievements in recycling, waste reduction, and resource optimization while showcasing advancements in design and functionality.

Winning this award positions a company as a leader in sustainable packaging innovation, recognizing cutting-edge technologies and impactful design that set new standards for the packaging industry. To succeed, participants must demonstrate industry compliance, sustainability certifications, and a clear commitment to eco-friendly practices.

As rigid plastics continue to evolve, this award spotlights those driving sustainability, quality, and responsible manufacturing to meet the needs of modern industries and consumers.

Entries in this category may include packaging made from a variety of resins and polymers, including:

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

Polyethylene (PE)

Polypropylene (PP)

Polystyrene (PS)

Polycarbonate (PC)

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Emerging bio-based plastics

These materials are used in applications across sectors like food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, cosmetics and personal care, consumer goods, and automotive and industrial packaging.

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Sustainable Brand Owner of the Year

This prestigious recognition celebrates brand owners across both the food and non-food sectors who have successfully adopted circular packaging models, reducing waste, minimizing carbon footprints, and improving recyclability.

This award is aimed at brands that have gone beyond setting sustainability goals to deliver real, tangible results that contribute to a more eco-conscious future.

It acknowledges those who have made significant strides in turning sustainability commitments into measurable outcomes, advancing the circular

This award is open to brand owners in the food and non-food sectors who have implemented substantial sustainability initiatives within their packaging.

Candidates must provide clear evidence of their efforts to make packaging more sustainable, demonstrating measurable environmental impact and a strong commitment to promoting a circular economy.

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Sustainable Carton Packaging Converter of the Year

It honors companies that lead in creating eco-friendly, paper-pulp, and fiber-based packaging solutions with a strong focus on environmental responsibility.

Entries should showcase packaging that reduces environmental impact through sustainable materials, design, and recycling. Preference will be given to companies with relevant certifications and sustainability credentials.

This award celebrates organizations driving the shift toward a more sustainable, circular packaging future.

Winning positions a company as a leader in sustainable packaging, underscoring its commitment to both innovation and environmental stewardship.

It’s a must-enter category for those pushing the boundaries of sustainable packaging design and production.

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Flexible Packaging Converter of the Year - Sustainability

This award celebrates advancements in mono-material, recyclable packaging solutions that enhance recyclability, promote circularity, and reduce environmental impact.

It recognizes flexible films and laminates used in primary and secondary packaging, with a focus on sustainable materials, production processes, and designs that close the loop in the packaging lifecycle.

Companies developing renewable or bio-based resins and polymers are also acknowledged for advancing packaging solutions that support material collection, sorting, and recycling.

Participants are encouraged to showcase sustainable, functional designs that prioritize eco-friendly materials, carbon footprint reduction, and recyclability.

The award also recognizes technical excellence and the commercial success of sustainable packaging innovations driving market growth.

Open to companies committed to sustainability through innovation, preference will be given to those with relevant certifications and sustainability credentials that demonstrate their environmental stewardship.

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Packaging Recycler of the Year

This prestigious award honors businesses that have established comprehensive infrastructures for collecting, sorting, washing, and reintegrating materials—such as plastics and paper—back into the supply chain as valuable recycled content. It highlights companies that are scaling their operations to drive measurable environmental benefits and advancing sustainable recycling practices.

Winning this award positions a company as a leader in the recycling sector, reinforcing its commitment to a circular economy and driving further innovation in sustainability. It also serves as an inspiration for others to adopt eco-friendly practices and contribute to the creation of a more resource-efficient, environmentally-conscious packaging future.

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Packaging Education School of the Year

This award celebrates institutions that teach students about the environmental impact of packaging, particularly plastics, while actively contributing to the circular economy through hands-on recycling initiatives.

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Best Company to Work For

Entries are judged on key factors including employee satisfaction, retention, leadership quality, innovation, safety standards, sustainability efforts, and career development initiatives.

Winning this award establishes your company as a leader in workplace excellence, setting a benchmark for talent attraction, retention, and industry best practices.

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CSR Project of the Year

This award celebrates initiatives that integrate sustainability, community development, and social responsibility, particularly through cause-based packaging that addresses global challenges like environmental degradation and social inequality.

Open to brand owners and packaging manufacturers (including printers, converters, and co-packers), the category highlights those using packaging to drive social good, especially in underserved communities.

Submissions will be judged on innovation, impact, and the company’s commitment to long-term sustainability and social responsibility.

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Packaging Woman Personality of the Year

Why It Matters
Women continue to be underrepresented in the packaging industry, and this award aims to elevate their voices and spotlight their achievements. By highlighting the success stories of female role models, it inspires the next generation to enter, thrive, and lead in the sector, promoting greater gender diversity and inclusion across the industry.

The Packaging Woman Personality of the Year award recognizes individuals who not only excel in their careers but are also committed to fostering leadership, driving positive change, and inspiring others. This prestigious recognition serves as a platform to amplify the achievements of women in packaging and encourages future leaders to innovate, break barriers, and lead the way within the industry.

We invite nominations and applications from women whose outstanding contributions are making a lasting impact on the packaging world.

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Lifetime Achievement Award

This prestigious award recognizes leaders, visionaries, and pioneers whose work has significantly shaped the packaging sector, leaving a transformative impact both regionally and globally.

To be eligible, nominees must have a minimum of 30 years of active involvement in the packaging industry, demonstrating exceptional leadership across innovation, sustainability, research, education, and community engagement.

Beyond technical expertise, recipients will be celebrated for their ability to inspire, mentor, and guide the next generation of packaging professionals.

This award serves as a platform to acknowledge individuals whose enduring influence continues to drive the packaging industry toward greater sustainability, innovation, and global impact.

Why This Award Matters

The Lifetime Achievement Award is more than a recognition of past accomplishments; it celebrates individuals who have fundamentally shaped the packaging industry and paved the way for future advancements.

Their work continues to inspire the next generation of leaders and plays a pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable and innovative packaging future in the MEA region and globally.

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