Issue No. 8
September 2026
Australasian Packaging Industry Monthly Newsletter CPP
CERTIFIED PACKAGING PROFESSIONAL
2026 Master of Food & Packaging Innovation degree In partnership with
Certified Packaging Professional designation
AIP activities CPD accredited
PIABC Approved Training Academy
Globally Recognised Education
IN THIS ISSUE: pages 2-4
New Fundamentals of Packaging Technology Graduates
Mark Eric Trinidad AAIP
Sandini Vishmika AAIP
page 5
AIP Welcomes New Member from Yates Group Maisha Maliha AAIP
pages 34-35
HELD ALONGSIDE
2x AIP Training Courses Tuesday 13 October 2026 Wednesday 14 October 2026 2026 Hanoi Packaging Forum Thursday 15 October 2026
MEMBER
SUPPORTING SIGNATORY
CORE PARTICIPANT
FOUNDING PARTNER
SUPPORTER
PIABC APPROVED TRAINING ACADEMY
AIP: PEAK PROFESSIONAL BODY FOR PACKAGING EDUCATION & TRAINING IN AUSTRALASIA
Premium packaging, at an affordable price.
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September 2026
AIP welcomes Gold Corporate Partner - Confoil
AIP Welcomes New Gold Corporate Partner Confoil The AIP would like to welcome our newest Gold Corporate Partner, Confoil. Confoil are a proudly Australian-owned food packaging manufacturer with 60 years of local manufacturing experience. What began as a family business has grown into a trusted partner for leading food manufacturers, processors and retailers across Australia and beyond. Their portfolio spans foil, paperboard and moulded pulp, giving customers genuine choice to suit their product, budget and sustainability goals. Confoil continue to invest in smarter, sustainable packaging, exploring new materials and formats to support their customers for years to come. Confoil brings a rare mix of manufacturing expertise, cost stability, and sustainability to today's packaging market, backed by real local production. As global costs continue to shift, that combination of reliability and value is what sets us apart. Their locally made SupaFoil and DualPak trays reflect that value in practice. Both are engineered to perform at every stage of the supply chain, from cold chain storage through to the table, while remaining a cost-effective alternative to imported trays. It's this pairing of consistent technical performance and competitive pricing that positions them as a packaging partner you can rely on.
Confoil are proud to announce they are a new Gold Corporate Partner of the AIP.
Contact us: P: +61 3 8720 1966 | confoil.com.au
"We are proud to announce that Confoil has joined the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP) as a Gold Sponsor. This partnership reflects Confoil's ongoing commitment to supporting the Australian packaging industry, driving innovation, sustainability, and excellence across the sector.
As a Gold Sponsor, Confoil looks forward to strengthening our engagement with the AIP community, collaborating with industry leaders, and supporting initiatives that help shape the future of packaging. We are excited to be part of the AIP community and look forward to contributing to a stronger, more innovative, and sustainable packaging industry."
Scott Henschke, Director of Sales & Marketing, Confoil Australia & New Zealand
September 2026
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September 2026
AIP welcomes Gold Corporate Partner - IPE Pack
AIP Welcomes New Gold Corporate Partner IPE Pack The AIP would like to welcome our newest Gold Corporate Partner, IPE Pack & Technology. With more than 30 years dedicated to barrier shrink packaging, IPE Pack & Technology brings specialist knowledge, advanced manufacturing, and technical expertise to customers across the meat, smallgoods, poultry, cheese and seafood industries. Established in 1998, IPE has grown into one of the world's leading specialist manufacturers of barrier shrink bags, films and casings. With advanced manufacturing capabilities spanning multilayer extrusion, printing, and converting, including structures up to 13 layers, IPE develops high-performance packaging solutions designed to extend shelf life, improve product protection and presentation, reduce food and packaging waste, and support the transition towards more sustainable packaging. IPE Pack & Technology Oceania provides customers across Australia and New Zealand with local technical, commercial and supply-chain support, backed by IPE's global manufacturing, R&D and innovation capabilities.
"IPE Pack & Technology joined the AIP as a Partner because we believe the future of packaging will be shaped through education, collaboration and the sharing of technical knowledge across our industry. As barrier shrink specialists, we have significant experience in shelf-life extension, food-waste reduction, material optimisation, and the transition towards more sustainable flexible packaging structures.
IPE Pack are proud to announce they are a new Gold Corporate Partner of the AIP. As Barrier Shrink Specialists, their focus is not simply on supplying packaging, but working alongside processors, retailers and industry partners to develop practical solutions for the changing requirements of food safety, sustainability, recyclability, and packaging performance. Contact: info@hq-plastic.com
Partnering with the AIP gives us the opportunity not only to continue learning, but also to contribute our knowledge and experience to the broader packaging community. For IPE, the partnership is about being an active participant in the industry—working together to develop better packaging solutions, support the next generation of packaging professionals and help move the industry towards a more sustainable future." Warwick Armstrong, Managing Director – Oceania, IPE Pack & Technology
September 2026
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Corporate Partner News - interpack China
interpack China 2026 Preview: Tackling Packaging Challenges with Actionable Solutions In today’s rapidly evolving market, packaging companies face an increasingly complex set of challenges. Fluctuating raw material prices and supply chains, the ongoing balancing act between cost and quality, and the need for frequent line changeovers to accommodate multiple SKUs are putting heavy pressure on operations. When combined with stricter mandates for automation, compliance, and sustainability, these factors are profoundly shaping production strategies and business decisions.
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September 2026
Scheduled for 16–18 November 2026 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), interpack China 2026 will showcase equipment, materials, and technologies spanning the entire packaging industry chain. As a member of the interpack alliance—the global network for processing and packaging trade fairs—this year’s event focuses on live, practical technology demonstrations. You will discover a highly relevant, real-world content program designed to help you source actionable solutions you can immediately implement on the shop floor.
Corporate Partner News - interpack China
Discover Global Packaging at the World of Packaging: interpack China 2026 Unveils International Exhibitor Lineup Connecting global packaging innovations with the Chinese market, interpack China 2026 will host exhibitors from 12 countries and regions. The trade fair offers comprehensive, one-stop processing and packaging solutions for buyers across key sectors, including food, beverages, confectionery, bakery, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, consumer goods (non-food), and industrial goods. Leading international brands including Multivac, INCOE, Earflap, Unicontrols, KOCH, Waldner, LAWER, sykell, Langguth, KYCZ, NUEVOPAK, Aasted, SUPER DRY, Knack, NAMYANG, HANWA, Stora Enso, ASTRONOVA, NORDMECCANICA, SATO Hansin, TG, Papkot, KYORAKU have confirmed their participation.
To address these diverse needs, interpack China 2026 is introducing dedicated navigation routes. Designed around real-world production scenarios, these curated routes directly target the industry's most pressing concerns—from navigating material price hikes and supply cuts, to achieving cost efficiency, meeting new compliance standards, and safely ramping up capacity. The program features nine specialised tracks: AI & Smart Packaging, Plastic Packaging, Paper Packaging, Food & Beverage, Home/ Personal Care/Cosmetics, Foodservice/Coffee/ Tea, Logistics/Cross-Border E-Commerce, Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare, and Pet Food. Each route guides you to the most relevant machinery and material suppliers, ensuring a highly efficient, customised sourcing experience that aligns with your business requirements.
Meet them this November
interpack China 2026 Introduces Navigation Routes to Tackle Packaging Pain Points Driven by new material trends, rapid product iterations, and shifting production models, the packaging industry must be more agile than ever. Manufacturers are asking critical questions: Can our production lines handle new materials? Is our equipment flexible enough for faster changeovers? How do we maintain strict quality control despite rising costs? Furthermore, priorities vary significantly by sector. Food and beverage producers focus on shelf-life and high throughput; Cosmetics brands must balance multi-SKU flexibility with premium aesthetics; and pharmaceutical companies prioritise stability, requiring flawless barrier protection and clear labelling. Meanwhile, logistics and cross-border e-commerce rely heavily on transit durability and processing efficiency.
Packaging Extreme Challenges: Live Demonstrations to Overcome Real-World Production Hurdles Many packaging professionals face a common dilemma: no matter how thoroughly technical specifications are reviewed or physical samples inspected, unforeseen issues often arise once full-scale production begins. Under intense realworld conditions—such as heavy-duty filling, high-temperature sterilisation, long-haul transit, and frequent line changeovers—packaging failures frequently lead to significant capacity loss and inflated operational costs.
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Corporate Partner News - interpack China
To give attendees firsthand visibility into how technologies truly perform, interpack China 2026 is upgrading 'Packaging Extreme Challenges' sector. By replicating shop-floor environments right on the exhibition floor, this interactive area puts materials, products, and machinery to the ultimate stress test, validating their reliability where it matters most. You will experience a powerful lineup of live demonstrations at interpack China 2026. Highlights include spouted pouch capable of withstanding up to 100 kg of applied pressure without bursting, resealable lidding film that maintains its hold after 50 uses, and multiformat packaging machine that completes full line changeovers in just 30 seconds. The event will also showcase hot-melt box sealer running at 40–100 boxes per minute, pan-AI X-ray inspection system detecting foreign bodies as small as 0.1 mm, automatic thermoforming machine achieving 80–90% sheet utilisation with an energy draw of just 11 kWh, powder packaging machine executing 80+ cuts per minute, and sanitary incline conveyor designed for 30-second cleaning cycles.
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September 2026
Moving far beyond the limitations of traditional brochures and technical spec sheets, this immersive experience allows you to instantly verify how well solutions will perform on your own production lines, helping you pinpoint exactly what you need to overcome your specific operational bottlenecks. Discover the future of packaging at interpack China 2026, taking place 16–18 November 2026 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Register today to secure fast-track entry, visitor gifts, and special rewards for group delegations!
Claim your free ticket
OVER
50
CELEBRATING OVER 50 YEARS OF INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE
PREVIOUS AWARDS SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING RECYCLABILITY INITIATIVE
GOLD WINNER
SQUEEZEPAK™ SAUCE BOTTLE WITH 100% RECYCLED FOOD GRADE PLASTICS PIDA Gold Award (Sustainable Packaging Design), WPO WorldStar (Packaging Materials & Food)
FOOD PACKAGING
BRONZE WINNER
MASTERFOODS SQUEEZY PET SAUCE BOTTLES
100% rPET PREFORMS & BOTTLES FOR HOMECARE PIDA Bronze & WPO WorldStar Awarded Jointly with Colgate-Palmolive
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING RECYCLABILITY INITIATIVE
BEVERAGE PACKAGING
BRONZE WINNER BRONZE WINNER
LINERLESS CLOSURE FOR OIL BASED DRESSINGS PIDA High Commendation (Sustainable Packaging Design)
WELLMAN THERMOCUP
TM
LIGHT WEIGHT FLIP TOP CLOSURES PIDA High Commendation (Sustainable Packaging Design)
September 2026
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Corporate Partner News - Zipform Packaging
John Bigley retires after 41 year packaging career Zipform Packaging CEO John Bigley will retire at the beginning of October, bringing to a close a long career spanning metal and fibre packaging, industry leadership and manufacturing innovation. Wayne Purcell has been appointed as his successor. Bigley has led Zipform Packaging since joining the company in 2018, following his role as managing director of Jamestrong Packaging. During his eight years as CEO, he has guided the fibre packaging business through Covid-related disruption and other market challenges while overseeing significant growth in volumes of its kerbside recyclable packaging. His tenure has also included the development of Zipform’s manufacturing base in Melbourne, which showcases the company’s linear-formed fibre technology, and the introduction of new business processes to support its growth. “John is the epitome of professionalism and has been a pleasure to work with,” said David Edwards, founder and chair of Zipform Group. Since 2021, Zipform has received nine Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards and three WorldStar Packaging Awards. Recent developments include the PapeR Bottle and a dry-moulded fibre meat tray. The company has also maintained a strong presence across industry organisations and collaborative initiatives.
Zipform Packaging CEO John Bigley, will retire in October.
It has participated in several Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation committees, engaged with the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and supported Australian Institute of Packaging initiatives. Zipform is also a founding member of the recently established Australian Paper-Based Packaging Alliance. Bigley recently completed a three-year term as president of the Australasian Institute of Packaging, where he was instrumental in reframing its strategic direction. His packaging career began as a service engineer troubleshooting metal can-making machinery around the world. Reflecting on the four decades since, Bigley said leading Zipform had been the most enjoyable period of his career. “I have learnt so much from my team, who I thank enormously for their hard work and support,” he said. “I would especially like to thank David Edwards and Simon Backhouse from Zipform for their unwavering support for what we want to achieve with the business.”
This article was published with permission from PKN Packaging News
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September 2026
Corporate Partner News - Zipform Packaging
Bigley and his wife, Conchita, moved from the UK to Australia in 2011 on what was initially intended to be a three-year contract. “We fell in love with Australia, and the Australian packaging industry became family,” he said. “Fifteen years on, and now approaching 63, I look forward to a long retirement based here, with regular trips to the UK to see our ever-expanding family.”
Incoming CEO Wayne Purcell brings more than 38 years of experience in senior operational and commercial roles across the Australasian packaging industry. He spent the past 16 years with Pact Group, most recently working in a group commercial and strategy role. The AIP would also like to wish John well in his retirement and look forward to having him stay on as Treasurer.
Zipform Packaging's Melbourne facility: showcase for linear formed fibre-based packaging. This article was published with permission from PKN Packaging News
Put more fibre in your packaging diet
www.zipformpackaging.com.au
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AIP Australasian Office +61 7 3278 4490 info@aipack.com.au www.aipack.com.au
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12 September 2026 AIP: PEAK PROFESSIONAL BODY FOR PACKAGING EDUCATION & TRAINING IN AUSTRALASIA