The Horners Bottlemakers Award recognising achievement in polymer-based packaging and bottles is now accepting entries. Submissions are encouraged from any plastic packaging that includes a closure.

The award, run jointly with the British Plastics Federation (BPF), celebrates technical, design and sustainability innovations that demonstrate commercial potential.

Last year's winner revealed a leap forward in digital printing technology with ink applied directly to complicated bottle surfaces – overcoming a challenging technical hurdle. Previous winners have included achievements conferring sustainability advantages as well, such as a lighter, more environmentally-friendly Ribena bottle for supermarkets.

The award exists to celebrate the fact that UK plastic bottle-making and plastic packaging industries are continuously innovating to reflect modern demands.

BPF Membership Services Director, Stephen Hunt, said:

“Plastic bottles and plastic packaging play a vital role in providing the food and drinks that we consume on a daily basis, as well as all manner of other liquid and solid products – the developments recognised by the Horners Bottlemakers Award demonstrate the UK’s strength innovating these highly useful applications.”

Because the award accepts entries of any plastic packaging with a closure, entries are received from thermoforming, injection moulding, rotational moulding, blow moulding and production techniques producing flexible plastic packaging.

The winners are presented their award at the Worshipful Company of Horners’ Annual Banquet at Mansion House in London.

Entries can be made online at www.hornersaward.co.uk and the deadline is July 31, 2018.

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The Bottlemakers, originally makers of leather bottles, merged with the Worshipful Company of Horners in 1467.