Plastics Industry Association announces additional innovation awards

During the Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit May 20-22 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) honored the recipients of the inaugural Re|focus Sustainability Innovation Awards and announced two additional award recipients.

UBQ Materials, Tel-Aviv, Israel, winner of the Leadership in Innovation Award, is converting household waste into sustainable bio-based materials. UBQ’s propriety process converts mixed waste, including food waste, garden trimmings, paper, cardboard and mixed polymers, into UBQ material. Chris Sveen, chief sustainability officer of UBQ Materials, accepted the Leadership in Innovation Award on behalf of the company.

iMFLUX, Hamilton, Ohio, won the People's Choice Award. The company has developed a philosophy and method for injection molding called the “Green Curve” that allows the process to automatically adapt to changes in the resin. Brandon Birchmeier, technical director, accepted the award on behalf of iMFLUX.

The People's Choice Award was voted on by Re|focus attendees. All award proposals were shared with attendees, who then voted on their favorite innovation proposal during the summit.

“Announcing the final two winners of the inaugural Re|focus Sustainability Innovation Awards was a cornerstone of the 2019 Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit,” says the Washington-based association’s Vice President of Sustainability Kim Holmes. “These awards can provide an example of how we are stretching the boundaries of sustainability and innovation for the plastics industry.” 

In addition to these two awards, three additional Re|focus Sustainability in Innovation Award winners were recognized during the event. Dell, Tarkett and Circular Polymers/Broadview Group received the awards in the Materials, Design and End-Of-Life Innovations categories, respectively.