• WPO President Elect Pierre Pienaar (left) with incumbent President Tom Schneider.
    WPO President Elect Pierre Pienaar (left) with incumbent President Tom Schneider.
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Pierre Pienaar, education director of the Australian Institute of Packaging, has been elected as the next president of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).

Pienaar, who is currently VP Education for the WPO, will take office in January 2018 when current president Tom Schneider's term ends.

The appointment is timely, as Australia will next year host the prestigious WPO WorldStar Awards, which coincides with the 100th WPO bi-annual meeting, and which will take place at Surfers Paradise, Queensland in early May alongside the AIP National Conference.

PKN spoke to Pienaar at Interpack this week, shortly after the announcement. 

"I'm excited to take on the new challenge, and my overarching vision is to further education within the realm of the global packaging industry.

"The WPO will encourage as many countries as possible to participate in this education revolution that will lead to finding better packaging solutions to reduce food wastage, reduce proverty and improve lifestyles around the world," Pienaar said.

"In May next year, when the WPO holds its meeting and WorldStar Awards in Australia, it will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the Australia and New Zealand packaging industry's expertise in designing world-class packaging solutions. 

"On this occasion, at the AIP national conference, the WPO and the AIP will create a platform for ideas sharing on a global level, tying into the theme Packaging Globalisation."

Pienaar said an important part of his role will be to raise the profile of the WPO as the leading global packaging industry organisation, and that the international event being staged in Australia next year will serve to raise awareness of the WPO in this important region.

Food & Drink Business

Western Australian producer, Brownes Dairy, has been put up for sale according to the Australian Financial Review (AFR), as one of its biggest lenders, China Mengniu Dairy, calls in its $200 million loan. A reduced demand for milk in China and the current positioning of the global market could be driving the decision.

The Central Coast is about to receive a boost to its local food and beverage manufacturing industry, with construction starting on the $17.14 million Food Manufacturing Innovation Hub, funded by the federal government’s National Reconstruction Fund (NFR).

The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) says Australia is at a “critical crossroads” when it comes to R&D and decades of rhetoric have not delivered material change.