Beyond the trophy

SealGlobal.Co’s appearance on stage at the WorldStar Awards in Düsseldorf marked a moment of international recognition and gave the company a closer view of the scale and complexity shaping the global packaging sector.

While SealGlobal.Co had secured two WorldStar Awards earlier this year (see PPM’s February 2026 issue for the full story), the official handover and gala ceremony took place during interpack 2026. Organised by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), the awards recognise packaging innovations that succeed at national or regional level before advancing to global competition. SealGlobal.Co was the only South African company represented among this year’s winners.

Technical sales director Clint Angamuthoo says the experience reinforced how rapidly packaging priorities are evolving internationally. ‘You don’t realise the scale of this industry until you’re inside it,’ he says. ‘You arrive at Messe Düsseldorf and suddenly you’re surrounded by people from every corner of the world all speaking the same packaging language.’

Interpack’s scale made an impression, but it also highlighted a change in global packaging dialogue. Sustainability is central, but the focus is on implementation, practicality and cost. SealGlobal.Co’s WorldStar recognition reflects that direction.

One award recognised LabelSeal®, an overwrap solution developed to replace traditional PVC shrink structures around PET labels. The technology is designed to eliminate solvent use while improving compatibility with PET recycling streams.

A second award recognised EcoSkid®, an anti-skid coating solution applied to long-life milk cartons. The technology allows cartons to be packed in a 3×3 square configuration instead of the more conventional 2×3 arrangement, improving transport efficiency while reducing carton movement and print damage during transit.

For SealGlobal.Co, the value of the awards lies less in recognition and more in what the products represent. ‘There are many sustainability claims in the market at the moment,’ Clint explains. ‘The real challenge is creating solutions that work practically for converters, manufacturers and consumers.’

That distinction has become more relevant as packaging companies balance environmental objectives with operational realities. The circular economy is one of the sector’s most widely discussed themes, particularly in Europe where legislation, collection systems and recycling infrastructure have developed over decades.

SealGlobal.Co believes there is sometimes an assumption that sustainability models can simply be transferred across regions. ‘We don’t necessarily think every market has the same realities. Infrastructure, consumer behaviour and economic pressures all influence how these systems ultimately work,’ Clint says. 

South Africa presents a different set of challenges. While local recycling systems are relatively advanced compared with many developing markets, cost pressures are significant across the value chain. Brands continue operating in an environment influenced by rising input costs, constrained consumer spending and economic pressures.

Paper alternatives, reduced-plastic structures and sustainability commitments continue to receive attention. Yet businesses need solutions that are commercially viable. ‘If sustainability significantly increases costs, ultimately someone absorbs that cost,’ Clint notes.

SealGlobal.Co’s current development focus reflects this reality, with greater emphasis on material structures that reduce environmental impact without creating downstream challenges for converters, brand owners or consumers.

‘We’re not trying to follow the industry. We’re trying to help shape where we think it should go,’ Clint concludes.