Trailblazing Plastics Companies Shine at Innovation Awards

PLASTICS industry frontrunners Polyoak Packaging and Zerocrete were honoured with top accolades at the Cape Chamber's Industry Innovation Awards, held in grand style at Cape Town's historic City Hall on June 10.

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The glittering event celebrated visionary businesses whose innovations are reshaping the economy and driving real-world impact.

The awards were designed to spotlight breakthrough ideas that fuel economic growth, generate jobs, and strengthen public services while offering guests a dazzling night of inspiration and entertainment. From innovative technologies to bold sustainability efforts, the evening reminded everyone that business growth is not just good - it's essential for a thriving society. Zerocrete, led by Johan Coetzee, stole the spotlight with its revolutionary low-carbon concrete. By cleverly incorporating non-recyclable plastic and fabric waste, Zerocrete's eco-smart solution not only diverts tons of waste from landfills but also tackles South Africa's housing crisis, all while creating jobs. With an impressive 80% lower carbon footprint, this material is already earning future carbon credits.

Polyoak Packaging, based locally in Diep River, wowed the judges with a world-first multilayer polypropylene (PP) bucket which incorporates a virgin plastic inner and outer layer, rim, and lid for secure sealing and to prevent leakage, while the middle layer utilizes recycled PP. This approach allows them to use recycled plastic while retaining the essential technical functionality of the container. This innovation proves that recycling and quality can go hand in hand, delivering environmental benefits without compromising performance.