Smurfit Westrock Wins 15 WorldStar Awards

Smurfit Westrock has once again demonstrated its leadership in paper-based packaging by picking up 15 WorldStar awards.

Stand-out solutions amongst this year’s trail-blazing haul included an eye-catching point-of-sale protein pack, whisky packaging which created a delightful unboxing experience, and a cleverly designed pack for interlocking 10-litre bottles.

Commenting on Smurfit Westrock’s success, Saverio Mayer, CEO of Smurfit Westrock EMEA & APAC, said: “The WorldStar awards celebrate the best of what our industry has to offer, so to win so many is both an honour and a privilege. At Smurfit Westrock, we have a relentless commitment to making industry-leading packaging that outperforms for our customers.”

Strong sustainability credentials were the common denominator amongst all the Smurfit Westrock winners, as many were part of its Better Planet Packaging portfolio.

One winning packaging solution, a pack for an industrial washing machine, replaced expanded polystyrene (EPS) buffers with corrugated alternatives, eliminating 3.3 tons of plastic annually.  

Another winner, which also replaced EPS in the packaging, enables solar panels to be transported upright, leading to a 33% reduction in CO2 emissions.

Laurent Sellier, President and CEO of Smurfit Westrock North America, said: “Our performance in this year’s WorldStar awards once again shows that we are at the forefront of the industry when it comes to creating packaging solutions that go the extra mile both in terms of sustainability and supply chain efficiency.”  

Run by the World Packaging Organization, the WorldStar awards recognize the most innovative packaging solutions from around the globe. The 2026 ceremony will take place on 8th May in Düsseldorf, Germany.