WestRock Co., Norcross, Ga., USA, a provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, was recognized for design excellence at the 74th annual North American Paperboard Packaging Competition. The company won 13 awards, the most of any entrant, including the prestigious Eco Award for its unique 8-pack designs for Budweiser and Bud Light's 16 oz. aluminum bottles.

Sponsored by the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), the competition is judged by a panel of packaging experts. The awards recognize cartons that represent the best in converting excellence, innovation, and sustainability that the North American folding carton industry has provided its customers during the past year.

The Eco Award recognizes an outstanding use of paperboard in replacing a non-paperboard substrate, creating extremely sustainable packaging, and/or fostering materials reductions or better cubing.

"At WestRock, we know that packaging matters in helping our customers win with consumers," said Pete Durette, president of Enterprise Solutions & Strategy for WestRock.  "We are extremely proud to have been honored by the Paperboard Packaging Council.  The designs that were recognized represent the value that we can create for our customers when we combine our market insights with the design and innovation capabilities of our talented employees."

In addition to the Eco Award, WestRock earned four gold and eight excellence awards for a variety of packaging solutions. CanCollarT, WestRock's durable, environmentally friendly, paperboard-based multipack solution for cans, was awarded gold in all three categories. A full list is below: 

• Project Ironman—Eco Award of the year; Gold Award, General, Eco and Innovation categories
• CanCollarT—Gold Award, General, Eco, and Innovation categories
• WestRock Folding Carton Tool Kit—Gold Award, General and Innovation categories
• The Vault—Gold award, General category
• Budweiser Holiday Pack—Excellence award, General category
• Econo StrongPakT—Excellence award, General category
• Two-piece Carrier—Excellence award, General category
• XYZAL® Allergy 24 HR—Excellence award, General category
• Hershey Greeting Cards—Excellence award, General category
• Sharpie® Back-to-School—Excellence award, General category
• EnShield® Promotional Packet—Excellence award, General category
• ZEPATIER® DosePak®--Excellence award, General category.