Home The second and last day of seminars at the World Plastic Connection Summit 2023 started with a round table about design in Brazilian products, moderated by IESB University Center’s Design Department Coordinator Marco Aurélio Lobo Júnior; SBT Soap Opera Center’s Design team Coordinator Ricardo Vieira Reis; Boticário Group’s Manager of Design, Creation, and ESG in Products Bruno Sezerban; and Designer and PhD in Communication Sciences Cecília Consolo.
Ricardo Vieira Reis, Marco Aurélio Lobo Júnior, Cecília Consolo e Bruno Sezerban
During the debate, the professionals exchanged impressions about their experiences and how they understand the applicability of design in plastic.
“The plastic sector is essential in the society’s transformation process”, stated Marco Aurélio.
“There is no design without systemic view. It takes 10 minutes to consume a sandwich, but its packaging can’t last 400 years”, said Cecília.
“What is the importance of packaging in our products? Packaging is essential, and design can be part of the solution”, commented Sezerban.
“The design adds value to the product”, summarized Ricardo.
Then was the turn of Mondelez International’s Engineering and Development Director Luis Rodolfo Arevalo to take the stage. Participating for the third time in the Summit, Arevalo presented cases of his successful international career and demonstrated how innovation can be the main priority and a challenge for professionals of the area.
“Innovation is the way of creating value and design is the key to bring innovation to life”, said Arevalo.
Luis Rodolfo Arevalo
Professor Ricardo Pastore, professional with 40 years of career in the retail sector, demonstrated how the Omnichannel strategy – integration of all sales channels of a company – can be an important international sales strategic tool for companies.
“The boosting of sales through the marketplace is a reality and can fragment our operations in many places” stated Pastore.
Ricardo Pastore
The afternoon sessions were opened to the renowned Brazilian artist and designer Jum Nakao, who launched the Color Trend 2024, of his authorship, along with Beatriz Abreu. In his speech, Nakao explained the creative process and inspirations that guided his work. “Brazil is cradle of exuberance of colors. My desire was to connect people beyond colors. We are a country blessed by the light”, said Jum Nakao.
Jum Nakao
The agribusiness sector was the theme in the panel “Plastic solutions as tools for promotion of agriculture productivity and food safety”, moderated by journalist Renata Maron, which counted on the participation of Braskem’s Market Development expert Ana Paiva, in addition to Embrapa’s Technology Transfer deputy head Patrícia Verardi Abdelnur, and Extraplast’s Executive Director Rodrigo Gerling.
The importance of plastic in agriculture and its broad use in the sector was discussed, from irrigation to pest control, promoting higher productivity in the field. “I understand that agribusiness is a great opportunity and plastic adds value to the sector”, declared Ana Paiva.
“We see concerning images of food shortage and believe that plasticulture can contribute to ensure food safety”, commented Gering.
Renata Maron, Ana Paiva e Rodrigo Gerling
In the mid-afternoon, one of the most anticipated moments of the day, there was the announcement of World Plastic Connection Award 2023 winners. With 54 registered companies competing in four categories, whose winners are divided by degree of maturity. That was the first time that the participation was open to companies not associated to the sectorial project.
Carlos Moreira also launched the 2023 International Yearbook. The yearbook’s third edition, published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, gathers information on the Brazilian processed plastic sector and the internationalization process, in addition to portfolio of products of companies that integrate the sectorial project. The main novelty is the layout and content organization.
The afternoon was almost over when the lecture of Braskem’s Sustainable Director Jorge Soto started. He talked about the challenges and opportunities in the plastic sector in a carbon-neutral circular economy. With a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Environmental Planning, Soto talked about the challenge of creating sustainable solutions to manufacture and reuse of plastic, in addition to presenting initiatives developed by Braskem, which plans to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Looking at the low-carbon circular economy, we have to work together and seek to engage the society”, said Jorge Soto.
Jorge Soto
The last lecture of the day was also the most disputed. American designer Karim Rashid, one of the chief international names of design, went to the International Hybrid Seminar to talk about innovation and design impact on the future of companies, and their willingness to address deep and fundamental issues for the human life in their products.
With 300 awards and international acknowledgement, around 400 projects in over 40 countries, creations present in important museum collections, and collaborations with large global brands, Rashid delivered a unique moment of inspiration and exchange of knowledge with the audience.
“Design is about using what I have now to create the future”, declared Karim Rashid.
Karim Rashid
The World Plastic Connection Summit 2023 counted on the following supporters: Valgroup (Highlight Plastic); Braskem (Master Plastic); Colorfix and Engeflex (Masterbatch Special Plastic); Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (institutional support); Abiplast and Abiquim (institutional support); in addition to Plásticos em Revista, Plástico Virtual and All Pet Food Magazine (Media Partners).
