Entry FAQs

Who is in attendance?

Tens of thousands of design and manufacturing professionals from 120 countries gathered to participate in NPE2009 and co-located events including SPI's Business of Plastics Conference, ANTEC@NPE2009, MoldMaking Expo 2009, PET Strategies+, Time Compression Conference and Expo, Plastic Substrates' Coatings Conference and Seminarios en Español. NPE2012 promises to exceed NPE2009 participation with even greater opportunities for promoting innovative designs to industry professionals worldwide!

Who should participate?

Brand owners, Machinery Manufacturers, Industrial Designers, Manufacturing Engineers, Tooling Engineers, Product Development Managers, Mold Makers, Equipment and Technology Providers, Material Suppliers and Processor Sales and Marketing Managers. The International Plastics Design Competition is open to entries from all countries, and is now open to Students!

 

Entry Process & Categories

How much does it cost to enter? 

SPI Members

First entry is $700.
Each additional entry is $300 per entry.

NOTE: SPI members must submit their entry using their SPI login credentials to receive the SPI member discounted entry fee. 

Non-Members

First entry is $900.
Each additional entry is $400 per entry. 

Is there a discount for SPI members?

Yes. SPI members receive a $200 discount for their first entry and a $100 discount for each additional entry.

What's included in my entry fee?

For details about what IPDC entrants receive at NPE2012, please visit the IPDC at NPE2012 page.

What information do I need to enter my product?

You can view required and optional product entry information in the Eligibility & Guidelines section.

How will I know you have received my entry?

Entrants will receive a confirmation email acknowledging your entry submission. This email will include a receipt for your entry fee as well as your entry number.

What payment methods do you accept?

Payment can be made via credit card or check. All payments must be received by February 29, 2012. Please note that your entry will not be considered complete until your payment has been received.

Credit Card: If you would like to pay by credit card, please call Carla Haus in the SPI Washington, D.C. Office at (202) 974-5276 Monday-Friday between 9am and 4pm EST.

Check: Please make checks out to SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association and mail to:
Attn: Carla Haus
SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association
1667 K Street, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20006-1620

Can I withdraw my entry from the competition?

Yes, you can withdraw your entry from the competition any time before February 29, 2012. Contact Design@NPE.org or by calling (202) 974-5276 to withdraw your design.

Will I receive a refund of the application fee if I withdraw my entry?

No, the International Plastics Design Competition will not issue any refunds if the entrant chooses to withdraw the design/product for any reason. However, if the SPI cannot accept the entrant’s submission, the entrant will receive a refund for the application fee paid.

Can I make changes to my entry once I have submitted it?

Contact information can be changed on an already submitted entry by notifying Design@NPE.org or calling (202) 974-5276. Please note that entrants will not be allowed to add additional supporting documents once the entry has been processed.

Who determines the category in which my commercial product entry will compete?

Entrants are asked to indicate on the entry form which end-market category they believe best fits their product entry. The International Plastics Design Competition Planning Team reserves the right to assign commercial product entries to the appropriate categories to be considered for Individual Category Awards. 

Can the same product be submitted twice by different companies on the supply chain?

No. The International Plastics Design Competition will recognize all companies on the supply chain that contribute to the production of an award-winning entry, including the Designer, Moldmaker, Molder, Brand Owner, and Materials Suppliers in cases wherein materials selection figures prominently in the innovative nature of the product.

 

Judging

Who will be judging the entries?

All entries will be judged by an international panel of authoritative sources in the industry who are qualified to determine what truly represents the state of the art. To view a complete list of IPDC Judges, please visit plasticsdesign.org/judges. 

How are the products judged?

Please visit the judging section to learn more about the judging process and judging criteria.

 

Winning an Award

How many entrants win awards?

There will be one winner selected for each of the 18 end-market categories.  In addition, all entries are eligible to win one or more of the additional product awards.  Only one winner will be selected for each additional product award.

What do International Plastics Design Competition winners receive?

To honor the achievement, International Plastics Design Competition winners will receive a trophy for each award it receives. In addition, all entrants will benefit from press coverage specifically about the competition and its co-location at NPE2012 - the world's largest plastics showcase.

 

People's Choice Award

What is the People’s Choice Award and what does it mean to opt-in to consideration for this award?

The People’s Choice Award is just that—an award selected entirely by the public. This award is open to any entry from any category and it is a great way to give your design even more exposure. After the February 29, 2012 entry deadline, all entrants that have opted-in for the People’s Choice Award will have their designs displayed on the International Plastics Design Competition Web site gallery. This is a great opportunity for the viewing public to explore your innovative design and cast a vote online. The People’s Choice voting will then continue with in-person voting during NPE2012 week in Orlando, at which time all awards will be presented.  Please note that entrants who wish to participate in the People’s Choice Award are required to upload two photos (500x500 and 200x200 pixels) for viewing on the Web site. There is no additional fee for entering the People’s Choice Award.

How do I choose to enter my design into the People’s Choice Award and can I make changes to this choice after I have already submitted my application?

All entrants are given the choice to either include or exclude their design from participating in the People’s Choice Award on the application form. By opting in to this award it also means that the design (including photos and supporting documentation) will be displayed on the International Plastics Design Competition Web site gallery after the February 29, 2012 deadline has passed so that the public may view the designs and cast their votes. By opting out of this award, the entrant also opts out of including the design in the online viewing gallery. Entrants can make changes to their participation in this award and the online viewing gallery by contacting Design@NPE.org at (202) 974-5276. No designs will be displayed on the Web site before the February 29, 2012 entry deadline.

 

NPE2012 for IPDC Entrants

You can find detailed information about NPE2012 for International Plastics Design Competition entrants on our IPDC at NPE2012 page.