Bocce court innovation makes Wellington Gold Awards finals

A project to improve the durability and accessibility of Packaworld’s best-selling inflatable bocce ball court has been announced as a finalist in this year’s Wellington Gold Awards.

The project – one of six finalists in the ‘Innovation Gold’ category – saw the introduction of new materials and an improved manufacturing technique for Packaworld’s Competition Packabocce courts. It also resulted in a re-imagining of the court’s disabled access gate to ensure players in wheelchairs could enter and exit the playing area more easily.

Packaworld Chief Executive Peter Roberts said it was an honour to see the bocce court project gaining recognition in his hometown of Wellington.

The courts are the only inflatable and truly portable bocce court option worldwide, allowing people to play the sport anywhere.

“It’s an absolute source of pride that our portable bocce courts are being recognised for innovation and the way they are revolutionising how bocce ball is being played around the world.”

The new competition court design had improved buyer confidence and driven success, including among the Special Olympics community where bocce is played by half a million athletes and is the fourth most popular sport after football, athletics and basketball.

Mr Roberts said Packaworld had been built on “changing the sporting landscape, one innovation at a time”, and the bocce court project was a prime example of the difference fresh thinking could make to a global sporting community.

Speaking at the Wellington Gold Awards finalists announcement last night, event director John Dow said 2020 had been an incredibly challenging time for businesses and the finalists had all shown extreme determination to get through.

“It’s remarkable how people have bounces back and showed resilience and innovation, got things up and going.”

The winners of the Wellington Gold Awards will be announced at a black-tie dinner and awards ceremony on 17 September. Around 1,000 people are expected to pack Wellington’s ASB Arena for the event.

Packaworld has previously been a finalist in the ‘Global Gold’ category of the Awards, in 2017 and 2016. In the same two years the company was a finalist in the ‘Exporter of the Year’ category of the American Chamber of Commerce Awards.

>> Read the 2020 finalists announcement on Stuff.co.nz