SPE Launches IMPACT Awards to Celebrate Excellence in Injection-Molded Part Design and Performance
Injection molding remains one of the most powerful and versatile manufacturing processes in the plastics industry—driving innovation across automotive, medical, consumer, industrial, and emerging markets. Recognizing the engineering rigor and creative problem-solving behind great molded parts, SPE, in collaboration with the SPE Injection Molding Division and the SPE Product Design & Development Division, has launched a new awards program: SPE’s IMPACT: Injection Molding Performance Awards.
The IMPACT Awards are designed to recognize outstanding injection-molded parts that demonstrate excellence in design, engineering, manufacturability, sustainability, and user-focused innovation. Winners will be announced at ANTEC® 2026, bringing national and international visibility to the teams and individuals shaping the future of injection molding.
Showcasing the Best in Injection Molding
From high-precision medical components to complex automotive structures and thoughtfully designed consumer products, injection molding continues to push technical boundaries. The IMPACT Awards spotlight the ingenuity behind these achievements—celebrating parts that excel not just in appearance, but in performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
The program is open to both commercially produced parts and student-developed concepts, offering a platform for seasoned professionals and emerging talent alike to gain recognition within the global plastics community.
Why Plastics Engineers and Designers Should Enter
For engineers and designers, the IMPACT Awards provide an opportunity to highlight real-world solutions to complex challenges—whether that’s optimizing part geometry, selecting advanced materials, improving tooling strategies, or reducing environmental impact.
Finalists and winners gain:
Industry recognition from a panel of technical experts
Increased visibility with peers, customers, and decision-makers
Professional credibility tied to design and engineering excellence
Exposure at ANTEC®, the industry’s premier technical conference
Eligibility Requirements
Parts must be produced using injection molding
Commercial products must have been introduced within the past 24 months
Student prototypes and conceptual designs are also eligible
Award Categories
Automotive / Transportation
Manufacturing / Commercial / Industrial Equipment
Medical and Health
Consumer Products (housewares, furniture, children’s products, etc.)
Sports and Recreation
Student (Prototypes / Concepts)
Judging Criteria
Entries will be evaluated by a blue-ribbon panel of industry experts using a comprehensive set of criteria, including:
Design Excellence – Quality of execution and defect-free performance
Customer Needs & Impact – Market relevance and business value
Innovation – Creative use of materials, tooling, and processing
Human-Centered Design – User benefits and quality-of-life improvements
Aesthetics – Form, function, and color integration
Sustainability – Reduced environmental and societal impact
Key Dates
Entry Deadline: February 13, 2026
Online Judging: February 17–19, 2026
Finalists Notified: February 23, 2026
Final Judging (ANTEC® 2026): March 9, 2026
Recognition at ANTEC® 2026
Award winners will be formally recognized during a dedicated IMPACT Awards ceremony at ANTEC® 2026, held March 9–12, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
For submission details and program information, visit www.4spe.org/IMPACTAwards.
If you’ve engineered, designed, or molded a part that sets a new standard for performance, innovation, or sustainability, the IMPACT Awards are your chance to show the industry what’s possible.