Recognizing the necessity for international co-operation of packaging organizations of Asian countries, the representatives of packaging organizations in China, India, Japan, Korea and the Philippines met in Tokyo, Japan in 1967 and  resolved upon the formation of the Asian Packaging Federation. (APF)

One nationally recognized leading Packaging organization from each country in the Asia Pacific Region is eligible to be a full member of the APF except for the Peoples Republic of China, the only country with two nationally recognized packaging organizations being given the opportunity to receive full membership of the Federation considering the total population of the country.

The Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging being the only body representing the Sri Lankan packaging industry joined the Asian Packaging Federation way back in 1978  during the reign of the founder President of the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging Mr. Stanley Wickremaratne who himself became a Vice President in 1989 and later the 13th president of the Asian Packaging Federation in year 1991 & 1992. and subsequently ended up becoming a Vice President of the World Packaging Organization.

The member organizations of the APF meet once a year in one of its member countries in rotation hosted by the Executive member Organization in that country.

The Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging got the opportunity of hosting the 14th APF Congress along with its meetings of the Board of Administration,  General Assembly, judging of Asia Star contest and its 20th Anniversary Celebrations  in Colombo in year 1987 which was the first International Packaging event that was held in Sri Lanka hosted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging.

Subsequently, the APF  had its board meeting and related events in Sri Lanka on two other occasions- in 1986 and 2003,.

Although the 50th anniversary of the APF falls in this year, the Board of Directors of the APF at its last meeting in Mumbai took a decision to have the official celebrations in Tokyo, Japan in year 2018 as the inaugural meeting of the APF was held in Tokyo 50 years ago.

Conducting of the APF events in Sri Lanka this year is of great  significance to the Packaging Fraternity in our country as the incumbent President of SLIP,  Mr. Rohan Victoria who is the senior Vice President of APF is expected to be elected as the next President  of the Federation and will assume duties from 1st January 2018.  Mr. Rohan Victoria will be the third person from Sri Lanka to adorn this Prestigious position as the President  of the Asian Packaging Federation..

Out of the member organizations of the APF from  16 countries – Bangladesh, China,  India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Iran and Kazakhstan Around 30 delegates from 9 countries in the Asia-pacific region excluding Sri Lanka have already registered to attend the annual events this year at Galadari Hotel, Colombo-1 from 10th to 14th December 2017.

This year’s Annual events include meetings of three working committees two of which will be chaired my Mr. Dharmatilake Ratnayake a past President of Asian Packaging Federation and the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging, Judging of Asia Star Awards Contest for excellence in packaging for which around 200 entries have reached our Institute from the Members of Executive and Ordinary member organizations of the APF from the Asia Pacific region including Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging. The meeting of the Board of Administration and the General assembly of the Federation is scheduled to be held on 13th December 2017.   The grand finale  of  these events will be the Asia Star2017/Lanka Star Awards Presentation on Wednesday 13th December 2017 at the Grand Ball Room , Galadari Hotel commencing at 7.00pm..

The Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging is making arrangements to felicitate a senior and a world recognized member of the Sri Lankan Packaging industry Mr. Dharmatilake Ratnayake , a Past President of  the Institute and the Asian Packaging Federation and also a past Vice President of the World Packaging Organization (WPO) during the Awards presentation on 13th December for being honored by the WPO by conferring him LIFETIME ACHEVEMENT IN PACKAGING AWARD 2017  on Thursday 4th May 2017 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

.  Among the 16 National Packaging organizations that received full membership of the Asian Packaging Federation, the Sri Lanka Institute Packaging  holds an esteemed position considering the achievements of four of its members  who represented the Institute at the Board of administration of the APF in their capacities as  Presidents of the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging .

The Asian Packaging Federation will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in Tokyo, Japan in 2017 and the chances are very much in favour of Mr. Rohan Victoria to participate at these celebrations as the President of the Federation.

These are hallmarks in the history of the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging and through the enthusiasm and dedication devoted by these office bearers, the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging takes pride of place in the Asian Packaging Federation thus bringing fame to Sri Lanka.