David Bellm

January 30, 2014

2 Min Read
Green packaging takes center stage at 2010 Packaging Executives Forum

The 2010 Packaging Executives Forum conducted by the Michigan State University (MSU) School of Packaging is set to take place Jan. 26 and will feature current research on sustainability in the packaging industry.

This year’s forum will focus on the program itself, featuring more earth-friendly packaging materials and manufacturing processes that use less energy and water. Morning sessions will focus on sustainability research across disciplines at MSU as top researchers in their fields are tapped to present their work. The program brings to the stage top scientists from the departments of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Forestry, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Marketing and Supply Chain Management, and from the School of Packaging, to present their research related to sustainability.

The afternoon sessions will offer an opportunity for interaction and dialogue related to the school’s new Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability as attendees are asked to vet out corporate needs related to the center’s work in research and education. A moderated panel discussion with administrators from colleges who are academic partners in the center will follow.

The new director of the MSU School of Packaging, Joseph Hotchkiss, will talk about his vision for the school’s growth and development and its Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability.

“At the next Packaging Executives Forum, I will lay out the center’s mission, governance, areas of research and intention to meet outreach and education needs,” said Dr. Hotchkiss. “It will also be a working session as I’ll ask tough questions of industry participants about how the center should focus its efforts in their area which is now mired with more questions than answers. In time, that will change as the center begins its important work on both a national and global scale.”

According to Peggy Nuerenberg, outreach coordinator and forum organizer, this forum is absolutely the most pivotal of the two that preceded it. “We have an excellent line of professors from MSU who are considered to be top in their field of study, we have new leadership on board, and our Center for Packaging Innovation and Sustainability is funded and moving forward,” said Nuerenberg.

The center is funded in part with a $400,000 grant from Coca-Cola and a gift of more than $120,000 in laboratory equipment from the Dow Chemical Company.

Established in 1952, the MSU School of Packaging is the first and largest packaging program in the United States. The school supports the packaging industry by providing education, research and outreach focused on solving problems and developing new technology. The MSU School of Packaging is a national leader in continuing education that brings packaging professionals together to address important issues by sharing technology and knowledge.

SOURCE: Michigan State University

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