Colaboration Innovates Packaging, Improves Sustainability

Published: February 05, 2009

EAST LANSING, MI | Michigan State Univ. and The Coca-Cola Co. partner to help establish a new Center for Packaging Innovation & Sustainability at the school’s School of Packaging. University sources say the corporation awarded an initiating grant of $400,000 so the center can serve as a think tank for packaging innovation and sustainability and as a research and education hub to measure and reduce packaging’s environmental impact.

The center will involve the MSU colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources (School of Packaging), Engineering and the Eli Broad College of Business (Department of Supply Chain Management). It will provide a platform for both collaborative, non-proprietary research and proprietary work conducted by industry partners, both in partnership with and independent of MSU researchers, to develop innovative packaging solutions that reduce production costs and improve sustainability.

“By bringing together university and industry resources in supply chain, packaging and engineering, this center will be able to effectively address issues of sustainability, discover environmentally and economically operative solutions, and consider new ways to manage environmental impact throughout the value chain,” said Elvin Lashbrooke, interim dean of the Eli Broad College of Business.

The center will include state-of-the-art technology for bench research and testing of packaging materials and will offer academic, outreach, and continuing education programs. It is anticipated to eventually expand its reach internationally through research, development, education, and training facilities in Dubai and Shanghai. Details are available at http://www.packaging.msu.edu.