University of Florida wins Student Packaging Solutions Contest.
Press Release Summary:
Students of University of Florida - Gainesville, Justin Simmons, Kent "Max" Kolegue, Colleen Watson, and Natasha Najdovski received first prize in PMMI U Student Packaging Solutions Contest, sponsored by B&R Industrial Automation Corp. First-place team shares $4,000 in scholarship funds while second- and third-place teams, from California Polytechnic Institute and Purdue University at Calumet, respectively, receive $2,000 scholarship for second place and $1,000 for third place.
Original Press Release:
University of Florida - Gainesville Wins Student Packaging Solutions Contest at PACK EXPO Las Vegas
Cal Poly & Purdue - Calumet take 2nd and 3rd place
Reston, Va.; - What happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas for four students from University of Florida - Gainesville, and that's a good thing. The students - Justin Simmons, Kent "Max" Kolegue, Colleen Watson, Natasha Najdovski- left PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2011 (Las Vegas Convention Center, Sept. 26-28) with first prize in the PMMI U Student Packaging Solutions Contest, sponsored by exhibitor B&R Industrial Automation Corp.
The first-place team shares $4,000 in scholarship funds from the PMMI Education & Training Foundation. The second- and third-place teams, from California Polytechnic Institute and Purdue University at Calumet, respectively, also receive scholarship prizes: $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place.
But it's more than scholarship funds that will benefit the students, according to B&R President Marc Ostertag. "This is a great vehicle to introduce bright young minds to packaging, and machine builders and users to the talent pool," he says.
The contest began when student teams from nine schools accepted the challenge to devise a packaging solution for corn starch: Cal Poly, Clemson University, Purdue University at Calumet, University of Wisconsin-Stout, University of Florida - Gainesville, and Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College.
"The students' assignment was to design and recommend a packaging machinery system for a contract packaging company that orients, fills, caps and checkweighs rigid plastic packages of corn starch. They had to be certain that when executing the filling, there would be minimal product giveaway and powder contamination of the package exterior," says PMMI Vice President Education & Workforce Development Maria Ferrante.
Using industry resources including Packexpo.com, the students began researching solutions in July. Last week, they went to PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2011 to finalize their research, meet with solutions providers and present their conclusions to a panel of three judges: Scott Macario and Paul Redwood, Church & Dwight; and Lot To, Unilever.
Ostertag announced the judges' decision at the B&R Industrial Automation Corp. booth on site at PACK EXPO.
"By participating in the contest, students are introduced to real-world aspects of industry. In addition to introducing these dynamic students to packaging, the contest introduces machine builders and users to the top of the talent pool," says Ostertag. "This contest benefits everyone involved."
Scholarship funds are provided by PMMI's Education & Training Foundation, which distributes about $75,000 in scholarships annually to students in packaging education programs. The Education & Training Foundation is funded through events including the biennial Golf Tournament at PACK EXPO Las Vegas and annual Packaging Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Reception.
About PMMI
PMMI is a trade association of 560-plus member companies that manufacture packaging, processing and related converting machinery in the United States or Canada; machinery components and packaging containers and materials. PMMI's vision is to be the leading global resource for packaging, and its mission is to improve and promote members' abilities to meet the needs of their customers.
PMMI organizes the PACK EXPO trade shows: PACK EXPO International, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and EXPO PACK México, connecting participants in the packaging and processing supply chain with their customers around the world. Coming Up: PACK EXPO International at McCormick Place in Chicago, Oct. 28-31, 2012.
Learn more about PMMI and the PACK EXPO trade shows at PMMI.org and Packexpo.com.
View the complete press release at our website.
