Fortune 500 company Sealed Air Corporation recently opened its research and design lab inside UNC Charlotte’s PORTAL Building to provide a look at the future of packaging.
Sealed Air is awaiting completion of its new headquarters in south Charlotte; until then, the company set up a temporary Innovation Lab on the first floor of PORTAL. The company’s R&D employees are focused on applications engineering and new developments for Instapak and Korrvu, two new Sealed Air packaging products.
Ken Chrisman, president of Sealed Air’s Product Care Division, speaking at a media event Tuesday, explained the company’s mission to be a leader in innovation; he noted PORTAL provided an inspirational environment that has been integral to the company’s research and development. He also stressed the value of a research university like UNC Charlotte in terms of student and faculty support for business and industry.
Sealed Air is preparing new products for Pack Expo, the largest packaging trade show in North America. Some of the new products were developed at PORTAL.
Beyond leasing space in PORTAL, Sealed Air has sponsored a cognitive research study to document perceptual reactions to specific types of packaging materials. Researchers from the University’s Psychology Department conducted the cognitive study, and Sealed Air officials anticipate the final results will be used in the development of packaging solutions the company provides e-commerce retailers.
The Sealed Air-UNC Charlotte partnership has benefited University students, too. Graduates from various technical disciplines have received job offers in Sealed Air research and development programs.
“The partnership between Sealed Air and UNC Charlotte has generated dividends that both entities will experience well into the future,” said Chad Stephens (pictured), vice president of global research and development for Sealed Air’s Product Care Division.