World class support for professionals in packaging
October 01st 2005

Packaging is one of the largest and most dynamic industries in the UK and around the world, employing a large number of people across a diverse range of roles and sectors.

IOP: The Packaging Society is a new voice for this broad industry sector, combining the interests of packaging users, manufacturers, designers and materials producers.

IOP: The Packaging Society has been formed as a result of the merger of the former Institute of Packaging, the oldest and most distinguished institute for the packaging sector, with the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, a professional engineering institution with roots going back to the 19th century. The merger has combined the experience and expertise of the IOP with the strength and breadth of the IOM3 to form a powerful force in the rapidly changing world of packaging.

Achieving professional status

The new packaging organisation builds on the existing strong interests of the IOM3 in the packaging sector, and takes advantage of the benefits of established links with the steel, light metals, polymer and surface engineering communities. IOP: The Packaging Society, a Division of IOM3, provides its members with a link to the wider packaging community, a community which recognises the professional standing of packaging technologists and the value which packaging contributes to society. As part of IOM3, a chartered engineering institution, individuals now have the opportunity for their professional achievements to be recognised through Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng), Engineering Technician (EngTech) or Chartered Scientist (CSci) status. This recognition is not simply dependent on formal qualifications, but takes into account professional experience and competence, and therefore breaks down previous barriers to professional recognition for packaging technologists.

Flexible learning

Many people come into the packaging industry as much by accident as by design, and gaining a good grounding in the principles of packaging technology can be vital to building a successful career in this sector. To this end, IOP: The Packaging Society has developed a range of training and education courses specifically for the packaging industry in the UK and beyond. These include the Diploma in Packaging Technology, an internationally recognised qualification that has been running for over 40 years. The course covers all aspects of the packaging industry and provides a firm foundation for those wishing to make a career as a packaging technologist. The Certificate in Packaging is a newer, flexible programme for people who need a less in-depth knowledge of packaging technology, for example sales and marketing executives, general managers and packaging designers. The course offers the opportunity to take specific options in areas of interest or involvement, or to tailor a programme for the needs of a specific sector of the packaging industry.

As well as being offered in a traditional classroom format, the Diploma and the option elements of the Certificate in Packaging are available online.

E-learners have access to materials and a textbook, and also to support from a team of specialist on-line tutors. This flexibility provides the means for people to study the course at their own pace, and at a time and place that suits them.

For companies to hold their own in a fast moving, knowledge based society, there is no better way of ensuring that staff are kept fully trained and up-to-date than by ensuring that they follow accredited training programmes that lead to recognised qualifications. Most of the Society’s courses are accredited by PIABC, the UK Government recognised awarding body which specialises in packaging qualifications.

Corporate Partnering is another very successful part of IOP: The Packaging Society’s education and training portfolio. Following a thorough analysis of training needs, Corporate Partnering puts together tailor-made programmes at attractive prices for companies. These schemes are often the key to improving competitiveness in packaging, and they also support a range of other HR initiatives such as appraisal and Investors in People. The programmes range from one-day packaging awareness raising events through to company-based versions of the Certificate and Diploma courses.

Recognising innovation

Starpack, the premier UK packaging competition, provides the packaging industry with a means of raising a company’s profile and recognising innovation in packaging. It comprises separate Schools, Students and Industry competitions all of which are hugely successful. The Schools section spans the needs of several different areas of the curriculum, including design, technology, science and media. For college and university students following courses in fields such as packaging design and graphics, Starpack provides the opportunity to combine creativity with more down to earth materials, technical and production considerations.

The Industry part of the Starpack has been running since the 1960s, and in 2005 it attracted almost 300 high quality entries. Gold, silver and bronze awards are made to the best packs, and there are also a series of sponsored awards for packs exhibiting the highest standards in a series of categories. The event is supported by key players in the packaging industry which this year included Packaging News, Print Week, Polimoon, Pro Carton, Rockware, RPC, Seven Worldwide, Total Exhibitions and WRAP. The sponsors provide extensive support for the competition as a whole as well as sponsoring individual awards. This year, the Starpack awards were presented at the Annual Packaging Industry Dinner, where over 600 winners, sponsors, guests and others from the industry met to celebrate excellence in the packaging industry.

The Starpack competition plays a key role in promoting the competitiveness of the British packaging industry as it faces ever greater global challenges.

IOM3 plans to develop Starpack further to provide a wider reach for all its categories and broader visibility for its winners, as well as introducing awards in new categories, eg packaging for disability, materials innovation, packaging training and best packaging advertising campaign.

Better by design

Manufacturing innovation and improved product competitiveness, in packaging as well as other industry sectors, can be directly linked to the exploitation of new materials technology, but this can be hampered by a lack of communication at the packaging designer / materials developer interface. One of the latest IOM3 initiatives aimed at closing the gap between materials development and product design is the Materials and Design Exchange (MaDE). The MaDE programme, which is supported by the DTI, the Design Council and the Royal College of Art, consists of a series of courses, workshops and seminars for the development of design skills to exploit the benefits of new materials in a range of applications. Topics covered by the programme include Smart Packaging, Innovative Polymers and Joining Techniques for Plastics.

Expert advice

Access to information and knowledge transfer are also vital to industrial competitiveness, and these are among the core services offered by IOP: The Packaging Society and IOM3 through library and information services, events, publications and direct access to advice from materials experts. IOM3 has recognised that many companies, particularly SMEs, may not have the in-house materials expertise necessary for appropriate materials and process selection which are fundamental to the success of their products. As a result, the IOM3 Industrial Affiliate Scheme (IAS) has been specifically designed to provide a service to industry in the form of troubleshooting advice and help in the selection of materials and processes for more profitable and competitive products. IOP: The Packaging Society also runs UPS - Unlimited Packaging Solutions - a web-based knowledge support service for packaging.

For those already in the packaging industry, as well as those who are looking for a ‘foot in the door’, membership of IOP: The Packaging Society offers a range of services and invaluable opportunities for networking locally and nationally which can contribute towards a successful career in packaging. For more information on the services described above, details of further benefits of membership, and information on how to boost your career, consult the contacts given in the panel.