College of Agriculture & Natural Resources School of Packaging

UBE America Inc. and Michigan State University’s School of Packaging Announce Partnership on
E‐Commerce Food Packaging
Release: February 20, 2019. For Immediate Release
LIVONIA, MI – UBE America Inc. (UAI) and Michigan State University’s School of Packaging (MSU SoP) have formally announced their partnership on an “E‐Commerce Food Packaging Market Study”. UAI and MSU SoP, world leaders in Nylon production and packaging education and research, respectively, are working towards evaluating packaging needs in the rapidly emerging e‐commerce supply chain for food & beverage and developing solutions that are conducive to the new chain where traditional packaging may not be ideal. With the combined resources and wide industry reach, the partnership will continue to challenge this packaging paradigm shift.

With the intent to collect beneficial information that the industry can use to improve e‐commerce packaging, a study was created with the following main goals:

•  Research current packaging formats and materials used in the e‐commerce and traditional supply chains
• Quantify/categorize the impact of the e‐supply chain on traditional packaging formats
• Identify specific deficiencies and areas of improvement
• Establish opportunities for changes in materials and designs
• Shelf‐life studies that validate performance of new materials in e‐commerce supply chain

The first phase of this study includes a survey developed expressly for companies involved in production and/or distribution of e‐commerce packaging (retailers, converters, manufactures, end users, etc.) Results including flexible packaging, both mono and multi material, will be key to reduce the failures and increase overall efficiency of the entire supply chain have led to the second phase of the study. This phase targets changes in the packaging landscape.  With this in mind, nylon will be investigated as material for development of optimized packaging for the growing distribution channel.

About UBE America Inc.: UBE is a diversified manufacturer with a core focus in the chemicals sector. Its chemicals are utilized in diverse applications ranging from articles for daily use to advanced applications for the aerospace industry. Its products can be found in everything from digital consumer electronics and household goods to automotive parts and pharmaceuticals. From UBE´s birthplace Ube City in the Yamaguchi Prefecture ‐ Japan in 1897, now over 10,500 people are working for the UBE Group around the world. UBE has specialized to become a producer of Polyamide 6, 12 and Copolyamides, which are used to manufacture film for food packaging, monofilaments, automotive components and engineering consumer products. Further, UBE is marketing more than 200 high technology products in North and South America, Europe, Africa & Middle East. These include machinery, synthetic rubber for the tire industry, electronic ceramic components, High‐purity Silicon Nitride Powder, SiC Fiber, Gas Separation Membranes, UPILEX ® polyimide products, etc. The annual sales revenue was reported at $6 billion in fiscal year 2017, ending in March 2018. About 50% of the business is related to chemicals and engineering plastics. For more information, please visit www.ube.com.

About Michigan State University School of Packaging: The School of Packaging, rated #1 by Universities.com Best Colleges 2018, has been creating knowledge and awarding degrees in the science and technology of packaging since 1952. As the pioneer of the packaging discipline and the sole packaging Ph.D. degree granting institution in the United States, the School has been preparing educational leaders for the packaging discipline across the globe resulting in an incontestable reputation and the creation of a community for excellent research and education for all.  Packaging is an interdisciplinary field integrating science, engineering, technology and management to protect and identify products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. It encompasses the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. It is a system integral to the value chain that impacts product quality, user satisfaction, distribution efficiencies, and safety. The MSU School of Packaging, through its educational, research, and outreach programs, contributes to the economic development and quality of life of citizens within the State of Michigan and globally through highly relevant educational experiences and cutting‐edge research. For more information, please visit  https://www.canr.msu.edu/packaging