A new two-day conference for the packaging industry will bring academia and industry together to consider future challenges for the sector.
The inaugural Packaging Futures Conference will be held in London on the 2-3 December 2013, hosted by Brunel University in partnership with The Packaging Society.
With a key note speech from Tom Schneider, President of the World Packaging Organisation, the conference aims to give delegates breathing space to stop and think about the long-term development of the industry and the challenges it will face.
One of the core challenges to be looked at during the conference is how to create a more cohesive professional pathway in the UK so that the packaging industry becomes more of a destination career for the most talented engineers and scientists.
Dr Richard Bateman, lecturer at Brunel University and founder of the Packaging Futures Conference, said: "There are lots of different areas within this industry, all very high tech. The technology and complexity of a state-of-the-art packaging manufacturing plant is comparable with anything in the aerospace sector but for some reason packaging is not seen as exciting by new engineers entering the jobs market. We want to bring academics and professionals together to start thinking about what we can do as an industry to change this perception so that we can attract the brightest and best talent for the future."
Ian Bowbrick, Director of Membership and Professional Development at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, added: "This conference is just the beginning of a series of joint initiatives between Brunel and the Institute through the Packaging Society. Through this synergistic relationship we will be promoting the very latest in packaging technology and practice to the many practitioners in the packaging community both in the UK and globally."
Other themes will focus on technology and environmental questions, such as:
- What does industry need to think about to prepare for the future?
- How will future legislation impact the industry?
- How will developments affect individual businesses?
- How can cutting-edge research provide real-world solutions?
Keith Barnes, Chairman of the Packaging Society, said: "Communications is the most important part of future packaging and by working together academia and industry are in a prime position to pursue this aim. It will be done through sustainability, environmental awareness and top prizes in innovation. This conference will bring all these elements to the fore providing a stimulating couple of days."
The Packaging Futures Conference will be held at Brunel University in Uxbridge, West London on the 2-3 December 2013. For further information and to register your attendance please visit the conference web page. Delegate fees have been kept as low as possible to make the event accessible to a wide audience within the industry.