Protective packaging materials provider Pregis is setting up a new innovation centre in the US state of Illinois to meet its protective packaging challenges.
Image: Pregis IQ’s hosts a variety of package engineering tools. Photo: courtesy of Pregis LLC.
Located in Aurora, Illinois, the new 50,000ft² innovation headquarters, called Pregis IQ, will provide training, design and testing services.
The customer-focused hub is equipped with variety of package engineering tools to assist customers in achieving performance-oriented, cost-effective protective packaging solutions.
Pregis, which claims the investments to particularly important to support e-commerce growth, said that ISTA-certified lab engineers at the facility will make use of related testing protocols.
The firm said in a statement: “The order mix continues to expand requiring more packaging diversity. Labor and seasonality also impacts fulfillment operations’ ability to meet orders, complicating packaging and leading to increased damages.
“Further, network shipping constraints, coupled with increasing costs, are expected to continue. The end result is that customer loyalty requires more customization and unique solutions to adequately compete.”
Broadly, the Pregis IQ’s engineering team will make use of methodical step-by-step, total package analysis approach including design/consulting, material (sustainability), automation, training/development and testing.
Pregis chief innovation officer Tom Wetsch said: “As a protective packaging thought leader and innovator, we will be using creative packaging design, material science, sustainability and automation services at the Pregis IQ to help customers solve specific packaging challenges.
“We will also be using a data and metrics-based approach to create advanced solutions that support market trends and meet customer needs.”
Upon evaluation to determine the product’s protection imperatives in distribution/retail channels, the iterative design and prototyping will be developed which is then followed by validation via proper testing protocols.
Wetsch added: “Our broad material and equipment expertise puts us in an ideal position to recommend a solution that is truly in the manufacturer’s best interest.”
Recently, US-based private equity firm Warburg Pincus has agreed to acquire Pregis from Olympus Partners for an undisclosed sum.
Pregis is a customer-driven solutions provider of advanced protective packaging materials, equipment systems and surface protection.