Cal Poly Launches Packaging Science and Technology Consortium

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly has launched a joint public-private enterprise, The Consortium on Packaging Science and Technology, to advance capabilities in the packaging industry.

Twelve companies, including Microsoft and Safeway, will join the consortium as founding members, in conjunction with multidisciplinary teams from the Orfalea College of Business and the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

The consortium’s research objectives will be based on real-world needs of leading companies in the packaging industry. Projects for the group’s first year include:

evaluation of sustainable recycled and biodegradable substrates in packaging;
characterization of single- and multi-layer films for modified atmospheric packaging;
life cycle inventory as a tool for packaging sustainability; and
radio frequency identification tag-embedded distribution packaging solutions.

Lou Tornatzky, Jay Singh and Keith Vorst from Cal Poly’s Industrial Technology Department will partner with Wyatt Brown from Horticulture and Crops Science to lead the group’s efforts.

Founding companies include Bay Cities, Bolthouse Farms, Calpine Containers, Capital Corrugated, Earthbound Farms, Microsoft, Ocean Mist Farms, Paramount Citrus, Primary Package, Safeway, Tanimura & Antle, and TricorBraun. For more information, contact Lou Tornatzky at ltornatz@calpoly.edu.

###