Packaging company Sonoco has inaugurated a new packaging solutions studio in South Carolina, where experts will make use of the latest technologies to turn ideas into innovative packaging concepts.
The new facility is the result of a $12m investment and is located on the site of Sonoco’s existing headquarters in Hartsville, 60 miles northeast of Columbia. The IPS Studio is a cutting-edge research, development and innovation centre that will connect consumer and market insights to facilitate the invention of new packaging solutions, Sonoco said.
Key features include a consumer interaction space enabling live, direct observation of consumers interacting with products and packaging in a range of contexts; technology for the development of structural design and manufacturing options that access potential for commercialisation; a pilot plant to test manufacturing performance; and rapid prototyping labs that aid in developing engineered prototypes that can then be tested in real world simulation spaces.
A company spokesperson said: “The IPS Studio brings together people, ideas and experiences in a physical environment that fosters innovation. A key part of this blueprint for channeling intellectual capital is Sonoco’s i6 Innovation ProcessT where insights, ideation and invention come together in a step-by-step process that starts every conversation with the customer. With the packaging industry’s broadest portfolio, deep expertise in design, testing and material science, and a disciplined process for innovation, Sonoco is uniquely positioned to create a 360° Customized SolutionT for customers.”
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