Double profit as companies and Lund University collaborate on packaging logistics
In a bookcase at IKDC A lot of packages are lined up. These are mostly different food packaging, but also cardboard boxes for Brio toys and larger cardboard boxes to keep track of other packaging during transport. These are prototypes that the students of the course Packaging Technology have made after real challenges from different companies — ranging from startups to large established companies.
ÖresundMatch is a project where the aim is for companies to open new doors at universities (and other knowledge institutions) that can contribute increased knowledge to companies' innovation work. The project has made it easy to match packaging challenges from companies to Department of Packaging Logistics because We have developed models for collaboration. The course focuses on packaging as such but also studies its impact on the logistics chain and is given by LTH for students at the end of their master's degree in a few different programmes. This particular course is a very good example of how business and the university can benefit from each other in an interaction.
What students learn in packaging technology is first to understand who the customer is, then the focus is on the material and process of manufacturing and finally it deals with different aspects of packaging sustainability. In order to make the course more close to reality, a project work runs parallel to the theoretical pieces. Course participants have different study backgrounds from the university but usually also come from different nationalities.
- We try to mix both competencies and nationalities in the project teams. This can be experienced as difficult at the beginning of the course, but it adds a lot and together the differences create a positive livelihood, says Lars Palm, lecturer and course manager.
During the course held in 2022, 57 students were distributed across eight projects with seven host companies. The participating companies were all from startups such as Sunfeed, who wants a pack for an energy-rich cream, and Moos of Scandinavia, who want a packaging for frozen puree as baby food, to more established companies such as Orkla, who need to change their secondary packaging due to requirements in the logistics chain and Brio, who want to reduce the amount of plastic in the insert in their packaging. During the project, the teams had access to both a supervisor from the company and one from the university.
- It is important that students get to know the real problems and see what companies are struggling with, says Lars Palm. For example, they can be told what companies' sustainability concerns are — such as whether they are steering towards reducing carbon emissions or reducing or eliminating the amount of plastic in their packaging. We build students' knowledge but also their confidence when they see that they can achieve something tangible good in just the seven weeks that the project runs.
Former students have also given positive feedback on the course.
- They have told us that the course created an understanding in them and made them able to argue their case, summarizes Daniel Hellström. It has enabled them to make decisions about logistics and packaging, and they can then communicate this in their organisations. Our students are an important disseminator of knowledge.
The course also creates other contact areas between students and the business community. Companies and organizations give guest lectures and study visits are also made during the course. The project work ends with the students presenting their projects with a packaging fair at IKDC where they show both posters and their prototype. On this occasion, the business community and other interested parties are invited, and then it is also given the opportunity for all involved to talk to each other.
Has it been proven that companies use students' prototypes and ideas?
- They often do not take them straight off but are always inspired by them, says Lars Palm. One of the big lessons is that students challenge established truths. Orkla wanted to make a secondary packaging (the packaging to the packaging) for Risifrutti and gave it as a task to the students. Orkla had already thought about how to solve it — but the fact that students had created holes in the side of the carton to show which product is packed was probably a little aha for Orkla. The students also made the secondary packaging divisible which allows it to be easily adapted for different markets. The companies estimate that students can go from idea to prototype in just seven weeks, both by taking shortcuts and simplifying but also because the groups consist of several competencies.
- The companies see the work as inspiration because they get to meet the students and get updated. Here, they can test high-risk projects that they might not otherwise have time for using a mix of students with different approaches,” says Daniel Hellström. “Fail fast” can be a success. This means showing quickly that this was not the way to go and it could save several months of work.
Every year, IKDC brings in new companies that can get help with their packaging. Some of the companies that have participated come back with new challenges the following year, while others come along after visiting the students' show and discovering that they can benefit from the students' ability and capacity for their own challenges.
Do you want to collaborate with the course Packaging Logistics? Contact Lars Palm for discussion.
Pictured: Interaction between students, teachers and company representatives during the closing presentation of packaging prototypes. Photo: Kennet Ruona.