Amcor Plastics
Some examples of modern, attractive design concepts associated with Amcor's product.
Amcor Rigid Plastics is showcasing innovative packaging design concepts created by primary school children from the US and Australia.
The manufacturer is involved in the 21st Century Global Cyber Pal Student Design Challenge, which has seen 26 students from Manchester in Michigan and 42 students from Greensborough in the Australian province of Victoria.
The six-week programme saw some 80 children design new packaging concepts for juice bottles, food containers and fruit snack pouches.
The event will be held at Amcor's Manchester facility on May 20th 2015. The highlights of the show will then be shared on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #AmcorStudentDesign.
Joanna Van Raden, who teaches the Manchester students at Luther C. Klager Elementary School, said: "Collaboration with students in Australia has opened a whole new world of excitement made possible through advancements in technology and 21st century learning skills.
"I think the excitement and engagement from learning during this project has created a real interest in future careers."
During the project, Manchester and Greensborough students shared their packaging design ideas through an online educational platform called Edmodo. They also viewed different weekly project video lessons compiled by two Amcor Rigid Plastics’ senior industrial designers, Rick Rangler and Greg Hurley.
"These videos emphasise the critical roles technology and teamwork play in creating innovative packaging designs," said Rangler. "It also represents a peek behind the packaging design curtain for students who are interested in learning more about this dynamic line of work."
The project supports Amcor Rigid Plastics’ plans to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
In April, Amcor Rigid Plastics awarded an $8,000 (£5,103, €7,200) Amcor Community Program grant to provide four Luther C. Klager Elementary School classrooms with technology and furniture to enhance students’ 21st century STEM learning experience.
Charlie Schwarze, an Amcor Community Programme Administrator, said: "We’re committed to supporting educational programmes that share our passion for responsible packaging in Manchester and other local communities."
"We make community grants available so our co-workers can partner with local organisations to build better and stronger communities."
