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Sponsorship
Opportunities for Sam’s Club Test Development Program
ISTA, with the cooperation of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., has embarked
upon an innovative program to develop preshipment packaged-product
performance tests based upon the Sam’s Club distribution environments.
There is now a unique opportunity for interested partners and companies
to become Sponsors of this important program.
The project calls for ISTA to observe and measure the Sam’s
Club distribution environment, analyze the data, develop simulation
packaged-product test procedures, and provide Sam’s Club suppliers
with technical and educational support. By gaining a clear understanding
of the hazards and levels present in their distribution, and by
utilizing tailored simulation laboratory tests, Wal-Mart partners
can better design packages that provide neither too much nor too
little protection. This program will assist Wal-Mart in reaching
the goal of reducing packaging by 5 percent throughout its supply
chain by 2013.
Corporate Sponsorships are now available to support the project.
Sponsors will be invited to the Data Review sessions, have the opportunity
to test their products in the Protocol Validation phase, participate
in a Symposium on packaging development to meet Wal-Mart sustainability
goals, receive one free registration to ISTA’s Transport Packaging
Forum, and enjoy other benefits. Current sponsors are Colgate-Palmolive,
Bureau Veritas, CHEP, and Con Agra.
Click
Here for program information and for complete details on the
Sponsorship opportunity.
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FedEx
Tests Become First in ISTA’s New 6-Series
A
number of organizations have their own preshipment performance tests,
to meet their specific applications and purposes. It’s been
recognized that adding ISTA’s infrastructure of information,
access, administration, and certification to these tests can in
many cases be advantageous. That’s the concept of the new
ISTA 6-Series “Member Performance Tests”, which becomes
effective in 2008.
“Member Performance Tests” are protocols created by
ISTA members. They may be completely original, or may be modifications
or variations of ISTA Procedures or Projects or other published
and accepted tests. Although they will be reviewed, approved, and
formally adopted by ISTA, the primary responsibility for creation,
validation, and maintenance rests with the originating members.
Typical uses for Member Performance Tests might be by large retailers
to establish unique performance-based packaging requirements for
their suppliers and vendors, or by carriers to reflect their particular
conditions of distribution.
The first
organization to take advantage of the new ISTA 6-Series is FedEx.
Effective 2008, ISTA Procedure 6-FedEx-A is “FedEx
Procedures for Testing Packaged Products Weighing Up to 150 lbs.”,
and Procedure 6-FedEx-B is “FedEx
Procedures for Testing Packaged Products Weighing More Than 150
lbs.”
Access to these Procedures from the ISTA website will be via a link
to the FedEx site. ISTA will treat and administer tests performed
to these Procedures the same as any other ISTA test, and packaged-products
may be Certified to these tests if all of the appropriate ISTA requirements
are met.
Contact Meredith
Dougherty at ISTA if you would like further information or are
interested in applying for ISTA 6-Series approval/adoption.
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Project
4AB Online Access Free to ISTA Members Through 2008
Free
access to the Project 4AB web-based Enhanced Simulation test plan
generator has been extended for ISTA members through next year.
Go to the “Member
Login” page of the ISTA website and click the 4AB link.
Non-members are encouraged to contact ISTA members for a demonstration
of the program or for the creation of a test plan.
Project 4AB is a very powerful program. It closely follows the user’s
actual pattern of distribution, and uses current information on
the distribution environment to configure enhanced laboratory simulations.
But at the same time, it’s easy to use. You describe the product
and package (as you would for any test), and then indicate the order
of Handling, Storage, and Transport which occurs in your distribution
system. You provide information about each distribution element,
and the program creates a detailed plan for directly performing
the laboratory tests.
Click
Here for more information on Project 4AB, the Sponsors, and
details on program operation.
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Philippines
Transport Packaging Conference a Success
The
"First National Conference on Transport Packaging” was
recently held in Iloilo City, Philippines. Long-time ISTA member,
former ISTA Director, and LeButt Award recipient Lejo Braña
was instrumental in putting the event together, and everyone involved
was pleased with the outcome.
The
Conference was presented by the Packaging
R&D Center of the Philippine Department of Science &
Technology, and the Central
Philippine University (CPU) School of Packaging. CPU is Lejo’s
alma mater, and his work there to help establish the School of Packaging
has been a labor of love for the last several years. Participation
of the faculty and students in this conference was viewed as a significant
developmental event. Over 100 people attended, and there were speakers
from the Packaging R&D Center, from the CPU School of Packaging,
and from industry in the U.S., the Philippines, and Japan.
Lejo
Braña
ISTA
supported the event, with Associate Executive Director Bill Kipp
presenting several topics related to packaged-product testing. Other
speakers from the U.S. were Bryan Williams of Lansmont Corporation,
Bill Rehring of TOPS Engineering, and Brian Tudor of Williams-Sonoma.
After
the Conference, attendees were given a guided tour of the beautiful
CPU campus. Bill Kipp also visited the Packaging R&D Center
in Manila before returning home.
Church
and grounds at
Central
Philippine University
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Upcoming
Industry Events
A
number of packaging-related events are scheduled for early 2008,
including two Cold Chain Conferences, the Molded Fibre Seminar,
and a Unit Load Design Short Course.
Cool Chain Europe will be held January 28-30 at the Sheraton Brussels
Hotel and Towers in Brussels, Belgium. This conference has become
the established meeting place for temperature control professionals
working in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. It incorporates
pre-conference Discussion Forums, focused Tracks and Sessions, a
Gala Dinner and Awards evening, and the “Blue Sky” room.
ISTA is an Association Partner, and Ed Church (ISTA’s Executive
Director) will be a speaker. Click
Here.
The
Eleventh International Molded Fibre Product Seminar, presented by
the International Molded Fibre Association, will take place February
15-17 at the Radisson Cape Canaveral Resort in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
This is the only exclusively molded fibre seminar available worldwide,
and will feature ten speakers on molded fibre processes, markets,
technology and related subjects. Click
Here.
The 6th Annual Cold Chain Management and Temperature Control Summit
is scheduled for February 25-27 at the Renaissance Toronto Hotel
in Toronto, Canada. Addressing the most critical steps in distribution,
packaging and compliance of temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals,
the conference features a Master Course, presentations, case studies,
and workshops. ISTA’s Ed Church, and Paul Singh from Michigan
State (ISTA’s VP of Testing & Certification), will be
attending and speaking. Click
Here.
The Unit Load Design Short Course will be presented April 15-17
by Virginia Tech’s Center for Unit Load Design. Subtitled
“How to Reduce the Cost of Shipping Units”, the course
covers principles of unit load design, packaging & pallet design,
interactions with material handling equipment, and addressing material
handling problems. Click
Here.
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