This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project, which has recognized the packaging and printing industry in Wisconsin as critical to the state's economic success, plans to adopt an industry cluster-based approach to innovation-driven economic development. The intellectual merit of the proposed activity lies in the creation, transfer, and application of advanced packaging and printing technology (using nanoparticle-based inks, composite coatings, and embedded electronics). This project will lead to the development of new packaging and printing products and processes that have superior characteristics (physical, chemical, and biological properties and smart sensing capabilities). It will also make possible the ability to transform supply chain processes and the economic potential for commercialization, and it will improve the understanding of necessary changes in the industry. Together, these advances will pose high barriers for foreign competition and enable the creation of high-paying jobs in Wisconsin.
The packaging and printing industry is of strategic importance to Wisconsin and the nation as a whole. In terms of shipments, Wisconsin's national rank is No. 1 in plastic film packaging, No. 1 in paper, No. 4 in metal cans packaging, No.9 in corrugated and fiber board packaging, and No.11 in folding cartons packaging. Wisconsin's packaging and printing industry is a major source of employment for the state and the nation. Thirty-one percent of the entire U.S. printing employment is based in the Milwaukee-Madison-Chicago triangle. Strategic initiatives that will create a sustainable competitive advantage for the Wisconsin packaging and printing industry are imperative for its continued success. The broader impacts of this project also include a scientifically and technologically literate and diverse workforce (from high-school students to college graduates with a Ph.D., and under-represented groups). This workforce will be prepared to capitalize on this new knowledge to advance growth in innovation and productivity and drive an infrastructure that enables networking, collaboration, and entrepreneurship in Wisconsin's packaging and printing industry.
Partners include Educational Institutions: University of Wisconsin-Madison (lead institution), University of Wisconsin Stout, and Waukesha County Technical College; Industrial organizations: Appleton Company, Banta Book Group, Bemis Company, Great Lakes Packaging Corporation, Kell Container Corporation, Kimberly-Clark, Prent Corporation, RedPrairie, Rockwell Automation, Sargento Foods, Serigraph, Inc., Stora Enso, Suttle-Straus, and Zebra Technologies; State Entities: Office of the Governor; and Other Stakeholders: Forward Wisconsin, Printing Industries of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.
Partnership for Innovation in Wisconsin’s Packaging & Printing Industry Cluster The packaging and printing industries are of strategic importance to Wisconsin and the nation as a whole. The goal of this project was to engage in collaborative research and knowledge-transfer activities to catalyze innovation in Wisconsin’s packaging and printing industries. The project involved active engagement with several small and large companies including Appleton, Bemis Company, Great Lakes Packaging, Green Bay Packaging, InPro Corporation, Kimberly Clark, Kraft Foods, Menasha Packaging, NewPage Specialty Papers, Quad Graphics, Seneca Foods, and Tosca Ltd., as well as other organizations such as the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, and Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The project had three thrust areas. The first thrust area focused on research and development of advanced coatings (specifically nanoparticulate inorganic oxide coatings) having superior properties that can be used to enhance food safety (e.g., when applied to the interior of food cans), UV protection, abrasion/scratch resistance, humidity control, and adhesion in packaging. Our pilot projects with industry partners on application of these advanced coatings on paper and metal packaging have demonstrated that these coatings can protect printed colors from fading and protect steel from pitting and corrosion. These coatings are comprised of food grade FDA acceptable materials and have shown to be compliant in that they do not crack, and therefore are well suited for use to protect food packaging. Furthermore, since no organic solvents are used in the production or application of these coatings, they are more environmentally friendly with respect to air pollution compared to current industrial practices involving organic coatings. The second thrust area focused on research and development of printable power systems (specifically printed batteries and supercapacitors) and ultra-low-power sensors (e.g., to track time or temperature) integrated with RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. The aim was to develop the ability to create "smart" packaging capable of sensing and automatic identification and data capture. We have developed a novel approach called "piggyback modulation" that allows the integration of sensors with commercially available low-cost RFID tags. This breakthrough in conjunction with the ability to print batteries will make possible the production of sensor tags that will be considerably cheaper than and smaller in size than currently available solutions. In the third thrust area, our efforts have focused on the compilation and dissemination of sustainability best practices in packaging, printing and plant operations through industry workgroup meetings and educational events. We have created an online portal (Wisconsin Sustainability Network www.wsnportal.org) that is designed to serve as a statewide resource and collaboration network to help businesses learn about leading practices and succeed with sustainability strategies. The cutting-edge knowledge developed in this project has also been incorporated in undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Stout. Further, several undergraduate and graduate students (including at least 6 students from underrepresented groups) have been actively involved in the project activities, thereby providing them a substantial experience in performing research and technology transfer to industry.
