Packaging with brains

An article by Malcolm Butler in The Packaging Professional (November/December 2006) reports that materials used in packaging are becoming more intelligent, to the extent where the smallest speck of dust could one day interact with consumers.

Read more - Packaging with brains (PDF 80kB)

Working with FaraPack Polymers Ltd

A presentation by Malcolm Butler (Managing Director FaraPack Polymers Ltd) to the 'Academic lunch' (8 September 2006) outlining the role of FaraPack Polymers for academics as a coordinator for short-term research and consultancy.

Read more - Working with FaraPack Polymers (PDF 1.2MB)

Advancing packaging through tomorrow's technology

A presentation by Malcolm Butler (Managing Director FaraPack Polymers Ltd) at Additives for Innovation in Plastics Packaging (20 Sept '06). The presentation outlines key global drivers for new technology in packaging, looking at increasing consumer value through improved pack functionality and some of the new technologies available to allow business to address this need.

The talk also introduces business to academic research centres, and how centres like FaraPack Polymers Ltd. increases the flexibility of the academic offering, and allows industry to use acdaemic services efficiently and cost effectively.

Read more - Advancing packaging (PDF 1.3MB)

Plastics - the future of electronics in packaging?

Electronic devices such as batteries, memory, transistors and wires can all now be made from plastics. As a consequence these versatile materials are presenting ever more exciting options for packaging.
Malcolm Butler, Materials World, May 2006 p 22-23.

Read more - Plastics - the future... (PDF 65kB)

Below, two articles from the January/February 2006 issue of The Packaging Professional:

1. Polymer performance

Dr Malcolm Butler, Managing Director of FaraPack Polymers Ltd, discusses how advances in polymer technology have been exploited by the packaging industry.

2. Clever Stuff

Dr Ben Punchard discusses smart polymeric packaging materials. These can offer improved storage, protection, tracking and safety, but advanced mechanical, electronic and optical properties also add novelty and excitement - offering luxury appeal and branding opportunities.

Read more - Polymer Performance (PDF 209kB),
Clever Stuff (PDF 128kB),
From The Packaging Professional

Project proposals for multi-company collaborative investigation of polymer technologies for packaging

FaraPack Polymers intends to identify a series of small research projects that can investigate the application of new polymer technologies into the packaging industry. To enable a low cost route to this R&D the aim is to do work in pre-competitive areas on small (3 - 6 week) projects sponsored by a cluster of interested companies sharing the development costs. To find out more about this exciting new possibility, please complete this form, indicating your main areas of interest (whether listed here or an additional idea).

Read more - Investigation of polymer technologies for packaging full pdf article (200 KB).

Polymers, nanotechnology and the future of packaging

Nanotechnology is high on the news agenda in the packaging sector. Ahead of his presentation at next month's FaraPack Briefing on Polymers and Soft Nanotechnology event, Sheffield University's Prof. Richard Jones, FRS, explains how nanotechnology will affect the industry...

Read more - ...the future of packaging full pdf article (43KB),
first published in Plastics in Packaging · September 2004

Pack to the future
Extract from an article in Manufacturing Chemist

Packaging for pharmaceutical products can be either internal (integral) or external. External packaging is that which surrounds the pharmaceutical product, such as a blisterpack, while integral packaging is that which is part of the actual drug delivery, for example, tablet coating.

Within these two categories, packaging can be described as either active or passive. Active materials respond to external factors (e.g. pH triggers for drug release) while passive materials just have a predefined inherent functionality (e.g. binders for active components or a material approved for food contact).

Read more - Pack to the future full pdf article (1.2MB),
first published in Manufacturing Chemist

Making the most of nanotechnology
by Richard Jones

FARADAY Packaging Partnership is working on ultrathin layers of polymer molecules that respond to and interact with their environment. These smart surfaces could in the future provide the basis for new functional packaging materials.

Read more - Making the most of nanotechnology full pdf article (245 KB),
first published in Packaging Magazine, May 13 2004, p25.

New r&d resource for plastic packs

Companies developing new plastic packaging, looking to improve existing pack performance or requiring polymer formulation "from scratch" for packaging use can now call on a new, expert service provided by Sheffield University scientists.

Read more - New r&d resource for plastic packs, full pdf article (239 KB),
first published in Packaging Today, July/August 2004, page 3.

Polymer expertise and problem-solving on tap

Packaging companies, material suppliers, retailers and brand owners working with plastics can now take advantage of a new technical advisory, short-term development and problem-solving service introduced by FaraPack Polymers, a joint venture between Faraday Packaging Partnership and the University of Sheffield's Polymer Centre.

Read more - Polymer expertise and... full pdf article (2.40 MB),
Packaging Today, May 2004, page 3.

Launch of FaraPack Polymers
Advancing Packing Through Tomorrow's Technology

FaraPack Polymers a new joint-venture between the Faraday Packaging Partnership and the Polymer Centre, at the University of Sheffield has been launched. FaraPack Polymers is a laboratory-based resource within the Sheffield Polymer Centre combining packaging expertise and technological 'know-how' to solve technical problems and develop innovative materials.

Read more - Launch of FaraPack Polymers on page 3 of
Knowledge starts in South Yorkshire: Spinning out Research Based Businesses, Issue 7 August 2004. Full copy of issue 7, 270 KB.