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Packaging Engineer

Designs product packaging for protection, sustainability, convenience, and appeal.

Did you know?

Erik Wallenberg designed Tetra Pak's tetrahedron carton in 1944. Sealing it while filling, like stuffing sausages, was reportedly Elisabeth Rausing's idea.

How subjects help

Engineering: Design boxes and cushioning that protect a fragile product if it is dropped in transit.
Art & Design: Shape packaging that stands out on a shop shelf and is easy to open.
Environmental Science: Choose materials that can be recycled and cut down on plastic waste.

A famous name

Robert Gair: Invented the pre-cut folding cardboard box (carton) in 1879.

Try it yourself: Package one crisp so it survives

Design a package that fits inside the envelope and protects one crisp. Use only soft or paper materials: no wood, metal, glass or hard plastic.
Build it and seal the crisp inside, tearing rather than cutting. Weigh it if you can: a lighter, smaller package scores better.
Test it the way the post might: drop it from table height a few times and shake it.
Open it and score the crisp: whole, cracked or broken. Improve the design and test again, or post it to a relative and ask them to report back.

Packaging engineers design boxes and padding that protect products in transport with as little material as possible, and quality engineers drop-test packages to check them.

Adapted from Montana State University: Pringles Potato Chip Mailing Challenge.

Also try: Survey the litter on your street.

Known for it in

Sweden, Germany, USA, Japan, Netherlands