Urgent need for young talent

There is an urgent need for young, skilled employees in every sector, and the packaging industry is no exception. This new generation is educated at European universities or in various industry apprenticeships. Regardless of whether they studied at university or completed an apprenticeship, next-generation workers often pursue unconventional approaches with bold new ideas. That is why the industry considers promoting young talent as an important investment for the future. And although the designs and prototypes they develop during their training often don’t make it all the way to physical packaging on shelves, they still provide a breath of fresh air, momentum and inspiration.

Last year, a few clever ideas stood out that certainly have the potential to be put on the market. For instance, a student at the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK) developed a solution that is a simple as it is innovative: it allows both depleted and fully charged AA batteries to be stored in a single package in separate compartments. She was awarded the German Packaging Award in the category young talent design and even received one of the sought-after Gold Awards. Leonie Theurer studies packaging technology and sustainability at HTWK and had the idea to develop the Battpack in her fifth semester in the packaging development module. “We all know the problem: Charged and depleted batteries are kept in the same drawer at home and you can’t remember which can still be used. That gave me the idea to equip a folding box with a mobile divider. You can use it to separate batteries in the same box.” As simple waste disposal was also important to her, the student also used easy-to-recycle cardboard for her design. Finally, a printed scale offers a clear overview of the contents of the battery compartments.

An innovative packaging solution for DIYers also has good chances to reach the market. The paper-based design “SandKit” by the team of students Maria Paula Monroy Vargas, Sarah Drauschke and Margo Rindle of the Münster School of Design (MSD) was developed as part of the “Packaging Design” seminar at the school’s Design department and offers an intelligent and sustainable solution for easier sandpaper handling. Here, the packaging concept acts not only as a dispenser for the sandpaper, but also as a practical sanding block. The folding box’s colour system provides information on the grit size of the sandpaper inside and thus allows users to easily select the right abrasive. “We came up with the idea when we happened to be working with sandpaper and discovered that it always creates a giant mess”, Sarah Drauschke explains the creation of SandKit. “Once we had worked out the idea and concept, we began to build prototypes. The greatest challenge was to design the box to be as solid as possible. It was especially important to us to show how robust simple cardboard can be, since SandKit consists exclusively of this material”, Margo Rindle adds. This idea also won a German Packaging Award in the category young talent design as well as a Pro Carton Young Designers Award. The European competition for young designers is organised by Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, and focuses exclusively on packaging concepts based on cartonboard.

Student Nang Htwe Htwe Lwin at London’s Ravensbourne University received another Pro Carton Young Designers Award for Urbanbite, a dynamic type of cardboard packaging for sweets that is meant to prompt consumer interaction. The design features a slide-to-open mechanism that allows users to control how many pieces they take out. The packaging can be made from a single piece of cardboard cut to A4 size and is intended to replace plastic containers. The dimensions and opening of the packet can be adapted to the product in question so that only one sweet is released at a time.

The Austrian Model Group also promotes young talent. In 2023, its annual international competition Model Young Package called for creative and innovative beverage packaging with the motto “Thirsty for Packaging”. For the first time, this involved a two-stage process: In the first round, schoolchildren from the age of 15 on and university students competed with their designs. In the competition’s second round, well-known designers pitched in to develop production-ready packaging in accordance with real customer requirements. Using this new concept, Model wants to bring young, talented designers together with industry professionals. For the first time, the German Design Council, a special interest group for design-driven companies, joined as a co-organiser. By participating in the Model Young Package competition, the Council hopes to strengthen its commitment to promoting young talent in design.

Students of the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle were among the winners this year. Se Hyeon Won, Namju Kim and Kyoungjin Lee from the Industrial Design course and Hyeonjeong Lim from the Communication Design course impressed the jury with their project “Fold up Pick up”. Their competition entry is packaging that can change its shape depending on the supply chain process from distribution to sale. The main advantage of the packaging is that it adapts to the various supply chain phases. It begins as a standard box for distribution and storage. If the flaps on both sides are torn off and folded up, this reveals banner ads and transforms the box into a six-pack carrier for bottles that can be conveniently carried using the central punched out handle.

Students are not the only ones coming up with innovative packaging solutions. Apprentices are also contributing bold innovations, creativity and unconventional ideas and solutions to companies in the packaging industry. For example, an apprentice at Margarethner Verpackungsgesellschaft in Austria developed 3D packaging for chewing gum. The Natural Gum Presenter Box was developed on behalf of Mars Austria and produced using base paper from DS Smith.For the launch of the new product line, the young packaging technician Peter Drescher created an imaginative packaging experience made of corrugated cardboard. As soon as you open the corrugated cardboard box, a chewing gum tree unfolds. Its roots cradle three chewing gum packets, presenting the new plant-based flavours in an attractive manner. This packaging solution was nominated for the Wellpappe Austria Award, which the Austrian corrugated cardboard industry grants to outstanding packaging solutions made of this material every year.

The Packaging Valley Germany association organises a Makeathon every year in order to support the next generation of designers. Last year, students, start-ups, skilled company employees and technophiles met at various locations to puzzle over solutions for digitalisation and sustainability in packaging engineering together for a limited period of only 48 hours. All participants were connected via digital platforms and presented their ideas, solutions and developments at the conclusion of the event. In the Makeathon, young talent can benefit particularly from the association’s extensive network; this innovative packaging industry cluster comprises over 100 companies, including machine manufacturers, automation specialists, component manufacturers and service providers.

Promoting young talent is also one of the major topics for the future at the German Packaging Institute (DVI). The DVI supports its member companies in their search for high potentials and the leaders of tomorrow. One place to find young talent is the DVI student conference that brings together the next generation of skilled workers and companies every year. Last year, more than 60 students from German-speaking regions met with professionals from DVI member companies at workshops to exchange ideas about future requirements and practical work. In addition to the main themes of sustainability and digitalisation, the focus was on building valuable contacts.