Sonoco Institute staff, along with a large group of faculty and students from the Graphic Communications and Packaging Science departments at Clemson University, attended the Flexographic Technical Association’s (FTA) Forum, “Bringing It All Together,” on May 6-9, 2018. Aside from attending sessions and networking with industry professionals, the group manned booth number 822 at the INFOFLEX 2018 trade show.
Attendees enjoyed the Institute’s Virtual Reality (VR) CUshop experience at booth 822. As they shopped in the Institute’s virtual consumer behavior shop, a real-to-life replication of the actual research shop on Clemson campus, they learned more about the Institute’s overall VR capabilities. As VR and AR capabilities continue to expand, the Sonoco Institute looks for ways to integrate these applications into the printing and packaging industry, to make it more efficient and more profitable. Ask how your company can partner with the Institute on this growing program.
Students discussed their recent creative and research projects in the INFOFLEX booth as well. Our students are the next 
generation of printing and packaging leaders. Connect with the Institute to learn more about how they need your support and how they plan to make valuable contributions to the industry after graduation!
Attendees heard from the Sonoco Institute’s Assistant Director, Bobby Congdon, at two FTA Forum sessions – “Sonoco FRESH at Clemson University: Partnership to Optimize the Fresh Food Lifecycle” with partner Jeff Schuetz from Sonoco Products Company on Sunday, as well as the “Troubleshooting Survival Guide” panel discussion on the final morning.
Student Tom Koester, 2017 Rossini Scholarship winner, presented his findings on variable repeats for flexographic printing, while Clemson student Katie Treadaway was awarded the 2018 scholarship for a winning flexo research proposal!
Overall, Forum and INFOFLEX were great opportunities to network, connect with existing partners and make new ones! The Institute looks forward to participating again in 2019.
