VT-Packaging

02/19/2026

Giving Day is concluded. Thanks to our alumni, faculty, staff, and supporters, we did not just meet our goal but also had the greater increase in the number of donors. We surpassed our historical high by 39%.

Therefore, the department received $3,000 additional funding.

This year all donations will be used to support student travel to industry trade shows, expos, and other professional events.

Big thanks to everybody that supported this initiative.

02/19/2026

We are leading the pack but we need 5 more people to keep our position and to ensure that we will get the extra $1000 from the College to support undergraduate student travel. The Virginia Master Naturalist group is pushing hard.

This year, all Giving Day donations will be used to support undergraduate student travel to industry events such as Pack Expo, and other events.

Consider donating $5 or more to help us reach our goal. Giving Day ends at 12pm today.

In the meantime, read the day to day experience of our past packaging students Jessie Imorde from the 2024 Pack Expo International. https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/11/cnre-imorde-blog.html

Link to donate: https://lnkd.in/e9j2UQzY

Thanks for your support.

02/19/2026

Virginia Tech’s Giving Day is live through February 19 (TODAY) at 12 PM.

We are in competition with the Virginia Master Naturalist Program for an extra $1000 funding from the college. We are 5 donors away from beating our historical best — and every gift counts, regardless of size.

This year, all funds raised will directly support undergraduate student travel to industry events, including Pack Expo and other professional experiences that shape careers.

If you remember the impact that attending events like Pack Expo had on your own journey, this is a chance to help today’s students gain those same opportunities.

Read a great article about student experiences at Pack Expo using the following link: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/01/cnre-pack-expo.html

Help us send more students to Pack Expo this year.

If you’d like to support the SBIO Department Annual Fund, you can donate here: https://lnkd.in/e9j2UQzY

Calling on all our PSD alumni and packaging community — let’s reach the goal together.

Students gain critical networking and career development experiences while presenting on the future of sustainable packaging at the industry’s largest convention.

12/11/2025

Last night we gathered at The Farmhouse in Christiansburg for our annual CPULD holiday dinner - and what a fantastic evening it was! We were joined by our incredible students and lab workers who bring so much energy, curiosity, and dedication to our projects all year long.

At CPULD, experiential learning isn’t just a phrase - it’s the heart of what we do. Our students roll up their sleeves in our labs, tackle real industry challenges, and build the hands-on skills that set them apart. Celebrating their hard work at the end of each semester is one of our favorite traditions, and our holiday dinner reminds us just how special our CPULD community is.

Wishing everyone a warm, restful, and joyful holiday season - Happy Holidays from all of us at CPULD!

12/01/2025

Did you know pallets keep the world moving - literally? From global supply chains to warehouse floors to the products we use every day, pallets are the quiet workhorses that make modern life possible. And their impact is so universal… they even show up in children’s toys!

I spotted a miniature pallet in a construction kit add-on at a local ice cream parlor and couldn’t resist snapping a photo. Then I got curious and looked into other toys that include pallets. These are fun reminders that even the smallest builders recognize how essential pallets are in moving, stacking, lifting, and creating.

Here’s to the humble pallet - supporting learning, logistics, and everything in between!

11/11/2025

You can still sign up for our Advanced Pallet Design short course next week! You have the option of attending this course virtually or coming to Blacksburg and joining us in person!

This advanced PDS course will be taught by CPULD in collaboration with the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) on November 18th–20th, 2025. We have discount codes for members, repeat attendees, and first timers – reach out and see what’s available for you!

In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how to:
• design pallets that reduce total unit load costs,
• harness load bridging for better efficiency,
• design pallets for large semi-rigid loads such as sidings
• use the advanced pail and box module in PDS to optimize your unit load
• learn to use alternative fasteners such as lag bolt and carriage bolts
• deliver stronger, more cost-effective solutions to your customers.

Learn more and register now: https://www.unitload.vt.edu/apdpds

This course is designed as a follow-up course to Pallet Design & Performance. Once you've attended the beginner pallet course, please consider registering for Advanced Pallet Design ! This course will inform attendees about the effects of unit load design on materials handling costs, and advanced te...

11/04/2025

Join us November 18–20, 2025, for the Advanced Pallet Design Short Course, hosted by CPULD in collaboration with the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA).

Most wooden pallets are designed for uniform loads — but when you add products like corrugated boxes, something remarkable happens: load bridging! This unique interaction transforms pallet performance, boosting strength, cutting material costs, and paving the way for smarter, more sustainable designs.

In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how to:
• Design pallets that reduce total unit load costs
• Harness load bridging for better efficiency
• Optimize designs using NWPCA’s PDS software
• Deliver stronger, more cost-effective solutions your customers will love

Whether you’re aiming to lower costs, enhance performance, or simply stay ahead of the curve, this course gives you the tools and knowledge to do it all.

Learn more and register now: https://www.unitload.vt.edu/apdpds

This course is designed as a follow-up course to Pallet Design & Performance. Once you've attended the beginner pallet course, please consider registering for Advanced Pallet Design ! This course will inform attendees about the effects of unit load design on materials handling costs, and advanced te...

10/16/2025

Join us November 18th–20th, 2025 for the Advanced Pallet Design Short Course, hosted by CPULD in collaboration with the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA).

Most wooden pallets are built for uniform loads - but when it comes to products like corrugated boxes, something extraordinary happens: load bridging! This interaction between boxes transforms pallet performance, increasing strength, reducing material costs, and opening the door to smarter, more efficient designs.

In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how to:

• Design pallets that reduce total unit load costs
• Harness the power of load bridging for better performance
• Use NWPCA’s PDS software to optimize your designs
• Deliver cost-effective, high-quality solutions your customers will love

Whether your clients want cheaper pallets or better performance, this course will give you the tools and insights to deliver both.

Learn more and register today: https://www.unitload.vt.edu/apdpds

This course is designed as a follow-up course to Pallet Design & Performance. Once you've attended the beginner pallet course, please consider registering for Advanced Pallet Design ! This course will inform attendees about the effects of unit load design on materials handling costs, and advanced te...

09/08/2025

Remember to register for Wooden Crate Design and Performance by Thursday (09/14) to take advantage of the early-bird discount! After Sept. 14th, the price goes up! We are excited to offer this short course on October 14th-16th, 2025.

The course is designed to provide essential information on crate structure and design, principles of wood mechanics, wood properties and military specs. The target audience includes packaging engineers, pallet designers, procurement professionals, supply chain professions.

We will introduce the different crate styles and characteristics commonly used in the US. Attendees will learn how the selection of wood affects crate performance in the field, how to evaluate performance, and how to select appropriate fasteners to ensure performance. Attendees will be exposed to the principles of wood mechanics and how to use truss and buckling theories to design the components of crates.

To learn more & register, please visit: www.unitload.vt.edu/cdp

The Wooden Crate Design and Performance short course is a 2.5-day, in-person course. It will inform attendees about the principles of wooden crate design. This course will introduce the different crate styles and characteristics commonly used in the US. Attendees will learn how the selection of wood...

09/05/2025

Using our 40+ years of experience in researching wooden pallet and packaging design, we are excited to share that CPULD is offering a Wooden Crate Design and Performance short course on October 14th-16th, 2025.

The U.S. military use crates for many of their supply shipments. Due to this, we feel this short course will be of particular interest and usefulness to our military. We are also excited to offer active-duty military personnel or employees of the DLA a 25% discount to attend this short course.

The course is designed to provide essential information on crate structure and design, principles of wood mechanics, wood properties and military specs. We will introduce the different crate styles and characteristics commonly used in the US and, in particular, by our military.

Attendees will learn how the selection of wood affects crate performance in the field, how to evaluate the performance, and how to select the appropriate fastener to ensure crate performance. Attendees will be exposed to the principles of wood mechanics and how to use truss and buckling theories to design the components of crates.

To learn more & register for this short course, please visit: www.unitload.vt.edu/cdp

The Wooden Crate Design and Performance short course is a 2.5-day, in-person course. It will inform attendees about the principles of wooden crate design. This course will introduce the different crate styles and characteristics commonly used in the US. Attendees will learn how the selection of wood...

05/28/2025

There are still a few seats left for the upcoming Packaging and Distribution Dynamics short course on June 13th & 14th, 2025 on the beautiful VT campus in Blacksburg, VA! Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime experience! Globally known packaging expert, Dr. Vincent Rouillard, from Victoria University in Melbourne Australia will be visiting the USA to teach this course!

Packaging and Distribution Dynamics is a two-day intensive short course, being offered both in person, to instruct engineers and scientists who are involved in designing, testing, and optimizing packaging systems with a particular focus on minimizing product damage during distribution. This specialist course will cover how distribution hazards (shocks and vibrations) are measured, analyzed, characterized, and simulated and how this information can help you design better packaging systems.

To learn more or register for this short course, please visit: https://www.unitload.vt.edu/pdd