A state-of-the-art packaging laboratory with the capacity to simulate stress conditions will soon rise at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) grounds in Bicutan, Taguig City.
At the ground breaking ceremony for the establishment of the first Simulation Packaging Testing Laboratory (SPTL) and Green Packaging Laboratory (GPL) in the country, held on 5 March 2019, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña stressed the need to improve packaging technology with better equipment and facilities.
The DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) has made great strides in the packaging industry through its own packaging research and development and testing laboratory, according to the science chief. However, there is still a need to step up to global industry leaders, which is one of the reasons for the establishment of the modern SPTL and GPL, he said.
“We can see the evolution of the packaging center,” said Sec. de la Peña. “While it has achieved a certain level of expertise on its own, on learning by doing, they have a strong belief that they need to partner with world leaders in packaging technology to further harness its people and facilities in developing new packaging technologies.”
According to the DOST-ITDI, the packaging laboratories, once completed, will help the local packaging industry level up with other players particularly in the ASEAN region. The industry will increase its competitiveness and will forge possible collaborations with other global market players.
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The facility will provide opportunity for small and medium enterprises to avail of its services so they can improve on quality packaging materials and processes that will eventually make their products stand out in both the domestic and world markets.
The SPTL and GPL facilities will offer more cost-effective stress testing of product packaging as the facilities can easily simulate the stress conditions that affect products when transported.
“Imbes na isasakay mo pa nang maraming beses, dito sa laboratory mo na i-simulate. Sa buong Pilipinas, dito lang meron niyan (Instead of transporting the products many times over, the transport process can be simulated in our laboratory which is the first of its kind in the country),” said DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.
“The establishment of the SPTL and the GPL will become part of the long term facilities strategic plan that we are doing,” added Sec. de la Peña.
Also present during the ground breaking ceremony were DOST-ITDI Director Dr. Annabelle V. Briones, DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development Executive Director Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, Daisy E. Tañafranca, project leader and chief Science Research Specialist of the Packaging Technology Divisionof DOST-ITDI, and Stefano Paolo G.Buñag, president of the Packaging Institute of the Philippines.