Unilever is lending its support and topping the bill at the IOP Packaging Society seminar programme on open innovation in consumer packaging at the Total Exhibition in May

Taking place during the Packaging Innovation Show at Total Processing and Packaging 2007 (May 15 - 18 at the NEC), Unilever will be joined by such well-known High Street names as Asda, Tesco, and United Biscuits. Richard Parker, Unilever Group Manager for their Packaging Design Technology Centre, said: 'We will be active participants in the seminars leading key themes related to packaging design, our 'Vitality' mission, and the impact of trends, flexibility and sustainability on our products.

We will be highlighting key challenges and areas for ideas focus and also guiding potential partners in the collaboration process Unilever wishes to adopt'.

The Unilever line up is:

- The Unilever Vitality Mission - linking Consumers, Brands, Trends and new ideas to the Unilever R+D Packaging Programme through Open Innovation - Richard Parker, Unilever - Packaging Design Technology Centre Group Manager: Miles Eddowes, Unilever - Home and Personal Care R+D Director for Open Innovation.

- Widening The Design Window - Balancing the choices with the users and providers in the design process to deliver the best design solution: Andy Cole, Unilever Director Laundry Category Simplification: Dave Penrith, Unilever Global Packaging and Machinery Manager, Unilever Supply Chain.

- Applying sustainability to packaging - the Unilever approach to sustainability: Graham Houlder, Unilever Category Packaging Director; Dr Graham Cross, Unilever Collaborative Innovation Director, Unilever Foods.

- Developing packaging innovations for global roll-out - the Unilever approach to global packaging innovation: Ian Nicholson - Packaging Project Manager, Deodorants and Male Grooming, Unilever.

- Unilever R+D and Supply Chain teams will be present on the Unilever Stand to answer queries (Stand 3333).

The Women's Institute will also be speaking during the programme and delegates will have the opportunity to hear at first hand just why the NFWI (National Federation of Women's Institutes) launched its Stop Excess Packaging Campaign, which calls on manufacturers, retailers and policy makers to reduce waste in the production, packaging and transportation of public and consumer goods.

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