Crownhill Packaging Hosts Toronto Metropolitan University Students

We recently had the opportunity to host students from the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Graphic Communications Management Program.

A four-year undergraduate program, Graphic Communications Management focuses on bringing product design projects to life. Students can eventually specialize between 4 different areas of interest, called concentrations: digital graphic output, leadership, publishing, or packaging.

As part of their packaging concentration, students learn about packaging prototyping, flexo processes, and electives in other areas, such as sustainability in print and packaging, packaging and distribution, advanced material science, and more.

It was exciting to exchange knowledge and insight with some great up-and-coming minds. We kicked off the visit with an introductory meeting. Vice President Ken Wong led a presentation, introducing Crownhill Packaging, some of its key figures, and their career journeys. Sharing those journeys shows how diverse experiences can apply to a career in packaging, proving how versatile the knowledge they’re currently learning is.

Afterward, the students were divided into small groups and began private tours guided by Vice President Rodney Taylor, Director of Strategy and Operations Marc Hyman, and E-commerce Business Manager Olivia Pietersen.

Each tour covered Crownhill’s operational facility, including co-packing, sub-assembly and fulfillment, the digital cutting table, and the rest of Crownhill Packaging’s converting equipment.

Many aspects of the tour directly echo some of the program’s core classes, such as distribution, sustainability, and packaging materials such as plastics, foam, and corrugate.

“It was a great experience getting to know the students. They asked a lot of smart questions, showing a good understanding of the technical side of the packaging industry. We’re looking forward to seeing them grow,” says E-commerce Business Manager Olivia Pietersen.

We continued their visit with a Question-and-Answer period after the tour. The students also brought up other interesting topics, such as trends, technology, and safety protocols.

Overall, the visit provided the students with practical knowledge of the industry and the application part of the product design process. They were able to see up close as packaging designs came to life and learn about their distribution process.

Finally, to commemorate their visit, we handed out some fun Crownhill goodies to take home.

We had such an excellent time hosting the students. It’s safe to say that the future of packaging is looking bright and we’re looking forward to hosting again. Thank you to the Toronto Metropolitan University and the Graphic Communication Management Program coordinators who made this event possible.