Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design

The Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design

CPULD is one of the leading pallet / packaging testing and research facilities in the United States. Using state-of-the-art technology, we research every aspect of the material handling system from primary packaging all the way through unit load design.

Learn More About Us Here...

The Pallet Lab

Our vision is to be the hub of packaging innovation
where researchers, students, and industry professionals
work together to improve the efficiency of the supply chain.

Testing Services

Research

Short Courses

Current CPULD News:

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CPULD Team Building Retreat Strengthens Collaboration and Communication , article
On Friday, November 1st, the CPULD team gathered for an impactful day of team building and personal growth. The afternoon's main session was led by Andras Vissi, a seasoned professional with extensive experience in teaching team-building skills to corporate teams. Andras facilitated a series of personal presentations and interactive exercises that encouraged each of us to share more about our backgrounds and perspectives. Through these activities, we learned more about each other’s unique skills and strengths, which are essential to fostering a collaborative environment. Each exercise had a meaningful lesson behind it, touching on essential workplace skills such as communication, leadership, and the ability to work effectively across diverse personalities and roles.
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CPULD's New Cold Chain Packaging Lab: Advancing Research and Sustainable Solutions , article
The Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design (CPULD) at Virginia Tech is excited to introduce its new Cold Chain Packaging Lab, a facility dedicated to advancing the technology and science behind the secure transport of temperature-sensitive products. As industries increasingly rely on maintaining specific temperature ranges during transit, this lab stands at the forefront of innovation. Whether the cargo includes perishable foods, life-saving pharmaceuticals, or other temperature-critical goods, the Cold Chain Packaging Lab offers a comprehensive range of services designed to ensure that products remain within their ideal temperature conditions from the point of origin to the final destination. The Cold Chain Packaging Lab addresses supply chain complexities by providing research, consulting, and contract testing services.
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Last-Mile Logistics: Research on Walmart's Home Delivery Packaging Preferences , article
With the rapid growth of e-commerce, the way products are delivered, especially the last mile to the customer, has become a hot topic. This area needs more structured guidelines to ensure better customer experience, sustainability, and efficient product delivery. Recent studies highlight the importance of these factors; however, there is limited focus on direct-from-store (DFS) deliveries using crowdsourced drivers. Walmart's delivery-from-store service, facilitated by Spark delivery drivers, currently lacks standardized packaging guidelines. There are no clear rules on how products should be packaged. This study aimed to understand customer priorities in DFS packaging methods and see how things like sustainability, cost, and perks influence their choices. We also collected opinions of various product categories and packaging types through an in-person survey. The results will help shape new guidelines for DFS packaging.

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CPULD Announcements:

IAPRI

Learn more about CPULD and the VT Packaging Program hosting the 32nd IAPRI Member's Conference being held at the Hotel Roanoke!

Student Spotlight:

Erin

Erin Wolter, Master's Student

The objective of Erin's research is to continue investigating the intensity and types of impacts that forklifts exert on pallets during material handling. The results of this study will be used to update the durability testing procedures used in pallet testing standards in order to better represent current material handling processes found in supply chains.

Learn more about Erin's research...

Member Spotlight:

NWPCA Logo

The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) is the largest organization of packaging professionals in the world - with more than 670 member companies in 28 countries who manufacture, repair and distribute pallets and wood packaging in unit load solutions, or who supply products and services to the industry.

Learn more about the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association!