Dr. Eduardo Molina has been promoted to associate director for the Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design

We are excited to announce that Dr. Eduardo Molina has been promoted to the role of associate director for the Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design (Image 1). Molina completed his Ph.D. in December 2020 with his dissertation entitled “Modeling the fundamental mechanical interactions of unit load components during warehouse racking storage.” His research presented a new method to study the load bridging effect through computer simulations of unit loads. This will allow for more efficient evaluation and design of both pallets and unit loads.

Since Dr. Molina started managing the Corrugated Packaging Materials Laboratory for CPULD in 2018, the lab has assisted more than 30 outside companies through over 300 testing projects. He also managed 15 undergraduate student workers, giving students the opportunity to gain experience in a working laboratory as well as becoming familiar with corrugated board testing procedures (Image 2). 

When asked in what direction he hopes to lead the corrugated side of CPULD’s packaging and pallet testing efforts, Molina said, “I am a strong believer that we are currently perfectly positioned to begin reaching new areas of the packaging industry and expand our network to create valuable research for a wider audience, and I can help lead this effort. There is currently an ongoing push to develop new, sustainable materials. This is happening at the scientific community level as well as in the industry. There are also changing political winds; thus, concrete actions to offset climate change will be taking a more prominent role in the coming years. These efforts might begin with more research, and they can eventually lead to new, more stringent regulations and requirements. We, as the packaging industry, need to be fully prepared, and CPULD is uniquely positioned to tackle these types of exciting yet urgent problems.”

It’s not only corrugated board that Molina is interested in. He believes that the new fastener testing methods that he helped implement have assisted in propelling CPULD forward as well. Explaining further, he said, “An additional function that we have in the lab is the testing of fasteners such as nails and staples. Virginia Tech developed the Mibant test years ago, and it is our responsibility to keep offering high-quality, third-party testing options for manufacturers and users. We have worked hard to develop new and updated testing methods. This has allowed companies to evaluate the fasteners they use on many different levels, be it as a standalone fastener test (i.e., Mibant test), as a study of joints considering the effect of materials (i.e., withdrawal and pull-through tests), or as part of the overall pallet structure (i.e., pallet incline impact testing and pallet fast-track simulation). This whole side of testing being offered was made possible by the expanding capabilities of the center as a whole unit. We will continue to work and coordinate in a better manner, improving the customer experience that we provide.”

As associate director, Dr. Molina will have greater influence on the research being done and ensuring it will benefit the industry. He hopes to help bridge the gap he sees between the scientific community and the industry. Molina explained his hope for future research efforts: “I would like to create a new research area for the center focused on sustainable cushioning. In this area, we can act as a bridge between the material scientists developing new sustainable biomaterials that could be used as cushioning for packages and the potential users, such as packaging or consumer-packaged-goods companies. These users need someone to guide them through the adoption process of new cushioning materials. Can we generate design methodologies for these materials? If you are adopting a new, paper-based cushion for your product, can we develop engineering guidelines to help you choose the correct thickness, density, or size of said cushion? We think that by closing this gap, we can expand and accelerate the adoption of new materials in the packaging arena. The current disconnect between the scientific community and industry applications is hindering the progress of the packaging industry becoming more sustainable.”

Dr. Molina believes that his new role presents “a very exciting opportunity for the center to expand its reach, strengthen its current operations, and make a positive impact in the community.” He is looking forward to expanding the lab’s reach and offerings for the industry as well as beginning new research into more sustainable packaging options!