PACKAGING PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DICTIONARY

1) Excellence in Packaging Design

The design of value adding, consumer preferred and supply chain efficient packaging is an
essential component of winning products.
1.1 Industrial Design: The application and use of Industrial Design in the
development of packaging
1.2 Computer Aided Design: The application and use of Computer Aided Design in
the development of packaging
1.3 Prototyping: The use of a range of prototyping technologies to produce
prototypes to aid concept visualization, test and develop consumer preference,
demonstrate functionality, and to test and develop manufacturability
1.4 Computer Aided Engineering The application and use of Computer aided
Engineering during the development of packaging components and systems, to
maximize functionality and value, and minimize packaging material usage.
1.5 Cost Modelling : The use of cost modelling techniques to develop accurate cost
estimates early in the development phase to allow assessment of commercial
viability and highlight needs to pursue alternative design options.
2)Rigid Plastics
Material & conversion process selection, and development and specification of Rigid plastic
packaging.
2.1 Rigid Polymer Technology: Understanding of the relative properties,
functionality, and environmental impact of packaging polymers for rigid plastic systems
to enable appropriate polymer selections to be made.
2.2 Injection Moulding: Understand the advantages and limitations of the injection
moulding process, and when and where it should be used
2.3 Blow Moulding : Understand the advantages and limitations of the Extrusion
Blow and, where appropriate, Injection blow moulding processes, and when and
where each is best used.
2.4 Injection Stretch Blow Moulding: Understand the advantages and limitations of
the injection stretch blow moulding process, and when and where it should be used
2.5 Container closure interaction: Understand both the dimensional requirements
and material contact properties of containers and their closures (where at least one of
the material is plastic)
2.6 Compression/rotational moulding and casting: Understand the advantages
and limitations of these processes, and when and where they should be used.
2.7 Multi-component Assembly: Understand the apply the design requirements for
developing components for both automatic and manual assembled packaging systems
2.8 Thermo forming and vacuum forming: Understand the advantages and
limitations of these process, and when and where they should be used
3) Flexible plastics
Material & conversion process selection and development and specification of flexible plastic
packaging.
3.1 Flexibles Polymer Technology Understanding of the relative properties,
functionality, and environmental impact of packaging polymers for flexible plastic
systems to enable appropriate polymer selections to be made
3.2 Cast/Oriented Films: Understand the advantages and disadvantages of
cast/oriented films and know when they are the best selection, and at what
specification for the packaging required
3.3 Blown films: Understand the advantages and disadvantages of blown films and
know when they are the best selection, and at what specification for the packaging
required
3.4 Laminated Films: Understand the advantages and disadvantages of laminated

films and know when they are the best selection, and which combinations of materials
and specifications for the packaging required
4 Paper and Board, (including corrugated and Retail Ready Packaging)
4.1 Paper and Board Technology: Understanding of the relative properties,
functionality, and environmental impact different board grades to enable appropriate
selection to be made
4.2 Folding cartons. Ability to design and specify folding cartons that functionally
adequate, and consumer appealing at optimal cost, optimal material usage, and with
good machineability both in production and conversion.
4.3 Corrugated and Retail Ready Packaging. Skill and knowledge to select
appropriate corrugate grade to meet transport and customer requirements including
retail ready packaging ( including, where appropriate non corrugated RRP)
5) Glass
5.1 Glass Technology and development: Understanding of the advantages and
applications of glass packaging including functionality, design limitations and
environmental impact to enable appropriate material selection to be made, including
specific requirements for glass for food contact in cases where this applies
5.2 Glass Neck Finish and treatments Understand the processes and limitations in
neck finish technology, and how neck treatments can adjust the properties of glass.
6) Metals
6.1 Metal closures and compounds: Understands the technology, sustainability
aspects and packaging limitations of metal closures and compounds to make
appropriate material and system selections an develop appropriate specification.
7) Tertiary Packaging for transit storage and merchandising
7.1 Shrink : Understand the properties, advantages and limitations of shrink wrap to
enable appropriate selection and specification
7.2 Stretch: Understand the properties, advantages and limitations of stretch wrap to
enable appropriate selection and specification
7.3 Storage and transportation: Understand the requirements tertiary packaging
must meet to successfully protect our products through the distribution systems, and
various climates and environments that will be encountered.
8) Printing and Decoration
8.1 Printing: Understand the relative merits and disadvantages of the various printing
technologies including Flexography, Lithography, Gravure, Digital and other printing
technologies (Screen, Letterpress, Tampo, Stamping, Electrostatic) and ensure
appropriate selection of printing process
8.2 Decoration: Labels: Understand the merits and disadvantages of wet glue,
wraparound and self adhesive labels and how to select and specify the appropriate
technology for the job.
8.3 Decoration: Sleeving: Understand the merits and disadvantages of sleeving
technology and make appropriate choices for the particular packaging application
8.4 Decoration: In-mould : Understand the merits, technical limitations and
disadvantages of in mould labelling make appropriate choices for the particular
packaging application
8.5 Decoration:: Heat Transfer: Understand the merits, technical limitations heat
transfer technology and make appropriate choices for the particular packaging
application
8.6 Decoration: Shrink Sleeving: Understand the merits, technical limitations and
disadvantages of shrink sleeving technology, and shrink sleeve substrates, and make
appropriate choices for the particular packaging application

9) Packaging interactions: with product, and filling machinery

9.1 Interaction with product: Understand the particular requirements of the product
to be protected, and how to address them through packaging design and material
selection. Show awareness of elements in the product which may degrade packaging
materials and design packaging and/or select materials to avoid them
9.2 Interaction with packaging equipment: Develop packaging to meet the needs
of current filling equipment, and potential future filling equipment.
10) Packaging Testing and specifications
10.1 Specification. Understand and deliver accurate information for all the elements
necessary to make a comprehensive packaging specification in Interspec (refer also to
the specification skills dictionary)
10.2 Packaging testing: Functional Approval testing: Develop and deliver
appropriate functional approval testing protocols for new items, and know when to
follow existing protocols, to ensure an effective balance between resource and rigour,
10.3 Packaging Testing: Component & Mould approval: Work closely with
Unilever supply chain, and mould and component suppliers to develop appropriate
testing protocols for mould, and component approval.
11) Specialist Packaging Systems
More detailed skills information about these specialist packaging skills areas may be available
from the Packaging Skills Differentiation matrix, or from the packaging teams that use these
specialist systems.
11.1 Aseptic Cartons: Understand the technologies, sustainability impacts and
packaging merits of aseptic carton systems and their filling process requirements to
ensure that an appropriate solution is specified for each packaging application
11.2 Tea bags: Understand the machinery, technology and material requirement of
teabag manufacture, the relative merits of the various material options available in
terms of design, functionality (including filter properties) and sustainability
11.3 Aerosols: Understand the technologies, sustainability impacts, merits,
limitations, safety and regulatory issues needed to develop, specify and transport
aerosol systems.
11.4 Ice Cream sticks: Understand the technologies, material choices, factory
constraints and sustainability impacts of ice cream sticks.
11.5 Pumps, triggers and other mechanical dispensing systems: Understand the
materials, mode of operation, assembly technologies, dispensing constraints and
merits needed to specify appropriate mechanical dispensing systems.
12) Packaging Regulations
12.1 Local and international packaging regulations. Understand local, regional
and international regulations for packaging including compulsory on pack text
requirements, fill declaration, and transport regulations.
Other Professional Skills dictionaries likely to be relevant to packaging include; R & D
Professional Skills dictionary; Category Formulation dictionaries (Foods Categories include
food safety); Patents; Environmental Sustainability; Open innovation; Consumer Technical
Insight (CTI);Regulatory Affairs; Consumer Occupational and Environmental (COE)Health;
Information and Technology. See also Supply Chain Quality skills dictionaries
General skills relevant to packaging include Project Management, Risk Management, IT skills.
Financial awareness.
Knowledge of other functions required include: Marketing, Supply Chain (including supplier
Development), Customer Development.