VT, Hennepin, MSU & UW-Stout win Amazing Packaging Race

Four students emerged as winners of the 2019 Amazing Packaging Race on the PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO show floor. Coordinated by show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, and sponsored by Emerson, the race brought together students from 14 Education Partner schools across the country to complete a series of challenges over 900,000 net-square-feet of exhibit space.

Team One, consisting of Christian Hamlett (Virginia Tech), Ben Harmon (Hennepin Technical College), Blake Groulx (Michigan State University) and Liam Gallagher (University of Wisconsin – Stout) bested the competition with their social-media savvy and show floor strategy, meeting the most exhibitors and completing the tasks faster than their opponents. Each student on the winning team took home $500 in prize money.

“PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO is the world’s biggest interactive packaging classroom and students and exhibitors look forward to taking advantage of it with this annual event,” says Kate Fiorianti, senior manager, education, PMMI. “It’s a great way for future leaders to test their wits in the field. The hands-on tasks and friendly competition make it a fun way to close out PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO."

Team 19 took second place behind the efforts of Joseph Porreca (San Jose State University), Gabriel Reis (Rutgers University), Laura Rendell–Dean (Ryerson University) and Micah Lewien (University of Wisconsin – Stout), while Team Four was third with William Greene (Virginia Tech), Justin Chan (Ryerson University), Ellen Chen (Rutgers University) and Katie Christoffel (University of Wisconsin – Stout).

Competing students represented 14 Education Partner schools, including:

• California Polytechnic State University
• Clemson University
• Hennepin Technical College
• Indiana State University
• Michigan State University
• Purdue University Northwest
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Rutgers University
• Ryerson University
• San Jose State University
• Tuskegee University
• University of Florida
• University of Wisconsin – Stout
• Virginia Tech

Participating exhibitors included:

• 3M
• Baumer hhs
• BW Packaging Systems
• Dorner
• Duravant
• Fallas Automation
• Garvey Corporation
• Honeywell Intelligrated
• Lenze Americas
• Liqui-Box
• Morrison Container Handling Solutions
• MULTIPOND America Inc.
• OMAC
• Plexpack
• Polypack, Inc.
• Shurtape Technologies
• SICK, Inc.
• Siemens Industry, Inc.
• Sonics & Materials, Inc.
• Starview Packaging Machinery
• UPM Raflatac