VIRGINIA
TECH'S CENTER FOR
UNIT LOAD DESIGN RESTRUCTURES
BLACKSBURG,
March 27, 2003 - Due
to internal restructuring,
the Center for Unit
Load Design at Virginia
Tech now consists
of two laboratories:
the William H. Sardo,
Jr. Pallet and Container
Research Laboratory;
and the Unit Load
Design Laboratory.
Since both units previously
shared a majority
of staff, streamlining
administration operations
in light of budget
cuts was beneficial.
The Center also anticipates
the addition of a
packaging lab to help
improve the output
of the center’s research.
The
Unit Load Design Lab
tests the efficiency
of unit load material
handling. The lab
is based on three
components packaging,
pallet, and handling
equipment. Typically
these components are
designed separately
at different locations
which leads to inefficient
unit load handling
practices.
The
center at Virginia
Tech is the only lab
with facilities to
evaluate all aspects
of unit load and material
handling design and
efficiency. Not only
is this center the
nation's only center
incorporating the
two labs, but the
Virginia Tech’s Sardo
Pallet Lab is the
only research facility
in the United States
that performs comprehensive
research and development
work exclusively focusing
on pallets and containers.
When plans to add
a packaging lab come
to fruition, Virginia
Tech's Center for
Unit Load Design will
be able to develop
exclusive research
that is based on packaging,
pallets, and handling
equipment.
Along
with the restructuring,
some administrative
changes have taken
place. After the center’s
director departed
in January 2002 to
assume other duties
at Virginia Tech,
Marshall (Mark) White,
previous director
of the Sardo Pallet
Lab, became director
of the center. Ralph
Rupert has taken on
dual roles in the
center managing the
day-to-day operations
within each of these
labs.
White
comments that, “The
Center for Unit Load
Design now incorporates
all aspects of unit
load design, allowing
us to better leverage
combined strengths
to the benefit of
center members, users,
and pallet and related
industries. The budget
cuts have ended up
helping the Center
for Unit Load Design
restructure to provide
a more comprehensive
research facility."
The center is part
of the College of
Natural Resource's
wood science and forest
products department.
For
more information regarding
the restructuring
of the Unit Load Design
Center contact Bonnie
Maccubbin at (540)
231-5370, or at bjmac@vt.edu.
