MICHIGAN (News release) -- Amcor plans to invest over $10 million in MSU's School of Packaging - the largest investment in the history of the university's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), under which the School of Packaging sits. The funding, which forms part of Amcor's commitment to supporting the next generation of responsible packaging talent, will be used to help the school further its high academic standards and enable facility modernization upgrades that ensure students have access to state-of-the-art technology.

The partnership between these two leading organizations will also support the creation of an Endowed Chair of Packaging Sustainability to drive forward further research and innovation in the topic.

Ron Delia, Amcor CEO, said, "This is an important investment in the future of the packaging industry, which will be defined by responsible, sustainable packaging solutions. MSU already attracts the greatest talent in the industry and Amcor is committed to fostering the boldest thinkers as they make ground-breaking advancements in more sustainable packaging solutions."

The breakout investment is the latest example of Amcor's strategy to drive innovation and identify new avenues for growth as it continues to advance responsible packaging. Amcor is partnering with a range of organizations to create packaging that is designed to be recycled or reused and implement new technologies that make its manufacturing more efficient, which makes its employees more productive and safer.

MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D., said, "We are grateful to Amcor for its recognition of MSU's leadership in packaging education and our commitment to sustainable innovations. Together, we will ensure that the industry remains well equipped with global talent and leadership to meet the challenges of providing packaging that keeps food and medicines safe while furthering the circular economy."

The School of Packaging was named by Universities.com as the top packaging program in the nation and the school supports industry-advancing research in sustainable polymers, packaging life cycle analysis and fresh food packaging.