NSF/IUCRC Barrier Packaging Materials and Coatings Center (BPMACC)
at Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Department of Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Imaging has received notification from the National Science Foundation that WMU, in conjunction with Michigan State University's School of Packaging, has received a planning grant to determine corporate interest in establishing a center for research and development in barrier coatings.  The award was made through NSF's Industry/University Cooperative Research Program.

The purpose of the center is to discover and evaluate barrier coatings that have commercial applications.  All research will be pre-competitive; however, there will be provisions for securing intellectual property rights for individual companies.  Proprietary research may also be contracted.  Faculty from both Paper Engineering and Imaging (WMU) and Packaging (MSU) will participate in the center.

NSF identified barrier coatings as being of significant, widespread commercial interest, and WMU and MSU as having the faculty expertise and facilities to carry out the work.

An organizational meeting will be held in Kalamazoo on Wednesday October 11, 2006, immediately following the Fourth Biennial Barrier Coating Symposium to be held at WMU on October 10, 2006.

For more information on participating in the organizational meeting, contact Tom Joyce, Professor, WMU, 269-276-3515 or thomas.joyce@wmich.edu.