Pallets: Millwood hires manager of unit load technology

Millwood, a worldwide industry leader and innovator of unit load and packaging systems, materials and services, has hired Ralph Rupert as manager of unit load technology.

An expert in both corrugated materials and unit load design, Rupert will work with local, regional and national sales representatives to develop systems based unit load designs that will reduce
customers’ overall packaging expenses and complement their sustainability initiatives.

He will also work with Liberty Technologies’ engineering group on the design of automated materials handling and packaging systems and lead Millwood’s initiative to establish a certified unit load test lab at the corporate technology center to run tests under ASTM and ISTA guidelines.

“If we’re going to provide the most sustainable and economical unit load solutions to our customers, we need to test a design up front and verify its success after the fact,” says Rupert. “A test lab will allow us to tie all of the components of a unit load together into a systems based approach.”

“Over the last year, we have been putting more science, engineering and testing behind the redesigns we have been offering our customers,” adds Joe Pecchia, director, strategic accounts and
technology development. “Ralph’s hiring solidifies that direction.”

Prior to joining Millwood, Rupert was the director of the Center for Unit Load Design at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., where he is completing his PhD. A nationally recognized author and expert on pallet design and corrugated and plastic packaging materials, Rupert is the chair of the ANSI – MH1 pallet standard committee and a member of ISTA.

“We have wanted to have someone with Ralph’s experience on our team for a long time,” says Ron Ringness, executive vice president, sales, marketing and technology. “His hiring enhances our
commitment to the unit load concept and his experience with corrugated packaging adds to our body of knowledge in those areas.”

Ringness expects the unit load test lab to be operational by the third quarter of 2012.

Rupert will work from Millwood’s corporate headquarters in Northeastern Ohio.

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