Zip-Pak announced plans to open a new Engineering and Innovation Center (EIC) at its Carol Stream, Ill., headquarters. The EIC will house 9,100 square feet of laboratory space along with 5,000 square feet of engineering and office space, initially staffing 20 employees. It will also centralize Zip-Pak’s product innovation and core business functions under one roof, and place engineering and innovation in close proximity to its core U.S. manufacturing facilities, as well as a number of key customers and supply chain partners.

“Our new EIC will enable us to be more nimble and flexible in responding to the needs of our customers,” says David Pritchard, director of global innovation and engineering. “Enhanced collaboration among our teams of packaging experts, along with our supply chain partners and customers, will provide even greater levels of service, support and cost efficiencies.”

The Zip-Pak EIC team will work with brand owners, converters and pouch filling/sealing partners to provide flexible packaging advancements in this area.

“With the EIC operational, Zip-Pak will have enhanced capabilities to provide brand owners with new and more forward-looking ways to satisfy consumer demand for convenient resealable packages, while ensuring manufacturing efficiency,” adds Pritchard.

Zip-Pak projects opening the doors to the EIC in early 2018.