By Mandy Gross
FAPC Communications Services Manager

(Stillwater, Okla. – May 15, 2013) A packaging expert is the newest addition to an advisory board representing Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center.

Appointed by the speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Luis Bogran, plant manager at the Curwood Inc., a Bemis Co., facility in Pauls Valley, Okla, joins the 16-member Industry Advisory Committee to help oversee the center’s mission and vision.

“FAPC is an amazing facility,” Bogran said. “It will be fun to help the committee and support FAPC.”

To learn more about FAPC, Bogran visited the center and met with FAPC Director Roy Escoubas, administrators from OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, center faculty and staff and the current advisory board chair. The May 3 visit also included a tour of the FAPC facility.

“I was impressed with the diversity of the center and seeing all the different rooms that focus on a variety of areas,” Bogran said. “FAPC is a great opportunity for students to experience hands-on training. In my opinion, it may be the best kept secret in the state of Oklahoma and maybe the nation.”

Known around the globe for technological leadership in high-barrier packaging, Curwood is a preferred supplier of advanced packaging materials and systems for the food, beverage, household, industrial and personal care industries.

Bogran is the plant manager at the Pauls Valley facility, which employs 175 Oklahoma residents and produces 140 million bags per year.

Bogran launched his career in operations and operations management at the Bemis Co. in Terre Haute, Ind., and continued to grow, achieve and lead in increasingly higher management positions throughout his career at Hercules Inc., Atlantis Plastics Inc., Alcan Packaging Co and currently Curwood Inc., a Bemis-owned facility.

During Bogran’s visit to FAPC, faculty and staff discussed current issues and trends in the packaging industry.

Because the plant is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, finding good quality labor is difficult, Bogran said.

“One of the biggest challenges is recruiting people to with the right set of skills and willing to work on shifts,” Bogran said. “We are looking for people who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. And it’s not just a problem we are seeing; other industries are having the same issue.”

Just like any other industry, Curwood is sensitive to new trends.

“It’s fascinating to see how packaging has changed in the last 10 years,” Bogran said. “It is completely consumer driven. Currently, the trend is changing to portion control and microwaveable packaging, which require more sophisticated packaging materials and constant innovation.”

Bogran also met with the chair of FAPC’s Industry Advisory Committee, Paul Schatte. One of the main topics during the discussion was the focus on food safety.

With a growing demand for safe, quality food products, food-industry companies are engaging in food-safety programs. With the support of its Industry Advisory Committee, FAPC recognized the need and established a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) program to provide services to meet the food safety and security needs of Oklahoma’s food industry.

With the Curwood plant being GFSI certified, Bogran understands the need.

“I’m glad to see FAPC is involved in food safety,” Bogran said. “Food safety is essential to the industry as it will play a larger role in years to come.”

Bogran will join the other advisory board members during their next biannual meeting held at FAPC in June.

“We enjoyed hosting Mr. Bogran during his first visit to FAPC and look forward to having him on the committee for the next advisory board meeting,” Escoubas said. “His extensive knowledge in the packaging industry will bring a wealth of information that will help the mission and vision of the center.”

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Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system of interdisciplinary programs that prepares students for success. OSU is America’s Brightest Orange. Through leadership and service, OSU is preparing students for a bright future and building a brighter world for all. As Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 36,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 24,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 245,000 students to serve Oklahoma, the nation and the world.