O-I partners with university to advance R&D

Owens-Illinois Inc (O-I) has signed a three-year agreement with the University of Toledo's (UT) Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering to support research at O-I’s new R&D Innovation Center.

The R&D centre will produce sample glass containers using new manufacturing technologies and product designs that the company is testing. The centre is due to be completed in late 2013.

“We are excited about the opportunity to use UT's state-of-the-art equipment to help us advance our understanding of basic principles,” said Dr Kimberly Houchens, vice president of R&D for O-I. “Our scientists will benefit from the help of UT graduate students, who will leverage the university's extensive laboratory capabilities.”

The agreement covers salary and fees for graduate research assistants to partner with O-I scientists and engineers. The budget also covers the purchase of newly available equipment specific to characterise glass, and fees to use UT’s existing equipment, including X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy instruments.