Last summer, Luc Leemhuis completed his graduate internship at Vetipak. The former engineering student developed a super-accurate tool for folding the lid of octagonal packaging. After this resounding success, Luc joined the company. Not as an engineer, but as a packaging technologist.
Why the change, Luc? Explain.
“I didn’t just want to design and draft. I had my heart set on a more general, client-facing role. And that’s what a packaging technologist does.”
And this is where you wanted to start your career?
“Absolutely! Vetico’s quintessentially ‘Brabant’ atmosphere suits me to a T. The fact that director Arno van de Ven was my internship supervisor says it all. My time as an intern also taught me that I would be given a lot of latitude here and that mistakes would be allowed. Plus, they asked me to help pick the right position for me. Where else would a junior employee get that chance?”
I see our clients on the shelves”
Happy with your choice?
“I’m having a really good time. I love the variety. I get to deal with every link in the chain, which means I work with a variety of people from the innovation team to the technical department and the team leaders. On top of that, we work for appealing brands. Whenever I go grocery shopping, I see our clients on the shelves.”
What does a packaging technologist do?
“I create new packaging. The process begins with inventorying customer requirements and product properties. We translate that input into a design and start testing, studying production speed, size, suitability and more. During the process, I liaise closely with suppliers to find an optimal solution.”
What role does sustainability play in your work?
“An increasingly important one. Not only are clients and authorities demanding more sustainable packaging, but Vetico also has the ambition to be a sustainability pioneer. Our innovation team is constantly looking to design packaging using more sustainable raw materials and less material overall.”
of sustainability”
How do you go about designing sustainable packaging?
“We always push the limit of sustainability. The trick is to minimize the footprint without jeopardizing quality or optimal packaging specifications. For me personally, that’s the biggest challenge.”
What successes have you already achieved?
“I take pride in how independent I get to be. I recently supervised a project for a new client from start to finish: from the design and sample to packaged chocolates branded with their artwork. Seeing the finished product was unreal.”
Do you miss engineering?
“Not at all, if I’m being honest. I still get to flex my creative muscles, just not on my lonesome. And working together makes everything a lot more fun. I do work closely with our engineers, mind you, to see whether we can adapt an existing machine to handle a different size or type of packaging, for example. So I still get to do my fair share of engineering!”
