Engineer Product Development

Jeffery C. Vajen

**** ********* **. ************ **, 43068

Cell Phone: 516-***-****

Email: ******@*******.***

OBJECTIVE

• To obtain a full-time position with the packaging industry fully utilizing my strong work ethic, interpersonal,

organizational and technical skills.

EDUCATION

Michigan State University, School of Packaging, East Lansing, MI

• Bachelor of Science, Packaging, December 2002.

WORK HISTORY

Elmer’s Products, Inc., Columbus, OH

April 2007 -

June 2009 Packaging Engineer

• Responsible for all sourcing and packaging needs for all Elmer’s Canada business groups such as Children’s Arts & Crafts,

Hardware, Stationary Adhesives and Office. Also responsible for all packaging needs for US Science & Education, Craft

and foam board business.

• Identify, develop, and execute to market the defined new product development plans for the Canadian and European

AC&E, Office, and Hardware businesses.

• Work with marketing to modify current packaging and launch new products with the correct language and regulatory

requirements for international products.

• Provided a cost savings in excess of $1 million dollars on 2008 projects.

• Redesign Squeeze N Brush paint pen reducing amount of plastic, manual labor to assemble and improve usage by

consumers. Total annual savings realized of $75,000.

• Move 100% of Elmer’s Canada glue stick production to off shore production in China. Total annual savings realized of

$1MM.

• Develop secondary packaging systems per various customer requirements such as Wal-Mart Canada, Zellers, Costco,

Sam’s Club, etc. to meet or exceed their sustainability, case pack size, and display requirements.

• Lead 4th quarter Wal-Mart promotion 3D glue pen project. Total units sold 900,000. Brought 2 off shore vendors up to

speed with 64 different glue formulations that were not previously approved for production.

The Limited Brands – Beauty Avenues, Reynoldsburg, OH

Oct. 2005 -

April 2007 Packaging Engineer – Home Fragrance

• Participated in the SAP-Insight implementation in 2006. The system is a complex structure of 26 applications systemically

linked to manage product development timelines, product specifications, purchase order placement, sales reporting and

other functions.

• Responsible for all component and finished good specifications for filled candles, potpourri and tea lights for White Barn

Candle Company, Bath and Body Works and Victoria Secret Beauty.

• Design all corrugated shippers for finished goods to pass 60-minute vibration test and 6-sided drop test from 30” while

staying within target cost.

• Realized a 2006 total cost savings of $500,000 by implementing reusable packaging, cost engineering label runs,

optimizing bulk shipments of components and reducing labor charges by building more efficient packaging.

• Work with cross-functional partners such as Merchants, Design, Commercialization, Product Development, Quality

Assurance and R&D.

• Responsible for glass and ceramic container volumetric capacities and qualify tooling per approved technical drawings both

domestically and overseas.

The Estee Lauder Companies, Melville, NY

Mar. 2003 -

Sept. 2005 Senior Package Testing Engineer

• Develop a new single use sample package with Valois of America. Created new package testing protocols to determine

the functionality of the sample package. Oversaw line trial of new production equipment to determine the machine-ability of

the sample package. Created the corporate specification for the packaging materials and functionality.

• Complete various packaging tests such as packaging compatibility, label claim, lightfastness, compact compatibility, and

weight loss stability on packages ranging from compacts, lipstick cases, lotion bottles and pumps, mascara packages, wide

mouth jars, lip gloss vials, tube packages, and tottles.

• Quantify data into technical reports to deliver packaging test results and recommendations to packaging developers.

• Acquired a vast knowledge of packaging materials used within the cosmetics industry, mostly plastics, and the compatibility

with common problematic formula ingredients such as esters and hydrocarbons.

AMCOR PET Packaging, Manchester, MI

May 2002 -

Dec. 2002 Student Intern – Product Development

• Calculated the mil wall thickness, % crystallinity, and layer thicknesses to predict the oxygen permeability of different style

PET containers with multiple resins using NIR scanning technology.

• Performed and evaluated carbon dioxide and oxygen permeation experiments to determine the migration rate and

absorbsion of gases into and through monolayer, multi-layer, and various PET resin containers.

• Qualify new tooling by performing dimensional analysis.

• Provide accelerated aging test focusing on vitamin C loss for Campbell’s V8 splash line heat set containers.

The Scotts Company, Marysville, OH

June 2001-

Dec. 2001 Student Intern – Packaging Development

• Miracle-Gro 3.75lb Pail Re-Design and Implementation Team

Responsible for design and implementation of non-corrugated micro pallet display using nesting techniques and

o

thermoformed trays.

Oversaw a plant trial and shipping test of the new pail display and corrugated shipper at a contract packing facility to

o

determine package compatibility and performance with packing personnel and equipment.

• Miracle-Gro 32oz Liquid All Purpose Fertilizer

o Developed a new 32oz HDPE oblong bottle to withstand 12.5lb top load in 122 degree, 25% RH conditions for a period

of 14 days with Owens-Brockway.

o Performed various environmental tests to determine product and package compatibility and active ingredient shelf life

stability.

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