Customers to benefit from the addition of Director of Research Tamara Christensen; world-class, customized consumer research available for every project …
LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo., Aug. 28, 2009 — The addition of Leverage Director of Research Tamara Christensen, instructor and doctoral candidate at Arizona State University, is the latest example of R&D/Leverage's industry-leading capability as an "idea-to-tool" provider – and further enhances the company's ability to provide brand-building packaging solutions through deeper understanding of consumer behavior.
The one-stop configuration of the R&D/Leverage full-service plastic packaging capability – first announced last year – begins with robust consumer research, to pre-validate conceptual designs, and then extends to retail audits, prototypes, unit tool development and full production molds.
"Our customers will benefit from the addition of Tamara's advanced level of consumer-driven insight to our development of proprietary research processes," Corwyn Strout, R&D's Creative Director – Leverage, said. "Our richer understanding of consumer behaviors will ensure superior packaging solutions. This is the logical next step in our company's ever-growing idea-to-tool approach."
Added David Wescoat, R&D Vice President – Engineering, "Tamara's addition will help us streamline our process even further. Our designers continually create amazing products based on all available information. Now," he said, "her research will allow us to pinpoint consumer needs and pre-validate designs, ensuring superior outcomes for our customers."
Recognized by customers around the world, R&D/Leverage's holistic approach to integrated plastic packaging solutions will become even more appealing, explained Christopher Yows, Business Unit Manager – Leverage. "Tamara's wealth of academic and hands-on consulting experience means that our customers will have access to the cutting-edge research methodologies vital to success in today's marketplace," Yows said. "Combined with our pioneering idea-to-tool approach, Tamara's expertise will result in greater efficiencies and breakthrough designs that truly support speed to market."
ABOUT THE COMPANY
R&D, Integrated Solutions in Plastics, is recognized as one of the world's leading suppliers of tooling for the food, beverage, home, personal care and healthcare industries. With offices in the Kansas City, Missouri metro area and in the United Kingdom, R&D is a full-service plastic product solutions company. From idea, to tooling, to manufacturing, the company's packaging solutions support the branded product. Services include full mold manufacturing for PET tooling, IBM tooling, injection molds and a full range of support functions that include sampling analysis, mold maintenance, contract molding and processing assistance.
Leverage, Integrated Industrial Design, is R&D's full-service consumer packaging design component, located in a separate facility within the R&D campus. Leverage's four-pronged range of services includes: upfront research (retail audits, trend and color study, ethnographic research, consumer brainstorming); concept development (story boards, feasibility studies, digital prototyping, graphic design and branding); validation (online design, model making); and implementation (prototype molds, mold sampling and low-volume production).
(Editor's note: For a phone or in-person interview with Tamara Christensen, contact Robert Schiavone, R&D, 816/525-0353, Email or visit the company online: http://www.rdleverage.com.)
Photo of Tamara Christensen:
http://www.pressreleaseheadlines.com/TChristensen.jpg
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