01
Development Has Stalled
A concept exists, but requirements, technical risks, test plans, or next steps are not clearly defined.
PACKAGING ENGINEERING · COMMERCIALIZATION · PLANT EXECUTION
Packaging strategy that performs in the real world.
Independent, senior-level packaging engineering support for companies that need experienced technical leadership, disciplined execution, and solutions that work on the plant floor.
20+ years of packaging engineering
End-to-end development through implementation
Multi-industry CPG and industrial experience
WHEN PROJECTS GET COMPLEX
Packaging projects rarely fail because of one component.
They stall when package design, materials, equipment, suppliers, specifications, manufacturing conditions, timelines, and business requirements are not fully aligned.
OTBPC brings those pieces together—providing practical technical leadership when internal resources are limited, schedules are compressed, or the path forward is unclear.
02
Trials Are Approaching
Materials, suppliers, equipment, protocols, data needs, and decision criteria must be aligned before plant time is consumed.
03
Performance Is Inconsistent
Damage, sealing, line efficiency, material variation, or specification gaps are affecting manufacturing or distribution.
04
Senior Capacity Is Needed
An important initiative needs experienced packaging leadership without adding permanent overhead.
CORE SERVICES
Packaging engineering from strategy through execution.
Support can be focused on one critical workstream or extended across the full development and commercialization lifecycle.
Development & Commercialization
- Package and system development
- Technical feasibility and risk assessment
- Material and supplier qualification
- Manufacturing scale-up and implementation
- New product and package commercialization
Trial Execution & Validation
- Trial strategy and protocol development
- Plant-readiness coordination
- On-site trial leadership
- Data collection and analysis
- Decision-ready technical reporting
Performance Improvement
- Packaging-line troubleshooting
- Package damage and distribution analysis
- Root-cause investigation
- Material and cost optimization
- Corrective-action implementation
Specifications & Governance
- Specification development and cleanup
- Packaging-data lifecycle governance
- Supplier and material change management
- Test-method development
- Technical documentation and standards
THE OTBPC APPROACH
A disciplined path from challenge to implementation.
Clear requirements, practical validation, and decisions built around manufacturing reality.
Define
Clarify the business objective, package requirements, constraints, stakeholders, and success criteria.
Diagnose
Review specifications, materials, equipment, supplier capability, operating conditions, and available performance data.
Develop
Create the technical plan, candidate solutions, protocols, risk controls, resources, and decision framework.
Validate
Lead testing, pilot work, plant trials, data analysis, troubleshooting, and cross-functional review.
Implement
Translate results into specifications, supplier actions, production instructions, and sustained manufacturing handoff.
WHY OTBPC
Senior expertise without traditional consulting layers.
Hands-on support structured around the work that needs to be completed—not a predefined consulting model.
Hands-On Technical Leadership
The person helping define the strategy can also lead the trial, troubleshoot the line, analyze results, and present the recommendation.
Manufacturing-Oriented Decisions
Solutions are evaluated against real equipment capabilities, operating conditions, distribution requirements, and implementation risk.
Independent Perspective
Recommendations are guided by technical evidence and client objectives—not by an obligation to sell a particular package or supplier.
Flexible Engagement Model
Support can range from a focused assessment to full project leadership through commercialization and implementation.
EMERGING CAPABILITY
More structured packaging commercialization.
OTBPC is developing a technology-enabled commercialization framework designed to bring greater structure, visibility, and consistency to complex packaging programs.
The approach is intended to organize technical requirements, stage-gate decisions, test plans, risks, specifications, trial results, approvals, and implementation activities within a more connected workflow.
Selected engagements may incorporate elements of this developing framework to improve coordination, documentation, traceability, and decision-making.
EXPERIENCE
Across formats, industries, and manufacturing environments.
OTBPC combines broad packaging-material knowledge with plant-floor execution, supplier coordination, technical analysis, and commercialization leadership.
20+Years in packaging engineering
End-to-EndDevelopment through implementation
Multi-SitePlants, suppliers, and global programs
IndependentEvidence-based technical guidance
Industries
- Food & beverage
- Consumer healthcare
- Personal & oral care
- Household & home care
- Pet care
- Industrial & lubricants
Packaging Systems
- Rigid plastic bottles & closures
- Flexible packaging & pouches
- Cartons, paperboard & corrugated
- Blisters, thermoforms & tubes
- Bag-in-box systems
- Pallets, unit loads & distribution
Founder & Principal Packaging Consultant
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Senior packaging leadership, personally accountable from strategy through execution.
Michael Harris is a packaging engineer and technical leader with more than 20 years of experience developing, qualifying, commercializing, and improving packaging systems across food, beverage, healthcare, consumer products, and industrial applications.
His experience spans package development, manufacturing trials, supplier qualification, packaging equipment, physical and distribution testing, specifications, sustainability, productivity, and multi-site technical program leadership.
He founded Outside-the-Box Packaging Consulting to simplify complex packaging systems and translate technical insight into measurable operational impact.
ENGAGEMENT OPTIONS
How clients engage OTBPC.
Commercialization Leadership
Lead a packaging initiative from technical requirements through qualification, trials, approval, and implementation.
Trial Planning & Execution
Develop the protocol, align stakeholders, prepare the plant, lead execution, analyze data, and issue a clear recommendation.
Independent Technical Assessment
Evaluate a package, material, supplier, manufacturing issue, or proposed change and provide an evidence-based path forward.
Embedded Packaging Support
Add experienced packaging capacity for a defined period, project, product category, or portfolio.
LET'S TALK
Have a packaging initiative that needs to move forward?
Whether you are preparing for a plant trial, troubleshooting a performance issue, qualifying a packaging change, or building a commercialization plan, OTBPC can bring structure and experienced technical leadership to the work.