E-shots Web-exclusive: Nypro supports UMass Lowell

A symbolic $250,000 check was presented by Ted Lapres, president and CEO of Nypro Inc. (Clinton, MA) to Martin T. Meehan, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell (Lowell, MA) at a ceremony capping a four-day summit on opportunities in emerging injection molding technologies that was convened in December 2007 at the Wannalancit Mills office and research space operated by UMass Lowell in Lowell.

Al Cotton, Nypro's director of corporate communications, says the check represented Nypro's sum contribution to the university for four years' worth of scholarships, internships, specific research and project grants, and program studies that UMass Lowell has overseen for a variety of Nypro companies.

According to Robert Malloy, chair of UMass Lowell's Dept. of Plastics Engineering, the four-day global technology summit was attended by chief engineers in such diverse fields as medical, consumer electronics, and packaging from Nypro Clinton and from Nypro's global facilities.

The conference primarily focused on three hot-button areas: LIM; environmentally friendly technologies, such as bioresins; and nanotechnology. An entire day was reserved for each topic. Select suppliers also were involved in the presentations and discussions, as were UMass Lowell students. Malloy estimates there were about 85 attendees in total.

“It was informative and intriguing, exposing them to the newer things out there,” says Malloy. “Actually, this summit was more like a retreat. We're grateful for Nypro's continued support of our programs.

“We believe the check presentation ceremony was a good way to strengthen the bond between the industry and the University, and was symbolic of our mutual commitment to learning.”