Brown Box Agency allows packaging science students to run their own consulting firm

March 19, 2025March 19, 2025

Startup companies, local businesses and even large companies often find packaging solutions.

Meanwhile, students of the Packaging Science Program at the University of Klemson are always looking to gain real world experience they can take with them after graduation.

Thus, the brown box agency was born. The brown box agency was formed about 18 months ago as a student -administered packaging solution. It mainly makes paper -based package design and prototaging. This is done at home in the Sonuko Institute of Packaging Design and graphics.

The Brown Box Agency began when Andrew Herleie and South Carolina Department of Commerce, Associate Professor of Packaging Science, supported a business idea where students can experience as a consulting firm in the packaging industry.

“Hopefully, companies can share with us and provide students with real -world design experience, project management experience, interface with foreign companies, and then developing opportunities for students,” said Haley Applebie, co -director of the Sonuko Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics. “This is a victory in which companies get solutions, students have experience and we have to make a unique program.”

Pierce Hall, a packaging science graduate student, oversees the agency, currently consisting of three undergraduate salaried entrepreneurs from the Klemson University Professional Internship and Cooperate Program. Entrance is 160 hours per semester in everything. Most projects are completed within 30-45 days.

Once a client offers a project request, a 30 -minute free consultation meeting is held to see if it is suitable for the project agency. After that, a quote is sent to the client, and if it is accepted, a kick -off meeting is held where the group sets up a mapping timeline in different stages.

A mental storm session is held where students toss different ideas before limiting the client to 5-10 versions. Once the client decides about an idea, students provide three rounds of repetition to move forward. Then a final version containing clients or prototypes and all files is sent to the client.

“The brown box is a complete intellectual property transfer, whatever the brown box does for a client,” said Hall. “We hand over everything we have paid.”

During the autumn semester, students were in a long -standing public project for world leader Samfat Westrock in a sustainable packaging. The project had to make a drain chair design that was fully active and can be placed in a lobby of a facility. The project took the whole semester.

“It was a lot of fun.” “We would send them ideas and send us on a scale what the ranking was about real ideas. It was amazing that thinking about what we can do, and then get their opinions very fast.

“It was upset. The design with which we finished was a bit complicated for the machine, so it needed a lot of manpower to pass through it. But at the same time it was a lot of fun. I have always learned to be ready. It has helped manage my time management, work with classes and work with classes.”

When others graduate or leave to meet their desired 6 months of support to set up a pipeline for experienced interns, a creative inquiry course was developed for under -class men to help them volunteer. Currently, the team has two Sophomore volunteers.

“The idea is that young people who are interested can join the creative inquiry and start gaining some experience and see how it runs,” said Applebie. “They can see if they like it or not.”

Companies seeking partnership with Brown Box Agency should contact Herley at Ruperth@Clemson.edu.