Stephany Springer

Talk About Taking Your Work To The Grave: Pringles Can Creator Does Just That



Posted: Monday, June 02, 2008

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The creator of the Pringles Packaging System, Fredric J. Baur, of Cincinnati, died May 4 at Vitas Hospice in Cincinnati at the age of 89. Baur wanted to be buried in the very package that he designed. That s right, Baur was buried in a Pringles can. The packaging Baur designed consists of a tubular can with a foil-coated interior, and a resealable plastic lid.

FoxNews reports that Baur's children honored his request to bury him in one of the cans by placing part of his cremated remains in a Pringles container in his grave in suburban Springfield Township. The rest of his remains were placed in an urn buried along with the can, with some placed in another urn and given to a grandson.

Kind of makes you wonder, how efficient is that can that it can withstand years underground? Also makes you wonder if it had a label and what flavor Baur's family chose if it did?

Baur requested the burial arrangement because he was proud of his design of the Pringles container. Why shouldn't he be proud? Pringles are the easiest chip to transport to school, pool and at home. I always buy Pringles because they don't go stale like other chips packaged in bags do once opened.

Baur filed for a patent for the tubular Pringles container and for the method of packaging the curved, stacked chips in the container in 1966, and it was granted in 1970. He retired in the 1980's.

I think if I had a talent and believed in my product, I would want to buried with it. With this simple act, Baur added another use to the Pringles can and showed how much he believed in the product he created. How awesome is it to be that proud of the work you create.

There are so many uses that you can do with a Pringles can to recycle it-now being buried in it is just one more use. Can you imagine all the money you could save?

Pringles containers have been used in everything from school crafts to storage containers. Wikepedia lists the following uses from their researches. Because of the metallic interior and long, tubular shape, the cans have been used to make Wi-Fi network antennas, known as cantennas [6] . Who would have thought the cans would be so tech-savy when they were created so long ago?

Cans can also be use to make "Cannons" or poppers, by putting a round hole in the bottom end of the can and blowing hard a loud popping sound will be made as the lid flies off. When filled with little bits of paper it shoots out confetti.

What are some uses you have found beneficial over the years for the Pringles cans. Lets pay tribute to Baur by sharing the many uses we have found for the Pringles can. Leave your uses in the comments.

I personally have used it as an art project with my kids when they were toddlers. I would take a sheet of paper and place it in the can. Then let the kid drop a covered paint ball into the can. Place the lid on and watch them make art work by rolling, shaking and even throwing the can. Then I would remove the masterpiece from the can.

What are you memories of using the Pringles can?

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