Friday, January 19, 2007

Sealed Air Announces Three Student Finalists in Inaugural Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., Monday, January 9, 2007 – Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE:SEE), the creator of Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning, today announced the three finalists in the first-ever Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors.

All three finalists will be flown to New York City to celebrate Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day on January 29th, at which time the Grand Prize Winner will be announced and receive a $10,000 savings bond. The 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $5,000 and $3,000 respectively in savings bonds.

The competition, which encouraged students in grades 5 through 8 throughout the United States to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by designing an invention that incorporated the use of Bubble Wrap® cushioning, attracted nearly 800 entries from 38 states. Students were invited to submit original inventions along with a visual and written description that included the name of the invention, the purpose it serves, how it works and how the idea was formulated.

The three finalists selected, and listed in alphabetical order, are as follows:

Alex Chalcraft, 13, Gilbert, Arizona – “The Easy Check Chore Chart” – Chore chart that embodies the fun of popping Bubble Wrap® cushioning while engaging children to stay focused and complete their daily chores. The chart lists a series of weekly tasks and allows children to pop a bubble each time they complete a chore.

Megan Guerrero, 13, San Angelo, Texas – “The Empire State Building: A Three-Dimensional Construction Project” – A creative work of art and clever architectural puzzle that presents a fun and educational way to learn about one of the world's most famous buildings. This three-dimensional puzzle uses custom-cut pieces of Bubble Wrap® cushioning to build a 2.5 foot replica of the Empire State Building.

Grayson Rosenberger, 14, Nashville, Tennessee – “Bubble Wrap® Cosmetic Covering Shell for Artificial Legs in Developing Countries” – A cost-effective, cosmetic skin covering for an artificial leg designed to conceal the prosthetic limb and create the appearance of muscle tone. This Bubble Wrap® cushioning-based alternative to much more expensive cosmetic coverings is intended to give a sense of self-confidence to prosthetic patients in developing countries.

"We commend and applaud the inventions of our ten semi-finalists, as well as the nearly 800 other students who entered this year's Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors," stated William V. Hickey, Sealed Air’s President and Chief Executive Officer. "While determining the top finalists was quite a challenge for our panel of judges, three entries did stand out for their exceptional achievements in the areas of creativity, usefulness, benefit to society and feasibility. We look forward to announcing the Grand Prize Winner on Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day on January 29th."

Submissions were judged in coordination with the National Museum of Education and ranked based on several criteria including originality, creativity, usefulness, benefit to society, marketability and feasibility, as well as overall presentation. Entries received ranged from a Bubble Wrap® saddle cushion and portable candy packaging to an instrument case and fish tank decor.

Bubble Wrap® cushioning was invented by Sealed Air’s founders in 1960 and was originally intended to be used as a type of textured wallpaper. The inventors quickly realized it was actually a superior cushioning material, and Sealed Air is now a global, Fortune 500 company that offers a wide range of packaging solutions, has operations in 51 countries and has annual sales in excess of $4 billion. Sealed Air is widely recognized for its strong commitment to innovation, and continues to be an industry leader in research and development.

The Bubble Wrap® Competition for Young Inventors is sponsored by Sealed Air and administered by the National Museum of Education. For additional information on Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning and the competition, visit www.bubblewrap.com.

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