'Kangaroo tub' nests small bottle

Avlon Industries, Inc., Melrose Park, IL, a leading manufacturer of salon and consumer hair products for the ethnic market, has introduced new packaging for one its best-selling products-Affirm Crème Relaxer.

Because this product is intended strictly for salon use rather than consumer retail sale, packaging design had not previously been a priority. However, it became clear that the product's package was inhibiting proper use.

Avlon spokesperson Zohaira Rizvi notes, "Traditionally, we had just taped the 4-oz plastic bottles of Protecto pre-relaxer conditioner to the 4-lb buckets of Affirm. But after the tape was removed, the pre-relaxer bottle often was misplaced and never used. We knew there had to be a better way."

Working closely with packaging engineers and designers from TricorBraun (www.tricorbraun.com), Avlon created the "kangaroo tub"—a custom high-density polyethylene 4-lb bucket incorporating a molded indentation where the Protecto 4-oz bottle snaps in place.

Package delivers

"This package delivers in several important ways," says Rizvi. "It makes assembly quicker and more efficient; it makes the product easier to use at the salon; and it enhances our company's image as an innovative industry leader."

TricorBraun also assisted in custom-designing and supplying low-density polyethylene snap-on lid to replace the previous bucket lid that had a tendency to occasionally pop off unexpectedly. In addition, the revamped packaging that neatly tucks the bottle into the side of the bucket makes shipping and storage more space-efficient. Avlon can fit more products into a case and onto a pallet.
-Judy Rice