This is no novelty item, either. It's a functional package that's soft enough to allow users to easily squeeze and dispense product out of the wide-mouth opening. The opposite end of the bottle has one tapered edge that can be used to spread the product. The bottle is extrusion blow molded by Silgan Plastics (Chesterfield, MO), which uses a 50:50 blend of high- and low-density polyethylene resins. The bottle also has ribbed sides for non-slip gripping. Each bottle receives front and back L-shaped pressure-sensitive labels that are screen-printed in up to seven colors by Signature Label (Port Clinton, OH). Signature also applies the labels automatically. "For years, we've sold wood fillers that require solvents for clean-up," says Craig Glenn, director of North American markets for Darworth. "Those are filled in a metal can with a metal lid. As we developed a product that cleans up with water, we weren't comfortable putting it in any old tub." Glenn says overall cost of the new bottle versus the metal can/lid "is a toss-up." "This package does several things for us," he continues. "First, stores we sell to don't put our product on the bottom shelf where nobody notices, like they do with many metal containers. Instead, it goes on the top shelf. It piques consumer interest." It also obviates the need for the consumer to spend money on a putty knife to spread the product, says Glenn.
