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PVC clamshells open up markets for hitching mirrors

Moving out of the box and into marketable, protective clear PVC clamshells gets results for ‘The Backup Buddy,’ a mirror assembly for hitching trailers.

The impact of the mirrored product and graphics appeal of the offset-printed cardstock shine through the high-clarity clamshells
The impact of the mirrored product and graphics appeal of the offset-printed cardstock shine through the high-clarity clamshells

Getting hitched should be as easy to do in Louisiana as it is in Las Vegas. The truth is, marrying a trailer hitch to the back of an auto, truck or SUV is an onerous task no matter where it’s attempted.

Kevin Mazarac, president of Future Enterprises, has done something about that with The Backup Buddy™, a patented mirror and mounting system. Attach one to the back of a car, pickup truck or SUV —there’s a product for each—and you will be hitched in no time, faster than a drive-through wedding off the Vegas Strip.

When it came to packaging, Mazarac first tried a shoebox-sized white corrugated box. But an alert West Coast manufacturer representative sensed there would be a receptive market for the product, convincing Mazarac to repackage it in clear, hinged clamshells that would display and protect the item for retailers and enhance its sales appeal. The clamshells are molded using 24-mil Pentaform® rigid polyvinyl chloride from Klöckner Pentaplast of America. (Gordonsville, VA). Thermoforming is by Dordan Manufacturing, Inc. (Woodstock, IL), which developed the conceptual designs and prototypes for the hinged clamshells, one for each of the three models.

Clarity goes deep

The material’s clarity gives the clamshells excellent shelf appeal and the solid protection it needs from shipping through point-of-sale, according to Mazarac. “The clarity is a big asset,” he adds.

Its easy processibility was another key factor for Dordan, although the company declines to identify the thermoforming equipment it uses.

Marianne Danielsen, account executive at Dordan, says the selection of the Klöckner Pentaplast material was critical. “Klöckner’s material far exceeded our expectations with its ability to draw into the deep areas of the mold, yet still maintain its structural integrity,” she explains. The depth needed is as much as 3’’, which Dordan believed required double-sided silicone-coated vinyl material to allow it to readily release from the mold.

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