“We feel the clear blister packaging is a big step forward in increasing consumer confidence in purchasing compatible and replacement imaging supplies,” says Bernard Khachi, InkJet product manager for Dataproducts. “[Our] lower prices catch consumers’ interest, but they must be assured that the product will work with their printer, an assurance the clear blister and color-coded card provide.” At the company’s headquarters plant, the cartridge is bagged, sealed and inserted into a polyvinyl chloride blister. Depending on the product, the blister may contain from one to three ink cartridges. The blister is thermoformed from 15-mil PVC; the cardstock is 24-pt C2S SBS. The graphics-laden cardstock faces front. HiKIS declines to identify either its materials supplier or the maker for the new rotary blister sealing equipment the company added. Six packs for 30 items HiKIS marketing specialist Kay Lins tells Packaging World that about six different blister/card sizes are used for the approximately 30 items in the line. Khachi says PVC was chosen because it is a commonly used, cost-effective material. Consumers are assisted for brand identification through the background color on the printed cardstock. For example, cardstock for Hewlett-Packard replacement cartridges is highlighted with blue graphics, while replacement cartridges for Canon printers are highlighted in red. The products are not sponsored by nor affiliated with either Canon nor Hewlett-Packard. The pack, which can stand up, is die cut at the top to make it peggable for retail display. Introduced in February ’01, the cartridges are sold at outlets such as Staples, Amazon.com, Sears and Fred Meyers. Pricing ranges from $15.99 to $34.99.
