Brownies are delicious but a real pain to bake, pack, ship, display and then reheat at home.
Our client needed a very unusual tray for producing brownies. One that was non-toxic, leak-resistant, could endure extreme temperatures, resist scorching and crumbling, protect the brownies during shipping and display at retail, and finally reheating by the consumer — all without sacrificing eye appeal or taste.
First, we uncovered cardboard that was both strong yet foldable. We worked with two different coating suppliers, rejecting scores of submissions until one was found that might measure up to the challenge. Then tested and retested, while also meeting stringent FDA compliance factors. The new tray worked perfectly. It also helped launch our reputation as a go-to problem-solver in the food industry.
Anyone with a freezer at home knows the problem.
Cooking and freezing food often produces unwanted condensation in the packaging. When you’re freezing, packing and shipping precious food for malnourished kids who are 8000 miles away in Africa — condensation is the enemy. It can weaken the carton, and that means trouble in extreme climates. We helped develop a special coating for the carton that protected its integrity and added a special tape, which assured the safe arrival of this mission of mercy. The budget was super tight, but sometimes the success of the deed is reward enough.
It’s just a candle. What’s the big deal.
This candle was made of glass. It had to be shipped in bulk with zero breakage. And produced under a very tight budget. Every part of the package – boxes, trays and partitions had to provide constant “tender loving care” for a ride in an 18-wheeler over a thousand tough miles. Our solution delivered much more than our original task. We provided rugged boxes and partitions as promised – and also designed an original self-locking tray that reduced the space needed for each candle – thus cutting labor and assembly costs way below existing norms.
Lettuce needs to breathe. Who knew?
These hydroponic beauties are raised under very exotic conditions. No soil. No sunshine. No pesticides or herbicides. Just water, nutrients, oxygen and some artificial light. So, not surprisingly, they’re also about 96% water. These include lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and berries. It’s very tricky to stack and ship them long distances under tightly controlled conditions. So, we designed a super tough carton for safe stacking, that also allowed the cargo to breathe even when stored in a high moisture environment. Result: Healthy, vibrant and delicious produce that can be shipped safely around the world with no damage. And we did it all – right on budget.
These Waffles needed a new “House.”
This was a prepared waffle already basted in sweet butter and syrup, a great product ready for retail. All they needed was a great retail display. But there were real production challenges. The display had to ship flat and be easily assembled on site with no tools or special skills. The sales message and compelling image had to be printed on an irregular corrugated surface covered by tiny bumps and waves. And we had to produce it on a budget that had no room for errors. So, we rolled up our sleeves and tested every Semi Chem paper in the universe. Then we tested 4 and 5 color process printing and even developed a special printing ink. The final touch was adding special dryers to the printing press that provided the best printed image possible — without breaking the bank.
Cutting costs can be more profitable than increasing sales.
One of the leading computer cover sources in the world needed a new shipping carton that was very strong for maximum protection yet very light to minimize postage. The client chose a bigtime carton manufacturer over HR Industries for their initial order. But then gave us the project when savings in postage didn’t materialize. With our reputation for innovation on the line, HR Industries rose to the challenge by investigating the weight-to-strength ratio of scores of corrugated materials, glues, tapes and printing inks. The result: Postage cost went down 50 cents per unit. They have shipped millions since 2009. So, do the math.