Application Description

By upgrading its product packaging to Stretch Pak with film of DuPont™ Surlyn® resin, a tool manufacturer has nearly doubled sales of a specialty item at a major retailer's stores nationwide.

Better Tools of St. Paul, Minnesota, makes several unique products, including a utility knife with a distinctive yellow grip and accompanying multi-edge utility blades. The handle of this patented knife is curved at a 19degree angle to maximize cutting power while reducing strain and hand fatigue. The knife sports a quick-release lock, has a lifetime warranty, and is available in fixed-position and retractable-blade models.

This knife is known as the Banana™ Knife under the company's private label, and is sold at several major do-it-yourself (DIY) stores such as Home Depot. The knife is also marketed under the Craftsman' label at Sears stores across the U.S.

"Stretch Pak is a better packaging method, " says Carper, "and it meets all of our needs-it's cost-effective, more efficient, and has more merchandising appeal. Most important, Sears loved the package. "

When it was introduced at Sears stores, explains Bill Carper, vice president of sales and marketing at Better Tools, the heavy steel knife was simply taped to a die-cut card. After a short time in the stores, however, the company discovered that the package was not able to withstand the handling it got from consumers, who often removed the knife from its package to get a better feel for the handle.

Sometimes the tape wasn't strong enough to hold the knife to the card, which was hung on a peg in the store. The packages were easily pilfered and often damaged, leaving them an unattractive sight in the retail environment.

The buyer for Sears became displeased with the packaging, so Better Tools investigated alternative packaging methods to improve the product's appearance and merchandising appeal-and to make its biggest customer happy.

Sun Industries Recommends Stretch Pak for Better Tools

Carper attended the 1996 Hardware Show in Chicago, where he met Carl Potsch, president of Sun Industries in Goodland, Indiana. Potsch recommended Stretch Pak for Better Tools products, and when asked to suggest a Stretch Pak supplier located in the upper Midwest, Potsch referred Carper to Flour City Packaging Corporation of Minneapolis.

Flour City Offers Package Design and Turnkey Operation

Better Tools contacted Flour City Nancy Mosman, sales representative for Flour City, helped the company design new packages using Stretch Pak and film of DuPont™ Surlyn® resin. Flour City is a folding carton company that also offers a packaging turnkey operation, producing its own windowed cards and packaging and fulfilling orders. Explains Gary Syvertsen, president of Flour City, the company has been offering Stretch Pak technology to customers for over 10 years.

In 1991, the company purchased its second Stretch Pak machine, the Sun Industries model SBR-8. Flour City developed three different packages: two that use 5-mil film for the retractable-blade knife and the fixed-blade knife, and another that uses 3-mil film for the replacement knife blades. The cards are made of SBS board, and the back of the card is printed with product information.

Tooling was designed and manufactured by Sun Industries for Flour City's SBR-8 automatic rotary Stretch Pak system.

Better Tools Pleased with Stretch Pak and with Flour City

"The secure package allows us to highlight the ergonomically designed handle," says Carper. "The unique Stretch Pak package with film of Surlyn® lets the customer feel the handle to realize its benefits, yet holds the knife securely in place." The blade package also allows the customer to see the product more easily while preventing tampering.

"Stretch Pak is a better packaging method," says Carper, "and it meets all of our needs: it's cost-effective, more efficient, and has more merchandising appeal. Most important, Sears loved the package."

Better Tools is pleased with the service it receives from Flour City, too. The full-service organization packages the orders within the required lead time, fulfills orders directly to Sears, manages inventory, and makes business a lot easier for Better Tools.

Within six months of adopting Stretch Pak for the knife, Better Tools saw sales of the product double.

Sales Double at Sears

Within six months of adopting Stretch Pak for the knife, Better Tools saw sales of the product double. Carper says that, although his company has "no solid evidence" that the improvement is due to the package, there seems to be no other explanation.

Better Tools says that the company is now quoting the product to other retail customers, and hopes to utilize Stretch Pak technology in future projects.

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