For more than 25 years, Sawgrass Technologies has earned its place as a digital customization pioneer. The company is a leader in the dye sublimation and digital ink industry, providing people around the world with quality printing equipment, sublimination inks, and extensive support and education tools.
Of course, being an international provider of printed materials and inks can be a challenge in itself. That’s why Sawgrass turned to Pipeline Packaging to provide custom-designed plastic bottles for both U.S. and European customers.
The Challenge
One of the challenges of international business is the difference between the markets. For Sawgrass, one hurdle was dealing with the difference in printing machinery in the U.S. and Europe.
The existing differences in machinery makes it challenging to mass produce packaging that will work for both markets. Sawgrass wanted a consistent 1-liter ink bottle, but needed a design that could accommodate both types of machines.
The Solution
In order to make a universal 1-liter ink bottle, Pipeline decided to model the new container on the European design, but size it for U.S. machinery. The heel of the new bottle was designed to securely fit into a cavity within the sublimation printers, allowing the new container to operate seamlessly for both types of machinery.
The new 1-Liter ink bottles were made with extrusion blown HDPE. A special 33mm crimp neck finish was designed for a rubber stopper and aluminum tamper seal. This new container was also a proprietary item, as the specific product was not available for sale to others.
The Results
The new dual-purpose design was a big hit with Sawgrass. The company was so pleased with the unique look and sturdy design that Sawgrass asked if Pipeline could tackle another ink package facing quality design issues.
The resulting project led to a new, proprietary 5-liter carboy. Like the 1-liter bottle, these containers were made with extrusion blown HDPE. The 5-liter carboys were made with dual 38mm neck finishes and could be produced in various colors and gram weights. In addition, Pipeline would also warehouse the containers as a Just-in-Time delivery program, giving Sawgrass added flexibility for their internal inventory needs.
Are you looking for a packaging distributor that can help you solve quality and logistics issues? Check out our available packaging products online or contact us today to talk to one of our experts today about your packaging needs.
