Alpha was engaged to develop packaging for a concentrated fuel injection cleaner for Shell Lubricant’s Gumout line that delivers the same number of treatments in smaller, lighter-weight containers. Shell asked Alpha to eliminate PVC plastic and all and secondary materials from the automotive chemical packaging, and utilize recycled and/or recyclable materials in the new package.

Shell worked with Alpha’s Cleveland plant to create two sizes of clear PET bottles to replace colored PVC bottles with secondary cardstock elements. To maximize shipping efficiency, Shell also converted the supply chain to a more regional system, transferring bottle blow molding, filling and finished goods distribution from Texas to Ohio.

The new PET bottles are blow molded in Ohio, filled in Ohio (40 miles from Alpha’s plant), and distributed from a distribution warehouse in Ohio for substantial savings in energy, fuel and transportation usage, and with the move to smaller bottles, the number of bottles per truck increased from 61,200 to 153,600 for the 6oz bottle, and from 46,800 to 100,800 per truck for the 10oz bottle.