Refreshed packaging design offers brand consistency and increased functionality.

Rigid packaging leader TricorBraun recently partnered with Bona®, the world leader in hardwood floor care and maintenance, on a packaging re-design project to align aesthetics and improve functionality of the Bona family of hard floor surface cleaning products. Improvements maintained Bona’s existing retail footprint while including an “anti-glug” feature and an ergonomic handle.

According to Susan Stern, director of product management-retail at Bona, “Our goal was to maintain and enhance the visual appeal of the products while also improve functionality and enhance the overall consumer experience. Our long-standing partnership with the team at TricorBraun provided us the ideal opportunity to accomplish our goal.”

To make the product refill experience easier for consumers, TricorBraun focused on an “anti-glug” design which incorporated a small hole in the neck of the bottle to allow air into the bottle thereby creating a smoother pour. Additionally, the handle angle was redesigned to achieve improved functionality.

“Our goal was to maintain and enhance the visual appeal of the products while also improve functionality and enhance the overall consumer experience. Our long-standing partnership with the team at TricorBraun provided us the ideal opportunity to accomplish our goal.”

—Susan Stern, Director of Product Management-Retail, Bona

"A custom solution was the ideal way to address all of Bona’s requirements while also delivering on consumer preferences for a comfortable grip and an easy, no mess pour,” said Renee Ribera, packaging consultant, TricorBraun. “The project was turnkey from graphic design and industrial design to engineering, prototyping, mold development and commercialization. We built all four of the molds in-house at our mold development center which helped expedite the qualification process. In addition, we had quality and project management team members keeping everything on track to meet the requirements.”

Bona and TricorBraun partnered to ensure that the refill bottles matched the look and feel of the trigger spray bottles in the product line, previously designed by TricorBraun. TricorBraun’s graphic design manager worked with Bona’s marketing team and provided consultation on the two-sided label panel. The taper of the bottle was adjusted to accommodate the label, creating a three-sided label panel. Bona tested different sizes for label orientation at the shelf to maintain appeal. TricorBraun worked closely with Bona’s designated contract filler to meet the challenges of an unusually large 3-sided wrap label.

According to TricorBraun design development manager, Marco Serrano, “It was important for us to fine tune the accurate geometry for the neck finish and the anti-glug feature.” Brandon Sandvoss, mold designer at TricorBraun explained that creating a prototype for the largest and the smallest bottles allowed a learning opportunity so that fewer modifications would be needed on the sizes in between these. The quality team at TricorBraun ensured qualification testing occurred throughout the production process including repeating dimensional measurements for shelf height accuracy, capacity checks and functionality tests for pour quality. Stern said, “The finished product is exactly on point with what we needed. TricorBraun’s engineering capability is priceless. Feedback on the new look has been very positive.”

The four types of liquid cleaners (Bona® Hardwood Floor Cleaner, Bona® Stone, Tile and Laminate Cleaner, Bona PowerPlus® Hardwood Floor Clean and Bona Free & Simple® Hardwood Floor Cleaner) are available in four refill HDPE (high density polyethylene) bottle sizes (64, 96, 128 and 160 ounces).