WD40 Company – 1001

UK households have placed their faith in WD40’s 1001 carpet care range since the 1940s. What makes such grande dame brands forever trusted, however, is not their longevity alone; it’s their ability to evolve with the changing needs of the consumer market.

Consumers are forever on the lookout for the next product that will save valuable time and elbow grease in the home. In turn, manufacturers need to be continual innovators in-home care in order to satiate this demand for convenience.

WD40 turned to Robinson in 2019 for its expertise in supporting the evolution of the 1001 Carpet Fresh brand.

At the heart of this evolution was the innovation of our ‘spray through’ cap. Allowing consumers to activate the product directly through the cap, thereby negating the need for its removal, would undoubtedly be a step-change in the improved consumer experience.

Doing the right thing

‘Doing the right thing’ is WD40’s primary guiding principle. It’s a core value that informs who it chooses to work with. In Robinson, it found a supplier whose values aligned with its own: in terms of both its social and environmental responsibilities. Its commitment to ‘making it better than it is today’ is reflected by our aligned goals for sustainable packaging and energy efficiency in production.

The 1001 spray cap was jointly designed with WD40, with technical support provided by the manufacturer of the aerosol valves. Compared to the traditional components of a cap and spray actuator, the 1001 cap goes further in supporting WD40’s sustainability values in a number of ways.

Firstly, it reduces packaging and the amount of plastic material used. This reduction in weight decreases the amount of energy used in production and transit, thereby reducing carbon emissions. Its weight may be minimal but its functionality is certainly optimal.

Secondly, the production process is highly efficient. As the cap is all-encompassing, it is easier to assemble when compared to the separate components of a cap and spray actuator. From a functionality point of view, the new spray through cap also incorporates a tamper-evident feature as part of the moulding.

Thirdly, it is made from monolayer PP material which is widely recyclable.

The success of the rebrand led us to quickly develop a larger, second injection moulding tool to match WD40’s growing volume requirements.

“Robinson has supported us at every step in aligning our packaging to our brand. Their expertise and knowledge on design, technical capabilities and quality have been invaluable. In their recommendations, they have always been straightforward and honest. That integrity aligns with our own values as a business. The result is the successful development and commissioning of what is a technically demanding component. We are hopeful the project will pay dividends as it looks to support our re-brand.”

Omar Warrak, Supply Chain Project Manager, WD40 Company

Contact Robinson today to see what packaging solutions they can develop for your brand.