What is believed to be the first shaped PET paint tin that incorporates user-friendly features is set to make a breakthrough in the mess and hassle usually associated with DIY painting.
The new range of Dulux metal and wood trim paints is the result of a three-year research and development programme between ICI Paints and structural packaging consultancy Tin Horse Design.
Tin Horse’s brief was to design an innovative paint container that would look significantly different, be easy to hold, easy to open and close and have a secure lid.
“Opening a paint tin should not be an industrial exercise,” commented Peter Booth Tin Horse project leader.
The resulting pack features an indent, similar to that on a pint glass, and a scalloped easy to grip back.
The lid can be opened with thumb and forefinger so no tools are required.
A brush wipe and rest have been incorporated inside the neck of the container to encourage paint to drip back into the tin, rather than down the sides. PET technology from Owens Illinois Chalgrove was used to develop the shaped tin – said to be a first in the paint category.
It can handle both waterborne and solvent paints. A screw thread lid from Kornelis that prevents oxygen from penetrating the product allows the pack to be completely resealed after initial opening. This cuts the chances of skin forming on solvent paints.
Fuji Seal developed an asymmetrical sleeving system to ensure that sleeves always face the front. The pack has 360deg C top-to-bottom sleeving, with graphics from Design Bridge. A double perforation keeps the body sleeve intact after opening and customers can check the paint colour through a product window. Fuji Seal has described this as the most technically demanding project it has been involved in so far.