Labels to sparkle in cleaning products

Labelpak director, Mark Sherriff

While the hiring out of machinery through various retail outlets and smaller one-man traders is the company's core business, a range of eight chemical cleaners top off the consumer offering.

"With our ongoing success, high quality equipment and superior cleaning products, we wanted to get away from the industrial looking bottles and branding we were using, and develop packaging and labels that speak to the consumer about our product range,” says Cleaning Clinic managing member Simon Thorpe.

The company interviewed three potential suppliers before settling on the fourth, Labelpak. "I have been in the retail industry for almost 30 years," says Thorpe, "and am cynical about promises being made that rarely pan out. Labelpak's knowledge of both the industry and labelling was impressive, and their salesperson's enthusiasm was infectious."

Design, delivery

Labelpak director, Mark Sherriff, explains how the two companies met each other. "We were contacted by Cleaning Clinic after being recommended by a leading bottle manufacturer, 225 Crystal Pack. Jacqui Richardson first met with them to determine the exact needs of the company and Mike Britz then contributed from a graphics design point of view. The final product was printed on our HP Indigo 4500 press and the client was very impressed."

“The client chose the new clear trigger bottle, and our company presented various congruent label shapes, from which the final design was chosen. In terms of label materials, a number of different options were considered with a white gloss polypropylene being selected in the end,” adds Sherriff.

Five weeks from inception

Once the label material and a bottle shape had been determined, the next phase was the design of the actual label. A design briefing took place where specific guidelines were set as to the elements and colour combinations. The company also introduced the idea of utilising the internet for image banks and image libraries. After careful decision making, graphics were selected and the images were incorporated into the label. The client gave considerable free range to Britz and his design team, who utilised their experience and skills in creating the final label design.

Thorpe says that it was just five weeks from inception to completion and delivery of his company's new labels, including the design and production process. "We now have a machine on our premises on the recommendation of the suppler and are able apply our labels accurately.”

“Labelpak will be assisting us in January to design five new labels and convert an existing range that has been in use for the past seven years," Thorpe explains. "Our aim is to create attractive labelling that really stands out on supermarket shelves."

The company has some 500 outlets across greater Gauteng, the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and northern Natal and a franchise operation in Natal central. Having proved successful in these regions, the company is set to launch in a further 150 stores in the Western Cape during 2010.