The Dual-, Two-in-One-, Twin- or Kangaroo-packaging

Whatever you want to call them, the Dual-, Two-in-One-, Twin- or Kangaroo-packaging is a packaging holding two separate containers with two different products, which together form one entity in packaging as well as in product. I am not talking about promotional packages in terms of “pay two, get three” or whatever the promotion, nor am I talking about some extra bonus packed with the original product.
No, in this post I like to highlight the innovative creations of Kangaroo-packages (I like this word as it gives an exact definition of the matter), where the one product belongs or depends on the other product and brought together to form one product to serve a mutual goal.

Without doubt packaging history shows early examples of the Dual-, Two-in-One-, Twin- or Kangaroo-packaging. I remember, in the sixties of the last century being the beginning of packaging development in Europe after World War II, the tin packaging of Struik Conserven (in these days Struik Foods Europe) for the first experiments with complete ready-to-eat meals. Struik already had a reputation for its innovations in product and packaging. The one-litre tin had a “double bottom”, as the rice or something similar (I am not sure about it anymore) could be reached by opening one side and the prepared sauce by opening the other side. Two compartments in one tin, requiring the customer to open both sides.
As young packaging engineer I thought it was a remarkable innovation. It was primitive, in today’s terms, but then with such a limited choice of material and technology available, it was tremendous. At that time Struik used the same argument, Conagra is using (see later in this post) today: Separately prepared and packed products maintain their integrity in flavour, colour and nutrition values.
It took me years before I discovered another real dual of kangaroo packaging and I always wondered why, particularly, the food industry did not explore this innovative solution for quality and flavour with all the technology advances in materials available at this moment.

My chronologic overview starts in 2006 without having the arrogance to be complete.

Struik Conserven dual-tin-packaging - Italy’s Pasta Barilla dual packaging - Jekyll & Hyde twin packaging - EcoLab’s kangaroo packaging - Zhen Bao Fang Liqueur’s big brother, little brother - Wonder Tablitz’s empty dual-bottle - Sambuca con mosca’s bottle-in-a-bottle - The kangaroo bucket of Avlon - bio2TONIC’s dual packaging - Dawn Simple Pleasures’ two-in-one bottle - Double Down’s twin bottle - The Conagra Two-in-One Pack

Continue reading and see in detail the packages designed with special ingenuity.

The "kangaroo" bucket packaging

There are many consumer products, which consist of two components, and have to be packed separately as they have to be used separately, one after the other or mixed upon usage. Consequently they are often not properly used, because the consumer can’t find one of the components anymore or one is forgotten or neglected to be used. Following the successful introduction of the Eco-Cleaning Lab's Twin by TricorBraun, the same company introduces a "kangaroo pack" for Avlon Affirm Hair Care. Just as ingenious as simple.

'Hair Care Avlon Affirm’ is a two-step treatment for hair care, especially for hairdressing salons. The new 4-lb (1.8 kg) "kangaroo" bucket pack contains a "built-in space" in which a 4-oz (115 gr) pre-treatment bottle is stored. The content of the bucket is for the second treatment step. This merger of two packages avoids the problem that one of the bottles for the pre-treatment and the treatment itself, goes lost or is not used.

With the 'kangaroo' design, allowing the second bottle easily to be clicked into place in the recessed space in the bucket, Avlon Industries, a manufacturer of hair care products for the ethnic market, hopes to have introduced a constructive way to execute the two-step treatment correctly, by functionally merging the packages of the two components. Hair stylists may no longer overlook the pre-treatment, and can no longer use the excuse that the pre-treatment bottle was untraceable or ergo just skip the pre-treatment and forget the bottle to use what may be the case with separate products.

The unique packaging promotes the attention the product gets on the store shelves from both hair stylists and ordinary consumers.
Designed by TricorBraun, the 'kangaroo' bucket is, in addition to the attractive marketing aspect and increased efficiency in hairdressing salons, also in two ways cost saving. It increases the efficiency in production, as the two products don’t need to be packed separately in shipping boxes and the new ‘kangaroo’ packaging diminishes costs in the distribution chain, as the shipping boxes can contain now a relatively larger quantity of product.

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© Weslley Murylo de Souza Steeman

EcoLab’s Computer Designed Cleaning Twin

Ecolab's Proforce Cleaners assemble a "work"-spray bottle nicely clicked in the contours of a bulk container. The consumer can refill the spray bottle from the bulk container. The TwinPack was specifically designed for two new cleaning products with the building service contractor (BSC) market in mind.
A bracket is mounted to the wall, similar to a bookshelf. The bottle glides into its place, securely held there by moulded-in grooves. The set up provides for a more organized and safer environment as the product is not stored underfoot and dispensing occurs without lifting heavy containers or spillage on the floor.

The 16-oz (474 ml) spray bottle is extrusion blow moulded from high-density polyethylene by MGS Manufacturing Group. The 1.25-gal (4,73 ltr) container, measuring 7 1/2”x5 1/4”x11 1/2” (18,8 x 13,1 x 28,9 cm), is extrusion blow moulded from high-resistance high-density polyethylene by Fortco Plastics. TricorBraun, the container distributor that supplied both bottles and other components to Ecolab, played a key role in the design and manufacturing.

Complementing the two bottles, the TwinPack comes with a dispensing spray fitment on the 16-oz spray bottle, and a spigot (used for refilling the smaller bottle) that fits alongside the 16-oz bottle in a “cave” created in the side of the larger bottle. There are also two screw caps on the top, a larger one where the spigot goes to dispense the cleaner, and a small cap that reveals a vent hole.
The packaging footprint was optimized for in-line filling lines with little changeover required. The package is very space-efficient for in-line handling, shipment and store display due to cubed shape and stacking nubs designed in the container top, bottom and side panels, as well as the indented “pocket” area in the package for the sprayer bottle and spigot.

The large container has a 7” x 18" (15,6 x 45,2 cm) pressure-sensitive label from Meyers adhering to three sides of the large bottle and manually labelled immediately after blow moulding when the bottles are still warm. The labels are designed with 4% shrink to reduce wrinkling as the labelled bottles cool. That keeps the graphics looking nice and neat. The shrinkage occurs within the first 15 minutes after blow moulding.

During the development, the Ecolab team called on Stress Engineering Services (SES), to conduct state-of-the-art stress engineering modelling to help in the design of the bottle and mould. SES also interfaced with TricorBraun, whose role was crucial in last-minute tweaking.
Design studies and computer modelling and simulations were performed to predict problematic areas, and adjustments to the package were made accordingly. A particularly effective feature is the load-locking nubs at the top of each container that fit into corresponding indents in the bottom of the container positioned above it. The design helps stabilize the load and contribute to a case-free pallet.
Its rectangular shape guarantees efficiency in handling, shipment, storing and display. An 80-count, two-layer-high unit load achieves 98.5% of “perfect” pallet utilization.

From the beginning the project was baptised “Legoland”, as it was targeting a solution in which the containers could be stacked in different orientations.

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© Weslley Murylo De Souza Steeman
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For more and more enlarged images go to: “The Best Innovations in Packaging - 2007″