Sutton Tools Holesaw Range

Efficient, impactful, reusable packaging design.

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The Hole Story

Leaders in their industry, Sutton Tools manufactures high-quality power tool accessories and cutting tools for the hardware market. Looking to improve their line of holesaws, Sutton engaged Cobalt to create a new cutting-edge (pun intended) package design with significant advances in visual recognition, shelf optimisation, and re/usability.

To ensure the product’s security and retain a unique look, Cobalt developed an innovative and premium packaging range that distinguished them from competitor products. The challenge was to create an adaptable family packaging system that would not only maximise shelf and shipping space, but also be flexible across Sutton’s wide SKU range of holesaws.

The result features clear and bold holesaw sizing and product-type colour coding, allowing customers and staff to easily identify the right product in the right size in-store. We used the ‘teeth’ of the holesaws as a unique and intuitive aesthetic feature that visually unifies the range on-shelf. The redesigned packaging also reduces empty space around the product, which in turn allowed more product facings and sales within the same retail space.

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Focus Areas

Industrial Design
Product Engineering
Tooling Management
Testing and Evaluation
Production Quality Control
Packaging Design

Year

2018

Client

Sutton Tools

Design Achievements

Use of Space

Logistics

Recognition

Reusable

Cost Saving

Streamlined packaging allows for a wider range of product sizes to be displayed within the same retail space.

Considered package design reduces manufacturing tooling logistics and setup time. Each pack is configured to allow for a range of different saw sizes to fit within, minimising the number of unique packages required.

Centred graphics makes holesaw size easier to identify. A wraparound label maximises visual impact and offers a large space for user information on the rear.

Packaging can be reused to safely store the product after purchase.

Reduced packaging size and weight enable more efficient shipping and exports.

The Team We believe good design happens by expert people working as a team.

Kate Bednarz Project Leader

Jack Magree

Andrew Fanning

Graeme Marshall

Craig Burton

Josh Henry

Mark Matthews-Frederick

Nathan Scanlon

Thao Nguyen

Annalise Woolfe

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An initial step in the design process was to analyse the 106 different holesaw sizes across Sutton’s 4 ranges to determine the optimum size of each pack. This process also uncovered a key usability issue that customers often had to cut and therefore damage the sealed plastic packaging to release the product. With environmental impacts and convenience factors in mind, Cobalt identified an opportunity to redesign the packaging to be a re-usable storage vessel for the product.

Our improved design implements a unique hole on the back of the packaging in which customers can use to open the package easily with a screwdriver. The packaging can then be re-closed using the small clips around the seal to hold the front and back together. This ensures that the product can be stored safely when not in use.