Challenge

The world of industrial grade parts washing has historically been the realm of large commercial equipment and toxic, environmentally hazardous solvents. For prosumers, small business owners, and at-home mechanics, this barrier represented a fundamentally unmet user need. CRC Industries, a leader in commercial chemistry saw the chance to re-invent themselves as an environmentally conscious innovator in the consumer sector.

Solution

BOLTGROUP partnered with CRC to design, develop, prototype, and manufacture their first ever consumer product. By crafting the entire design around bioremediating technology, the new product would boast the ability to break down oil, grease, and gas into C02 and water, with no harmful byproducts. The miniaturized product was the perfect form factor in the home garage, allowing hobbyists and DIYers to access commercial grade cleaning power that is thoughtfully made, easy to use, simple to store, and safe in the household.

Result

The CRC SmartWasher BenchtopPRO successfully married bioremediating tech with an innovative product design to enter the consumer market strong. It was not long after launch that design awards began coming in, bringing a new kind of visibility and market potential to CRC. Several components in the design serve two purposes, making the product efficient and clever. The lid cover folds out to form a convenient self-draining drying rack that pours excess back into the main sink area. The hatch used to access the power cord doubles as a secure kickstand for the drying rack. By solving for the dirtiness, large space cost, material waste, and deadly chemicals associated with parts washing today, the BenchtopPRO was poised to change the game for the home user. The award-winning design was also featured on the highly acclaimed TV series, America by Design, a series that features innovation, ingenuity, and design excellence born in America.

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