Better Packaging, Bigger Purpose: The RTC Products and Beyond Vision Partnership
All great collaborations first start with a conversation. RTC Products was introduced to Beyond Vision through an event hosted by the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin (IBAW). It was there that Beyond Vision’s business development representative invited RTC Products to tour the facility. Beyond Vision is a social enterprise nonprofit whose commercial work funds employment for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Services include machining, assembly, packaging, kitting, and a call center. After the tour, the RTC team identified the potential to partner with Beyond Vision for assembly and to develop packaging for a new sponge they had released. RTC Products had also recently rebranded and wanted packaging to match its new look, so the timing was perfect to kick off a new partnership.
The Challenge
RTC Products launched the Hydra Grouting Sponge, which was popular among installers and dealers. However, RTC Products could only sell sponges individually or in a 200-count bulk pack. No retail pack option existed, while competitors were already selling convenient multi-packs. In retail stores, sponges are also often loose in a bin, where they can collect dust and dirt, or hidden in a box where no one can see them. Dirty sponges can compromise a job, and RTC wanted sponges to be visible so buyers could see the quality of its small, tight-cell design that doesn't hold water for grout work. With competitors selling similar products, packaging is key to differentiating the product and driving repeat purchases. RTC Products needed a retail-ready sponge pack that met the team’s price constraints. RTC Products asked for a simple shrink-wrapped pack, assuming it was the most affordable option.
The Process
The concept RTC Products brought to Beyond Vision is not the one that ended up on store shelves. The original plan was a shrink-wrapped six-pack. Over many rounds of samples, it became a branded four-pack in a resealable zip-style bag.
The packaging development was a true team effort, with Beyond Vision’s engineering team collaborating with the RTC team to build and refine the samples. Beyond Vision’s production staff also got involved to test hand assembly and flag anything too slow or that wouldn’t work. As the packaging experts, Beyond Vision proposed creative alternatives to meet the price constraints and explained the reasoning behind each choice. This helped the RTC team to understand the process and make informed decisions. Experience with big-brand packaging clients also helped Beyond Vision bring retail and brand know-how to RTC.
“The concept we came in with is not the concept we went out the door with. It’s much better packaging than we originally had planned.”
– Jim Sandstrom, CEO, RTC Products
The Results and Impact
The finished pack exceeded RTC Product’s expectations, and early dealer response has been positive. Installers now have access to a sponge-pack that is:
- Resealable: Take one sponge out; the rest stay clean, together, and protected. Unlike shrink-wrapped competitor packs that fall apart once opened.
- Clean and fresh: No risk of dusty, dirty sponges from an open bin.
- Top-quality: The clear pack shows the small-cell structure that sets RTC Product's low aborption sponge apart.
Meanwhile, dealers can now buy Hydra Grouting Sponges with higher shelf appeal, better pricing, and clear recognition as an RTC product. The project’s volume also supports two full-time jobs for blind people. In a market saturated with sponges, details matter. Done with the right partner, a sponge pack can strengthen a product, brand, and community.
Ask your RTC representative about stocking the new sponge pack.