By Amanda Roberge - CORRESPONDENT
LEOMINSTER -- For a company that offers more than 30 varieties of the age-old plastic bucket, coming up with an exciting new twist on the traditional is always at the top of the to-do list. Some might call it a bucket list.
While the company’s recent marvel known as the Big Gripper bucket has garnered plenty of media attention as of late, the real superstar has yet to make its official debut. Hitting shelves on Feb. 1, the company’s 7-in-1 bucket is the company’s latest design. You might not think a bucket could turn your head, but this one has quite a bit of promise in that realm.
Designed exclusively by Leaktite and manufactured -- like all of their products -- right at the Leominster facility, the bucket seeks to replace the metal or plastic tray used in household painting. The rectangular bucket is able to accommodate a 9-inch roller while also providing a resting mechanism for a paintbrush and having a spout to pour paint easily back into its original container.
The bucket, without paint, can function as a dustpan thanks to specially designed edging. Of course, when all else fails, it’s a still a 3.5-gallon bucket, useful for everything from washing cars to mopping floors.
Buckets are not entirely recession-proof, said Jay Brooks, Leaktite’s vice president of marketing and sales, but their price tag renders them close enough. All of the company’s products, which are available at more than a thousand Home Depot, Ace Hardware and True Value stores nationally, are priced under $8, with a vast majority retailing for $5 or less.
“Buckets are an impulse item,” he said, adding that people don’t generally make a special trip to buy a bucket, but instead are likely to pick one up when out shopping for projects supplies, which is why it’s important for Leaktite to market its products as a sidekick to products used in various household projects.
But one way the company, which has shown sales growth every year since 1984, has weathered difficult economic times has been to take the classic 5-gallon bucket and offer customization options.
“Some of this company’s success has to do with being in the right place at the right time,” Mr. Brooks said, “but a lot of it has to do with taking a look at the business and always being open to better ways to partner with companies.”
The company grew out of Bay State Steel in Watertown. Company President Rodney Sparrow purchased the equity in Leaktite from his father, when it was still part of Bay State Steel.
At some point during the 1990s, Mr. Brooks said, manufacturing buckets to align with their clients’ brand became a critical way to stay afloat. The company’s orange 5-gallon bucket is now synonymous with Home Depot, while the white version is sold at Ace Hardware.
One source of great pride for the leaders at Leaktite is partnering with Ace Hardware to manufacture an aqua bucket printed with the names of many of Ace’s vendors, who share the common commitment of supporting a great cause.
Proceeds from the bucket -- which last year exceeded $600,000 -- go directly to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, an international nonprofit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children’s health issues
“Our goal is to exceed $1 million this year,” said Mr. Brooks. “And as a family business, we are incredibly proud to be a part of it.”
With 80 to 125 employees, depending on the season, who live locally in North Central Massachusetts, and a budding global corporate culture that appreciates and acknowledges a company that gives back to the world in some way, Leaktite’s partnership with Ace and the Children’s Miracle Network has served them well.
The practice of raising money for a charity is something the company has done before, most notably with pink buckets for breast cancer awareness. And while the whole point is not to benefit financially, Mr. Brooks said the reward for putting a personal touch on something as utilitarian as a bucket is substantial.
“It’s something that allows us to further extend our relationships with our customers, and that’s very important to us,” he added.
