this is a thing? why is it not made of plastic?
That's a really good question. It's part of the design production process. It's made out of wood because it's cheaper than plastic for the manufacturing stage. You could 3d print this, nothing technical stops you. It's just that CNC is actually a lot faster for large objects, and you're not trying to maintain a constant temperature. That and, if you have the CNC machine, and some plywood lying around, why not Vs the several Kg's of PETG that would consume.
What's sitting on the CNC machine's table is probably not the finished product waiting to be painted though. It's probably a prototype or mold blank. It's got handles stuck to the side, and a for the lid latch - so I'm thinking prototype. Once it's got any kinks worked out of the shape, they'll be able to use this - or more likely a sibling - to create a mold and reproduce it. The process is fascinating to watch, if you ever get a chance to see it.