Sourcing Custom Designed Packaging - A Tutorial:

How to Choose a Custom Packaging Supplier:
When deciding on a packaging supplier for custom designed packaging, many issues should be considered. Design capabilities, experience, prototyping, testing, storage, delivery, and quality are all key issues that can be the difference in success or failure.

Packaging Design capabilities may be the single most important aspect of choosing a custom packaging vendor. Look for vendors with 3-D digital prototyping technology. This will lower costs, speed up the prototype process, and foster new creative ideas. Digital prototypes are much less costly to transport, approve, revise, or scrap. Digital prototypes also allow design teams to collaborate simultaneously without being in the same physical location. There is no reason to distribute physical drawings or prototypes when it can be done digitally. 3-D digital packaging design will reduce the time and cost to develop and approve custom packaging.

Package Testing -- do not skip this step! Once a design is chosen, a physical prototype should be made and tested. Depending on how your product is shipped, a good packaging vendor can recommend or provide package testing. This is the best way to avoid failures and costly recalls. ASTM standards provide a good baseline for package/shipping tests.

When to use a manufacturer:
Use a manufacturer if you are completely confident the material, brand and technology the being offered is the best for your application. A manufacturer will tout the merits of its product and brand and rarely talk about competing materials or methods. A corrugated manufacturer will always say corrugated is the best way, even if foam, wood or plastic is a better answer for your application. Manufacturers can offer a low piece price usually with high minimums and long lead times.

When to use a packaging distributor:
Use a packaging distributor if you are not sure which product or method is best for your application. A distributor is not locked into a single type of product. Many distributors are experts in value added services like packaging design, warehousing, delivery, kitting, assembly and more. When you need some "hand holding" to come up with a solution for your packaging problem. Distributors are your one-stop partner to Save Sourcing Time, Lower Material Costs, Reduce SKU#’s, Boost Production Output, Decrease Your Labor Costs and Add Profit Generating Value to Your Final Goods.

By working with a distributor, you can get the most suited product in the entire packaging industry. You are not locked into one particular brand. Expert distributors will source material across all brands and product lines. Now, you have the right product.

Expert distributors will also analyze how you are using the packaging in the production process. After all, your production costs typically far outweigh material costs. A good packaging distributor will custom design your packaging into a form that lowers your material costs, enhances the value of your final goods and decreases your production time and costs. Now, you have the right packaging, in the optimal form. A full-service distributor will kit your packaging to cost saving/value-added sets, help implement process improvement ideas and create profit generating revenue in your final product. Now, you have the right packaging, in the optimal form and you are using it efficiently.

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