The seasonal “crunch time” is already here. With millions of consumers getting a head start on their Christmas shopping, companies that haven’t prepared ahead of time will find it difficult to keep up with this surge in demand.
If you’re one of these companies, you need to take advantage of co-packing, or contract packaging, this holiday season. Outsourcing your packaging needs can help you keep up with demand, reduce consumer complaints, avoid shipping delays, and so much more.
Let’s look into some of the other benefits of utilizing co-packing services.
Co-Packing Ensures You Have the Labor
A contract packaging company removes the stress of wondering whether you will have enough trained employees to handle holiday packaging requirements. By outsourcing your packaging to a professional team, you won’t have to worry about running behind schedule. Additionally, a co-packing company will already have their own team and equipment, so you don’t have to worry about investing in new equipment or spending time training new employees.
Co-Packing Helps Maintain Compliance
If you manufacture defense, aerospace, or medical products, you know how challenging it is to ensure these products meet federal regulations. Packaging also must adhere to strict regulations. Just one non-compliant packaging detail could significantly delay a shipment or negate the shipment altogether, costing a company thousands of dollars in repackaging expenses and potential fines.
Contract packaging specialists can ensure that any military spec or federal regulations pertaining to a particular shipment is rigorously adhered to and met. Whether it’s MIL-STD-129R or ISPM-15, a professional company will have a full understanding of all regulations you must meet and how to stay compliant with them throughout the packaging process.
Some Co-Packing Companies Offer Warehousing & Inventory Management
In addition to labor and budgetary strains, you may also not have the space to carry out full packaging runs. Contract packaging companies not only carry out runs for you, but also provide warehousing and inventory management assistance. This will help you eliminate product misplacement and loss, which is especially important during the holiday season. A messy warehouse crammed with products that have not been accounted for in real-time is the perfect storm leading to dissatisfied end-users who are upset about not receiving products on time.
Kitting Opportunities
Lastly, a full-service co-packing company can also provide manufacturers with insights into possible kitting opportunities. In the industrial packaging world, kitting refers to placing individual products into one ready-to-ship package. For example, if a user purchases an item from an online retailer like Amazon, they may discover that certain items they’ve purchased have been shipped together. Other times, the products may be shipped separately to ensure shipping deadlines are met. Items may not be shipped together if one item may damage another during transportation or if the combined weight of the products would increase shipping costs.
Overall, kitting works well to reduce cycle times, decrease overhead costs, and optimize output and operations.
What to Look for In a Co-Packing Company
First, you want to be sure the co-packing company you choose can meet your demands. Do they have the ability to perform long runs, or do they only perform short runs? If the scope of your project is too big for the company, you need to look elsewhere.
Next, look at their certifications. Are they ISO 9001 and ISPM-15 certified? If you’re a defense contractor or work with the federal government in any way, does your packaging company hold SAM and/or ITAR registrations? Do Also be sure to look at the company’s years of experience and which particular industries they specialize in.
You’ll also want to look at their services. Do they offer warehousing and inventory assistance? What are their custom packaging capabilities? Are there any additional services they provide that could help you save time and money?
Lastly, be sure to look at reviews, past projects, and any case studies that highlight the impact of their work.
Meet Holiday Deadlines With Help From Export Corporation
Are you searching for the right co-packing company? Let Export Corporation be your trusted source. Founded over seven decades ago, we offer complete packaging services, including packaging design, assembly and kitting, and warehousing. We hold a wide array of certifications, including ISO 9001 and ISPM-15, and hold SAM and ITAR registrations. If you need help this holiday season, contact us today to request a project consultation.