Best Practices for Contract Packaging Partnerships

Contract Packaging (also referred to as Co-Packing) is the assembly of a product into its final finished packaging.  The packaging and processes can vary based on the product and its categorization of it in the marketplace such as in retail, commercial, or trade industries.  These services are offered to product manufacturers and function as an extension of the company.  It also enables companies of all sizes that lack the capabilities to manufacture in-house, the opportunity to work with a trusted manufacturer who meets quality standards and government regulations for their sector.

Contract Packaging Advantages

• Working with a trusted partner allows for a larger run of product production to help keep costs down and more competitive pricing in the marketplace
• Contract packagers can be a solution for qualified employees working in production that free up resources to focus on growth strategies
• Fewer quality control issues with a skilled contract packager that meets and exceeds marketplace standards

Important Considerations

When considering a partnership with a 3rd party contract packager the hiring company should take into account these considerations:

• Is the facility certified to ISO or other industry standards?
• Is the facility well maintained & managed?
• Can the facility drop-ship?
• Do they have the ability to handle supply chain issues and changes in product demand?
• Is the facility respected in the marketplace, and what is its reputation?
• Are they financially stable?

Contract Packaging Services

Contract packagers can provide a variety of services, it can be as simple as adding a label to a product, or something more complex from design to execution.  These are some of the most common services provided in the industry:

• Design Capabilities to include prototypes for testing
• Inventory Management & Control
• Printing & Component Production (ie: additional components to be added to the packaging such as instruction)
• Package Assembly & Fulfillment
• Warehousing & Distribution

Want to learn more about contract packaging services?  Contact us to learn more.