Putting your products in customers’ hands is a long, multi-stage process that requires various tools and services. Not every company can achieve the results they want on its own. That’s why many businesses outsource the packaging stage of the process to a custom packaging company.
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Custom packaging companies are experts in packaging design and manufacturing. With years of experience, advanced equipment and techniques, and dedicated service, a good packaging company delivers solutions that enhance your product and improve your customers’ experience.
Choosing a packaging partner is an important decision that has a major effect on your products. Make an informed decision with this list of what to look for in a custom packaging company.
Before you even begin researching potential partners, you need to create a comprehensive budget for your product packaging. In addition to the cost of working with a packaging partner, be sure to factor in expenses such as shipping and storing packaging materials. Your budget should also include the cost of in-house labor to assemble packaging and ship out products.
Many packaging companies have minimum order requirements. If you can’t comfortably meet those requirements, you might end up draining your budget for packaging you don’t even need. Only you can decide which packaging options are best for your company’s size, order volume, and budget. By creating your budget ahead of time, you can choose a custom packaging company that offers a cost-effective solution for your business.
Company experience is always a crucial factor when choosing an outsourced product or service. For packaging companies, it’s important to ask questions about how long they’ve been in the industry, what kind of packaging projects they have experience with, and what kind of packaging they specialize in. These kinds of questions will help you choose a packaging partner who has experience with the specific requirements you need to meet.
In addition to company experience, it’s important to look at past results and reviews from other customers. Case studies are a great way to learn more about past projects the company has completed. You can also browse review sites, talk to others in the industry, or ask the company for mock-ups and other samples of their work.
Communication is vital in any business partnership. After all, you don’t want to work with somebody who struggles to answer questions, work with feedback, and understand your specific needs and concerns.
Look for indicators of good communication with every potential partner you contact. Fast response times, transparency in communications across their website, and a commitment to flexibility and customer satisfaction are all positive signs that you will be able to communicate effectively throughout your partnership.
Even though you’re trusting someone else with your packaging, you still want to be in control of how it turns out. Your designs and ideas are important. That’s why you need to work with a packaging company that offers a high level of customization. Advanced design capabilities, flexible processes, and a wide range of options allow you to get the packaging you need with the best resources your packaging partner has available.
The more versatile a company’s design capabilities are, the more control you’ll have over the end product. This allows you to best represent your brand with vibrant colors, clear text, creative imagery, and more. The greater the opportunity for customization, the more attractive, unique, and effective your product packaging will be.
Design customization is only part of the equation, though. Functionality must also be a priority. When it comes to packaging, the function revolves around protecting your product. As such, it’s important to review material quality to ensure that your packaging is safe, sturdy, and durable.
Keep in mind that the highest quality materials won’t always be right for your product. For example, hand-crafted wooden boxes are a sturdy and impressive way to package high-end, fragile products, but they’re impractical in a lot of other situations.
A good packaging company will walk you through the best options for your product, including design ideas, volume requirements, and budget. This will help you choose high-quality materials that work best for your unique packaging needs.
If sustainability is a priority for your business, it should also be a priority for your custom packaging partner. Environmentally friendly materials and practices are an important part of minimizing your carbon footprint, appealing to eco-conscious customers, and affirming sustainability as a company value.
Look for a custom packaging company that shares your commitment to the environment. Packaging companies that prioritize energy-efficient processes, responsible material sourcing, reusing and recycling materials, and other eco-friendly practices can help you maintain your passion for sustainability throughout your packaging process.
Your custom packaging company is here to bring your packaging vision to life. Samples are a great way to check in with that vision and make sure everything looks and feels the way you want it to. Make sure the company you choose can provide samples throughout the design process so that you can maintain control over your design and feel confident about the end results.
Advanced 3D modeling software, plain samples, digital designs, and other mock-ups allow you to review your packaging design throughout various stages of the process. Perhaps most important, though, is a production sample that lets you see the end result before you start the manufacturing process. Always ask your custom packaging partner about sample capabilities before you begin a project.
The value of a good packaging partner doesn’t end when you finalize your design. Logistics like shipping and storage are also important things to look for in a custom packaging company. Can your packaging partner make logistics easier with speedy shipping times? Will your packaging solutions feature thoughtful designs that use material efficiently to create a smaller storage footprint? Keep these factors in mind as you choose a packaging company so that you can get the most value out of your partnership every step of the way.
Haozhong are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Jeff Jacobs is the Director of Digital Marketing for ePac Flexible Packaging. ePac is a digitally-based flexible packaging company that helps brands of all sizes grow with custom packaging.
Whether you’re a new CPG company, or an established brand, finding the right packaging partner is an incredibly important step in the development of your product. Not only do you want to find a reliable company to work with, but you also want to find a manufacturer that can act as an extension of your brand.
To help guide you in finding the best flexible packaging company, we’ve compiled a list of recommendations that we hope will lead you to the ideal partnership.
Let’s dive in.
Research is the best place to start when finding a flexible packaging company. Start by looking into a handful of companies that you’re interested in to learn more about their products, services, and approach. Visit their website, review their past work, check their reviews, and look at their social media profiles.
When you find a packaging company that you’re interested in, reach out to them directly. Most will have sales and marketing teams ready to answer your call, , or social media inquiry. Ask specific questions about their capabilities, what types of packaging they manufacture, typical turnaround time, minimum orders and what types of companies they typically work with. We created a list of ten questions to ask when hiring a flexible packaging company, click here to check them out.
It can also be invaluable to talk to other brands to see who they worked with. There is often times no better referral than a word of mouth.
Figure Out Which Type of Packaging Company You Want to Work With
If you’re a new brand, then the different types of flexible packaging printing methods may be an entirely new concept for you. In short, there are two types of printing methods: digital printing and conventional flexographic printing formats. We cover the major differences between the two and the benefits of digital printing in this article.
If you’re looking for faster turnaround, crisp graphics, and the ability to make last minute changes, digital printing is the way to go. With digital, you also have the ability to take advantage of consumer engagement programs, track and trace, and supply chain management with smart packaging solutions (also referred to as connected packaging).
One thing you may have never considered is the location of the packaging company you’re partnering with. While there are a handful of reputable companies in the US and Canada, a large number of flexible packaging providers are located overseas.
When ordering packaging from companies overseas, you can expect high minimum orders and long lead times (upwards of 6-8 weeks, if not more). While the per package cost may appear to be less than packaging made locally, you also need to factor in freight costs, turnaround time, tariffs, and the potential for obsolete inventory.
If you’re a small or medium-sized brand looking for lower minimum orders and a much quicker turnaround, then working with a local company may make more sense. When you partner with a local flexible packaging company, especially one using digital presses like ePac, fast turnaround time, low minimum orders, and the ability to order to demand are the norm. Depending on the company you choose to work with, you may even have the opportunity to see your packaging being produced firsthand. Not to mention the face-to-face connection with your packaging team, which, to us, is a priceless advantage to choosing local.
It’s important when looking for a packaging partner to find out their minimum order quantity. Some packaging companies have a minimum number of impressions (individual packages) they need from brands to partner with them, while others, like ePac, have a minimum order dollar amount. Finding out the minimum orders early in the conversation with a packaging company can be the difference between a quick turnaround and a dead-end.
Know How Quickly You Want Your Packaging
Whether you’re launching your product in a new retailer, or you have a trade show in a couple of weeks, the turnaround can easily become one of the key pieces in choosing a packaging partner.
Make sure that you ask about turnaround times when speaking with different packaging companies. This allows you to know how long it will take to receive new orders, as well as updated orders if you want to make any changes to your design. With conventional printing, the industry standard is about 6-8 weeks. If your timeline is tighter than that, digital printing can deliver finished packaging to you in as little as 5 days.
Change happens, especially if you’re a new brand. With that being said, you want to make sure that you’re working with a partner that’s able to account for flexibility.
Keep in mind that with conventional printing, every new change means a new plate needs to be created before your order can be reprinted. New plates mean added costs and a longer turnaround. With digital printing, on the other hand, you’ll only need an updated pdf file to get your new packaging design printing, which doesn’t negatively impact your wallet and timeline.
As you begin the process of hiring the right flexible packaging supplier for your brand, first determine your needs, and which printing technology is the best fit. Keep in mind that the right supplier that will work with you to help you grow your brand by leveraging quality packaging and a simple ordering process.
At ePac Flexible Packaging, we aim to create a partnership that will ensure your digitally printed packaging is a reflection of your brand. Give us a call at 844-623- or request a free quote to see if we would be a good addition to your brand.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit custom packaging companies.