What You Should Look For In A Co-Packing Service To Ensure Quality And Efficiency
What you should look for in a co-packing service to ensure quality and efficiency… Handing over a bulk of your operations to a third-party logistics partner is not easy. You want to make sure you are making the right decision for your business. Here are some key factors to look out for.
Key Points You Should Look For In A Co-Packing Service To Ensure Quality And Efficiency
1. Industry Expertise & Experience
Some businesses may minimise co-packing to the basic action of filling bottles or boxes- but in reality, it is much more than that. A supportive co-packing service recognises the complexity of your supply chain, regulations, and product standards.
When it comes to what you should look for in a co-packing service to ensure quality and efficiency, expertise and experience are probably the best place to start.
Points you should consider include-
- How many years of experience does the company have
- Their track record of working with similar brands in your industry or any client testimonials that prove expertise
- Range of services, as in their expertise across various packaging formats, materials, and sizes
2. Quality Assurance Practices
It might go without saying, but the quality assurance practice adopted by a co-packing company will be a huge indicator of their quality and efficiency.
Quality assurance practices will oversee every element of production, testing, packaging and delivery. They will detect any errors or standard issues before anything is dispatched to a customer. This maintains the integrity of a brand and regulates quality across the board.
Quality assurance practices you should look for in a co-packing service are-
- Any relevant credentials or awards
- Robust quality assurance practices throughout the service, like testing, regular inspections, and compliance checks, which are accessible to clients
3. Flexible & Scalable Operations
Steady business growth is usually at the forefront of yearly goals. With that in mind, any third-party partners you acquire need to be scalable to your growing production needs.
When looking for an efficient co-packing partner, we suggest looking for a partner that offers flexible services that can meet your growing demand.
To identify whether a co-packing service has flexible and scalable operations, you should look for-
- Previous and current client base includes small, medium, and large production runs
- A proven ability to adapt to seasonality, meet product launch demands, and boost capacity during promotional periods
4. Advanced Technology & Equipment
Packing and packaging services are constantly evolving, as modern technologies are improving and changing how we manage operations. As new technologies become available, co-packing services can deploy machines to keep up with customer demand.
Technology and equipment used by co-packing services should protect the value of products, execute precise planning strategies, and deliver cost-effective end-of-the-line packaging solutions. In summation, technology and equipment can reduce lead times and errors.
Co-packing technology and equipment that will ensure quality and efficiency includes-
- Digital printing to create sleeves, personalised labels and packaging
- Barcoding and tamper-proofing
- Technology integrated with reverse logistics to ensure efficient returns
- Audit trail, tracking, and a comprehensive warehouse management system
3. Customisation & Innovation Capabilities
Packaging and brand identity go hand in hand. Your values, themes, and customer experience can all be enhanced through your packaging strategy.
It may not be something you have noticed, but there are even trends in packaging design that are important to remain on top of. Dopaminergic packaging, bold-minimal, neo-vintage, distorted fonts, and indie designs are but a few examples.
Plus, eco-conscious customers are encouraged to make purchases based on the sustainable practices your brand inherits throughout its supply chain. This includes packing and packaging- are the materials recyclable? Does it have multi-use?
In a co-packing service, to ensure quality and efficiency, some customisation and innovation capabilities you should look out for are-
- Custom packaging solutions that are tailored specifically to your branding
- Sufficient production team management to meet seasonal contract packing requirements
- Personalised packaging options such as letters or certificates
4. Strong Communication & Collaboration
When it comes to hiring any third-party organisation to take on operations that are integral to your business, strong communication and collaboration are paramount.
A quality and efficient co-packing service should establish a close working relationship with your internal team. This will ensure your vision is accurately translated into the final product.
Signs that will indicate strong communication & collaboration include-
- A dedicated account manager or team assigned to your project that serves as an easy-to-reach point of contact
- Consistent and transparent progress updates
- Showing an appreciation for your brief and striving to add value and quality
- Holds themselves accountable to a maximum time limit on responses ie. Reply within three working days
How Granby’s Co-Packing Service Ensures Quality And Efficiency
If you’re still wondering, what you should look for in a co-packing service to ensure quality and efficiency, the short answer is Granby.
When it comes to industry-recognised ‘boxes to tick’ in terms of co-packing services, Granby hits every mark. Our range of services is designed to take businesses to the next level. We will assign you a production team who will get to know your brand closely, allowing them to hand-collate and assemble components efficiently and accurately.
If you would be interested in working with us, you can fill out our online form or give us a ring at 01254 682 702. For more information on what you should look for in a co-packing service to ensure quality and efficiency, please email us at hello@granbymarketing.com