Considerations for Hiring a Package Design Contractor

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Considerations for Hiring a Package Design
Contractor
By Jim Boley VP of Business Development
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Hiring a Package Design Contractor

• Package design contractors must be able to
  deliver the best results in the most demanding of
  production environments. The ultra-competitive
  world economy puts pressure on companies to get
  quality, innovative products to market fast.
  Therefore, every aspect of your product
  development must meet the highest standards for
  market success.
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• Since vendor performance can make or break
  your projects, you cant afford to select the
  wrong partner. Customers must evaluate many
  crucial criteria when hiring a package design
  contractor.

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Demonstrated Experience and Expertise

• The first question to ask of any potential
  contractor is, do they have a successful track
  record completing projects similar to yours? You
  want to see a stable of happy customers.
  Checking customer references is perhaps the most
  meaningful step in the evaluation process. Even
  if the contractor has the experience and
  expertise to complete your project, you want to
  make sure they treat their customers well and
  deliver as promised.
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• Also, an accomplished package design
  contractor will be well recognized within its
  industry. This recognition includes industry
  awards, acknowledgements and certifications.
  Company professionals may hold leadership
  positions within industry associations or may be
  published in trade journals. Third-party,
  objective endorsements provide valuable input
  when evaluating contractor candidates.

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In-House Equipment and Technology

• A reputable contract packaging company will
  operate a registered ISO 90012008 manufacturing
  facility. Portfolios should include such
  value-added services as design engineering,
  concept development, prototyping, tool
  fabrication, humidity and temperature controlled
  manufacturing environment, statistical analysis
  capabilities, part validations, and supply chain
  management.
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• Another question to ask, is does the firm
  use the latest computer technologies?
  Contractors should always be advancing in-house
  capabilities and skills. Request a list of
  technical capabilities along with a tour of the
  contractors facilities.

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Project Approach and Internal Processes

• Find out if the contractor takes a creative and
  comprehensive approach to your packaging project.
  Are they sensitive to costs and look for
  efficiencies in every aspect of the project? Do
  they have formal work processes in place to
  facilitate communication and streamline project
  tasks?
• Competent package design contractors will
  carefully analyze the criteria for product
  positioning, presentation and delivery in the
  marketplace. Their solutions will leverage such
  plastic thermoformed packaging attributes as
  aesthetics, higher perceived value, product
  visibility and protection, and the inherent
  material properties of clarity and rigidity. 
• In addition, regular communication between
  the customer and vendor is critical for
  successful project completion. It also helps
  ensure swift time-to-market. Contractors must
  interact efficiently with customer teams using
  electronic communications, phone meetings and
  site visits, even if the teams work in remote
  and/or multiple locations.

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Project Approach and Internal Processes

• Experienced package design contractors solicit
  customer input throughout the project. Typical
  development phases include the following
• Initial Customer Conference. The contractor
  determines project goals and success factors
  including prospective market, purpose, important
  features and material constraints.
• Virtual Design Concept. The contractor creates a
  virtual 3-D design and submits it electronically
  for customer review.
• Form Prototype Parts. Through a prototype, the
  contractor verifies form, fit and function of
  package design.

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Project Approach and Internal Processes

• - Production Mold. The contractor develops and
  fabricates production mold tooling.
• - Part Approval (PPAP). The contractor
  produces the first article part for the
  customers approval.
• Part Validation Process (Protocol/IQ/OQ/PQ). If
  the part is a medical tray, the contractor
  provides part validation.
• A contractor meeting these minimum
  qualifications would be a good short list
  candidate for further evaluation. The goal and
  focus for every business should be developing
  long-term relationships with its vendors. True
  partnerships between customer and contractor
  deliver the best results. 
• Contact your local package design company
  to evaluate qualifications for your development
  projects.

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Order Fulfillment

• A quality packaging company can directly ship by
  the case, pallet or truckload to restock your
  business inventory levels or fulfill customer
  orders.
• These companies also offer a full coordination
  of production orders.

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Secondary Packaging

• A quality packaging company offers RF sealing
  and blister sealing, multi-packs, club packs,
  bagging, gift sets, P.O.P. display assembly and
  modular pallet.
• Regardless of your business needs, a quality
  consumer packaging company will work as an
  extension of your company to meet your most
  demanding production requirements.
• Contact your local packaging company today for
  more information about their consumer packaging
  and value added services and how your business
  can benefit from these services.

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About the Author

• Jim Boley is VP of Business Development at
  Flexpak Corporation, a world-class supplier of
  custom thermoforming and packaging solutions
  since 1974. For more information about package
  design, please visit http//www.flexpakcorp.com/pa
  ckaging-design.php today.