How Can a Packaging Assessment Save Me Money?
You stick your product in a brown box, stuff in some bubble wrap, tape it up, and you’re good to go, right? Not so fast. If this is your method for packaging your product, you could be costing yourself more than you realize.
A packaging assessment can reveal the opportunities where changes could save you money and create greater efficiencies.
Here is What’s Involved
First, we need to get to know you, your processes, and your products. There is no one size fits all solutions. Some of the areas that we evaluate include packaging optimization, SKU management, and supply chain management. Changes in any of these areas can bring long-term cost savings.
Packaging Optimization
It is so disappointing for someone to open a box and find that the product is damaged because it wasn’t packaged correctly. This can result in lost future sales and tarnish your brand. But damaged product isn’t the only reason to optimize your packaging. Some other considerations include:
- Over Packaging – It is good that you don’t see goods damaged in shipping, but you need to find the right balance. Extreme packaging is costing you, too. Ensure the corrugated board type (single wall, double wall, etc.), flute size, and materials are appropriate for the product you are shipping.
- Wrong size boxes – Off-the-shelf boxes may require a lot of dunnage and packaging materials to keep your product from moving around. By optimizing the packaging for your product, you reduce the amount of corrugated board needed, reduce the internal packaging component, reduce your box’s footprint, and make it lighter. These changes can reduce material costs, reduce transportation costs, and are good for the environment.
- Wrong type of box – Not all boxes are created equal. There are many types of corrugated boxes –regular slotted containers, telescoping boxes, wrap-around boxes, self-erecting die-cut boxes, and many more. Make sure your box is suitable for your product. Sometimes changing the box type can eliminate a step such as taping or gluing.
- Line inefficiencies – Is your box working efficiently with your packaging line. Sometimes changing the box can improve efficiency or reduce ergonomic hazards for employees.
SKU Management
A different box for every product may not be necessary. It may be possible to combine SKUs with minimal impact on the packaging of the product. One way this can be done is with multi-depth boxes. It has additional score lines in intervals down the side of the box, allowing you to change the size to fit the product. Consolidating SKUs may allow you to get volume pricing.
Supply Chain Management
Optimizing your supply chain from corrugated inventory to palleted product can reduce costs.
Inventory Management
If you are purchasing truckloads to save a few pennies per box, you could be losing money. Thinking you will eventually use them ties up warehouse space and can lead to waste through obsolescence or deterioration – box strength diminishes over time. Inventory management programs can ensure you get the boxes you need when you need them.
Pallet Yield
Maximizing pallet yield impacts the supply chain from warehouse storage, trailer utilization, and distribution. However, you don’t just want to stack as many products on the pallet as possible. Choosing the appropriate stacking method, minimizing overhang or underhang, and being mindful of trailer capacity and specification can reduce transport costs.
Why Axis Corrugated Container?
We understand the factors that increase total costs and reduce those costs for our customers. In addition to providing packaging assessments to reduce costs, we also:
- Reduce lead times
- Have a streamlined job workflow, which minimizes production costs and speeds job processing
- Provide quick response to urgent orders and unusual packaging challenges
- Stock an enormous inventory of corrugated boards and materials, which enable us to fulfill short turnaround and specialty orders quickly
- Provide just-in-time delivery and next day turnarounds in many cases
- Ensure you always have the boxes that you need through inventory management
- Improve logistics with our extensive fleet of trucks and dependable logistics partners
Ready to see how a packaging assessment can save you money? Contact us to get started.