How and Why to Partner with a Packaging Supplier

If you are in the business of selling goods, you need to have a way to get those goods to the consumer. Therefore having a good relationship with your packaging supplier is important. But perhaps even more important than just getting along with suppliers is actively working together to better all parties involved in the transaction. Are you still unsure of how and why you should partner with a packaging supplier? Hopefully your questions can be answered by specifically addressing the "how" and "why" of partnering with a packaging supplier.

HOW?

Packaging suppliers who are aware of what makes a successful company are not going to fight the idea of a partnership. For packaging suppliers who do not know how and why partnering is a wise idea, here are some suggestions of persuasion:

Reduce Time:
When a packaging supplier and a company that knows its packaging needs work together, a working relationship is made. How much easier then is it to save the time of constantly having to look for a potentially better supplier and work with the supplier that you have to create the solutions to your specific needs. The packager is happy to work with you as they would like not only your business, but also the security in knowing that you are committed to working with them. They benefit from your resources and you benefit from theirs. Without the constant trouble of unpredictability and disloyalty valuable time and effort is saved.

Reduce Costs:
Partnering with your packaging supplier saves both parties money. The packaging supplier knows exactly what your business wants and can eliminate the waste of un-wanted and un-needed materials. You save money in a number of different ways. Foe example, now that the packaging supplier knows exactly what kind of demand they have to meet they can pass the saving of saved time and money on to you.

Increase Profit/Productivity/Satisfaction:
In the sharing of mutually beneficial information about increasing profits, productivity and consumer satisfaction both you and your supplier are better off. If you and your packaging supplier share learned information (not to mention the other entities that you have at your disposal in a true supply chain partnership) you can get at least twice as much feedback. The benefits multiply!

WHY?

The movement of today is to work together. More and more industries are creating partnerships and helping each other achieve goals that benefit all parties involved. As markets become more and more competitive, it become increasingly more important to have as many allies as possible. Professor Martin Christopher from the Cranfield School of Management coined the phrase "think supply chain." In our fast paced society the need to look outside the capabilities of your own business becomes increasingly important. The organizations with better structure do better business. The narrow-minded attitude of a stand-alone entity will simple not progress at a pace equal to the business that holds an active interested in being a part of a more productive whole.

Processes that work
The Efficient Consumer Response Initiative (ECR):
This initiative focuses on working together to meet consumer needs faster, better and while conserving costs. The idea is that all members of the collaborative group lend a hand to improve the whole. This way no one entity is faced with too much of the burden.

Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR):
CPFR is a partnership between entities with diverse skills whose common goals are to collaborate planning, have joint ownership of inventory, and share data. This process is not just limited to the world of packaging suppliers. It can be used across a more diverse span of businesses. In reality CPFR is an extension of ECR initiatives.

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