Finding a contract packing company that suits your needs can be a challenge, and requires time and effort. You’ll need to do plenty of research, compare proposals, set up face-to-face meetings and, if possible, take a tour of the company’s facilities. To narrow down your list of potential suppliers, you’ll also need to consider specific factors such as cost and turnaround time.
Continue reading to discover why you might need to outsource your packing requirements and how to find the right contract packing company for your business.
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What is contract packing?
Contract packing is an outsourcing service provided by a contract packing company for a client company. The client company specifies their requirements, for example, the packaging material and the number of products per pack, and the contract packer handles the rest.
Some contract packing companies specialise in a particular industry. For example, at ReAgent we specialise in packing and repacking a wide range of chemicals and hazardous substances including acids, alkalis, flammables, solvents, and toxic solutions. 
In some cases, products may need a specialist type of packaging such as vacuum packing that requires the use of expensive equipment. Others may need to be packaged in clean rooms under strict hygienic conditions.
Whether your company is still in its infancy or you’ve been trading for many years, there are some instances when it makes sense to hire a contract packing company. For example, you may need to outsource your packing if you don’t have the right equipment or the capacity to cope with the volume of orders.
Why use a contract packing company?
There are several financial and logistical reasons why you may want to consider hiring a contract packing company. Firstly, outsourcing can significantly reduce your staffing overheads and minimise the need for capital investment because you won’t need to buy and run expensive packing equipment. Plus it means employees can channel their time and energy into other core areas, such as product development.
You might also need to use a contract packing company if there are regulatory requirements you can’t comply with. It might be that you simply don’t have the time or capital investment required to retrofit equipment and make the other necessary changes.
Finally, you may choose to hire a contract packing company if you want to gain a competitive advantage over rival businesses. Using a specialist contact packer can make your products more presentable and aesthetically pleasing, which may help them stand out in a crowded market. 
You can read more about the advantages of contract packing here.
How to find a contract packing company
Finding the right contract packing company for your needs takes time and effort. However, the overall benefits that contract packaging offers make it worthwhile. But where do you start? Below are some tried and tested strategies that can help you find the best contract packing company for your business.
Conduct research
You can do your own online research by visiting different contract packing companies’ websites and social media accounts. You can also join relevant online forums to ask other members for tips, referrals, or feedback based on their personal experience. It’s also worth speaking to your network of contacts in the same industry.
Ask for proposals
You can publicly advertise for proposals or you may want to directly approach a few of the companies you’ve shortlisted. To maximise the pool of potential companies, you could even do both. Once you’ve received a selection of proposals, you can compare and contrast these companies based on specific criteria like cost, technical capabilities, and turnaround time.
Set up in-person meetings
After you’ve narrowed down your potential companies, it’s a good idea to set up in-person meetings. Alternatively, you may want to arrange online video meetings if this is more convenient or the contract packer is far away. This would save you time and transportation costs, although it’s worth visiting the premises of your chosen company before you sign on the dotted line. 
Tour facilities if possible
Once you’ve shortlisted one or two companies, consider arranging a tour of their facilities. This will give you a more accurate assessment of their operations and a chance to see the equipment up close.
At ReAgent, we welcome audits from both existing and potential customers. Simply get in touch if you’d like to arrange a visit to our chemical manufacturing facility. Alternatively, watch our contract packing video to take a look behind the scenes.
What is the difference between contract manufacturing & contract packaging?
Contract manufacturing and contract packaging are two different types of outsourcing services.
Contract manufacturing is about mass-producing certain types of products based on the specifications of the client company. Meanwhile, contract packaging is a stand-alone outsourcing service that only focuses on the packaging and distribution of products. That being said, some contract manufacturing companies also offer packing as part of their service.
Summary
Hiring a contract packing company can be beneficial for both new and established businesses. Finding the right company for your needs takes time, patience and effort. You’ll have to do plenty of online research, ask for proposals and arrange in-person or video meetings. If possible, take a tour of the company’s facilities so you can see the equipment in action.
ReAgent offers contract packing and repacking services to businesses from a range of industries. Contact us today to find out more or read our contract packing guide here.
