How to manage your packaging to support new levels of demand

Over the last four months’ businesses across the UK have had to cope with unpredicted changes in demand for their products with fluctuations being evident at both ends of the spectrum.

To facilitate the smooth running of supply chains in an efficient and timely fashion, even when that demand has grown exponentially, packaging has been key to giving continuity and product protection to so many industry sectors.

As packaging professionals, we have worked with our customer portfolio to ensure that demand for product, and therefore packaging, has been met. This has been achieved through efficient production schedules, group working to ensure supply and demand has been achieved and a comprehensive product knowledge that has allowed us to utilise packaging designs to suit existing and new customers who may have needed a new, or different, solution at very short notice.

The current situation highlighted the fickle nature of demand on the supply chain and how that, and associated services such as packaging, transport and warehousing have to be able to adapt to things like seasonal demand, consumer trends and now it seems, global pandemics.

At your business

Our packaging solutions are not just about popping your product into a standard box for despatch although we do, of course, work with many customers to support such requirements. We can also provide solutions to help your production lines, and picking and packing facilities, operate as efficiently as possible.

Our range of pick bins and temporary storage can help with driving efficiencies through your manufacturing operation. Or, to facilitate easy packing line procedures, we offer solutions that are easy for you to assemble, and easy for your customer to open and dispose of.

Considering your packaging design, and allowing us to conduct a packaging audit, could save your business considerable time simply by choosing fittings and dividers that are easily inserted into outer boxes, and outer boxes that have crash lock bases rather than ones that require tape. This is just two, from a long list of solutions, that could save you time and money in your own manufacturing, packing and despatch elements of your business.

Integration with the supply chain

Once the products are leaving your factory or warehouse it’s important to consider how the quality of your packaging can impact on demand and customer perception.

During an uplift in demand, a time when it is possible to capitalise on your customer base to drive repeat sales and engage with buyers in a positive way, the last thing you want is a high level of product returns and customer complaints.

These can be all but eliminated with a ‘fit for purpose’ corrugated packaging solution that protects the products through the supply chain including loading, logistics, third party warehouse storage or e-commerce.

E-commerce excellence

In recent weeks, we have seen a significant number of businesses either switch their focus to ecommerce retail channels or experience an increase in demand as the ability to buy in person has been removed.

With global ecommerce sales expected to tip £3.5 trillion by 2021, it’s a sector that needs to perform to manufacturer and distributor efficiencies whilst ensuring the customer and end user is satisfied with the quality and sustainability of the packaging.

Coping with any spike in demand, unless predicted through previous business data and attributed to things like seasonality, can prove challenging to businesses and upset production schedules and business plans.

We recognise that there are many elements to managing peaks and troughs but we can work with you to ensure that your packaging helps with efficiencies at all times whether that’s from a logistics, warehousing, ecommerce, picking and packing perspective or to meet a desire to ensure all packaging is as sustainable as possible.

The benefits of using corrugated, and its flexibility in terms of design and strength, can prove to be a valuable asset to many businesses, and those peaks in demand and its knock-on effect can be mitigated to some degree with a packaging solution that supports your business needs.

Simply get in touch and we’ll work with you to achieve packaging efficiencies, all whilst putting a big tick in your sustainability box too.