True Worth: Understanding a Supplier’s Value to a Brand
Can a supplier really contribute to a brand’s value, beyond providing a package that protects the product and delivers the required performance? Can a supplier ever improve a customer’s efficiency? And what about visibility to the end user — can a packaging supplier help its customers capture the attention of the consumer? In short, the answer is “yes.” This is especially true when it comes to aerosol packaging, where the functionality of a product depends on having a high performing, reliable container. Steel aerosol cans protect products ranging from food to personal care to industrial goods from damage during shipping and handling, prevent spoilage and contamination, while offering consumers a trustworthy, attractive, easy-to-use packaging format.
But brands can benefit from more than just the container itself. The key is seeing packaging suppliers not just as vendors, but instead as business partners whose expertise, assets and capabilities can provide a competitive edge in the marketplace. An increasing number of brands are seeing value in this approach and are identifying suppliers that are willing to leverage their resources to create efficient products that have a tangible impact on their operations and the quality of the finished product.
Getting to Market Faster
In the competition for consumers, being the first to go to market with a product or packaging innovation is critical. Any delays during the packaging selection or development process can have a significant impact. Working with an aerosol packaging partner with a reputation for innovation and a deeply experienced global network of creative and technical resources will help accelerate the design, development, and production of the package.
The ideal aerosol packaging partner will bring knowledge beyond the format itself. For example, an experienced supplier provides valuable insight into trends across different market sectors (i.e. food, beverage), regions and its own past experiences.
Bringing Design Under One Roof
Packaging plays a critical role in capturing consumer attention and serves as an opportunity to form a lasting connection between the shopper and a brand. Aerosol packaging technology continues to evolve, especially in the areas of decoration and shaping, giving a brand numerous options to choose from as part of its plan to win the battle at the retail shelf. During the design and development phase, a partner supplier can share input on the essentials of can making, develop samples, provide suggestions for new graphic designs and offer ideas on ways to boost shelf presence.
Having an experienced and knowledgeable packaging supplier who can serve as such a resource is truly beneficial. By keeping everyone on the same page about specific requirements and next steps, brand owners could potentially avoid costly delays due to misunderstandings. In the rare situation where changes are needed to a package when production is already underway, the supplier should be ready and able to properly manage any adjustments in variables, such as artwork, images, logos and fonts to improve quality and minimize delays.
Taking Logistics to the Next Level
A supplier’s role doesn’t end with the package design phase or initial product launch to the market. The ability to maximize production efficiencies, and in turn, manage costs by putting inventory checks and quality control measures in place, is another important part of its responsibilities. Understanding the intricacies of the industry, including market history, seasonality and consumer trends, will mean that a brand is ready to ramp up production as needed or to identify when a design refresh or overhaul would be prudent. Suppliers should also be familiar with a brand’s order patterns and cycle times to make sure that orders are filled on time, issues are efficiently resolved and production continues without interruption.
The right supplier partner will also be tuned in to issues and opportunities at the regulatory level that impact its customers. For example, Crown Aerosol North America was recently issued a special permit exempting the company from Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations on the transportation of pressurized products based on technology advances in lightweighting and double seaming. Successes like these directly impact a customer by helping it enhance its own sustainability platform thanks to overall resource reduction and weight savings, ultimately translating to decreased fuel costs during transportation.
Choosing the Right Packaging Partner
Choosing the right packaging supplier partner can make all the difference. When joining forces with the right supplier partner, you benefit from the supplier’s strong reputation and confidence in its services and technologies. The supplier will demonstrate a history of success in the global marketplace, have extensive experience in both aerosol packaging and related industries, and provide insight and support based on a deep market understanding.
The selection of a partner based on these criteria will allow a brand to be confident that it is working with a company that is committed to taking brands to the next level - achieving the ultimate success of consumer acceptance while gaining market share.