The filling line: the most critical point in the supply chain.
As a custom supplier to the packaging business for over 40 years, you might think we’ve seen it all. We’ve seen a lot, that’s for sure; but the beauty of the packaging business is it’s always evolving and adapting to the ebbs and flows of consumer needs, trends and sentiments. That exciting energy is what drew us in, like so many of our colleagues and friends across the entire supply chain of consumer packaged goods.
One of the key ingredients to CMG’s success, and the reason why many of our customers have been with us for decades, is our steadfast dedication and commitment to the filling line. We recognize that the filling process is one of the most critical points in the supply chain, where even the slightest deviations in a product can create chaos. If a package and a filling line don’t work well together, it can slow down the line or worse, shut it down. This results in substantial loss of time, material and profits.
We understand that being a great service provider is more than just providing components that meet specifications. It’s about gaining a complete understanding of how the products we provide are going to be used in either our customer’s facility or a third-party contract packager.
So how do we do all we can to ensure that everything goes right for our customers filling lines?
- Get to know the filling line early.
If it’s an existing filling line, we go to the line early in the package development process to precisely understand how the component(s) we’re providing will be used, and how they will function in the filling line. If it’s a new product and filling line, we will engage with the other suppliers to review their specifications and expectations. These efforts give us a better understanding of how a product’s dimensions or features can affect the filling process and possibly alert everyone to potential problems before they can occur.
- Communicate often when things are good.
We embrace clear and frequent communication with all of our counterparts at our customers’ filling operations so as to proactively address any issues, whether large or small. Often, these candid conversations spark insights about what we could both be doing to improve overall line performance and efficiency through the products we provide.
- Respond quickly when things go bad.
Most importantly, we understand that sometimes things go wrong and that the true test of a vendor is their responsiveness when a problem develops. No company is perfect but at CMG our goal is to attempt to get the problem resolved as quickly as possible. Whether that means getting engineers on planes quickly to see the problem first hand or installing high-speed cameras on the filling lines to see the problem frame by frame, our goal is the same; do everything possible to address the problem quickly and cooperatively and without finger-pointing or blame. After all, we’re all on the same team.
Great consumer packaging requires a great supply chain, with all parties working together for the betterment of the brand and its consumers.
If you ever have a packaging question, we’re here to help. Contact us to schedule your own private tour of one of our state-of-the-art facilities.
