The Liberty Packaging Blog

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is a group that supports manufacturing through the sharing of information, connections via local chapters and technical communities, trade-show style events, publications and more. Boasting a global reach of over half a million and spanning all manufacturing industries, SME is an important player in influencing new technology, particularly in the fields of aerospace and defense, medical, motorized vehicles, and clean energy.

Choosing good packaging can save manufacturers of equipment, metals, machinery, electronics, parts, optics, and other items time, space, labor expense, reworks, waste, and money. And it can increase quality and reliability. Good packaging can be the difference between disposing of your entire product before the end of its expected life, or installing a few well protected replacement parts and enjoying the use of your product for its full life. Properly packaged small parts or large machinery can sit on shelf or even in outdoor storage for months or years until needed. If I'm being honest (to quote Simon Cowell) isn't it really all about money?

When choosing packaging materials to wrap industrial items, a manufacturer must decide what the chosen packaging material does for them. Treat this packing materials choice like any other purchase for the business or home - what benefits will you receive from the product and will it provide the value you anticipate.  

Based on customer feedback, here are six categories in which sound packaging material choice can aid your company:

Supply Chain Safety Net –Your carefully manufactured product may need to be shipped to and stored in difficult climates.  Can the packaging material you have selected address the problems that may be encountered? Uncontrolled storage conditions, customs inspections, customer inspections, rough handling, shipping methods, unforeseen delays; all are challenges that your packaging should resolve.

Recent news indicates that auto manufacturers Toyota, Subaru and Honda in the U.S. and elsewhere are encountering a shortage of automobile parts due to the earthquake in Japan. This will affect the manufacture and sales of automobiles as well as automobile parts and auto repair for an unspecified time.