The surging $100 billion-plus ‘sharing economy’ is making headlines, organized around the principle that “access is the new ownership” and fueled by trendy upstarts such as Airbnb, Zipcar and SwapTrees.com. But food and beverage contract manufacturers long ago began advocating the myriad benefits of facilities and equipment that serve multiple companies, which fuel innovation.
Airbnb brings strangers together to ensure desirably located empty rooms, or even entire homes, are occupied year-round. Zipcar allows multiple drivers to share one vehicle. Likewise, contract packaging permits companies big and small to get their products to market without the high volume often needed to justify investment in their own manufacturing assets. And there are many other attendant benefits, not the least of which is specialized operational expertise.