In this industry, “How It’s Made” is everything. This does not just refer to the manufacturing technique. How did the package get to shelf? How was the part designed? How will the package be filled? The questions are endless. Just as the questions are endless, so are the answers. From start to finish, there are many paths a project can take before it hits the shelf. Therefore, it is important to consider all of the aspects: consumer desire, design, technology, manufacturing, supply chain, retail, and so on. These factors must work together like parts of a finely tuned engine, propelling the machine forward, while humming in unison.
Knowing a piece of this process is essential. However, knowing all of the pieces is even more valuable. Manufacturing for packaging must involve areas throughout the entire process stream. As the saying goes, getting to this level is a lot like “eating an elephant one bite at a time.”