The Problem with Traditional Liquid Packaging Filling Lines
Liquid packaging filling lines have traditionally been one of two types. The first type is designed for high-speed, high-volume, production and yields a low cost per package. These lines take a tremendous amount of time and investment to get up and running. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a line like this to take 9-12 months or more before they are in production. The second type is designed for low-volume production but yields a much higher cost per package. Both types of lines have also traditionally been coupled with long lead times and excessive tooling costs. The biggest issue with both of these options is that companies seeking to speed up their time to market are faced with a no-win situation. They are forced to choose between high-volume, low cost per piece or low-volume, high-cost per piece and in either case are still relatively slow to market.
How Important is Speed to Market?
Being first to market with something new gives brands the unique differentiation and attention they seek. Seth Godin said it best in his legendary book, “Purple Cow, Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.” He said, “You’re either remarkable or invisible.” Well, it’s pretty hard to be remarkable when your new, supposedly unique, packaging design comes out a month after your competitors. Even if you designed it first, if you’re not first to market, you’ve lost the round. With every win by one company over another in the race to market, they build momentum by either pulling ahead of falling further behind.
Then, of course, we are all familiar with the saying, “Timing is everything.” The Forbes article titled, “Speed to Market: An Entrepreneur’s View,” by contributor Rebecca O. Bagley, says, “Companies that take too long to commercialize their products may fail to capitalize on a narrow window of opportunity before competitors swoop in and pass them by.
These narrow windows of opportunity are especially apparent in the hotel amenities and personal care packaging markets. In our earlier article, “Getting Creative with Liquid Packaging Design and Production,” we show how packaging design is used as a marketing tool that connects a brand with a great story. These creative packaging designs are very challenging to get to a market and can face many obstacles and delays along the way. Winning opportunities for new capital investments, filling production capacities and ensuring corporate growth objectives are met are all only obtainable when companies are able to perform within narrow windows of opportunity.
A New Type of Liquid Packaging Filling Line is Required
In order to swiftly launch new packaging designs to market, brands will need a new type of liquid packaging filling line. The tenants of design, engineering and production are not surprisingly the same as the demands on brand marketers. Agility, low start-up costs, and speed of execution are all critical requirements of the new liquid packaging filling lines. And, these are equally important for high-volume, high-speed, producers that need to quickly adjust production volumes.
Maverick Packaging offers strategic outsourcing partnerships that improve speed-to-market and help high-volume producers rapidly respond to changes in demand.
