Whether you are in the retail or CPG industry, inventory management likely takes a great deal of time. Keeping track of stock, maintaining accurate counts, and making sure that you have enough product to meet demand is tough in and of itself. But when coupled with the need to also keep track of and store packaging, this can become even more difficult. There are no two ways around it – you need to package your product – but do you actually need to store that packaging on-site? Maybe not.
Not many packaging suppliers offer inventory management systems, but if you are looking for a way to deal with your inventory issues, this is definitely the way to go. There are a number of very important benefits to a packaging inventory management system – the biggest benefit being space. No matter how big your warehouse is, there is always the need for more room. If your packaging is being stored on-site, but you require extra room, things either get shoved into every available nook and cranny – making further product inventory far more difficult and perhaps leading to avoidable damages – or are housed off-site (which means more monetary output). An annual audit can also help to identify any opportunities to streamline and consolidate your packaging process, thereby resulting in less inventory and cost savings.
Make and release. What happens when you work with a packaging company that creates boxes or packages, but once the construction process is complete they are shipped to you and you need to find a place to store them – here is where that space issue we just mentioned comes into play. Instead, find a company that will make your custom packaging and house it for you until you need it. Releasing your product on an ‘as-needed’ basis means that you don’t have to worry about housing stock or ever running out of it.
Automatic or prescheduled release of inventory. Don’t want to cut things too close, even with a just-in-time delivery system? The right supplier can offer you an inventory management system that preschedules your releases based upon your tracking records. This means that a steady stream of product is ready when you need it. And, if business picks up, just adjust the schedule to fit the growth of your business.
Having everything, all in one place, makes business so much easier, so why not apply this theory and practice to your packaging supplier. Find a company that can offer you creative and unique designs, innovative construction processes and an inventory management system that offers make and release. Stop worrying about space – let someone worry about it for you!
For more about an inventory management system for your packaging supplies please contact Packaging Technologies Inc. by calling 1-800-303-5883.
