Labor-Free Packaging Does Not Exist

Nothing bags, boxes, tapes, labels, and ships itself without some human involvement.  Wherever there is packaging, there’s labor associated with it.  Even automated packaging machinery needs to be fed something by someone to function as designed.

There are a myriad of packaging solutions possible for the same application with each having its own labor requirement.  In any business, labor is a factor that affects both operational cost and productivity.  Here’s an example of wasted labor and diminished productivity using a common packaging material.

In one factory, we discovered (2) workers tearing 12x12 sheets of bubble from rolls and stacking them inside boxes for later use.  This great inefficiency and needless labor cost could be eliminated by using pre-cut bubble sheets instead.  Bubble manufacturers have machinery to produce both rolls and sheets.

Labor-free packaging does not exist.  Solely focusing on packaging cost without considering its associated labor and productivity impact is missing the bigger picture.  The packaging cost-of-use should always be fully measured 'before' its procurement.

These days, packaging reps are mostly catalog sellers than solution providers.  Gaining the advice of an expert packaging consultant remains your best ROI value for cost-cutting, enhanced productivity, and overall workflow improvement.