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&A:
This is a common challenge facing packaging engineers today. There are a number of steps you can take to lower your material costs, including:
- Evaluate the process and all aspects of the device packaging system, including the unit, secondary and tertiary packaging.
- For the unit package/sterile barrier system, consider:
- Down-gauging film
- Optimizing package size
- Using alternate materials
- For the secondary package, consider:
- Eliminating it
- Using alternate materials (i.e. PE bag vs. carton)
- Using Kraft vs. solid bleached sulfate (S.B.S.)
- For the tertiary package, consider:
- Optimizing carton sizes
- Consolidating carton sizes
- Reducing board weight used in the corrugate
- Increasing the number of products packed per carton to reduce transportation costs
- For the process, consider:
- Optimizing throughput (number of packages/minute)
- Converting from pre-made pouch to Horizontal Form Fill Seal packages when volumes warrant it
- Converting from buying pre-printed materials to buying unprinted materials and printing in line.
Finally, leverage the experience of your packaging suppliers and internal manufacturing personnel to identify cost savings opportunities.
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