Product Packaging Goals Evolve: Grow Markets, Get Earth-Wise, Cut Costs

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 10  /PRNewswire/ -- It's a golden era for packaging. Manufacturers, contract packagers and product marketing companies of all sizes are investing broadly in packaging, taking it far beyond its original mandate of attract and protect.

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Packaging is now being used to help companies enter new markets, grow share in existing ones, reduce product and supply chain costs, and demonstrate environmental responsibility.

Those are big jobs, ones that require companies to integrate complex issues such as product and packaging design, structural engineering, automation, environmental science, distribution and transportation-all of which are "must-master" topics today.

Executives, owners and managers typically determine what they will handle in-house and what outside experts to turn to. Attendees at Pack Expo in Las Vegas Oct. 15-17 will be closely reviewing vendors and case studies in search of new ideas and answers.

One place they can look for guidance is the "Design for Profit" Pavilion, co-presented by xpedx and PMMI. xpedx is at booth S-5627.

xpedx, a large North American provider of packaging equipment and supplies, offers a wide array of packaging-related services. It has been helping customers, from Fortune 100 companies to smaller-scale manufacturers, with some or all aspects of product packaging and delivery for many years. xpedx also has greatly expanded its product and package design capabilities and is spotlighting its full service offering at the booth.

xpedx has helped many customers with their packaging operations including companies such as Epson and HP, large auto manufacturers, top entertainment and computer companies, OEM contract packagers, major U.S. grocers and food manufacturers and many other companies across a variety of industries.

Rethinking packaging, saving millions

xpedx saved a major global chipmaker more than $50 million a year by overhauling how they package and transport their highest-value chips worldwide. It also saved a large U.S. computer peripherals manufacturer more than $30 million in packaging-related costs while reducing the amount of packaging.

xpedx developed and sourced the interior packaging for one of the world's most popular consumer electronics goods and it cut packaging costs by 50% for a national specialty retailer. The company has also saved mid-sized industrial products makers big costs and big accounts by improving packaging and distribution of everything from doors to cement to fencing.

              xpedx offers expertise across all disciplines
              impacting product, packaging and distribution



xpedx officials say that while many supplier companies can be tapped as specialists in individual areas-design, line automation, sustainability, specification manufacturing, security packaging, kitting, fulfillment and distribution-very few can provide expertise in all of these disciplines.

"Manufacturers and product marketers need suppliers who can go beyond traditional boundaries," explained Mark Matthews, vice president of marketing for packaging at xpedx. "Our customers are looking for people who will work very closely with them, and bring them expertise in all areas-from product/packaging design to final delivery."

"We can save our customers a great amount of money, help them develop their product brands, and enter new markets," he added.

xpedx offers planning and execution for product and packaging design; environmental sustainability; contract packaging; product line automation; kitting and fulfillment; supply chain optimization and distribution.

More than 550 packaging experts across North America

The company has a network of more than 550 packaging specialists, representatives and technicians at more than 100 locations across North America. xpedx is a business of International Paper, one of the world's largest manufacturers of packaging products, allowing it to tap IP's global resources.

xpedx serves manufacturers and product markets across a wide variety of business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets. Some of the strongest demand today for packaging design and product fulfillment/delivery solutions from makers of biotech products, premium foods, computer hardware and software as well as contract packaging companies.

Leroy Coleman, vice president and division manager of the Pacific Packaging Group at the xpedx Hayward (CA) Division, said that it's essential to be quick with a solution that meets as many aspects of the customer's needs as possible-from product design to reducing capital expenditures and other costs to helping build new markets.

"We have the strategic freedom to do whatever is necessary to help our customers meet their business objectives," Coleman said.

A key part of that, he explained, is on-the-ground expertise in nearly all top-manufacturing and distribution markets worldwide. In addition to its facilities across North America, xpedx has deep alliances with large packaging distributors and third-party logistics firms worldwide.

Justin Bausewein, senior packaging engineer at the xpedx Hayward Division, said many companies want more efficient packages to reduce the amount of handling, to reduce the number of SKUs and to cut costs.

"Still, so many products today are either over packaged, under packaged, use the wrong packaging substrate or don't maximize transport or storage efficiency," Bausewein said. "There's really such a long way to go in optimizing packaging-and we are  uniquely able to help companies at every step along the way."

For information on the full range of xpedx capabilities, please see xpedx reps at booth S-5627 during Pack Expo 2007 in Las Vegas, visit xpedx.com or contact your local xpedx office. 


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xpedx, an International Paper business