The Contract Packaging Association is all about promoting the growth and welfare of member firms while extending partnerships between those needing products packaged and companies that provide the necessary packaging services.
Although new products are introduced into the marketplace as fast as they can roll off a high-speed packaging line, companies—large and small—are working hard to increase their packaging efficiencies while keeping costs down.
In many cases, it may not be prudent for a consumer products company to set up a packaging line just to accommodate a short-run product or one that needs to be in the marketplace now. For smaller companies or start-up firms, costs for designing and setting up a packaging line may be prohibitive. Situations like these reinforce the importance of contract packaging companies and how they can help increase a packager’s efficiencies and productivity without breaking the bank.
But the challenge for contract packagers is getting the word out—letting packagers know that they are out there and ready for almost any packaging situation.
One way for contract packaging firms to get noticed is by joining a packaging association. Although quite a few associations are out there, contract packagers are fortunate to have one that specializes in what they’re all about. And that is the Contract Packaging Association.
So, if you are a contract packager, the question begs—what is the Contract Packaging Association and, perhaps most important, what’s in it for my company to become a member?
What is the Contract Packaging Association?
The Contract Packaging Association is a national, not-for-profit trade organization that includes dynamic and growing companies offering contract packaging services.
The Contract Packaging Association was formed in July 1992, specifically for contract packaging firms and those businesses related to them. Subsequently, the Contract Packaging Association has been promoting the growth and welfare of its member firms.
Association members perform all packaging functions, from the simplest to the most complex, and from the glamorous to the hazardous. Member packaging services range from manual and semi-automatic to full-speed, high performance packaging lines. Other member services include design, warehousing, distribution, and other business services.
Foremost, the association has two goals:
• Extending partnerships between companies needing products packaged and those that provide the necessary packaging services.
• Increasing the visibility of the organization and its members.
The Contract Packaging Association’s mission statement is essentially broken down into two objectives:
“To serve the growth of member companies by assisting in the establishment of productive links between buyers and member companies and by providing educational opportunities for member companies’ executives to improve the efficiency and productivity of their operations.”
Strategies to achieve the association’s objectives
To achieve the objectives of its mission statement, the Contract Packaging Association introduced programs to establish strong ethical standards among contract packagers and their clients, to increase knowledge and expertise within the contract packaging industry, to improve the business reputation of firms and the professional image of individuals within the industry, and to encourage the effective use of contract packaging services.
The Contract Packaging Association also foresees a future when the organization’s services extend into the realm of human resources and education. The association hopes to develop educational programs in both distribution and logistics practices.
Membership benefits
The most visible and convenient benefit of being a member of the association is that anyone needing contract packaging services is brought directly to members’ doorsteps. But there are many more benefits.
The following are directed to help members manage their packaging services:
• The association forwards directly to members any “request for quote” for contract packaging services via its newly revamped Web site, www.contractpackaging.org.
• The association’s Web site includes member contact information with links to each member’s Web site.
• In addition, the Web site works for you via a powerful search engine. It allows users to find contract packagers quickly, according to company location, packaging processes and services, types of containers filled, and types of products handled.
• An annual association meeting includes presentations from members, packaging suppliers, and customers to increase visibility in the organization.
• The association serves as a forum for networking among its members, encouraging information sharing about trends, best practices, and opportunities.
Standards of conduct
Contract Packaging Association members operate on the presumption that every business is based on a personal commitment to the highest of standards. As such, a member of the association shall adhere to the following criteria:
• Protect the safety, health, and welfare of the public and the client in the fulfillment of professional duties, and refuse an assignment rather than compromise standards of integrity.
• Determine its qualifications to perform any assignment for a client and accept only those contracts in which it has complete competence.
• Treat all information relating to the business affairs of a client as confidential, including the client’s name, if they request anonymity.
• Conduct its business in a professional and dignified manner, and will, at all times, uphold the honor and integrity expected.
• Continue to pursue knowledge and professional development in its operations to provide clients with state-of-the-art satisfaction, and contribute effort and funds to advance appropriate technology.
• Establish a fee schedule for each client and accept payment for services from only one source in the conduct of a project unless both parties agree and are informed of each other’s participation.
• Be truthful and forthright in observations and recommendations to clients and endeavor to make clear the significance and limitations of reported findings.
• Be honest and objective in relations with vendors and describe their products fairly and accurately with clients.
In addition, each association member uses the most sophisticated packaging techniques and versatile packaging lines that are already up and running with strict quality control and management systems. Member companies are available to operate by the specifications and standards set by end-users, from the smallest packaging operations to the largest.
Finally, Contract Packaging Association members are composed of the nation’s leading contract packagers. The way to become a dominant player in the contract packaging business is by getting the word out about your services. The Contract Packaging Association is here to help. [CP]
