Turning raw resources into products or services is the heart and soul of commerce. It is the job of supply chain and logistics recruiters to find the right producers, packers, and distributers for a particular job. No two companies are alike, so there is significant pressure for supply chain recruiters to find the right partners to turn their company’s vision into a reality.

Manufacturing

While your company may be capable of handling everything, the budget may not cover “everything.” Finding a qualified manufacturer depends largely on the goods your company wants to produce, as certain manufacturers may be better equipped to handle different. Blow molding, for example, is used to make hollow plastic parts and requires specialized equipment that would differ significantly from the food processing equipment found by other manufacturers.

Packaging

After the initial goods are produced, they must be specially packaged for their debut on the retail market. While the actual packaging is going to be determined by the product’s durability, size, shape, and retail price, companies have a lot of input as packaging is one element of successful marketing. Flexible packaging is one of the largest packaging sectors in the United States, garnering approximately 18% of the $145 billion American packaging market; food is the largest market for flexible packaging, accounting for approximately 58% of shipments alone.

Distribution

The final link of the supply chain ends with distributers. Many companies selectively partner with certain distributers to ensure that all of their products can be found at particular retail locations. Just like manufacturing and packaging companies, there are benefits to choosing the right distributor for your products. Certain distributers have exclusive deals with retail locations, so partnering with particular retailers could help get your company’s products inside exclusive retail shops. Carefully considering each stage of product can help supply chain recruiters minimize costs and maximize sales.