You already have a great product you intend to package and sell, and you feel unprepared to handle the baggage of labor, supply, utilities, and significant packaging-related issues.

You have thus decided that outsourcing primary packaging is the best course of action.

And although you may have decided to outsource your packaging, there may be many questions in your mind, especially on how much this will cost you. This question doesn’t have a straightforward answer; there are a few aspects you need to understand first.

What Elements Affect the Cost of Outsourcing Primary Packaging?

The cost of packaging is not the same for different brands, and it depends on your requirements and specifications. Give your packaging partner your specifications so that they can be able to tell you how much you will pay for their services. Some businesses offer free Prepress services to help lower cost even more.

You must therefore be aware of both the things they will require from you and the factors that may have an impact on the price of these components. The most significant factors that have an impact on the overall cost of a project involving primary packaging that is outsourced are discussed below.

The length of your product run

This one will have the most significant impact on how much your primary packaging job will cost overall.

The longer the shift for running your items and the larger the volume, the lower the overall cost. Many co-packers don’t take anything less than two shifts; if they do, they charge more.

Product size

The size of your goods will influence the cost of your primary packaging; however, it won’t be as expensive as the issues mentioned below. If your item is too large or too small, it may cause significant inconveniences as it might be challenging to get it through the packaging equipment smoothly. Make sure to get the right size to maximize your budget.

The master carton count

Charges will decrease as the master carton count increases.

Product viscosity

Viscosity is the level of stickiness and thickness. Your packaging provider needs to establish the measure of your product’s stickiness (viscosity) due to internal friction.

How thick a product is is one of the most critical factors that need to be considered when figuring out how much your primary packaging will cost. What makes it crucial is that if your product becomes sticky, it will make packaging more difficult.

A product that is dry and not sticky makes the packaging process easy as it flows through the packaging machines into the bag. On the other hand, a sticky product might clog the pipes, resulting in unexpected downtime and less efficient production, among other issues.

Product weight

The lighter the product, the faster it will run. This fact means that the packaging process will be faster compared to that of heavier products which run relatively slower. The slower your packaging project runs, the more costly it will be.

Product shape

Let’s compare a product with a constant design with one that has many protruding parts and sharp edges. The former will be easy to package, while the latter may not pass through the machines as easily.

Your primary packaging project will be less expensive if the product goes through the packaging equipment smoothly.

The cost of your primary packaging will vary depending on the factors mentioned above. The only way to get the exact cost is by working with an expert packaging firm.