Product Packaging Services

Product packaging is an essential aspect of successful retail. While it is true that product packaging plays an important role in security, damage prevention, and contamination protection, it also serves other important functions. Packaging acts as a face for a company’s brand, helping to differentiate products from competitors.

At Econo-Pak, our comprehensive product packaging services provide an easy and affordable end-to-end solution for our business partners.

We make the entire design and packaging process uncomplicated and worry-free.
Our team of experts develops tailor-made strategies for each client to ensure maximum marketing impact and reduced costs.
Our experience and thorough understanding of the design and engineering processes behind a broad range of packaging formats guarantees that we can develop an optimal packaging solution for any product.

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Our Capabilities

Our packaging services cover a wide range of product types, such as foods, vitamins, powders, drink mixes, baby products, and much more. We’re a full-service packaging solutions provider offering processes that’ll take your product from start to finish.

Contract Packaging

More than four decades of experience allows us to provide optimal contract packaging services. Adhering to the highest quality standards, we aim to get your products to market in the most efficient manner possible. Econo-Pak’s contract packaging solutions can accommodate any format, from stand-up pouches to bulk.

Contract Manufacturing

We offer seasoning and blending to be your full-service packaging partner. Send us your product and seasoning and we’ll efficiently flavor and pack your product under the same roof. Our facility is equipped with advanced blending and seasoning equipment to meet your demand on time, every time.

Types of Products

Primarily serving the food industry, we package many products seen on grocery store shelves. Some of these product packaging services, as mentioned, can include anything from baby products to gummies, cookies, crackers, and pasta. We’re happy to work with whatever specifications your design requires in order to engineer a solution for almost any type of product.

Packaging Design

A package’s design is a selling point in itself and adds to the product’s desirability. Our team knows that both practicality and attractiveness play a crucial role in getting a product off the shelf and into a consumer’s hands. Food and other product packaging design services from Econo-Pak can be customized to serve a range of customers across different industries by utilizing a variety of packaging formats.

Procurement Services

Reduce operational costs and access a global supplier network when you outsource procurement with Econo-Pak. We can identify and evaluate suppliers for your supply chain operations in addition to our contract food packaging and food manufacturing services.

Markets Served

Econo-Pak designed our services to help you grow. We can work with you to scale your product into new markets, from grocery stores to club stores to airlines.

Partnering with the Right Company

Econo-Pak’s product packaging services make designing and packaging your products easy. By understanding the design and engineering processes for many different packaging formats, we can help you develop the best container that meets your product’s unique requirements.

Our team of packaging specialists offers cost-effective, timely, and innovative solutions for customers across a broad spectrum of industry, including:

Club and wholesale stores
Pharmacy
Supermarkets
Food services
Retail

Our company excels in creating custom packaging strategies that enhance brand identity and attract customers, understanding that packaging is more than just functional—it’s a key component of marketing. Our expert team offers a wealth of experience in design and engineering across various packaging formats, aiming to maximize visual appeal and marketing impact while being cost-effective.

We collaborate closely with clients to ensure our packaging designs resonate with their brand values and appeal to their target audience. Catering to multiple industries within the food sector, we provide versatile and innovative packaging solutions that not only meet practical needs but also bolster the product’s market presence. Our commitment is to deliver packaging that effectively communicates a brand’s message and stands out in the competitive retail space.

Packaging Types from Econo-Pak

At Econo-Pak, we offer an extensive catalog of product packaging services to our business partners. We work hard to ensure that products get to market quickly and efficiently without any loss of quality. Our primary packaging options include:

Stand Up Pouches

Our high quality, aesthetically appealing stand up pouches double as advertisements for your product by maintaining a strong shelf presence. Many food producers prefer stand up pouches to package nuts, candies, and other small items. We provide strong, easy-open pouches with windows/clear display panels to effectively influence customers to buy your product.

Flow Wrapping

Flow wrapping is a cost-effective packaging process in which operators feed the main product through a conveyance system that quickly and efficiently wraps and seals the packaging material over the product. Many retailers utilize flow wrapping services for their affordability and quick turnaround time. At Econo-Pak, our more than 240,000 square feet of production floor space allows us to successfully complete any customer flow wrapping order, no matter the size or scope.

Shrink Wrapping

Manufacturers, retailers, and packagers use shrink wrap for a wide range of applications. Packaging specialists typically use this thin film of plastic to tightly wrap similar products together, ensuring optimal handling and distribution. We are an industry leader in scalable and highly efficient shrink-wrapping operations.

Bulk Food Packaging

Bulk food packaging helps to eliminate waste by reducing the number of containers needed for product storage. Additionally, it offers advantages in transparency, versatility, and environmental sustainability. Our bulk food packaging operations conform to the highest standards of safety and hygiene, and involve exceptional efficiency and quick turnaround times.

Powder Filling

Containers full of dry powders come in many different shapes, sizes, and configurations. We provide comprehensive powder-filling services, from wrapping to pouching to procurement. We also offer highly customized assistance in formats such as classic bottles and jars, stand-up pouches (SUPs), or multi-pack designs tailored to specific markets.

Econo-Pak’s packaging services encompass a diverse array of products that you commonly find on grocery store shelves. From essential baby products to delightful gummies, crispy cookies, savory crackers, and wholesome pasta, we have experience packaging it all. In the food industry, precise filling techniques and specialized equipment are paramount to ensure accurate dosage and minimize waste. Whether it’s filling snacks, powders, chocolates, baby formula, or any other dry food product into bottles, jars, pouches, or tubes, we have the capabilities to meet the specific packaging needs of each product.

Our team is dedicated to working closely with you, tailoring our services to your design specifications, and engineering a solution that perfectly accommodates your product. With our extensive experience and commitment to excellence, we are confident in our ability to provide contract packaging services for almost any type of dry food product.

Common Contract Packaging Questions

What are the different categories of packaging (primary, secondary, tertiary) and their purposes?

Packaging solutions can be categorized into three main categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary, each serving a distinct purpose.

Primary packaging is the first layer of packaging that directly or closely interacts with the product. It is designed to protect, contain, and preserve the product during storage, transportation, and usage. Examples of primary packaging include bottles, jars, cans, blister packs, and pouches. This packaging not only safeguards the product from external factors such as moisture, light, and contamination but also provides convenience and information to the end consumer.

Secondary packaging refers to the additional layer(s) of packaging that are used together with the primary packaging. Its primary purpose is to provide supplementary protection, branding, and handling convenience. Common examples of secondary packaging include cardboard boxes, cartons, shrink wrap, and foam inserts. It acts as a buffer between the primary packaging and external elements during transportation, distribution, and display on store shelves. Additionally, secondary packaging often supports branding efforts by providing space for product information, logos, and marketing messages.

Tertiary packaging is employed for bulk handling, shipping, and storage purposes. It entails packaging solutions that facilitate the transportation and storage of multiple units of products, typically in large quantities. Tertiary packaging is designed to maximize efficiency, minimize damage, and ensure organized handling during logistics operations. Wooden pallets, crates, stretch film, and shipping containers are common examples of tertiary packaging. By grouping multiple units together, tertiary packaging helps streamline the supply chain, protects products from damage, and simplifies the loading and unloading processes.

In summary, primary packaging directly interacts with the product, secondary packaging provides additional protection and branding, and tertiary packaging facilitates bulk handling, shipping, and storage. Understanding these three categories of packaging allows companies to select the most appropriate solutions based on their specific requirements, ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of products to consumers.

What is the difference between contract packaging and fulfillment services?

Contract packaging specializes in the precise task of preparing products for distribution with processes such as labeling and assembling, ensuring items are ready for their journey. In contrast, fulfillment services manage the comprehensive logistics of the distribution cycle, encompassing order and inventory management, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. These services take the baton from contract packaging, overseeing the journey of products to customers post-packaging.

How do contract packaging and fulfillment services work together to provide end-to-end solutions?

Contract packaging and fulfillment services collaborate to offer comprehensive solutions, where the former handles the precise packaging of products post-manufacture, including tasks like labeling and assembling, while the latter takes over for inventory management, order processing, and shipping. This partnership ensures products are not only well-packaged but also efficiently delivered to customers, streamlining the entire journey from production to delivery.

What were some early materials used for packaging before plastics became dominant?

Before plastics became dominant in packaging, several materials were used for packaging purposes. One of the early materials used was tinplate, which involved a process called tinning. This technique originated in Bohemia (part of the modern-day Czech Republic) and was brought to England by Andrew Yarranton in 1667. Tinplate boxes started to be sold by merchants from ports in the Bristol Channel around 1725. By 1805, British manufacturers had produced approximately 80,000 tinplates and exported 50,000. Another significant material used for early packaging was glass. Glass containers were employed to store and preserve various goods, including food and beverages. Glass bottles and jars offered an airtight seal, which helped in extending the shelf life of consumable products. In the early 19th century, the invention of canning revolutionized packaging. French inventor Nicholas Appert discovered the effectiveness of using airtight containers to preserve food. This led to Peter Durand patenting the canning process in 1810. The first canning factory was established in London two years later, marking the beginning of widespread use of metal cans for packaging various food items. Paper-based packaging also played a significant role before the dominance of plastics. In 1817, the first commercially produced corrugated box was introduced in England. However, it wasn’t until 1856 that corrugated paper received a patent. This type of packaging gained popularity towards the end of the 19th century. In 1890, Scottish-American Robert Gair invented pre-cut paperboard, contributing to further advancements in paper-based packaging solutions. These materials – tinplate, glass, metal cans, and paper-based packaging – were some of the early alternatives to plastics that were utilized for packaging purposes. Each had its specific advantages and applications in preserving and storing various items before the widespread use of plastic packaging.

How has contract packaging evolved over time?

Contract manufacturing has evolved significantly, beginning with the launch of the first Packaging Engineering degree at Michigan State University in 1952 and the subsequent establishment of the School of Packaging in 1957. The 1980s saw a pivot towards sustainability with the use of post-consumer recycled materials. The sector was further unified in 1992 with the formation of the Contract Packaging Association, and since 2008, the industry has seen remarkable growth, doubling in size and underscoring its vital role in meeting the packaging needs across various sectors.

Learn More from Our Packaging Specialists

Econo-Pak, with over 40 years in the industry, provides top-tier contract packaging services, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance. Our facility boasts advanced equipment for various packaging needs, from pouches to bulk, and our rigorous quality control measures prevent contamination and ensure accurate labeling.

Partnering with us allows you to focus on innovation while we handle the packaging, adhering to strict standards for a timely and efficient market delivery. Choose Econo-Pak for a commitment to excellence in meeting your specific packaging requirements.

No idea is too challenging for us, so we encourage you to contact our team to speak with one of our packaging specialists!

DIVERSE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS

We offer a broad variety of contract packaging services, working with inventory like vitamins, seeds, and pouch fillings to all other types of products. Our goal is to get our customers’ products to market as quickly and efficiently as possible while meeting or exceeding the industry’s highest standards of quality.
Our contract packaging solutions cover almost every packaging need. With over 240,000 total square feet of production floor space and 200 different packaging machines, we can meet the specifications of virtually any project — regardless of size or scope.

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Econo-Pak was founded by the Wiebel family over four decades ago as a contract packaging company. They are dedicated to making Econo-Pak the premier food packaging partner in North America.

Over 1,000 employees
40+ years of experience
Full-service trial runs
Quick turnaround times

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