Cost leadership. Most industries have, and are suited for, low-cost providers of goods or services. Low cost labor, scale, and low overhead costs help many packaging companies maintain low-cost models. Obviously the picture isn't perfect; choosing vendors based on one approach or a blend almost always will involve benefit trade-offs.
Bundled services. Offering upstream and downstream services like printing and fulfillment creates one-stop shop value. Services range from design and printing to warehousing and fulfillment, and offer a real benefit of in-house coordination and speed. One-stop shopping transfers communication, the integration of ideas, and complexity to a single provider and can be a great solution--especially when project management or soft costs are difficult to manage.
Thought leadership. Competition and necessity are the mother of invention. Contract packagers can be a great source for packaging innovation, or technical expertise in process automation to drive down costs. Challenging vendors to solve problems can provide new ideas with a different perspective, and broadens the intellectual range of any business.
Robust systems. Contract packagers, like vendors servicing any industry, develop robust systems to meet the requirements of sophisticated buyers with complex needs for information. Good systems create visibility, facilitate real time management, and provide forward looking information to help make decisions. The day-to-day challenge for packagers is to maintain both great systems and the flexibility and speed valued in the industry.