The Ministry of Defence sets extremely high standards for packaging due to strict norms and varying transport conditions. By involving a packaging specialist early on in the tendering process, you increase the chance of approval, guarantee quality and limit risks.
Summary of this article
Chances are that the product supplied by your company will make a considerable journey to reach its destination. Therefore, an important part of the tender offer is proper protection during transport: packaging. Sounds simple, yet there is a lot involved in packaging products for Defense.
The product you deliver to Defense is transported by land, sea and air. To ensure that the product then arrives safely, Defense sets strict packaging requirements. Depending on the tender, you may have to deal with:
These requirements are so specialized that, as a supplier, you will soon be dizzy with terms and abbreviations.
As a supplier to Defense, it is therefore wise to call on the knowledge, experience and resources of a specialized packaging supplier, such as Faes. We know Defense’s strict packaging requirements and help you analyze the entire transport and user process. Finally, we develop the best protection for your product that meets the specified packaging requirements.
To arrive at its destination in one piece, your product must be protected against various environmental conditions. From dust to sunlight, from salt to moisture. These kinds of conditions have a direct impact on the lifespan of the packaging and, consequently, on that of your product as well.
As well as environmental conditions, your product is also exposed to shocks and vibrations. Military products are often transported by road and air. This exposes the product to all manner of vibrations – moving onto and off conveyor belts, being loaded onto and unloaded from aircraft, and being handled on forklift trucks or pallet trucks. This makes the cushioning of your parcel crucial to ensuring the product reaches its destination in good condition. We create this cushioning using a bespoke packaging insert.
When issuing a tender, Defense provides a Package of Requirements (PoR) or a technical specification. Is it about a new product to be developed? If so, this will state what the product must look like functionally and what it must be able to do.
In addition, the PoA also deals with the packaging. Namely, what functional specifications it must meet. A packaging specialist goes to work on that. Depending on the product, there may already be packaging that meets all the specs. Nevertheless, it often happens that new packaging must be developed. As packaging specialists, we make you a technical and budgetary proposal. So you know exactly where you stand.
When you submit an offer, you include a compliancy list. In it you declare that you can meet all the specifications and requirements set by Defense. If you are awarded the contract, you must, of course, be able to demonstrate this. That’s why Defense usually asks for a test report or certificate. For existing packaging, a previously issued certification often suffices. Randomly, such certification is additionally verified with a test. For new packaging, a certificate or test report must be issued.
Is new packaging being developed for your product? If so, the packaging specialist will start a certification process and together you will draw up a test plan. The specialist delivers a prototype of the packaging with a prototype or dummy of your product to an independent certification agency. This agency tests whether the packaging meets the standards and specifications set by Defense.
Different certification agencies again specialize in different certificates. Some issue them for electromagnetic radiation, others for vibration and shock or scratch resistance of paint. Your packaging specialist will know at which agencies your packaging should be tested.
Once the certifications are arranged, series production of your packaging begins. During that process, the packaging specialist may receive regular visits from quality managers. These work at the Defense Suppliers Supervision Department, or TDL. They check the quality of the packaging during and at the end of the production process. On behalf of Defense, they sign the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or Inspection and Receipt Report (KenO). This lets them and Defense know that the packaging meets all requirements and that the product is protected during transport.
So there is a lot involved in supplying Defense. Has your company submitted an offer, or have you already been chosen to carry out the procurement? Ask your question below or contact us directly.
Michel Prins is Account Manager at Faes and a specialist in Safety & Security. Thanks to his background at the Ministry of Defense and years of experience in the sector, he advises organizations on reliable packaging solutions for critical applications. He combines practical knowledge with technical expertise to package sensitive equipment safely and efficiently.
More articles by Michel PrinsGood packaging doesn’t just happen by chance. Using a tried-and-tested approach, our specialists guide you step by step from the initial idea to the finished product.
