Harold Pijs
Customer Service Manager
Harold Pijs has been with Faes for more than 30 years and is Manager of Customer Service. As the driving force behind inside sales, he ensures reliable customer communication and a smooth order process. His experience makes him an indispensable link in customer-oriented service.
More articles by Harold PijsAs a technical account manager, I am involved in many diverse projects. Time and again I see how important early involvement is. And what it brings to the customer.
If I ask you to draw a car in ten minutes, I’m sure a detailed drawing will come out. In two minutes it becomes more difficult. Let alone if you only get twenty seconds, then it’s already clever if you can recognize a car in it. That’s actually how it works with packaging. Let me explain. Often the development of packaging only comes into the picture when the product to be packaged is already finished. If the product is already in the production phase, there is just time left for packaging. Of course, a lot is possible with some art and craftsmanship. But whether that ensures the best answer to your packaging question… A good packaging solution needs time. Exactly how much time is different for every packaging question.
The earlier you are at the table as a buyer yourself, the more value you can add. You get the chance to benchmark and look for the right packaging solution. If you involve your packaging supplier in the specification phase, you will get even further. They can help you map out the entire packaging chain so you can better determine what specs the packaging needs to meet.
Because you give your supplier a more complete picture of the product and your packaging needs, you get a better solution. Packaging that optimally protects the new product in which so much has been invested during transport and storage.
Because you are involved earlier, you can also start benchmarking sooner. This prevents budget discussions and hassle afterwards. You are no longer surprised with the instruction that you have to arrange packaging for x amount of money. You are in control. Because you make sure that the packaging and transport are on the Engineering Bill of Materials. With the correct budget.
I am convinced that early involvement produces a better solution with optimal value for money. If you start working on the packaging only last minute, the delivery time becomes the decisive factor. You have to put up with rush costs to meet the deadline. There is hardly any time to think about all the details of the solution. Sometimes this can cause unnecessary damage to the product further down the chain. Or for unnecessarily high transport costs, for example because the packaging just does not fit within the standard dimensions of a pallet.
While product development is in full swing, we as packaging specialists are already learning the ins and outs of the product. That saves time. Once the product design is completely finished and all packaging specifications are clear, we can get to work. The job is scheduled on time, so you can count on us having sufficient capacity available. With rush jobs, of course, that is questionable.
Avoid packing only at five to midnight. And that you have to settle for the best feasible solution. Or that you have to accept that the project will be delayed. You can ensure that the process of developing the packaging is not completely separate from the product development process. So that you can tailor the packaging even better to the product.
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